Spacing need some tuning (especially the huge gap between "of" and "jazz").

It strikes me as the center of a vinyl record. If so, it might be interesting to try use the 'o' as the hole in the center of the record.

I really like the concept, but the type needs some adjusting - maybe some different fonts and maybe some resizing and layout changes.

Suggestions:
http://typophile.com/node/42897
http://typophile.com/node/82305

I tried a lot of (jazz like) fonts but I still find it hard to design straight lines in a round logo.

It just doesn't look as nice as I would like it to be.

I did some type-on-circle-typesetting in some previous versions of the logo but my client prefers straight lines of type.

Any advice?

The design of No. 157 says old to me, not new. I think you're on the right track with No. 162. The mix of caps and lowercase, of wide and condensed, of serif and sans, are the visual equivalent of swinging improvisational music.
Having all the lines justifed feels wrong, though, like you're playing on the beat when you should be syncopating. How would it look if you moved MESSENGERS a little to the right and OF JAZZ a little to the left?
I personally would tighten up the linespacing a tiny bit, but that's just my own preference in a headline with no descenders.

#2 for me. But I'd loose the inner stroke and inverse it - so it ll be white text on black circle.

Thanks for the advice and the complement.

I haven't done the kerning yet while working on the layout.

No. 2 is also my favorite but it's still a little 'uncommon' maybe.

I have put the textblock in /5/ more to the left site but it looks a little out of balance.

On /6/ I've put some drumsticks.

I think 1 and 2 are good (2 a bit better?). But if you're doing away with the text block, why not try to make the text fit nicer inside the circle?

Hi Jeroen,

Maybe this works? The concept is to balance left and right.

This should be the final piece, maybe some closer kerning between the /F/ and /J/.

Any critics?

Gr Jeroen

Hoi Jeroen,

Ik denk dat ik je horizontale spatiëring wat krap vind. Zeker ten opzichte van de lijnhoogte.

De letter compositie vind ik wel mooi alhoewel het misschien wat minder jazzy word door de 'sterke eenheid'.

Misschien werkt een andere omkadering beter dan een circel. Ik denk gelijk aan een vierkante spreek bubbel aangezien het om messengers gaat!

Voorbeeld is onderweg.

Gr. Tim

(Excuse me for the Dutch people. I can explain myself better that way.)

Hello Tim,

Thanks for the example. It looks good.

Horizontal spacing = tracking I guess.

Putting the text in the circle is a harder thing to do.

Gr Jeroen