Ken Dryden

I have been trying in vain to find out some basic bio information on the late vocalist Millie Vernon. I need to write a few words for a brief promo about her for an upcoming reissue of one of her early recordings, yet information online is sketchy and even several jazz journalists who have been at it a lot longer than my 23 years have come up empty. Many thanks if you can point me to a reference source. I know about her 1990s sessions for one of George Buck's labels, but I don't own that CD.

By the end of the month, Dave Digs Disney - Legacy Edition, will be available, but only as a download. There will be a total of 21 tracks, including mono and stereo versions (different performances), alternates and unissued material.

PM sent.

I reviewed the LP awhile back but haven't heard the expanded reissue. I didn't have any problems with the mix or anyone's playing. I would take Amazon customer reviews with a grain of salt.

After doing a little research, I don't believe Toshiko Akiyoshi has ever appeared on Piano Jazz. She was not in the database that McPartland biographer Paul de Barros supplied me (courtesy of ETV) and the program isn't among the listings over the period covered since the database was updated.

I like a lot of singers, but Elisabeth Kontomanou left me rather cold after hearing one CD sent my way. I also pass on singer-songwriters being pushed by labels and publicists as "jazz." Of course, if you shop at Amazon, the jazz classification becomes worthless with the numerous, pop, new age and anything but improvising artists included by them.

Also, didn't some of the CD reissues of the Prestige LPs of Carnegie Hall Concerts delete some material? I seem to recall that, though I never replaced any of my LP sets.

There was also a second recording ban that took up most of 1948. Among the things issued from that era: a Nov. 1948 Carnegie Hall concert on the long defunct VJC label (2 CDs) a series of Raretone LPs originating from broadcasts at Click Restaurant in Philadelphia in Nov. 1948 a Dec. 1948 concert at Cornell University, issued by Musicmasters, reissued by Nimbus

If you don't post on FB very much, they'll likely fail to realize you defriended them. What bugs me more are people that constantly ask me to connect on LinkedIn, which I consider more of a business than social network. If I don't recognize their names and the only connection is through a bulletin board, I'll pass. Of course, organissimo folks are different, since this has a feeling of a smaller community and there's a lot more going on between members here.

Yeah, I've got the Ray Nance AB Fable CD, too. Do you know about these obscure Ray Nance LPs? Ray Nance Huffin' N' Puffin' MPS/BASF 5057 Ray Nance/Cat Anderson & the Ellington Alumni A Flower is a Lovesome Thing Parker 827 I've only seen them once and I snapped them up without hesitation.

I'd like to see a film made of John Kennedy O'Toole's sole novel, A Confederacy of Dunces. Too bad he committed suicide before it finally found a publisher.

If anyone is interested, I wrote a cover story about Toots Thielemans for the April issue of the New York City Jazz Record and an extended feature on Steve Kuhn for Hot House. The latter is already posted on line at www.hothousejazz.com.

Although this CD was slated for a January release, DL Media told me that it has been postponed to June.

I've got one somewhere that lists Mark Egan as a second tenor saxophonist, but not playing bass.

Both were issued on cassette, but to my knowledge, they weren't issued on CD.

I think both artists and labels out to spend more time proofreading. I reviewed a CD a couple of years ago where one track was listed as Thelonious Monk's "Locomotion." I'd never heard of this "Monk" song though I knew his "Locomotive" well. It turns out it was John Coltrane's composition, played on his famous Blue Trane album. But the one that takes the cake is Will Calhoun: Live at the Blue Note. The last track was listed as Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance," but it was McCoy Tyner's "Passion Dance." The guy reviewing it for JT couldn't tell the difference.

I'm interested. Let me know. Ken

Looking forward to the Jazz Version of 200 Motels...

I bet they don't honor the gift card I have...

I can't imagine any 2 CD Stan Kenton set being worth $800+... My link

It is sad news that George Shearing has passed away. I feel fortunate that I got the opportunity to hear him in person, both in a duo with Neil Swainson and with his quintet a few years later. He was a delightful interview subject, always ready with a quip, with a gift for impromptu puns. He will be missed.

I learned that I was eligible to join NARAS and vote on Grammies, since I have written a sufficient number of liner notes, but aside from the Jazz categories, most of them of are of absolutely no interest to me. Jazz doesn't even merit being part of the main event, so there would be no point in attending the ceremony, so I've got better ways to spend my money. I will say that Grammy voters have done a better job than usual with nominations in some categories, particularly the vocalists. All too often, it's the same old names over and over...

This list was compiled from submissions by NPR listeners. One expecting anything aside from the best known tracks will be disappointed. Although some of the artists might have made my top ten, it wouldn't be for their greatest hit or hits. There's no way would that the monotonous song "Birdland" reach my top 1000, or 10,000, for that matter.