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The one time I saw Don Pullen live, it was in an auditorium and I was below and to the right of him, so I couldn't see his fingers on the keyboard. He was amazing to hear. I've read that he would leave blood on the keyboards from playing the keys with his knuckles.

When the drums are on the right, sort of behind the pillar, they sound perfect--the best drum sound I've ever heard live. When they were set up on the left at the Cyrus Chestnut appearance I saw, the balance is not right, with the drums being too loud for me.

With one exception, every time I've been the the Village Vanguard (probably only 30 times or so, unfortunately), the piano has been set up on the left, the bass in the middle and the drums on the right. The only exception I recollect was Cyrus Chestnut, who set up on the right, with the drums on the left.

I saw him with Dizzy the last time I saw Dizzy--it was a great concert--an expanded group, in a double bill with Miriam Makeba. Then a few years back, at another excellent perfomance at the Village Vanguard. I like him.

I saw him at Sweet Rhythm in New York City last month. I had never heard of him either, but he was terrific. His music (and group) entranced me and I had to come back the next night to hear more. Frankly, he doesn't sound at all like Andrew Hill to me; he has his own unique sound. His new CD is "Bood Sutra" on Artist's House, and it is excellent.

I once attended a show by blues guitarist Philip Walker at a club and there was one other person besides myself in attendance.

There's a fine trio release on DIW, with Cecil McBee and Ronnie Burrage, from 1990, Close to You Alone. I also like Waiting for the Moment, a solo recording on Galaxy from 1977.

I saw Bandwagon play three sets at the VV last month, and they sounded great, both in a musical and accoustic sense. (The pre-recorded parts were played off of a mindisc recorder.) The VV is the best place on earth to listen to small group jazz, so I imagine any deficiencies are the recording engineer's.

This advice is completely wrong. Bandwagon is a terrific CD, recorded live at the Village Vanguard.

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

I wish I had seen the band while Gil was alive, but it did continue for awhile after his death to play at Sweet Basil, and the couple of times I got to see the group, it was a pretty intense experience still.

That sounds like a good one as well. River of Life has lots of bass clarinet and very lyrical, engaging melodies.

I've been going to see the Mingus Big Band for about 10 years, whenever I've been in New York on a Thursday night (used to be Wednesday night). It is always a thrill to see them at the Time Cafe, in the basement. I wish I could see them more than one or two times a year.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to hear this duo on Asian Improv featuring Jon Jang on piano and David Murray? It's rather superb.

I saw him around 1987, and it was a wonderful experience.

Actually, I quite like Naked Lunch. Ornette and Pat Metheny, along with Charlie Haden and Denardo Coleman, were recorded live at the Caravan of Dreams, but it was never released.

Soapsuds, Soapsuds (duet with Charlie Haden on Artist's House) In All Languages (half with reunited original quartet, half with Prime Time) Opening the Caravan of Dreams (Prime Time--LP only) Of Human Feelings (Prime Time) I much prefer the edition of Prime Time with Charlie Ellerbie and Bern Nix on guitars, and Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Albert McDowell on bass. They were an awesome group.

How does one determine what pressing an LP is? Are there marks on the inner groove of the LP itself? Just curious.

Visiting a couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed going to the Jazz Record Center. It's mostly LPs, but I found a bunch of interesting Fresh Sound CD reissues. Also, while high priced, the Tower on Broadway near Lincoln Center has an excellent selection.

I was in New York City and had the good fortune to go to Sweet Rhythm where the Vijay Iyer Quartet was playing, not being previously aware of his music. The music was quite powerful and immediately very impressive. I was able to see four sets over two nights and found this some of the freshest sounding music I've discovered in recent memory. I bought the new CD and it does play on a regular CD player.

Speaking of Wes, I was fortunate last week to be able to hear a group led by drummer Ray Appleton (featuring Gary Bartz, Larry Willis, and Peter Bernstein on guitar) at Jazz Standard, performing as Remembering Wes Montgomery. I sure enjoyed this geat sounding band, performing Wes's compositions and associated songs, and it also reminded me how much I like Wes. Mr. Appleton spoke of Mr. Montgomery playing him the full tapes from the Full House session (probably my favorite of his recordings), that they recorded the whole night. Has any of this been released beyond the original LP?

I have the Galaxy Box set and the Hollywood All Stars Box set, and both are unreservedly recommended. His 50s recordings are also great (my favorite being Meets the Rhythm Section) but ultimately I prefer the late period Art Pepper of the late 1970s and the 1980s.

151 Blue Note LPs

This sounds exciting. He's playing at the Village Vanguard in a couple of weeks and I'm expecting to be in New York City for several days during this engagement.

What I would recommend is simply to get the new two volume DVD set, American Folk Blues Festival, 1962-1966. It is great--with T Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Otis Spann, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Howlin' Wolf, Memphis Slim, John Lee Hooker, Lonnie Johnson, Willie Dixon, Misissippi Fred McDowell, etc--well filmed, and well recorded...