March 14 may have been Roy Haynes’s 88th birthday, but he still looks like he’s 40 and plays like he’s 25. Doug Ramsey has posted a very cool version of “Blue ‘N’ Boogie” from 1973 with an eclectic group that includes Cecil Payne, Lee Konitz and Ted Dunbar. It’s a feature for Roy. Check out Jimmy Owens’s hair, a great way to date the film. Incidentally Jimmy now Shaves his head.

-Michael Cuscuna

This is a very cool article about Coltrane’s house in North Philly, where he lived from 1952 to ’58 when he moved to New York City. It’s gratifying to see the street named in his honor and the house declared a landmark. I lived in Philly from 1966 to ’70 and these photos remind me of what a three-story city Philadelphia was. I’m sure that’s no longer the case.

-Michael Cuscuna

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Herman Leonard was not only one of the truly great photographers, but he was also a larger than life character who travelled the world with cameras around his neck and a smile on his face. This 2000 interview on Jerry Jazz Musician gives the reader a true feeling for Herman’s personality. In it, he talks about a recent exhibition in Berlin with the work of Bill Claxton and Bill Gottlieb. Sadly, all three are gone now but they left us a lot of visual jazz history.

-Michael Cuscuna

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Francis Marmande spoke to Manfred Eicher who is approaching 70 and whose ECM label is 44 years old and the subject of a retrospective exhibit in Eicher’s home base of Munich. Eicher has kept his label active and relevant despite all sorts of obstacles by just sticking to his guns and letting his own taste direct the sound and look of the label. It’s amazing to consider that he has issued over 1500 albums!

-Michael Cuscuna

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A classical conductor, a jazz French hornist and a composer, David Amram was in the middle of the ‘50s jazz scene, a member of the beat generation and involved in the ‘60s folk and protest movements. His reminiscences in JazzWax on poet Gregory Corso are priceless. I’m reminded of a morning Amram and I watched the sun come up at the bar in Bradley’s on University Place, where I listened to David talk animatedly about Lord Buckley for an hour!

-Michael Cuscuna

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Jazzland in Vienna has been a thriving jazz club since 1972. A dive into their website gives us a glimpse of the incredible musical history this landmark has provided since 1972, which has embraced all stylistic forays. Included are rare photos, a history of Jazzland, a bio of Axel Melhardt (Jazzland’s founder) and much more. You can even take a look at their very enticing menu! Someone who enjoyed what Jazzland had to offer and had been on the bandstand was the late trumpeter and author Richard Sudhalter. His reflections on visiting Ground Zero right after 9-11 is a haunting observation and brilliantly presented as only Richard could.

-Scott Wenzel

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This episode of Jazz Profiles hosted by Nancy Wilson was produced just in time. Stanley passed away just months after this show was produced. It’s a wonderful portrait of one of the most soulful and honest tenor saxophonists in jazz; the kid from Pittsburgh with the Texas sound.

-Michael Cuscuna

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Henry Threadgill’s latest ensemble, Zooid, has just been his latest brilliant vehicle for composition, improvisational structure and collective expression for over the last several decades. In this guide in The Wire, Alexander Hawkins points to some telling recent signposts on the web in Threadgill’s fascinating musical journey \u2014 and it seems, in Hawkins’ journey to loving the Zooid.  All the signposts are well worth a stop.

-Nick Moy

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