Recent Links :: 6 August 2015

Louis Armstrong: On August 4, his birthday, Louis Armstrong was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Bix Beiderbecke: Bill Wundram writes about cornet player Scott Black's collection of Bix Beiderbecke memorabilia at The Quad-City Times.

George Benson: According to an interview in The Scotsman, George Benson "has no plans to hang up his guitar."

Ornette Coleman: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Ornette Coleman CD, Ornette Coleman At The Golden Circle, Volume 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: According to JazzTimes, Bob Gluck's new book, The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other Revolutionary Ensembles, will be published in 2016 by the University of Chicago Press.

John McLaughlin: According to JazzTimes and Downbeat Magazine, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a two-CD version of John McLaughlin and Santana's "Invitation to Illumination — Live At Montreux 2011" in September.

Charles Mingus: New Jazz United shares a clip of Charles Mingus playing piano and performing "She’s Just Miss Popular Hybrid." (The song is available on the album, Mingus Plays Piano, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Airto Moreira: On August 5, his birthday, Airto Moreira was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Bud Powell: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht provides transcriptions from two interviews with Bud Powell from 1963.

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Recent Links :: 23 March 2015

George Benson: On March 22, his birthday, George Benson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Art Blakey: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Art Blakey album, Orgy in Rhythm, Volumes 1 and 2. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, Nenad Georgievski discusses the iconic Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, Mark Sabbatini lists the best Bill Evans albums.

Benny Goodman: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares videos of Benny Goodman at Disneyland in 1961.

Billie Holiday: According to JazzTimes, Billie Holiday will be inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame in April 2015.

Wayne Shorter: Charles L. Latimer reviews a Wayne Shorter concert in Detroit at I Dig Jazz.

Cecil Taylor: Burning Ambulance shares videos of Cecil Taylor from performances in 1983.

McCoy Tyner: In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond features McCoy Tyner.

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Happy Birthday, George Benson

Jazz guitarist George Benson was born on March 22, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Benson first performed professionally as a singer, winning a contest at four and performing in nightclubs at eight. In 1960, he formed a rock band, using a guitar that his stepfather made for him.

Benson, as Len Lyons puts it, "has a warm, clean, melodic delivery along the lines of ... Wes Montgomery," Benson's mentor.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the George Benson album, Weekend in L.A. (Warner Brothers), which is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Benson plays "Take Five" here:

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Recent Links :: 23 February 2015

George Benson: At All About Jazz, Patricia Myers reviews the January 21 concert by George Benson and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra at the Mesa Arts Center.

Anthony Braxton: Grego Applegate Edwards reviews the Anthony Braxton album, Trio and Duet, at Gapplegate Music Review. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At NPR's Jazz Night in America, bassist Christian McBride recalls the first time that he heard John Coltrane's A Love Supreme. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: All About Jazz reminds us that 2015 is the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme.

John Coltrane: Billboard reports that director John Scheinfeld — whose credits include The U.S. vs. John Lennon and Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of "Smile" — began pre-production on a film about John Coltrane in November.

Miles Davis: As part of All About Jazz's "One LP" series, Joe Lovano names Miles Davis's 'Round About Midnight. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At All About Jazz, Ken Hohman lists his "top ten jazz songs to listen to while watching basketball." Among them is Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island." (The song is available on the album, Empyrean Isles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: CVNC: An Online Arts Journal in North Carolina reprints jazz musician Elmer Johnson's remarks on the influence of Thelonious Monk from a January 2015 presentation at the North Carolina Museum of History.

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Recent Links :: 11 January 2015

Cannonball Adderley, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Bud Powell: At Night Lights, David Brent Johnson lists the best historical jazz releases of 2014, including:

• Cannonball Adderley, Black Messiah. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong, Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings. (Purchase the box set from Mosaic Records.)
• John Coltrane, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Live At The Fillmore: Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery, Live At The Turf Club. (Purchase the album in vinyl from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Birdland 1953. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Live at the Blue Note Café, Paris 1961. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

George Benson: W. Royal Stokes provides a list of books on jazz and blues published "in the past year or so." These include Benson: The Autobiography (Da Capo Press) by George Benson and Alan Goldsher. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Bix Beiderbecke: Marc Myers shares a 2-hour 1981 documentary on Bix Beiderbecke at JazzWax.

Billie Holiday: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Helen Merrill and Billie Holiday singing "You Go to My Head" in 1956. He follows it up at JazzWax with an interview with Helen Merrill in which she discusses Billie Holiday.

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Recent Links :: 14 August 2014

George Benson: According to JazzTimes, George Benson's autobiography will be published in August. (Purchase the book, Benson: The Autobiography, from Amazon.com.)

Art Blakey: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the Art Blakey album, Moanin'. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Miles Davis: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, in August, Prestige Records will release two box sets featuring the recordings made by John Coltrane (16 discs) and Miles Davis (8 discs) for the label.

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, Greg Masters has a long review of the Miles Davis 6-CD set from Sony-Legacy Music, The Complete On the Corner Sessions. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: The Sonny Rollins / New Yorker controversy continues, with reactions by:

• George Colligan at Jazz Truth.
• Tim Niland at Music and More.

Cecil Taylor: According to Rebecca Fishbein at gothamist, Cecil Taylor was "swindled" out of nearly $500,000 by a man posing as his friend.

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Recent Links :: 20 June 2014

Louis Armstrong: Marc Myers has an interview with John Douglas Thompson, who plays Louis Armstrong in the off-Broadway play, "Satchmo at the Waldorf," and playwright Terry Teachout at The Wall Street Journal.

George Benson: At ContemporaryJazz.com, John Hilderbrand touts the new George Benson autobiography, which comes out on July 8. (Pre-order the book from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews two recent releases, Miles Davis, Volume 1 And 2 -- Blue Note 1501 And 1502. (Purchase Volume 1 and from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At ContemporaryJazz.com, John Hilderbrand discusses how to help Don Cheadle with his Miles Davis film.

Keith Jarrett: At The Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum reviews the Keith Jarrett / Charlie Haden CD, Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: At BBC Radio 4, Jez Nelson recounts the time in June 1990 when he met Sun Ra and includes audios of interviews with the legendary band leader.

Horace Silver: Horace Silver's death on June 28 was covered by The Guardian, The International Review of Music, JazzTimes, Jazz Truth, JazzWax, The Los Angeles Times, and The Ottawa Citizen.

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Recent Links :: 6 April 2014

George Benson: At Today is the Question, Ted Panken shares a 2000 interview with George Benson.

Miles Davis: Tim Niland reviews the Miles Davis album, Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3, at Music and More. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The "American Cool" exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery features an Aram Avakian photo of Miles Davis.

Eric Dolphy: According to Ben Ratliff in The New York Times' ArtsBeat, a major two-day festival to honor Eric Dolphy will take place at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., on May 30 and 31.

Duke Ellington: Smithsonian.com shares footage of Duke Ellington playing baseball.

Keith Jarrett: Peter Blasevick shares the video of an interview with Keith Jarrett at The Notes You Don't Play.

Wes Montgomery: At The Notes You Don't Play, Peter Blasevick shares a link to a May 1965 interview with Wes Montgomery in Jazz Monthly magazine.

Jaco Pastorius: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews the Jaco Pastorius album, Modern American Music ... Period! The Criteria Sessions, which will be released in April.

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Recent Links :: 25 March 2014

Louis Armstrong: According to Jeff Tamarkin at Jazz Times, the Louis Armstrong House Museum will make all of Armstrong’s Ambassador Series discs, all 16, available for sale online for the first time. (The collection can be purchased at LouisArmstrongHouse.org as the museum launches its online museum shop.)

Louis Armstrong: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares excerpts from Lyn Murray's book, Musician: A Hollywood Journal ..., in which she reminisces about Louis Armstrong. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

George Benson: On March 22, his birthday, George Benson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: Open Culture shares videos of Herbie Hancock delivering the Norton Lectures at Harvard University.

John McLaughlin: John Kelman reviews John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension's new album, The Boston Record, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charlie Parker: At JJA News, Peter Gerler discusses Stanley Crouch's biography of Charlie Parker, Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Oscar Peterson: Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a taped interview with Oscar Peterson at Take the "A" Train.

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Happy Birthday, George Benson

Jazz guitarist George Benson turns 71 today. Benson was born on March 22, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Benson first performed professionally as a singer, winning a contest at four and performing in nightclubs at eight. In 1960, he formed a rock band, using a guitar that his stepfather made for him.

Benson, as Len Lyons puts it, "has a warm, clean, melodic delivery along the lines of ... Wes Montgomery," Benson's mentor.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the George Benson album, Weekend in L.A. (Warner Brothers), which is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Benson plays "Take Five" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 22 January 2014

Count Basie: Talk About Jazz features the Count Basie tune, "Jumpin' at the Woodside." (The song is available on the album, The Jubilee Alternatives, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

George Benson: At NPR's A Blog Supreme, John Murph discusses five jazz covers of Donny Hathaway songs, including "The Ghetto" by George Benson. (The song is available on the album, Absolute Benson, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Anthony Braxton, Keith Jarrett: In the Groove ... Jazz and Beyond pays tribute to the latest NEA Jazz Masters, including Anthony Braxton and Keith Jarrett.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis playing "Moon Dreams." (The song is available on the album, Birth of the Cool, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: Talk About Jazz features the Sonny Rollins tune, "Old Devil Moon." (The song is available on the album, A Night At The Village Vanguard, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 9 January 2014

George Benson, John McLaughlin: All About Jazz lists its ten "most read" articles from 2013, including pieces about George Benson and John McLaughlin.

Duke Ellington: At Do the Math, Ethan Iverson interviews Tony Teachout about, among other things, his biography of Duke Ellington, Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: At Do the Math, Ethan Iverson provides a "personal celebration of Duke Ellington that disagrees with some of the musical analysis in [Tony] Teachout's biography."

Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter: At 100 Greatest Jazz Albums, Seb Kirby lists his 20 best jazz albums of 2013. They include:

• Keith Jarrett, Somewhere. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter, Without A Net. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John McLaughlin: On January 4, his birthday, John McLaughlin was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Charles Mingus: At All About Jazz, Dr. Judith Schlesinger shares "The Mingus Excerpt," a story that shows the gentler side of Charles Mingus through his friendship with a young Jewish kid.

Wayne Shorter: At Let's Cool One, Larry Appelbaum lists his favorite releases of 2013. They include Wayne Shorter's Without A Net. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 21 September 2013

• George Benson: At All About Jazz, Belinda Ware discusses George Benson and, in particular, his latest album, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane: According to JazzWax, WKCR will present its annual John Coltrane birthday broadcast on Monday, September 23.
• Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan: At NPR's A Blog Supreme, opera singer Jessye Norman picks her favorite jazz singers, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan.
• Woody Herman: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Woody Herman's 1964 visit to England and shares a video of the band playing.
• Charles Mingus: At All About Jazz, Ian Patterson reviews John F. Goodman's book, Mingus Speaks. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 15 September 2013

• Cannonball Adderley: On his birthday, September 15, Cannonball Adderley was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Louis Armstrong: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong discusses ten live recordings by Louis Armstrong's 1935-1939 big band.
• George Benson: Don Heckman reviews George Benson's concert saluting Nat "King" Cole at The International Review of Music.
• Dave Brubeck: Indiana Public Media's Night Lights features a piece entitled "Jazz Goes to College," which includes Dave Brubeck's album, Jazz at Oberlin. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online announces that nine of Miles Davis’s earliest albums on Columbia Records will be issued together on CD for the first time as Miles Davis: The Original Mono Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.).
• Miles Davis, George Russell: Open Culture shares videos of Miles Davis playing in April 1959 on CBS’s "Studio 61" program and George Russell explaining his theory of the Lydian chromatic scale.
• Herbie Hancock: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Herbie Hancock will receive a 2013 Kennedy Center Honor.
• Sarah Vaughan: C. Michael Bailey reviews the album Sarah Vaughan: Sophisticated Lady - The Duke Ellington Songbook Collection, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 15 August 2013

• George Benson: GLT Jazz Next features an interview with George Benson.
• Anthony Braxton: At The Free Jazz Collective, Paolo Casertano reviews the Anthony Braxton album, Sax Quintet (New York) 1998.
• John Coltrane: According to All About Jazz, Concord Music Group is reissuing a remastered and expanded edition of John Coltrane’s album, Afro Blue Impressions, later in August. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis's "Spanish Key," from the album Bitches Brew. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: At Miles Davis Online, Jeffrey Hyatt speculates on how "awesome" a collaboration between Miles Davis and Nile Rodgers might have been.
• Dizzy Gillespie: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey discusses Arturo Sandoval's recently announced Presidential Medal of Freedom and argues that Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval's mentor, should also be given the award.
• Keith Jarrett: Peter Hum reviews three jazz trio recordings, including Keith Jarrett's Somewhere at The Ottawa Citizen.
• Oscar Peterson: On August 15, his birthday, Oscar Peterson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

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Recent Links :: 24 July 2013

• George Benson: According to Elements of Jazz, George Benson's album, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, is the top jazz album of the week of 22 July 2013. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett: At The Talkhouse, Matthew Shipp reviews Keith Jarrett's album, Somewhere. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk: C. Michael Bailey reviews the album, Mulligan Meets Monk, by Gerry Mulligan and Thelonious Monk at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery: Marc Myers discusses the Wes Montgomery album, So Much Guitar!, at JazzWax. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: At The International Review of Music, Brian Arsenault reviews Chuck Haddix's new biography of Charlie Parker, Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell: At JazzTimes, Ted Panken reviews two books on Bud Powell:
  • Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr. The Amazing Bud Powell: Black Genius, Jazz History, and the Challenge of Bebop. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
  • Peter Pullman. Wail: The Life of Bud Powell. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 17 July 2013

• George Benson: George Benson's album, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, was the top jazz album for the week of 15 July 2013, according to Elements of Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane: John Coltrane's 1967 obituary pamphlet is shared at Scribd.
• John Coltrane: At JazzTimes, Jeff Tamarkin previews the Third Annual John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival in High Point, NC.
• John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett: At Mercury News, Richard Scheinin lists the best jazz albums of the summer, including:
  • John Coltrane, Sun Ship: The Complete Session (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
  • Miles Davis, Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2 (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
  • Keith Jarrett, Somewhere (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Billie Holiday: New Jazz United shares a video of Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit."
• Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter: At the Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum lists the jazz albums that have impressed him the most so far in 2013. These include:
  • Keith Jarrett, Somewhere (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
  • Wayne Shorter, Without A Net (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 11 July 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses the legacy of "the beautiful American," Louis Armstrong, at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
• Louis Armstrong: Jazz Lives discusses Louis Armstrong's 1933 recording of "Swing You Cats."
• Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson: At NPR'sA Blog Supreme, Patrick Jarenwattananon lists five songs for July 4, including:
  • Louis Armstrong, "The Star-Spangled Banner." (The song is available on the album, Happy Birthday Louis: Live at Newport Festival, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
  • Billie Holiday, "Yankee Doodle Never Went to Town." (The song is available on the album, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944), which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
  • The Oscar Peterson Trio, "John Brown's Body." (The song is available on the album, Very Tall, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• George Benson: At NPR's Listen Now, Walter Ray Watson discusses George Benson's album, "Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Dizzy Gillespie: At JazzTimes, Paquito D’Rivera reminisces about the friendship between Dizzy Gillespie and pianist Bebo Valdés.
• Joe Zawinul: On his birthday, July 7, Joe Zawinul was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

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Recent Links :: 22 June 2013

• George Benson: GLT Jazz Next features a cast with George Benson, who plays from his new album, "Inspiration." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: According to St. Louis Jazz Notes, artist Preston Jackson has been selected to create a statue of Miles Davis for display in Alton, IL, the town where Davis was born..
• Eric Dolphy: On June 20, his birthday, Eric Dolphy was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Dizzy Gillespie: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses a video of Dizzy Gillespie playing with Ernie Wilkins' Almost Big Band in 1983 in Copenhagen.
• Charles Mingus: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the new book, Mingus Speaks. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Cecil Taylor: JazzTimes and Jazz Chronicles report that pianist and composer Cecil Taylor was among three Americans to receive the Kyoto Prize. The award, similar to a Nobel Prize, is given annually to persons who have excelled in the areas of the arts, philosophy, science and technology.

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Recent Links :: 10 June 2013

• George Benson: At All About Jazz, Mehdi El Mouden reviews the May 2013 George Benson performance with L'Orchestre Symphonique Royal in Rabat, Morocco.
• Dave Brubeck, Bud Powell, Sarah Vaughan: At his "Weekend Wax Bits" on JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Dave Brubeck's "Time out" LP, a reader's reminiscences of Bud Powell, and news that Verve has released Divine: the Jazz Albums 1954-58, a box set of seven remastered Sarah Vaughan albums. (Purchase the album, Divine: the Jazz Albums 1954-58, from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: According to Miles Davis Online, an exhibition of 35 pieces of original artwork by Davis is at the Napa Valley Museum from June 8 through July 28.
• Billie Holiday: Annie Ross selects Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin as her "One LP" at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins: According to St. Louis Jazz Notes, Sonny Rollins has canceled his shows for June and July.

Robert
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