New Sun Ra website

[Lazaro Vega]

Billy Mitchell (the tenor player) is gone...though his jam sessions on Long Island left a legacy of players....can't recall clearly from the Chicago Improv list if Victor Sproles is gone (born in 1927)....Do recall talking to Nessa about James Scales. Chuck's friend Terry Martin tracked Scales down at one point and it was a big dissapointment, given Scales approach and sound on those Sun Ra records of the mid 1950's. Scales was out of music. That was a long time ago.

[Chuck Nessa]

Billy Mitchell (the tenor player) is gone...though his jam sessions on Long Island left a legacy of players....can't recall clearly from the Chicago Improv list if Victor Sproles is gone (born in 1927)....Do recall talking to Nessa about James Scales. Chuck's friend Terry Martin tracked Scales down at one point and it was a big dissapointment, given Scales approach and sound on those Sun Ra records of the mid 1950's. Scales was out of music. That was a long time ago.

Small correction Laz. Muhal found Scales for me in 1966. I had asked about him and Muhal responded by bringing him to the JRM where I worked at the time. The last time I saw/heard him was in the early '80s and he sounded good.

[JSngry]

I seem to remember reading Victor Sproles' obituary in Down Beat a while back, but can't say that with too much certainty.