Ron Carter Esperanza Spalding - Downbeat

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Drummond on Drumming
Drummers are often not given credit for having
“big ears” or being able to see deeply into the
intricacies of songs in which total instrumental
interaction is concerned. In the Blindfold Test
in your November issue, Billy Drummond’s
insights into the music that was put before
him were very impressive—to say the least.
He seemed to speak from deep inside the
music, rather than from the outside looking
in. Drummond has shattered the myth that
drummers cannot possess “elephant ears.”
Larry Hollowell
Norfolk, Va.
Joey D Coverage
It is beyond me why DownBeat has never put
organist Joey DeFrancesco on the cover of
the magazine—especially since Jeff Coffin
made the cover of your October issue.
Coffin is OK, but he’s not a saxophonist at
the forefront of
Joey DeFrancesco
jazz. Coffin is an
80-percent player,
no more, and is
never a guest
on any of the
big-name artists’
CDs. He is also
only an average
interview subject.
Joey D,
however, is one
of the greatest
players of all
time, both for his
musical content
and the mastery of his ax. All great musicians
know Joey D well and would love to
collaborate with him. Joey D is amazing, and
DownBeat should turn the world on to him!
Bob Herren
Denver
erik kabik
Billy Drummond
Editor’s Note: Jazz is a big umbrella, and
DownBeat has been proud to provide coverage
of both Jeff Coffin and Joey DeFrancesco
over the years. DeFrancesco, who has once
again topped the Organ category in the Readers
Poll, is the subject of a profile on page 52.
Masuka’s Perseverance
I was delighted to read your article on the
great African vocalist/composer Dorothy
Masuka (Players, October). In the 1970s,
I was general manager of the Musiotunya
Intercontinental Hotel—located near Victoria
Falls in Livingstone, Zambia—and my hotel
regularly hosted Dorothy as a cabaret act.
She was a delightful performer and a charming
person. It is lovely to see that she is still
active as a singer and human-rights activist.
Don Lindale
dlindale@ihug.co.nz
paul natkin/photo reserve
Salute to Vonski
That was a great article about saxophonist
Von Freeman in your November issue
(“Von’s Life Lessons,” The Beat). My wife
and I had the opportunity to meet Von
and hang out with him at his 80th birthday
celebration in Chicago. He was a great jazz
musician—right up there with Lester Young,
Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Dexter
Gordon, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.
Von helped a lot of jazz musicians:
Mulgrew Miller, Rodney Whitaker, Kurt Elling,
Lonnie Plaxico, Ron Blake, Eric Alexander
and Sam Rivers, just to name a few. Von
never left Chicago because his family was
more important to him than being on the road
or coming to New York City to play jazz.
Earl “Tip Toe” Belcher
Albany, N.Y.
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Von Freeman
10 DOWNBEAT DECEMBER 2012