Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes














*The January 24 edition of KCUR's weekly KC Currents program features a segment titled "Where To Next For KC Jazz?". (Full disclosure: the halting, stilted voice is mine.)

*KCJazzLark challenges the premise of a January 15 Plastic Sax post. While he makes several well-reasoned points, I still think the music would be best served by a gradual shift away from increasingly irrelevant terminology.

*The KC Sound Collective are the subject of a nice introductory video.

*KCUR's Jabulani Leffal spoke to Mark Lowrey and Hermon Mehari about Kansas City's jazz scene. The conversation streams here.

*Hearne Christopher checks in with Jardine's Beena. He also provides another update on the ongoing ownership saga. And Christopher assesses the health of Kansas City's jazz scene.

*The apparent absence of progress at Jardine's is noted by Tony's Kansas City.

*Here's a review of last weekend's three-day Jazz Winterlude festival. Libby Hanssen reviewed the performance by Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Band.

*Footage of an excellent band led by Brandon Draper is featured in a video showcasing the new venue at the Kansas City Academy. (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

*Steve Kraske interviewed Chris Brubeck.

*Bobby Watson will be featured in a concert during the 2012-13 season of the Kansas City Symphony.

*Hermon Mehari is interviewed here.

*Will Combs of the American Jazz Museum talks about his job.

*A soprano sax mouthpiece once owned by the late Alaadeen is for sale at eBay.

*West Coast drummer Bill Goodwin will be part of David Basse's band on February 3 at BB's Lawnside BBQ.

*Black House Improvisors' Collective is soliciting a new round of participants. And Hunter Long throws down a challenge.

*Here's the new 45 from Hearts of Darkness.

*The second annual Bob James Jazz Festival will take place in Marshall, Missouri, on May 19.

*Jon Poses reports on the recent JEN convention.

*Anyone remember Dry Jack? Here's a '70s-tastic slide show.

*Two notable Kansas City musicians contribute to the mayhem in an appearance at an Apple Retail Store.

*Tweet o' the Week: KCJazzConnxn- I never get sick of bragging about KC jazz. So many good players from here or cleaning up abroad! Despite club downfall, music keeps coming.

*The Plastic Sax comment of the week: Be-Bop- What's the matter? Swing too much? Not enough multimedia for you? Don't play sloppy and work with little tin drums? Don't have a dancer or little hats to wear? You're slippin' Bill. Been reading too much Nick Payton's crap. Hate to tell you, most of the shit being played in this poor town has got boring written all over it. Watched and listened to some of your "J" word picks of the year... let's talk boring. Garage band bullshit. My opinion, that's all. As for Anonymous asking if it was PBT? Let's chalk that comment up to musical ignorance. Instead of asking for a "Disney on Ice" experience of self gratifying "jazz" that you find playing at your weekly gigs in KC to keep you visually entertained, how about remembering the music comes first. I admire the cats in this town that DO remember that. Oh, and I've seen you close your eyes at gigs and concentrate on the music.

*From the American Jazz Museum: Benny Golson Quartet- 2 Shows: 8:00 & 9:30. $25 One Show- $40 Both Shows. (Student Pricing - $20 One Show. $30 Both Shows). Buster Williams- Bass, Carl Allen- Drums, Mike LeDonne- Piano. (Saturday, February 25.)

*From Jim Mair: Information about the 11th Annual Kansas City Jazz Camp is here.

*From Mike Ning: Michael Feinstein performed a concert with the Kansas City Symphony on February 11th, 2011. He came with a film crew for a documentary for PBS. Among the numerous stops, he paid the Mutual Musicians Foundation at 18th and Vine a visit during its early morning Jazz Jam (Saturday morning on the 12th of February from 1-5 am, to be specific). The place was jam packed with fans from the concert and regular patrons. Michael was urged to sit in with the house band: Denyse Walcott - Host / Vocalist, Mike Ning - Pianist, Joe Straws - Bass, Victor Perelmuter - drums. He did a few numbers and brought the house down. Proceedings were taped for the documentary to be aired on Friday, February 3rd, on PBS, Channel 19, Kansas City.

(Original image of the Matt Otto Quintet with Shay Estes performing January 201 by Plastic Sax.)

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