Bob Brookmeyer: An Appreciation

Bob Brookmeyer was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1929. Although he turns 80 next month, the trombonist continues to make his presence felt. "We're up to our necks in repertory groups and you can't recreate dead people," Brookmeyer complains in a recent interview. Talk like that makes Plastic Sax swoon with admiration. The embedded video shows Brookmeyer performing about fifty years ago (!) with Gerry Mulligan's groundbreaking band. A true artist, Brookmeyer continues to explore news sounds. This fascinating video shows him working on innovative material with Kenny Wheeler. Happy Birthday, Bob, and keep giving 'em hell.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Majestic Steakhouse has reopened! I'd love to celebrate this great news by integrating their jazz bookings into my Kansas City Jazz Calendar, but the downtown venue's entertainment schedule seems to be a secret.

*Did you know that the Count Basie Orchestra released a new album in August? I didn't either. Here's a new EPK for the project.

*What's wrong with these kids! The 5 Star Jazz Band is a group of teenagers who enjoy performing jazz. They're featured by the Star.

*Angela Hagenbach's new album receives favorable reviews from The Pitch and a blogger.

*UMKC's student newspaper shines its spotlight on the Marr Sound Archives.

*A man by the name of Derek recently left a lengthy and thoughtful comment on a 2007 Plastic Sax post. (The photos I used to illustrated my original point still make me laugh.) Here's one of his better lines about the challenge of post-bop jazz: "It's work trying to figure out why such rhythmic music is so eminently, intentionally undanceable."

*Shay Estes shares "A Case of the Mondays" with the Star.

*Steve Penn checks in with Darryl Terrell.

*Orchestrion, the freaky new Pat Metheny album, will be released on January 26.

*Mark Edelman makes his live jazz picks here.

*Sorely missed friend of the Kansas City jazz scene Lee Ingalls is currently living it up in Seattle. His hysterical (and flattering) review of a Sachal Vasandani show is at his blog.

*Eldar's latest album receives a mixed review at All About Jazz.

*Mike Hendricks's latest column analyzes a dust-up surrounding “We Haz Jazz,” "a salute to African-American culture by the mostly white third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at Timber Creek Elementary School in south Overland Park."

*Here's a video highlighting the Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club's 9th annual Jazz Cabaret. The April 2010 event will feature Tim Whitmer and the Wild Women of Kansas City.

*Sue Vicory shot a promotional video for Kansas City Youth Jazz. I've been informed that the organization "is looking for a high school jazz pianist to play in their top jazz band, The Reno Jazz Ensemble on Monday nights from 6 to 7:30 p.m." Interested parties should contact Leon Brady at leonbrady@kcyouthjazz.org.

*From Jim Mair, Associate Professor of Instrumental Music at Kansas City Kansas Community College: "Drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist Christoph Luty will work with the KCKCC Jazz Band and Jazz Combo on Wednesday November 18 from 10:00am till noon in the band room at KCKCC. The Jeff Hamilton Trio presented clinics at KCKCC last time they were in Kansas City." The Kansas City Kansan published additional details here. The Kansan also notes the forthcoming fall jazz concert by KCKCC's jazz ensembles. The November 24 event will feature percussionist Scott Prebys. His talents are on display in this video.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Matt Otto: The Plastic Sax Interview

The arrival of Matt Otto on the Kansas City jazz scene is one of the most encouraging developments of 2009. The exciting and accomplished saxophonist has already injected fresh ideas into the sometimes insular jazz community.

Those who have yet to catch him at an area venue are encouraged to take in his gorgeous solo here and his more aggressive solo here. Otto clearly has enormous stylistic range.

Curious about what brought him to Kansas City and what he hopes to accomplish here, I conducted this email interview with Otto last week.

Plastic Sax: When did you move to Kansas City? What brings you here? Do you plan on staying?

Matt Otto: I moved here toward the end of July this year, my wife got a job as a professor at William Jewell so we'll be here for a while.



PS: Your recordings, at least the ones I've heard, definitely lean toward the outside edge of jazz. Is that the style you most prefer?

MO: I love improvising, whether it's free or over standards. I do have one album of completely free music, Q Trio Vol 1. which is all improvised with no agenda or structure. Most other albums I've lead or collaborated on are what I would consider to be fairly “inside” in that they deal with functional harmony and melody, and improving over a structured form.


PS: How have audiences in Kansas City reacted to your music? Do you expect to find sympathetic venues for that sound in Kansas City?

MO: I've only had two gigs of my own since I came to town, both were very well received, in general, I find the audiences to be good, intelligent listeners.


PS: What are your favorite aspects of the Kansas City jazz scene today? What do you wish was different?

MO: The pace of life here is relaxed, which I like. Both NYC and LA are generally very crowded, loud and intense. It's nice to have some space, calm and a pace that allows time for reflection.


PS: I just listened to the new Jan Garbarek album. His approach reminds me of yours. Is he one of your influences? Who are your musical inspirations?

MO: I really love the recordings he did with Keith Jarrett. One thing I like most about Jan is that he is original and doesn't sound like anyone else. My influences on sax aren't original be any means, I listen to all the players that are considered to be great... Bird, Lester, Hawkins, Desmond, Trane, Stitt, Rollins, Getz, Ornette, Lockjaw, Jug, Konitz, Marsh, really, hundreds of players over the years, some more than others. I feel it's an obligation, as a creative improvising musician, to listen to as much music as possible before you're done.


PS: 
I know you've collaborated with Loren Pickford, the Sons of Brazil and Dave Stephens since you've been in Kansas City. That's a pretty diverse mix. Who else have you been working with?

MO: I've been rehearsing and working a bit with my quartet which includes Mike Warren on drums, Jeff Harshbarger or Ben Leifer on bass, and Gerald Dunn on alto sax. I did a nice gig at Jardine's with Roger Wilder, Brandon Draper and Ben Leifer. I've been playing the Saturday late night set at the Mutual Musicians Foundation each week with Chris Clark, Mike Warren and Tyrone Clark. I've been playing off and on with Brad Cox and the Peoples Liberation Big Band which I'm currently trying to write a piece for. Who else?... Mark Southerland, Sam Wisman, Matt Hopper, Hermon Mehari, Brian Stever, Brad Williams, Gerald Spaits, Rod Fleeman, Angela Hagenbach, Stan Kessler and many others.

PS: Do you see yourself as a leader, a sideman or both?

MO: Definitely both, I write a lot of music and practice a lot of standards.



PS: What went into your decision to make some of your albums available as free downloads?

MO: I just wanted people to be able hear and enjoy the music, without as many economic hurtles to jump over, I knew I'd never make a lot of money playing jazz, it comes with the art form. I get a lot of positive feedback and encouragement and even some donations, all of which help keep me inspired and fed so I can do what I do. I'd rather the music was out in the word than in a box in the back of my closet. I've recently put some Google ads on my blog so that a few cents trickle in every time someone clicks on one they find inciting enough... lol.


PS: Which of your recordings is your favorite?

MO: I like them all for different reasons, if I had to pick one I'd say the Baobab album from the band 3-ish.

PS: It seems that everyone is eager to discuss the state of jazz in 2009. What's your assessment?

MO: I think jazz has never been so strong. Not necessarily from an economic point of view, but due to the sheer number of jazz musicians on the planet that increases year after year. That means better players, more players, more music, more influences and a bigger audience of educated listeners. Of course, without food, water and shelter none of that can happen, so economics is, in a sense, working against art and culture; more artists, less work.


PS: Are you a full-time musician? Is jazz your sole gig? If not, what else do you do?

MO: Just music, I teach private lessons out of my house, other than that it's practice, write, rehearse and gig. (Editorial note: Otto's YouTube channel dedicated to teaching is here.)



PS: You suffer from repetitive strain injurty/carpal tunnel problems. How has that affected your playing? Is it still an issue?

MO: RSI/Carpal Tunnel is a big problem for me, everyday I stretch, exercise, and have to constantly refrain from practicing too much. The technique in my left hand has been dramatically impaired over the years, especially my ring finger. (Editorial note: see Otto's fascinating YouTube channel dedicated to the subject here.)

(Original image of Matt Otto by Plastic Sax.)

Review: The Lionel Loueke Trio

A few of the songs Lionel Loueke performed Thursday at the Blue Room clearly evoked the musician's roots in Benin. Yet they weren't exactly exercises in traditional African roots music. Loueke applied an Auto-Tune-style effect to his vocals. It was funny, surprising and entirely delightful. That's Lionel Loueke in a nutshell.

About fifty people- at least a third of whom were area jazz musicians- witnessed an extraordinary musical dialogue between Loueke, bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth.

I told someone at intermission that the intense way Loueke and Nemeth locked eyes for minutes at a time made me slightly uncomfortable. This intimacy, however, allowed the men to interact at an incredibly high level. While their music was serious, the musicians played with a rare sense of humor. Thursday's show was one of the funniest I'd seen all year. Nemeth, in particular, is quite a comedian. He'd occasionally raise his stick as if to bash a drum only to pull back at the last moment.

A trumpet player shot some footage of the show. Suggesting that it's not representative of the trio's performance is misleading. No two selections were alike. General references points in the trio's vast stylistic range included Pat Metheny-style gracefulness, John Scofield-ish funk and a bit of James "Blood" Ulmer-style skronk in addition to the African explorations.

The trio's next gig is in Martinique on December 3. I can't imagine a place I'd rather be that day.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Jeff Hamilton Trio

My first exposure to Jeff Hamilton's drumming came via KCUR's weekly Just Jazz radio program. How I miss hearing Ginny and Ruth! While I didn't exactly share the women's taste in jazz, their banter was absolutely hysterical. And it seemed like every third song they played featured Hamilton on drums. His pure swing style perfectly suited the Just Jazz sensibility. He's also the drummer-of-choice for Diana Krall and Barbra Streisand. Here's hoping that Ginny and Ruth are well enough to catch Hamilton at Jardine's on November 18 and 19.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Angela Hagenbach chats with Joe Klopus about her new album.

*KCJazzLark published a scathing editorial titled "Fairness Folly". His stern lecture makes Plastic Sax seem like a comparative pushover.

*James Hart notes the 29th anniversary of the murder of jazz musician Steve Harvey.

*Jason Harper begins a blindfold test on Pandora's Nolan Gasser with vintage Jay McShann.

*Kansas City is represented several times on The Telegraph's new list of the 100 Best Jazz Recordings.

*Sue Vicory has amassed quite a collection of recent and vintage photos of Kansas City jazz and blues musicians at the Facebook account for her forthcoming documentary.

*Steve Penn notes that Lonnie McFadden is in a film project.

*The Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival hits Sedalia, Missouri, June 2-6, 2010.

*I'm loving my Kansas City Jazz Twitter feed. For those who prefer a version that doesn't include Miles Bonny's incessant stream-of-consciousness postings, I recommend KC Jazz Lark's KC Jazz list.

(Original image of sign outside the Drum Room by Plastic Sax. Too bad their online calendar stops at October 31.)

Review: The New Vintage Big Band

I expected to see nothing but crusty old men when I stepped inside BB's Lawnside BBQ last Wednesday evening. While a few geezers were among The New Vintage Big Band's members, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the ensemble also includes plenty of young faces. At least one member, in fact, is still in high school.

By my count the ensemble included six trumpets, five saxophones, five trombones, one guitarist, one keyboard player, one bassist and a drummer. They were loud. Very loud. I smiled sympathetically when I spotted one member desperately fiddling with earplugs.

Their diverse repertoire ranged from Stan Kenton to Steely Dan. Boulevard beer and plates of burnt ends were on special. Needless to say, I loved the entire scene.

The New Vintage Big Band returns to BB's on December 2.






















(Original images by Plastic Sax.)