Now's the Time: Julian Vaughn

In its publicity materials for the Buck O'Neil Celebration 2012, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum suggests that "Buck loved virtually every music art form but surmised them all by saying 'It's all Jazz'."  That's an excellent workaround for the divisive fact that Tuesday's "It's All Jazz" concert at the Gem Theater doesn't feature what most people would consider jazz.  I'm not most people.  Avery*Sunshine is an Erykah Badu-style neo-soul artist.  Her sensibility is entirely in keeping with the spirit of Billie Holiday.  Bassist Julian Vaughn is poised to become to the biggest smooth jazz artist with a Kansas City connection since Norman Brown. The fine double bill is close enough for jazz.