Ken Dryden

I have rarely given much thought to saving press kits, except for some that went far beyond d a glossy artist photo and the press bio. I didn't save most of the photos though some have the outline of the CDs packed with them.

I wrote the liner notes for this 2 LP set, which was available only by pre-order as a limited edition. Obviously Louisiana Music Factory in the French Quarter ordered a good number of them, but I don't know how widely it will be available at retail. https://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/shop/vinyl-long-play/ellis-marsalis-an-80th-birthday-celebration-vinyl-2-lp-set/

Great news. I never saw in person, but he was a delightful phone interview.

I can't say she is among my favorite vocalists, but then again, neither is Gregory Porter.

I think there are only around 150-175 critics voting in the NPR poll. Francis Davis invited me some time ago, as I have been voting since at least 2008.

One thing I can tell you is not every voter was sent or has heard each release. I had to go through quite a few titles in the best releases before I found anything that I own.

That's a nice surprise. Maybe Zev will uncover some of the things that Michael Cuscuna couldn't find, no doubt many of which were misfiled or mislabeled, as is always the case when jazz labels get swallowed up by conglomerates.

I interviewed Ted Rosenthal on December 20th and it was published today on AllAboutJazz.com. Most of the interview is about his jazz opera Dear Erich, inspired by the letters that Ted's German grandmother wrote to his father after he fled the Nazis to come to the U.S. It premieres in New York City this Wednesday, January 9th. Additional videos of earlier readings with music can be found on the website DearErich.com. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ted-rosenthal-dear-erich-a-jazz-opera-ted-rosenthal-by-ken-dryden.php

I reviewed Chris Beck's recent CD and can recommend it. I've only heard one track by Veronica Swift on another artist's CD, but Ken Peplowski told me she is one of his favorite vocalists.

I voted but haven't seen the cumulative results, which Francis Davis usually posts before year's end. Maybe he had a hectic December...

I will have to get it, since Andy LaVerne is well represented in my collection.

Yvonne was my editor at Hot House when she replaced Paul Blair after hi sudden death. Other then short conversations during jazz conferences we attended, I really didn't get to know much about her background, though I knew of her skills in fundraising and promoting live jazz. She was a talented editor, too.

Here is the obit that Gwen Kelley, Publisher of Hot House Jazz Magazine, shared via email: Yvonne Ervin, Copy Editor for Hot House Jazz magazine, Executive Director of the Tucson Jazz Festival Dead at 59 https://syncopatedtimes.com/yvonne-ervin/ By Joe Bebco Yvonne C. Ervin, 59, died after liver transplant surgery on Wednesday night at the Mayo Clinic in Pheonix. Originally from Illinois, she double majored in journalism and saxophone at the University of Arizona and stayed in the area to work at the Arizona Daily Star. A certified fundraising executive, Ervin raised more than $10 million dollars for worthwhile organizations during her fundraising career. Working as a volunteer for eight of nine years as executive director of the Tucson Jazz Society (1989-1998) she grew the organization from 500 members with a $50,000 budget, to 2,100 members with a $250,000 budget sponsoring 42 concerts a year. During that time she was also the marketing director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and for a year, marketing director of the Arizona Dance Theater. She helped establish Primavera: A Celebration of Women in the Arts, an all-women festival where she could often be heard on saxophone with her ensemble Bitches Brew. The group has been recognized by Tucson’s Musicians Hall of Fame. She also co-founded the bi-national Charles Mingus Hometown Music Festival. While still in her 20s she served as Vice President of the American Federation of Jazz Societies. She was also the Secretary of the Executive Board of the International Association of Jazz Educators. Since 1989 she has been the Executive Director of the Western Jazz Presenters Network, a coalition of 45 jazz festivals and venues in the West. She co-founded the Jazz Journalists Association and has long served as its Vice President. She has interviewed more than 150 jazz legends for numerous news outlets in Arizona and nationally. Many of her interviews have been archived by the Library of Congress. She hosted jazz radio programs for more than 20 years. She is also a notable photographer, something that gave her great pride. She has worked extensively as a presenter leading seminars on fundraising, audience development, and marketing for numerous institutions including the Kennedy Center. In 1998 she moved to New York City where she held top development positions at several important community organizations fighting drug abuse and teen pregnancy. She also established herself with the regional jazz community before returning to Tucson in 2011. In 2014 she began working on the Tucson Jazz Festival, which held its inaugural event in January 2015. Her current positions included; treasurer of the board of the Santa Cruz Alliance for the Arts, Executive Director of the Tucson Jazz Festival, editor of Hot House magazine, which serves the New York City area, Executive Director of the Western Jazz Presenters Network, Vice President of the Jazz Journalists Association, and other important roles on boards and behind the scenes. The Tucson Jazz Music Foundation has announced the creation of a memorial scholarship for girls in Ervin’s name. The scholarship is open to girls 10 to 17. Applications are available through the foundation’s website, tjmfdn.org/scholarships.

It's a shame that I only have had the opportunity to hear Dave Liebman in person twice. But I have HutchFan to thank for letting me know about the concert in Duluth, Georgia, which was a lot closer for me than driving to Nashville and enduring a time change as well. It turned out the most of the Duluth concert ended up on the double live CD released by Liebman on Whaling City Sound, it was a great evening and HutchFan and I have gotten to be good firiends. Glad to be of help any way that i can.

Jim: It refers to Eugene Gregan, the Painter. A complete track list is posted here, though I didn't scan the entire booklet. https://www.discogs.com/Dave-Liebman-To-My-Masters/release/12975780 Dave Liebman confirmed that this is a private issue which won't be sold to the public. Considering my wife, yes I am! But it was a great surprise to get this CD from Dave Liebman. I was honored when he asked for a longer edit of the interview I did with him for The New York City Jazz Record, which is available on his website. He is easily one of the most diverse and fascinating musicians that I have ever encountered.

This nice surprise landed in my mailbox yesterday. Since there was no accompanying press release, I emailed Lydia Liebman to ask her more about it. She replied that this release was intended for her father's friends and media who have long supported his work, so it isn't planned for general distribution or public sale. All unaccompanied improvisations, though compositions which inspired some of them are listed. Fascinating music!

I knew he had toured Japan a lot. I never got to interview him, but I got to hang with him the one year that he played the Atlanta Jazz Party.

I thought that those many CDs that he made for Venus we're recorded in the US. Were there others made in Japan? I know that he and his wife, Meredith d'Ambrosio, split their time between homes I. Wilton Manors, Florida and New England.

My wife's response is often "Why haven't you placed this CD for me?" My music library is in a separate basement room and I don't usually leave many CDs on the other two levels of our house.

I heard Tardo Hammer with Lee Hudson and Steve Ellington tonight at Smalls, the the tail end of a jam session at the Earrinn featuring Scott Robinson.

Just got back from hearing 2 sets at Kitano by Jerry Bergonzi, with Bruce Barth, Harvie S, Victor Lewis and Phil Grenadier. Still making plans for tomorrow, to the Vanguard on Monday...

Here are the Duke Ellington DVDs I own. I have no idea which ones are still readily available: Duke Ellington Love You Madly & A Concert of Sacred Music at Grace Cathedral Eagle Eye Media 39100 Duke Ellington/Ella Fitzgerald Duke: The Last Jam Session Eagle Eye Media 39069 Duke Ellington The Big Band Feeling EForFilms 2869037 Duke Ellington Reminiscing in Tempo Gary Keys Productions adv Duke Ellington In Hollywood - Swing Era Idem 1029 Duke Ellington Copenhagen 1965 - Parts 1 & 2 Image 9548 Duke Ellington Live at the Tivoli Gardens 1971 - Parts 1 & 2 Image 9550 Duke Ellington The Intimate Duke Ellington Image 9551 Duke Ellington Berlin Concert 1969 Impro-Jazz 509 Duke Ellington Rare Video Footage (1929-1962) Legacy Entertainment 5004 Duke Ellington Memories of Duke MVD 855 Duke Ellington Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1929-1943 Storyville 16033 Duke Ellington Montreal 1964 Video Artists International 4358

I have the following LPs available. If you are interested in any of them, let me know. I haven't had time to price them, though they will be reasonable. I am open to trades as well. Offers welcome, though a thorough description of LP and jacket conditionwill be provided on request. Clark Terry Quintet/Coleman Hawkins Quartet: The Eddie Costa Memorial Concert Colpix Charlie Byrd/Chuck Wayne/John McLaughlin/Bucky Pizzarelli & George Barnes/Joe Beck/Tiny Grimes: The historic Town Hall Concert Columbia 2 LPs, promo copy Paul Quinichette/Benny Green/Frank Foster/Joe Newman/Hank Jones/Kenny Clarke/Eddie Jones/Johnny Smith (Sir Jonathan Gasser) Jazz Studio 1 Jasmine (UK reissue) Coleman Hawkins/Roy Eldridge/Pete Brown/Jo Jones, All-Stars The Newport Years Vol. 4 Verve Xanadu Montreux Vol. 1 (Sam Noto, Ronnie Cuber, Dolo Coker, Sam Jones, Frank Butler, Sam Most, Ted Dunbar) Xanadu Xanadu Montreux Vol. 3 (Sam Most, Ronnie Cuber, Barry Harris, Al Cohn, Billy Mitchell, Dolo Coker, Sam Jones, Frank Butler, Ted Dunbar) Xanadu —— Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra feat. Lew Tabackin & Frank Wess Wishing Peace Ascent Eubie Blake Tricky Fingers Quicksilver Ran Blake Suthfield Gothic Soul Note Paul Bley Tango Palace Soul Note Bob Brookmeyer Quartet Oslo Concord Jazz Ted Brown Trio w/Hod O’Brien and Jacques Schols Criss Cross Jazz Doc Cheatham The Fabulous Doc Chetham Parkwood 104 Al Cohn Four Brass, One Tenor: The Jazz Workshop RCA France (Jazz Line) Chick Corea & Freidrich Gulda The Meeting Phillips (live) (Holland) Larry Coryell & Michael Urbaniak A Quiet Day in Spring Steeplechase Don Ellis New Ideas Prestige w/Jaki Byard, Al Francis, Ron Carter, Charlie Persip Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Ella And Louis Again Mobile Fidelity 2 LPs Carl Fontana The Great Fontana Uptown Chico Freeman The Pied Piper Black Hawk Terry Gibbs Espirit de Jazz Interlude 1007 Benny Golson Just Jazz! w/Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Ron Carter, Eric Dolphy & Grachan Moncur Audiofidelity 6150 Stephane Grappelli Tribute To Europe 2001 Johnny Guarnieri Gliss Me Again Classic Jazz 105 Jim Hall Live in Tokyo Paddlewheel/King (Japan) no OBI Sir Roland Hanna/George Mraz/Ben Riley This Must Be Love Audiophile Roland Hanna The New York Jazz Quartet in Chicago Bee Hive (w/Frank Wess, George Mraz & Ben Riley) Eddie Higgins By Request Statiras Dick Hyman Trio The Unforgettable Sound Of MGM Shelly Manne & His Men Jazz Gunn Atlantic Shelly Manne Plays Richard Rodgers (w/Lew Tabackin, MIke Woffford & Chuck Domanico) From the Broadway Musical “Rex” Discovery Warne Marsh All Music Nessa Jay McShann A Tribute to Fats Waller Sackville 3109 Charles Mingus Music Written For Monterey 1965 Not Heard… JWS/East Coasting J. R, Monterose Live in Albany Uptown Oscar Peterson Digital at Montreux Pablo Live Oscar Peterson + Harry Edison + Eddie Cleanhead Vinson Pablo Astor Piazzolla & Gary Burton The New Tango Atlantic (live at Montreux) Andre Previn, Herb Ellis, Shelly Manne, Ray Brown 4 to Go Columbia Red Richards & Friends (Norris Turney, Buck Clayton) In a Mellow Tone West 54th Sam Rivers Involution Blue No seam split, cut cornerte 2 LPs previously unissued at that time Hilton Ruiz Something Grand Novus sticker on cover Hilton Ruiz El Camino (The Road) Novus Phil Sunkel’s Jazz Band Every Morning I Listed to Phil Sunkel’s Jazz Band ABC-Paramount (cheesecake cover) Sissle & Blake’s Shuffle Along (archival re-creation through 1919-1921 recordings) New World Sonny Stitt & The Giants Night Work Black Lion cut corner w/Howard McGhee, Walter Bishop, Tommy Potter, Kenny Clarke Buddy Tate/Humphrey Lyttleton Kansas City Woman Black Lion cut corner Art Tatum Song of the Vagabonds Black Lion Art Tatum Pieces of Eight Smithsonian Billy Taylor Live at Storyville West 54th Clark Terry It’s What’s Happenin’ - The Varitone Sound of Clark Terry impulse! Lennie Tristano Quintet w/Warne Marsh & Billy Bauer Live at Birdland 1949 Jazz Records Eddie Cleanhead Vinson I Want a Little Girl Pablo Lee Wiley sings the Songs of George & Ira Gershwin & Cole Porter Audiophile 1 Billy Taylor Trio with Candido OJC/Prestige reissue, cut corner Denny Zeitlin Shining Hour - Live at the Trident (w/Charlie Haden & Jerry Granelli) Columbia cut corner

June works for me....

The booklet with the Dolphy set is comparable to Mosaic sets, but with many rare photographs that few people have likely seen as well. I hate to think how long it has been since I've played either one of his Douglas LPs, this music deserves wider recognition.