i too derive tremendous pleasure from "conference of the birds" and have for about 25 years. it was 11 years before holland returned the studio to lead a group (at least for ECM -- anybody know of other labels in the interim recording him leading a GROUP?). of course, his groups since 1983 have been well documented and have also made it clear that he was more than a nominal leader of "birds." but with all due respect to kenny wheeler, to robin eubanks and chris potter's dueling on the new live holland, to others, he's never had soloist who cut loose like rivers and braxton. in a similar vein, i strongly recommend sam river's "contrasts" (ECM). wonderful album! george lewis, holland, thurman barker. don't know if this is in print, but it's worth tracking down. finally, would somebody be so kind as to relieve me of my ignorance regarding a saxophone drone? at first, i thought y'all were talking about like when rahsaan stuck the third sax in his mouth, and played a drone or pedal point. but it seems that's not what's being discussed, and i'm unfamiliar with most of the names mentioned. is the saxist singing the drone? hitting it like the root of an arpeggio? simply overblowing multiphonics? thanks, martin np. lester bowie/brass fantasy -- "when the spirit returns." i didn't spend much time with his "odyssey of funk and popular music vol. 1," but this one, drawn from the same sessions, has a pull on me over the past couple of weeks. do i need to go back to odyssey? am i simply missing lester particularly because of the two recent art ensemble albums and interview with the surviving members? lester was a wonderful musician, innovator and human being. i had the pleasure of meeting him several times, always open and friendly and eager to smoke good bud. one night in san diego i passed, with regrets, on seeing the leaders to see miles. afterwards, we went to a little jazz bar where charles mcpherson, by then living in san diego, was playing. lester then walks in the door with curt lightsy. i go up and say, "oh, lester, man, so good to see you! sorry i couldn't make your gig -- i went to see miles." he looks me in the eye and laughs and says, "man, if i'd known miles was in town, ida gone too!" ... at this moment, lester is soloing on "unchained melody." ... i'm not religious, but the idea of lester up there looking down on us fills my heart with joy.