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From Jason Moran's website: February 10, 2007 Houston, TX Cullen Theatre Jason Moran and The Bandwagon present MILESTONE

Another fine album, with some nice Freddie Hubbard as sideman, was Henry Butler's Fivin' Around, on impulse, circa 1986.

I bought High Energy when issued (I liked it then and still do), but I skipped the next few Freddie Hubbard recordings (Liquid Love and Skagly). I don't think I've ever heard Skagly, except maybe on the radio at the time.

At the Tower Liquidation sale, I picked up a Joe Farrell OJC--Sonic Text, recorded for Contemporary in 1979. This is certainly a very good recording--With Freddie Hubbard, George Cables, Tony Dumas and Peter Erskine. Freddie sounds so good here, it made me wonder, what other outstanding sideman recordings did he make in the 1970s and 1980s that (like this one) I might have missed?

Warm Tenor.

He plays (and has a couple of solos on) Sun Ra's Blue Delight.

I have First Light on LP, though I haven't listened to the LP in many a year. My recollection is that the sound on this LP was very good. That is generally my recollection of CTI LPs--that the sound was among the better LPs being made at the time.

For Prime Time, there is also: Of Human Feelings Opening the Caravan of Dreams (LP only) Virgin Beauty Jazz Buhne Berlin The superior edition of Prime Time is the one with Bern Nix and Charlie Ellerbee on guitars, and Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Al McDowell on bass guitars. The soundtrack to Naked Lunch is another worthy Ornette recording during this underdocumented period.

How old is Donald Byrd? In his 70s?

I've never run across the Columbia LP "Summit Meeting at Birdland" on any CD.

Me too. I've heard him three times--once in the mid-70's--he could still blow the horn, but the music was really boring and insipid. Then again around '89 and '92. Pretty weak. But "the worst trumpet playing I have ever heard on stage" award goes to Freddie Hubbard about 3-4 years ago. He couldn't play more than about ten seconds at a time because his lip was so bad--eventually he sat down at the piano and finished the set at the keyboard. Now, THAT was sad to see (and hear). I will be at the gig in D.C. in March and I'll report back. I saw Freddie for the last time around 1991--he still sounded great. I'm going to quit while I'm ahead.

I've seen Donald Byrd twice--once in the mid-1980s and again around 1992 or 93. He was terrible both times-the worst trumpet playing I've ever heard on a stage. If you are a fan of his 50s and 60s work, you are going to be very disappointed. He really could not play well anymore when I saw him. Perhaps he has regained his chops in the last dozen years or so, I don't know, but it seems rather doubtful

The Zawinul Syndicate played at the Caravan of Dreams years ago, and I got to sit in the front row--I thought he was amazing, by far the best player on electric keyboards/synthesizers I've ever heard--"The Minister of Doom" as bassist Gerald Veasley introduced him.

Charlie Parker, the Complete Savoy Recordings (LPs).

There are 14 musicians in the Mingus Big Band, who play there every Tuesday.

I don't see how any jazz lover could not get the Louis Armstrong--his trumpet sound is glorious in this concert. And the Chet Baker is rather fine as well.

Possible future releases: (from www.jazzicons.com): The Jazz Icons series was planned to be an ongoing entity, not just these first nine DVDs. If the first nine are successful, we have uncovered many more treasures to release in the next series. Of course, artist clearances are always a factor, but if possible some of the titles we would like to release include an incredible 60-minute concert from 1966 with Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington, 90 minutes of live and in-studio concerts from 1964 with Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy (filmed a few months before Dolphy passed away) and various concerts of John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan & (Rahsaan) Roland Kirk all filmed in the early to mid 1960s.

I emailed the producer and he replied that they had many more films to release, but first they have to sell enough of the first series to convince TDK (who financed the first series of nine) that it is a profitable venture before another series could be produced. He said there is a volume four of the American Folk Blues Festival series in the works.

The Blakey DVD is very exciting. It would get my recommendation. I've only watched the first half of the Gillespie--Diz is paired with Sonny Stitt, who is in fine form--also recommended.

80 GB ipod. Preston Sturgess DVD box set.

Clifford Jordan's In the World has been reissued in Japan--it's available for $25 from dustygroove.

More on Magos (I share the enthusiasm of these writers): I Listened to Magos Herrera at the International Jazz festival in playa del Carmen, she is an outstanding vocal soloist, manages to create a new style of Latin scat, it is innovative but clearly jazz and when she does her improvisations off the composed melodies it is a “mind-blowing” experience. Rudy García / The Miami Herald / Nov.2005 I saw her at the Lincoln center out-of –doors, and what a surprise to take in some of the Mexicos newest diva. While cabaret jazz stylings inflect Magos performance, she forges new paths in her repertoir...afro-latin, pop and brazilian influences -all perhaps unifying the Latin experience in a contemporary sense- yert most of all- brilliantly meshing and resonating with Mexicos’ vast, diversified cultural legacies. “This was awesome.” Evangelina Kim. / New York Time / 2002. Extraordinary Voice.I stumbled upon her website by accident. Everyone who's heard me play her music wants to know who she is. The best description I can give you is that her voice evokes a blossoming waterfall. Magos music reveals a mature, refined and confident vocalist. Magos is a genuine treasure. Her music will lift your soul. Just listen. "redwoodpecker" (Tucson, AZ United States) March 30, 2004 Magos Herrera rises over the stage as fire over the wood, the carpet and the curtains as her soft smile appears and the lowering curtains of her eyelids hide her eyes. Magos conquers the others senses as the spell coming from her voice and moves takes the audiences on a journey over the softness dunes of her love, senses, sweat and skin. The smoothness of her silhouette comes is the place where the hypnotizing beating of the jazz, bossa and Latin rhythms are born, "Is Magos the only woman in the world that can sing a caress." And that is vudu, the most beautifull witchcraft, coming from the black magic of satin and the overwhelming woman that don`t need any accent to become the sensuality herself. Bicho / Rock Stage / 2004. The sole existence of Magos Herrera is by itself a provocation. The poetical charm of her melody and the power of a mesmerizing voice take the audience to the sun of Rio de Janeiro and the silver moon of Manhattan. Seeing Magos Herrera and listening her is a caress full of sensuality. Magos Herrera is the ideal spell for the lovers of the jazzed kiss, the erotic sortilege of the bossa nova, and the pagan conjure of the Afro-Brazilian rhythms. Her sensual and smooth voice of fine shades and colors full of warmth gives a new sense to poetry, converting it into romance and eroticism. Sergio Monsalvo/ Reforma2003

Magos Herrera and Iraida Noreiga--Soliluna http://www.magosherrera.com/ I wish I were going to be in New York January 20-- Magos Herrera showcase en New York [2007-01-20] Magos Herrera Showcase en New York January 20, 2007 The Gerald W. Lynch Theater John Jay College 899 Tenth Avenue, (Between 58th & 59th Streets) New York, NY showcases at 17:30 y 21:00 hours

My most recent Chronological Classics CD is No. 1349. They started wihn No. 500--so that is over 800 CD compilations from the 1920s to early 1950s. If you have all or most of this material, you really do have a large collection. Otherwise, this seems like the most abundant source of 78 era jazz.

I'd add his appearance on Chico Freeman's Destiny's Dance to that list. (Hard to imagine him keeping that kind of company these days) When I interviewed Wynton in April, 1982, he said that "Destiny's Dance" was a very poor experience for him because Chico Freeman did not know the changes to his own songs, and that he would not be getting involved in any projects with musicians like that again. What a douche bag. He meant, I won't play anymore with musicians who have more talent and personality than I do.