It is the last issue for 2021 and Bo Haufman has once again put together a lot of interesting reading about Ellington and those around him.

The cover story  is this time about Bubber Miley.

In a six pages long article, Göran Wallén demonstrates his deep knowledge about Miley – “Duke’s Inspirer”  – as he calls him.

The article is concentrated on Miley’s time before he joined the Washingtonians and after he forced out of the Ellington band but covers also Miley’s influence on and importance for Ellington’s “jungle” band and his stylistic development.

A part of the article also look into the famous January 16, 1929 recording session and recapitulate what the Swedish expert group on Miley’s recordings said about his participation in this session.

Another major and very interesting article is an interview with Fred Guy that the jazz and music journalist John McDonough published in Down Beat in 1969 and which is reprinted in the new Bulletin.

In the interview, Guy talks about how he come to work for Ellington, about the clubs where Ellington played, how he persuaded Harry Carney’s mother to allow him to join the band and his memories from the band. He also openenly express his dislike for Irving Mills.

In another interesting article, DESS board member Thomas Harne teaches the Bulletin readers about the difference between a cornet and a trumpet and the difference in sound between them.

There are also reviews of new Ellington records in the last issue for 2021 and two shorter drum related articles by Bo Haufman – The double bass drum concept and Duke’s drummer problems in 1966.