The new issue of the DESS Bulletin is on its way the subscribers=DESS members. They can look forward to some good reading.
Wild Bill Davis is the featured artist this time. His career and his collaboration with Ellington is covered in three articles – one by Bo Haufman, one by T.C. Pfeiler from his Wild Bill Davis website and one by Steve Voce from The Independant. There is no WBD discography in the Bulletin but readers can find one at http://www.wildbilldavis.com.
Another main feature is an 1965 interview with Johnny Hodges originally published in Jazz Journal. In it, Hodges talks among other things about how he learned from Sidney Bechet and worked with him, how he got set up in New York and joined Ellington in 1928 and the challenges running one’s own band. An extensive comment by Bo Haufman gives further value to the interview.
Mike Zirpolo, who runs the Swing and Beyond website (/swingandbeyond.com), has this time contributed an article on Harlem Airshaft. Also highly recommended!
In the new issue, Bo Haufman also contribute an article on Ellington’s lyricists as well as one how the Ellington songs Bensonality and Jam With Sam got their names.