About Ken....
I started collecting jazz records while attending Tulane University in the early 1970s. Since I was already a history buff (and majoring in it as well), research was something I also enjoyed. After graduating in 1976 and earning my MBA at the University of Georgia the following year, I eventually wound up in Chattanooga, where I began a 15-year stint on WUTC-FM hosting "Timeless Jazz" in 1987. In early 1988, I began reviewing jazz, writing for various publications including Cadence, The Jazz Link, Letter From Evans, and the Chattanooga Times Free Press, as well as contributing hundreds of reviews to the All Music Guide to Jazz. I also jointly edited the late lamented All About Jazz Trivia Quiz with Alex Henderson. I also contribute annual reviews of the IAJE Conference to All About Jazz, along with occasional concert reviews.
I launched Ask Ken in November 2000 as a resource to help others locate recordings and discographical information about jazz artists, partially in appreciation of the help provided to me by others when I was a novice jazz fan. I don't claim by any means to be able to answer every question, but with a variety of discographies at his disposal (including titles covering Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, George Duvivier, Art Pepper, Lester Young, and the Blue Note label) and the amazing Tom Lord Discography on CD-ROM, as well as some expertise in obtaining information through Internet research, many of them are a snap. Finding a source for specific out of print LPs and CDs is trickier and a bit more time consuming, but I keep such questions on file for later review if I can't find an immediate answer. One of the benefits of writing such a column has been my discovery of titles of which I was unaware, as well as learning other important information from my readers. If you have a question regarding an artist's discography or you're looking for a specific LP or CD, read over my guidelines (posted separately, following them helps me to answer your questions faster), then drop me a line. Questions are kept on file until an answer is posted in the column or I acknowledge a total dead-end. Happy hunting!
--Ken Dryden
NOTE: Ken also researches discography related questions about jazz artists.
