R.I.P. Ted Curson

News have been circulating on Twitter these last few hours that trumpeter Ted Curson has passed away at the age of 77, most citing a French website as a source. Sad news indeed. Curson is perhaps best know for his tenure with Charles Mingus, although he also played with such luminaries as Archie Shepp (Fire Music), Cecil Taylor and Andrew Hill, as well as recording a dozen or so records as a leader or co-leader.

Curson can be heard at the paek of his powers on "Folk Forms No. 1" from Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (Candid, 1960), together with Mingus, Eric Dolphy and Dannie Richmond. Some band, that.

Lost Eric Dolphy Session, via Phil Schaap

Phil Schaap just wrote some info on Facebook on a lost 1963 session with Eric Dolphy, likely a private demo recording. Perhaps not the most likely of collaborators -- Seldon Powell played mostly swing and R&B, and while Major Holley did play with Charlie Parker and later Rashaan Roland Kirk, he's perhaps better know for his work with Coleman Hawkins & Oscar Peterson -- but I really would've liked to hear some of this:

I can confirm the personnel - Eric Dolphy (as); Seldon Powell (bars); Joe Newman (tpt); Melba Liston (tbn); Major Holley (bass); Earl Williams (dr); & Hale Smith (pno/leader) - for a lost session that the recently deceased Hale Smith was the contractor for. It was a private date or demo session for a neighbor of Smith’s who had written at least two tunes that Hale arranged. The session is definitely not from 1964 and most likely occurred in 1963. A photograph – that may still exist – showed the musicians. Earl Williams, either going to another gig or coming from one, is in a tuxedo and the others are far more casually dressed. The material still exists and is presumably with Hale Smith’s widow or, perhaps, his son Marcel.

Finally, this item is distinct from those on tape that Eric Dolphy had deposited with Hale Smith shortly before Dolphy left for Europe.