An irreverent and opinionated guide to jazz in Kansas City.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Now's the Time: Roger Wilder and Bob Bowman
Pianist Roger Wilder and bassist Bob Bowman will perform every Monday in January at the Green Lady Lounge. The embedded video documents the duo's rendition of "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise" at the venue earlier this week.
Great post about two of Kansas City's world class musicians. This is a refreshing change of pace from a disturbing trend of late of all the wrong people getting the publicity.
My greatest wish for Kansas City jazz in 2014 is that audiences--club patrons, writers, even other musicians--listen a little closer and develop a more discerning palate. Quality control is getting to be an issue; I cringe at how seemingly few people perceive the distinction between mediocrity and excellence in our town. Checking out Bob and Roger at Green Lady is a great place to start.
*Quality control is getting to be an issue; I cringe at how seemingly few people perceive the distinction between mediocrity and excellence in our town.*
It seems that is said to be an issue everywhere else too, with the primary factor depending upon whose lense is doing the discerning.
Wilder and Bowman are master musicians. And, both are great human beings with BIG musical ears.
The new trend is to refer to everybody as "great human beings" and "great people". Thats nice and all but I've known some cats who passed away in the last several years who were referred to as "great people" and quite frankly from my multi decade association with them they were really anything but "great people". I liked these musicians and respected them and they had a lot of fans BUT they were not "great people". Some were actually jerks both in public or behind closed doors or both.
7 comments:
Great post about two of Kansas City's world class musicians. This is a refreshing change of pace from a disturbing trend of late of all the wrong people getting the publicity.
My greatest wish for Kansas City jazz in 2014 is that audiences--club patrons, writers, even other musicians--listen a little closer and develop a more discerning palate. Quality control is getting to be an issue; I cringe at how seemingly few people perceive the distinction between mediocrity and excellence in our town. Checking out Bob and Roger at Green Lady is a great place to start.
Who's more hip than Roger and Bob? Extremely talented musicians and even better people. I'm glad they make KC their home.
Well said.
Roger and Bob make me feel happy about being a part of this scene. Two men who are just at that "head and shoulders" level. My goodness.
*Quality control is getting to be an issue; I cringe at how seemingly few people perceive the distinction between mediocrity and excellence in our town.*
It seems that is said to be an issue everywhere else too, with the primary factor depending upon whose lense is doing the discerning.
Wilder and Bowman are master musicians. And, both are great human beings with BIG musical ears.
Peace, Cb
The new trend is to refer to everybody as "great human beings" and "great people". Thats nice and all but I've known some cats who passed away in the last several years who were referred to as "great people" and quite frankly from my multi decade association with them they were really anything but "great people". I liked these musicians and respected them and they had a lot of fans BUT they were not "great people". Some were actually jerks both in public or behind closed doors or both.
Its good to be positive but lets be real too.
Well it's always good to be "real," but in the case of Roger and Bob there is no doubt: great musicans and great people.
A persons character always improves when they die.
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