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Bertrand, chatted briefly with Steve Davis. Had no idea what his musical abilties were. I found out later in the week when I heard the McLean Dynasty at the New Morning and was impressed. On the same close encounters subject, should have mentioned that I ran into Billie Holiday at a Louisiana-cuisine restaurant called Chez Gaby's in the Montmartre section of Paris back in 1958. Thought she was just beautiful. Speaking of Paris restaurant I ran into Quincy Jones whom I had been acquainted with when he was in town for a couple of years in the late '50s. That was several years later. He gave me a warm welcome and a too warm welcome to the girl I was going out with. And they're not jazz but I ran into the full four Beatles back in 1963 at a party in Paris where they had been invited but were not expected to show up. I was there with a British girl who could not believe her luck.

I have a Japanese Verve LP of Sonny Stitt in New York. I remember noticing that sound on 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' and being intrigued with this at the time I got it. Thought that it might be the sound of someone's (Stitt?) tapping to the rhythm of the music. Jazzbo seems to concur. Will have to listen to that album again. With pleasure!

One of the great underrated BN session. I got acquainted with that 'Rootin and Tootin' album through the Japanese Toshiba LP reissue. Couple of years later, I ran into an original copy and bought it at a very reasonable price. Then when it came out on CD with extra tracks, I had to get that one. Have this in three versions. I paid my dues.

I travelled to New York with my then 14-year old son in 1992. When we checked in at Newark airport for the flight back to Paris, I noticed several musicians waiting in line to board the plane. They had their instruments with them. I recognized Roy Hargrove but later saw Jackie McLean standing in another line. McLean was traveling to Paris with his Dynasty band for several gigs including one at the New Morning club in Paris. One musician I did not know took his seat on the plane next to me and my son in the economy section. Turned out to be Steve Davis. McLean traveled in the first class section. At Charles de Gaulle airport McLean and his musicians gathered at the luggage checkout. My son who knew I was in awe of McLean went to him and asked for an autograph. McLean obliged in a very nice way. I kept the autograph since my son was never really into jazz. He is more into classical music nowadays. Another time when flying back from New York/Newark to Paris, I saw Johnny Griffin waiting to check in but did not see him aboard the plane.

Seems that Teddy Weatherford was the big name in jazz in pre-WWII Shanghai. Weatherford was the piano player in the 1926 Erskine Tate band that also had Louis Armstrong in its trumpet section. Weatherford travelled to Asia that same year and started working in Shanghai in 1929. Buck Clayton was recruited by Weatherford in Shanghai and played a season for him in 1934. Weatherford visited Paris in 1937 and made several recordings then before returning to Asia. He died of cholera in Calcutta in April 1945. Jazz and Shanghai, fascinating subjects.

Jay McShann remains active. He was appearing last month at festivals in Canada with the Duke Robillard band. McShann and Robillard are scheduled to play at the Tanglewood festival August 31 and at the Monterey festival September 21. The man is supposed to be 94. Did he share a secret with Benny Carter?

'Domino' was a very popular French hit back in 1951. It was French crooner Andre Claveau's top song. Claveau died last week. You couldn't find a more saccarine voice. If you did find one, you'ld have died of diabetes. Took me a long time to get to like Roland Kirk's version. But I love it now.

The Tarzan album was not RCA, but MGM. The only thing that made it worthwhile was its cover. A classic! The music is way beneath the RCA albums. I had to search far to get a copy.

I have this in its Onyx LP silver-covered reincarnation. Rodney is OK but the rhythm section of Tommy Flanagan, Oscar Pettiford and Philly Joe Jones (Elvin subs in for Philly Joe on a couple of tracks) is pure joy. Audio was good but am surprised it gets an audiophile treatment. But I may be wrong.

Since they have not been mentioned yet, here goes: Art Blakey and the 1958 Jazz Messengers at Club Saint-Germain. Three LPs on RCA or 2 CD. The Club was on fire!

Damn good stuff, yes!!! I grew up with these. Still have the original French Vogue ten-inchers. Hampton on 'September in the Rain' is a classic. How come I enjoy Hampton's humming so much and hate Keith Jarrett doing the same thing? Can it be that Hamps swings it? One thing that bothers me on those Hamptons in Paris Vogues is the sound of Monk Montgomery who was playing a very early version of an electric bass. As for Alix Combelle, that's the man who played - among many records - on the Coleman Hawkins/Benny Carter/Django Reinhardt session that produced 'Crazy Rhythm', 'Honeysuckle Rose' and 'Out of Nowhere'.

If you like Scott LaFaro, get a copy of Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz. LaFaro and Haden are on that classic. If your equipment setup is OK, you should hear LaFaro on the left channel (with Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman) and Haden on the right channel (with Freddie Hubbard and Eric Dolphy). What LaFaro plays is amazing. So is what Haden plays.

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers are so much affiliated with Blue Note that albums they made for other labels tend to be overlooked. The three records they made for Riverside (Caravan, Ugetsu, Kyoto) are not mentioned often but they were made by the Messengers unit that fronted Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller and Wayne Shorter. The playing and the material was superb. Those Messengers cooked!

Go here http://www.jazzdisco.org/bn1977-dis/c/ and go down to 1985. You will have a full list of what was issued from 'One Night With Blue Note Preserved' plus the full list of what was on the 'One Night with Blue Note' albums.

Lee Morgan - LeeWay (RVG) Lou Donaldson - The Natural Soul (RVG) Brad Goode/Von Freeman - Inside Chicago, vol. 2 (SteepleChase) Zoot Sims/Eddie Davis 'Tenor Giants' (Pablo) Lee Konitz/Martial Solal - Star Eyes (Hatology) Richie Kamuca - Drop me off in Harlem (Concord LP) Don Cherry/Garo Barbieri - Togetherness (Durium LP) Johnny Hodges with Strings - The Prettiest Gershwin (Verve LP)

'Invisible Orchard' was an unissued RCA album by Shorty Rogers and his Giants that Fresh Sounds published on CD several years ago. Excellent date indeed with the usual gang (Conte Candoli, Rosolino, Perkins, Red Mitchell, Mel Lewis, etc.)

Paris, in La Belle France. The place where I live is burglar-proof (sort of!!)

Charles Mingus always had with him, a small trunk which was packed with all kind of medications. He had it when I saw him in Paris in 1964. He kept it at hand and would pick up various pills or liquids from it off and on.

'Good Morning Blues' by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing. And when I have time I enjoy tea, jam and croissants from the bakery at the streetcorner.

I have that 'Pisces' King album too. A good Messengers album. The Ping Pong version is different from the one that was included in the 'Roots and Herbs' album. The Wayne Shorter solo in the 'Pisces' Ping Pong version is worth the admission price. A stunning solo where Shorter lays it out! That 'Pisces' album was part of the treasures that Michael Cuscuna discovered when he started exploring the BN vaults. It was issued in 1979/1980. Just for nostalgia freaks, here is the list of albums that King Japan published at the same time: Sonny Clark 'Blues in the Night', Kenny Burrell 'K.B. Blues', Grant Green 'Matador', Wayne Shorter 'The Soothsayer', Dexter Gordon 'Clubhouse', Sonny Clark 'My Conception', Kenny Burrell 'Freedom', Grant Green 'Gooden's Corner', Wayne Shorter 'The Collector', Bobby Hutcherson 'Oblique', Jackie McLean 'Tippin' the Scales', Bennie Green 'Minor Revelation',Curtis Fuller 'Two Bones', Grant Green 'Oleo', Hank Mobley 'Poppin'' Jackie McLean/Tina Brooks 'Street Singer', Lou Donaldson 'Sweet Slumber' Those King LPs had superb mastering. I have most of them and their pre-digital sound is gorgeous. When I see many board members get all heated up about the current forthcoming releases from BN, I keep smiling and stay in my corner. And then I remember how I was excited when those Kings appeared.

The sound is bad but the music is so glorious. Yes, the vast majority of those Boris Rose LPs have low fidelity sound but the man should have eternal gratitude from us jazz fans for preserving those magical moments when the jazz greats were putting out so much great music. Among other treasures he left us, Rose is the one who recorded with whatever material was available at the time the radio broadcasts from the Royal Roost (when the musicians playing there were legends like Bird, Prez, Miles, Dameron, Basie..). Wish Rose had caught the broadcasts from the 1943 Earl Hines big band with Bird.

Loved it. The colors had me fooled for a minute but I recognized the place: France!

Calm down Rooster! The Sam Rivers photo is just another superb image by Wolff which is obviously why it is the cover for a jazz calendar. But you're right about the shabby treatment Rivers is getting from BN.

Don't know if this was distributed in the USA, but Warner Brothers Europe reissued a couple of years ago on a single CD two of the Chico Hamilton albums with Eric Dolphy 'The String Attached' and 'The Three Faces of Chico'. The CD is titled 'Chico Hamilton Quintet' (WB 9362-47874-2).

From Michael Fitzgerald's list: Bill Russo passed away