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ChordsDiscordsFueling the FlameThank you for the feature on saxophonistEric Alexander, “ChicagoSound,” in your June issue. I firstheard Eric during his Chicago yearsand have kept listening ever since. It’simportant to focus on musicians likehim. There are a lot of us DownBeatreaders who still see room for youngmusicians to create and explore withinthe bebop/hard-bop legacy. Eric’sdedication keeps the bebop flameburning brightly and reflects on howimportant and profound the creationsof Parker, Gillespie, Powell and Monkstill are more than a half-century sincetheir origination. The music still has somuch to give and, indeed, has roomto grow.Moreover, Eric has brought longoverdue attention to Harold Mabern,who at 78 is as profound a pianist asever. The fact that this hard-bop masteris still with us and wailing is somethingthe entire jazz community should bethankful for each and every day.BILL BENJAMINBILTMORE LAKE, N.C.Eric AlexanderCHRISTOPHER DRUKKERFeeling More FillmoreI’m writing in regard to the review of Miles AtThe Fillmore–Miles Davis 1970: The BootlegSeries Vol. 3 in your June issue. Shame onColumbia/Legacy for sitting on this music forso long. Miles Davis At Fillmore was the firstMiles record I purchased at age 19. It tooksome listening before it made sense, but onceit clicked, it was (and still is) marvelous. Finallyhaving the opportunity to hear all four nightsunedited is wonderful. This is some of themost creative music ever, and 40 years later, itstill sounds fresh and cutting-edge.TOM GUILFOYLEAMBLER, PA.Investigating DynamiteI’ve been reading your magazine since 1964,and I love your coverage of new, up-and-comingmusicians. As a guitarist, I’m pretty conversantregarding the current players. I noticethat in the DownBeat Critics Poll and ReadersPoll, you seem to overlook Jonathan Kreisberg.I mean, come on guys, Mary Halvorson? Getserious! As Bob Dylan said, “Somebody betterinvestigate soon.” Kreisberg should be on yourcover. He’s dynamite!JUD FRANKLINJUD1@TRIAD.RR.COMStryker GuideIn your June issue, I cannot believe that thearticle on Dave Stryker, “Retro Vibe,” fails tomention his excellent book Dave Stryker’s JazzGuitar Improvisation Method, published byMel Bay.MANUEL A. TRUCCOMTRUCCO@MINDSPRING.COMCorrectionsDue to a misclassified entry in the Down-Beat Student Music Awards (June), theco-winners for Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble,Undergraduate College division, are: SacState Vocal Jazz from Sacramento StateUniversity, under the direction of GawVang (Sacramento, Calif.); and WillametteSingers from Willamette University, underthe direction of Wallace Long (Salem, Ore.).In the Student Music Awards section(June), under the category Latin Group,Graduate College Outstanding Performances,the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra fromManhattan School of Music (New York,N.Y.) should have been listed as beingunder the direction of Bobby Sanabria.In the July issue, the Jazz On Campus featureon the CalArts jazz program contained errors.A revised version is posted at downbeat.com.DOWNBEAT REGRETS THE ERRORS.Have a Chord or Discord? Email us at editor@downbeat.comor find us on Facebook & Twitter.10 DOWNBEAT AUGUST 2014