Killer Ray Appleton

[ghost of miles]

Hey, just ducked out of work for an hour or so to catch the drummer Killer Ray Appleton at Bear's Place, a Bloomington bar that features jazz on Thursdays. I got a chance earlier today to interview him for my series on Indiana jazz; he grew up in Indianapolis and got his nickname from his playmates Freddie Hubbard and Larry Ridley when he was 8 (they had just gotten a Charlie Parker record and Appleton was flailing sticks as he attepted to follow along to Max Roach). Appleton got his first gig with Wes Montgomery when he was only 14, played with David Baker's late-50's quartet, and split to New York when he was 19. He's on Freddie Hubbard's 1966 record BACKLASH, as well as John Coltrane's 1966 record COSMIC MUSIC (why hasn't that been re-issued? I'm assuming Alice has the rights and is holding it back for future consideration). Anyway, Appleton's playing in Indianapolis Saturday night, for any posters besides Sheldonm (who plans to be there) who live in or around our environs.