Album Review: Brian Scarborough- Sunflower Song

I began tracking the steady ascent of Brian Scarborough even before I snapped the embedded photo of the young Kansas City trombonist at Homer’s Coffee Shop in 2017.  I’ve impatiently anticipated the release of his debut album since catching an astounding performance by Scarborough’s band at recordBar last year.  Released August 7, Sunflower Song is worth the wait.

Not only does the uncommonly elegant album showcase Scarborough’s talents as a trombonist and bandleader, Sunflower Song is an essential document of the artful component of Kansas City’s jazz scene.  In recruiting four of Kansas City’s most notable musicians- tenor saxophonist Matt Otto, guitarist Adam Schlozman, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Brian Steever- Scarborough is responsible for giving the rest of the world an opportunity to hear the magnificent sounds a small cadre of locally based fans of improvised music have enjoyed in recent years.  

Rather than dominating the nine tracks, Scarborough allows his bandmates equal footing.  The democratic collaboration pays homage to the cool West Coast jazz of the 1950s, an approach allowing Scarborough to honor the adventurous spirit of Bob Brookmeyer.  The late Kansas City native is Scarborough’s most obvious reference point.  The sound may be based on a venerable tradition, but there’s nothing stale about Sunflower Song.  

Serene on the surface, the album is deceptively subversive.  Otto invokes the underappreciated Jimmy Giuffre while Schlozman’s thorny solos reveal the influence of Thelonious Monk.  The stutter-step rhythms of “City Lights” highlight the synchronicity between Harshbarger and Steever.  Scarborough exhibits none of the youthful aggression you’d expect to hear on the debut album of a rising star.  

Immanuel Wilkins’ very fine Omega, the most prominent jazz album released August 7, is characterized by brash solos and innovative production tricks.  That’s clearly not Scarborough’s style.  Yet his reserved sensibility produced one of the most consequential acoustic jazz albums made entirely by Kansas City musicians in recent years.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Brian Scarborough Quintet at RecordBar

Brian Scarborough has arrived.  Once a precocious boy wonder brimming with potential, the trombonist, composer and bandleader proved that he’s joined the ranks of Kansas City’s elite jazz musicians at RecordBar on Sunday, August 18. 

Scarborough possessed the assurance and advanced conception of a musician twice his age as he led a stellar quintet consisting of saxophonist Matt Otto, guitarist Adam Schlozman, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Brian Steever in a performance of original material.

I wasn’t surprised when he told the dozen people who paid the $5 cover to catch the first set that he’d been listening to Albert Mangelsdorff.  While decidedly thornier than his previous playing, Scarborough’s slightly left-of-center attack wouldn’t have caused conservative devotees of Bob Brookmeyer or J.J. Johnson to squirm.

Focusing solely on Scarborough would be imprudent.  Otto remains the best soloist in town not named Bobby Watson.  And the group’s sophisticated comping was frequently as intriguing as the individual solos.  Scarborough’s rapid evolution suggests that I’m likely to encounter a much different musician the next time I catch him.  I can hardly wait.

(Original image of Adam Scholzman, Brian Scarborough, Matt Otto and Brian Steever by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Chicago Plan at the Blue Room

The American Jazz Museum described the sound of the Chicago Plan as “loose and cool" in a social media post promoting the avant-garde ensemble’s April 26 appearance at the Blue Room.  Those aren’t the words anyone in the audience of about 100 for the ensemble’s first set would have used.  The pairing of the adjectives “agitated and incendiary” or “chaotic and combustible” better represent the ensemble’s attack.

The extremely rare booking of free jazz stalwarts in Kansas City was made possible by the well-financed Goethe Pop Up.  A billboard in the Crossroads District advertised the concert.  The gambit may not have worked.  Aside from affiliates of the Goethe group and the locally based musicians Bill McKemy, Adam Schlozman, Brian Steever and Rich Wheeler who alternated sets with the Chicago Plan, I may have been the sole enthusiast of Fred Lonberg-Holm, Steve Swell, Gebhard Ullmann and Michael Zerang to pay the $10 cover charge.

With collective recording credits that include sessions with Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, El-P, Ken Vandermark, Wilco and John Zorn, the members of the Chicago Plan are all-stars in the new music community.  They validated their reputations as elite noise-makers.  Lonberg-Holm, a self-described “anti-cellist,” provided the biggest surprises.  He contributed ominous electronic enhancements, made his instrument sound like a rusty door hinge and summoned the ghost of the MC5 guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith.

Steve Swell served as a maniacal master of ceremonies.  His snarky attempts to engage the dozens of high school choir students from Iowa who filled the back half of the club fell flat, but nearly everything else he and his colleagues attempted was explosive.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Matt Otto, Danny Embrey, Sam Copeland and Brian Steever at Black Dolphin

The ticket I buy at the box office of the Folly Theater on Thursday for a concert by the Joshua Redman Quartet will almost surely be money well spent.  The saxophonist deserves his status as one of the biggest stars in mainstream jazz.

I wasn’t required to open my wallet to catch a similarly refined quartet on Wednesday.  Performances at Black Dolphin are always free.  Saxophonist Matt Otto,  guitarist Danny Embrey, bassist Sam Copeland and drummer Brian Steever were staggeringly good. 

Otto immediately became one of Kansas City’s finest musicians upon moving to the area in 2009.  Embrey has a chameleon-like tendency to play at the level of his collaborators, a trait that resulted in a magnificent effort on Wednesday. 

A $40 seat in the center of the second row is currently available for Redman’s concert.  I hope to snag it Thursday.  While I know that Redman’s showmanship will be enormously entertaining, I’m less confident that the star will equal the musical standard set by Otto last week.

Otto’s quartet returns to on Black Dolphin on Wednesday, April 10, Wednesday, April 17, and Wednesday, April 24.  I shared a portion of an Otto solo at Instagram.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: Ben Tervort, Matt Otto and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House

I’m considering forgoing future trips to New York City.  I periodically visit the jazz capital partly to hear music that isn’t performed in Kansas City.  I was thrilled, consequently, when Ben Trevort’s Classically Trained filled a crucial component of that void at Westport Coffee House last Tuesday. 

Bassist Tervort, saxophonist Matt Otto and drummer Brian Steever played an hour of impressionistic, European-style jazz.  The rhythmically unconstrained trio shifted between joyous swing and unhurried avant-garde musings on original material and standards.

Trevort judiciously gave his bandmates free reign.  Listening to Otto delineate the melody of a ballad is akin to watching a masterful Japanese artist paint a wondrous landscape.  And every time I see Steever perform I’m certain that he’s my favorite drummer in town.

Unlike in New York City, attending Tuesday’s show didn’t require navigating a subway system, paying a drink minimum or battling a crowd.  In fact, all of the people who paid the $10 cover to catch the first set could have fit inside a taxicab.  It’s too late to cancel my forthcoming trip to New York, but Tervort’s adventurous endeavors in Kansas City may play a decisive role in my subsequent travel plans.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Steve Cardenas

Steve Cardenas will perform with Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at the Green Lady Lounge on Wednesday, December 27.  After leaving Kansas City in the 1990s, the adventurous guitarist played in bands led by jazz luminaries including Paul Motian, Charlie Haden and Steve Swallow.  Cardenas has also released four albums as a leader.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The man behind Plastic Sax reviewed Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle’s Kings & Queens for KCUR.

*C.J. Janovy of KCUR took the Charlie Parker Historical Tour on Saturday.  Here’s her report.

*The annual Charlie Parker tribute at Lincoln Cemetery was documented by The Kansas City Star.

*Soul Jazz Fridays, the new live album by Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, will be released in November.

*Jeff Harshbarger, Matt Otto and Brian Steever participated in a Ghost Notes session for KCUR.

*Marilyn Maye, the cabaret star who will headline the Prairie Village Jazz Festival next week,  received a rave review for a recent performance in New York City.

*The Pitch recommends Steve Lambert’s gig at the Blue Room.

*The Pitch reports that brewers of the Green Room have crafted a new Charlie Parker-themed beer.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Steve Paul- Charlie Parker's daughter, Kim, speaks at 21-sax salute by his grave at Lincoln Cemetery, #kc #jazz (photo)

*Comment o’ the Week: Ed- I was in KC this weekend and caught "parts" of the first set by Peter Schlamb at the Blue Room. I say "parts" because I was surrounded by the noisiest, most inattentive audience to which I've ever been subjected. Outside of the half dozen tables closest to the stage and some of the people along the railing, no one could shut up long enough to hear anything. Most of my jazz listening in the past decades have occurred in St. Louis and Columbia and I can assure you this kind of noise would earn you an invitation to quiet down or leave. I should add that this talk was not of the "participatory" variety of response and encouragement but standard bar babble. What a shame. I wonder if a high cover would make the experience more valuable to these smucks.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: Gerald Spaits' Sax & Violins

A solo by Charles Perkins over a bed of strings on Duke Ellington’s “Heaven” at the Westport CoffeeHouse on Thursday was one of the most divine things I’ve heard in recent months. 

The saxophonist's sublime effort was part of the second concert by Gerald Spaits’ Sax & Violins ensemble.  The bassist’s group includes a string quartet, saxophonists Perkins and Rich Wheeler and drummer Brian Steever.

My fear that the arrangements would favor treacly compromises was unwarranted.  Nothing I heard during the 30 minutes I spent among the 40 people who paid a $10 cover charge was overly sentimental.

A swinging solo by violinist Adam Galblum and a robust tandem statement from the saxophonists were among the other highlights.  Sax & Violins has claimed a spot near the top of the list of my favorite bands in Kansas City.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: John Gross at the Westport Coffeehouse

A Lee Konitz performance provided me with a transformative experience in March.  I hoped to bookend that highlight of 2015 with John Gross’ appearance at Westport Coffeehouse last week.

Gross, 71, is another saxophonist who communed with jazz giants as a young man.  The native Californian was once embedded in the West Coast cool jazz scene.  He later toured with several prominent big bands.  Gross is now based in Portland.

I hoped to hear Gross play like this.  Instead, Gross and saxophonist Matt Otto, a trombonist from Stevie Wonder’s touring band, guitarist Danny Embrey, bassist Ben Leifer and drummer Brian Steever played sleek post-bop.

Wednesday's elite lineup was virtually incapable of playing anything less than stellar.  Even so, the uncomfortably low turnout became an oppressive burden for both me and for the band .  I bailed after about 40 minutes of exquisite music.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Ron Carlson- Kind Folk

Ron Carlson’s new album Kind Folk is dedicated to Charlie Haden and Kenny Wheeler. 

The title track of the project would almost certainly have pleased both jazz legends.  The core band of saxophonists Rob Scheps and Roger Rosenberg, guitarist Carlson, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Brian Steever interpret Wheeler’s composition with the elegant finesse associated with the late bassist and trumpeter.

Scheps and Rosenberg shine on John Abercrombie’s “Soundtrack” and Haden’s exquisite ballad “First Song.”  Rosenberg’s bass clarinet gives the latter selection an old world feel.

Kind Folk provides valuable documentation of the New York based Scheps’ annual collaborations with Kansas City jazz musicians.  The pairing of Bowman, a Kansas City institution in the midst of a late career renaissance, and the energetic young Steever, reflects Carlson’s savvy as a bandleader.

Three prominent Kansas City jazz vocalists- Shay Estes (“A Felicidade”), Angela Hagenbach (“Bye Bye Country Boy”) and Kathleen Holeman (“A Beautiful Friendship”)- are also featured on Kind Folk.

Carlson is content to let his consistently tasteful Kenny Burrell-style playing augment the contributions of his bandmates.  His thoughtful statement on “J.S.”, the album’s gorgeous closing track, lasts less than a minute.

In electing to act in a complementary role, Carlson has overseen the creation of a solid album of  mainstream jazz.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Michael Pagán- The Ottawa Sessions

I’m a slow learner.  The prospect of a new Michael Pagán album rarely makes me giddy, but I’m invariably floored by the high quality of each release by the pianist, composer and bandleader.

The Ottawa Sessions is no different.  In fact, it may be Pagán’s best effort to date.

The recording featuring Pagán, Bob Bowman and Brian Steever isn’t just another homage to the Bill Evans Trio.  In pairing of the dean of Kansas City jazz bassists with a rambunctious young drummer, Pagán has crafted  an energetic piano trio album that’s loaded with surprises. 

Not a single moment of the thirteen-minute reading of “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” is redundant.  Rather than resembling the deferential background murmurings of a cocktail lounge trio, the men play with brash assertiveness.  A rollicking reading of “Lullaby of the Leaves” and the playful “Kalamara Rex” are just as fun.

In hindsight, it should have been immediately apparent that The Ottawa Sessions would be an essential document of Kansas City’s mainstream jazz scene.  I’ll be ready next time.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Joe Klopus notes the homecoming of Steve Cardenas in his latest column.  The Pitch also touts Cardenas’ shows at Take Five Coffee and the Blue Room.

*Charlie Watts visited the American Jazz Museum.

*Joe Dimino’s latest interview subjects include Matt Carrillo and Steve Rigazzi.

*Ensemble Ibérica shared insights into their rehearsal sessions for a concert featuring the music of Matt Otto.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Michael Shults- Tim Ries from the Rolling Stones sat in with us last night. So that was neat. (photo)

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum in partnership with the ARC recording label will present two free master classes in the Blue Room jazz club on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 from 6-9pm. Admission is free and open to the public. Jazz pianist, composer and ARC cofounder, Sumi Tonooka will present an hour master class. Jazz percussionist, composer and ARC recording artist, Jeff “Siege” Siegel will also present an hour master class. There will be opportunity for Q and A sessions, as well as interacting with the artists in this context.

*From Take Five Coffee + Bar: Thursday, July 2, 7pm:  Steve Cardenas and Ben Allison Trio: It's a tremendous pleasure to welcome Kansas City native guitarist Steve Cardenas back to Take Five, and we're delighted that he's bringing with him superlative bassist Ben Allison for this show. Steve has risen in the jazz world to claim a spot as one of the most influential guitarists working today… (w)ith drummer Brian Steever… $10 cover.  Friday, July 3, 8pm:  Alyssa Murray's AM Trio: Pianist and vocalist Alyssa Murray brings her free-ranging and versatile sense of fun to the Take Five stage along with bassist Joel Stratton and drummer Josh Blythe for a mix of originals and standards. $5 cover.  Saturday, July 4: No music, closed early for Independence Day.  Sunday, July 5, 10am - 2pm:  Sunday Jazz Brunch, Bob Bowman and Friends: No cover.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated for the new month.

(Original image of the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot at Saturday’s Karl Denson and Tim Ries concert by Plastic Sax.)

Take Two of Take Five

An inconspicuous sign in an inviting cranny of the new location of Take Five Coffee + Bar provides welcome news for Kansas City's jazz scene.  The government-mandated plaque reads "maximum occupancy 189."

About 50 people heard pianist Roger Wilder, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Brian Steever support New York-based saxophonists Roger Rosenberg and Rob Scheps during the first set of the official opening night of Take Five's spacious new location on Friday, October 24.  That number would have filled the previous locale.

"It feels like the old place gave birth to triplets," Scheps joked.

There's lots to love about the revamped Take Five.  The sound on Friday- especially the depth and richness of Bowman's bass- was superb.  The relaxed atmosphere of the old venue also survived the move. 

By doubling down on their daring investment in the area's jazz scene, proprietors Doug and Lori Chandler, Plastic Sax's People of the Year in 2012, continue to improve the quality of life of the area's jazz aficionados. 

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Andrew Ouellette Trio at Westport Coffee House

I've heard Andrew Ouellette perform straight-laced mainstream jazz and wild-eyed music with adventurous ensembles, but until Thursday I'd never attended one of his gigs as a leader. 

I was curious to see where the keyboardist would plant his musical flag as he collaborated with bassist Zach Beeson and drummer Brian Steever at the superb venue below the Westport Coffee House.

The selections performed during the first set are revealing.  In addition to at least one original composition, the trio played renditions of Harry Warren and Al Dubin's "September in the Rain," John Lewis' "Milestones," Brad Mehldau's "When It Rains," Milton Nascimento's "Cravo e Canela" and the unhappy ballad "Some Other Time."

The mix of standards, a show tune, a Brazilian number and a piece by a new jazz leader indicate that Ouellette embraces a wide range of styles. 

Steever, one of Kansas City's most excitable drummers, was as active as Ouellette was reserved.  Positioned between the very different men, Beeson ably connected their disparate styles for an audience of less than 10.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Details about the Mutual Musicians Foundation's “Jazz: No Language Required Bloggers Tour" are available here.  KC Jazz Lark opines on the event.

*The Kansas City Star notes the new legal status of The Ship.

*Doug Talley reports that The Chess Players: The Music of Wayne Shorter, his quartet's fifth album, will be released on June 21.   The band performs at Zona Rosa on Thursday, June 19, at Take Five Coffee + Bar on Saturday, June 21, and at the Blue Room on July 5.

*The Pitch recommends Brian Steever's gig at Westport Coffee House.

*Clint Ashlock posted another interesting entry to his blog.

*Earlier this week, Chris Burnett advised Plastic Sax that "(w)e are going into the studio this morning. We will begin recording my new CD."

*Todd Wilkinson uploaded a 53-minute video of a 1998 Boko Maru performance at Fedora's to YouTube.

*KCUR offers a timeline of the Black Archives of Mid-America.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Tampa-based vocalist for his Neon Jazz podcast.

*Tweet o' the Week: Ryan Heinlein- Wow! @PorchFestKC was wonderful. Highlight of the year for us. It was everything we love about our city. Thank you for having us!

*Comment o' the Week: Gary- it's a weekly hour but below it states the event is 7:30-9, the time must fly!

*From a press release: This summer nineteen University of Kansas students will share their extraordinary talents on the international stage when they embark on a whirlwind European tour.  In early July, KU Jazz Ensemble I will play eight shows in eleven days, with dates in France, Germany and Switzerland - including appearances by invitation at two of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals - the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Jazz À Vienne Festival. The ensemble and its director, Dan Gailey, will be joined on all performances by two very special guests - celebrated Kansas City-based jazz vocalist Deborah Brown and Steve Leisring, world-renowned trumpeter and KU faculty.  Local audiences can preview selections from the repertoire for the European dates at a special kick-off concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 3 at the Lied Center of Kansas, sponsored by the KU School of Music and the Lied Center of Kansas. The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required…

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Steve Cardenas

Guitarist Steve Cardenas will lead bands at Take Five Coffee + Bar on Friday, December 20, and at the Blue Room on Saturday, December 21.  Saxophonist Matt Otto and bassist Bob Bowman perform with Cardenas on both nights.  Ryan Lee plays drums on Friday and Brian Steever plays drums on Saturday.  Cardenas is captured playing with an all-star band at this year's Heineken Jazzaldia in the oddly-edited embedded video. 

Begin the Beguine: The Broadway Jazz Club

After attending a media event at the Broadway Jazz Club last week, I can confirm that the chatter about the resurrection of Jardine's is justified.  The new venue at 3601 Broadway has the look and feel of the shuttered jazz venue.  The Broadway Jazz Club officially opened on Friday, December 6.

Two prominent bloggers offer contrasting perspectives.  Paul Wilson's endorsement of the Broadway Jazz Club notes that the sound system is excellent.  I'll add that the food I sampled was tasty and that the staff was charming during my initial visit.

In a hypercritical editorial, Tony's Kansas City suggests that a "glut" of jazz venues showcase "Kansas City's signature but mostly dead art form."  While Tony is just trying to be funny, I am concerned that much the core constituency of Jardine's may be unwilling to drive 1.4 miles north into midtown.

The old Jardine's set could afford to dine at the Broadway Jazz Club.  I'm not in the market for a $29 dollar filet mignon or a $12 martini, but I might be tempted by the $11 pork tenderloin sandwich and a beer or a $14 roasted barbabietole salad and a glass of tap water.  I'm also eager to discover how jazz fans reluctant to order food will be treated.

I'm not likely to get an answer this week.   Because there are no calendar listings, I'm unable to plan my next visit. 

Footage of Megan Birdsall singing "Love For Sale" on Saturday captures of bit of the ambiance of the Broadway Jazz Club.

(Original image of Mark Lowrey, Dominique Sanders and Brian Steever by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: A Kansas City Trumpet Summit

A void that remains unfilled was created when KCUR's weekly show "Just Jazz" ended its long run in 2005.   Co-hosts Ginney Coleman and Ruth Rhoden valued swing above all else.  Their unwavering advocacy of locally-produced mainstream jazz is sorely missed.

The women would have almost certainly championed A Kansas City Trumpet Summit as one of the most important albums to emerge from the regional scene in years.  Gorgeous even on the uptempo selections, the project is unflaggingly tasteful.

The showcase for Stan Kessler, Hermon Mehari and Mike Metheny doesn't feature fiery battles.  Instead, it's an elegant exercise in cooperation.  Pianist T.J. Martley, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Brian Steever provide support.

The liner notes of the CD indicate the order of solos, but anyone who's logged much time in Kansas City's jazz venues won't need to consult them.  Each man has a clearly defined approach.  (The distinction is made even clearer when Metheny picks up his EVI.)

The playing is uniformly impeccable.  In fact, the absence of grit is a bit disarming.  The flawless sheen of the production may disappoint anyone who prefers a greasier sound.  Even a version of Jimmy Smith's "Back at the Chicken Shack" is as clean as a whistle.  The production and the material align on the ballads.  The Metheny feature "For Parkville," the album's closing track, is rapturously beautiful.

It's a shame that Ginney and Ruth aren't around to broadcast the good word. 

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

My occasional public spats with KC Jazz Lark in no way diminish my ongoing admiration of the man.  For one thing, he clearly knows how to book a world-class jazz festival.  The lineup of The Prairie Village Jazz Festival is extraordinary.  The free event is Saturday, September 7, at Harmon Park.  Here are the details, along with one Plastic Sax annotation for each performance:

Bobby Watson All-Star Big Band with Special Guest Jon Faddis 9:00-10:30 p.m.
Bobby Watson, alto saxophone, Jon Faddis, trumpet, plus a big band
(Watson is Plastic Sax's Person of the Decade.)

Marilyn Maye 7:40-8:40 p.m.
Marilyn Maye, vocals, Tedd Firth, piano, Gerald Spaits, bass, Jim Eklof, drums
(Plastic Sax documented an appearance by Maye at the Gem Theater in 2010.) 

Everett DeVan – Chris Hazelton Quartet 6:30-7:20 p.m.
Everett DeVan and Chris Hazelton, Hammond B3 Organs, Matt Hopper, guitar, Danny Rojas, drums
(Plastic Sax reviewed a performance by Hazelton last year.)

Mutual Musicians Foundation All-Stars 5:20-6:10 p.m.
Steve Lambert, tenor saxophone, Mike Herrera, alto saxophone, Peter Schlamb, vibraphone, Chris Clarke, piano, Dominique Sanders, bass, Brad Williams, drums
(Plastic Sax reviewed a performance by Lambert in 2011.)

Parallax 4:10-5:00 p.m.
Stan Kessler, trumpet, Roger Wilder, piano, Bill McKemy, bass, Ryan Lee and Brian Steever, drums
(The most recent Plastic Sax review of a Parallax performance was published in January.) 

Andy McGhie Quintet 3:00-3:50 p.m.
Andy McGhie, saxophone, Hermon Mehari, trumpet, Andrew Ouelette, piano, Karl McComas-Reichl, bass, Ryan Lee, drums
(Mehari was Plastic Sax's Person of the Year in 2009.) 

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The nominees for the Pitch Music Awards in the category of "Jazz Ensemble" are Alaturka, Diverse, KC Sound Collective, Parallax, People's Liberation Big Band and Shades of Jade.  The "Jazz Solo" nominees are Brandon Draper, Eddie Moore, Hermon Mehari, Jeff Harshbarger and Mark Lowrey.

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KCJazzLark takes a dig at Plastic Sax as he lauds the current big band renaissance in Kansas City.

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Joe Dimino interviews Brian Steever for Neon Jazz.

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Joe Klopus chats with Kent Rausch of Vine Street Rumble.

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T.J.Martley's excellent improvisation lesson series continues.

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The Kansas City Star offers a review of last week's Francois Rabbath concert.

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The Pitch recommends a gig by the Andy McGhie Ensemble.

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"A Night At The American Jazz Museum" resembles an 80-second sprint through the facility.  (Tip via Tony's Kansas City.).

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Steve Cardenas performs on the new album by the Steve Swallow Quintet.

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Tweet o' the Week: Julian Vaughn- OJ Simpson payback!

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From Take Five Coffee + Bar: Friday evening saxophonist Andy McGhie is bringing a select group of Kansas City's young powerhouse players: Hermon Mehari on trumpet, Peter Schlamb on vibraphone, Karl McComas-Reichl on bass and Ryan Lee on drums. (Someday, when fantasy jazz leagues replace sports betting, this will be recognized as a dream team with future All-Stars at every position.)  Saturday evening it's Mardi Gras in July with drummer Arny Young's Necessity Brass Band bringing the second-line funk. Jack Blackett on sax, Nick Howell on trumpet, Pat Conway on sax and percussion and Bill McKemy on sousaphone. There may be marching, probably Hurricanes, definitely beads.  Join us, bring friends, tell the world. Cover is $5, shows start at 8.

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From a press release: Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker artfully weaves together firsthand accounts from those who knew him with new information about his life and career to create a compelling narrative portrait of a tragic genius.

While other books about Parker have focused primarily on his music and recordings, this portrait reveals the troubled man behind the music, illustrating how his addictions and struggles with mental health affected his life and career.  He was alternatively generous and miserly; a loving husband and father at home but an incorrigible philanderer on the road; and a chronic addict who lectured younger musicians about the dangers of drugs.  Above all he was a musician, who overcame humiliation, disappointment, and a life-threatening car wreck to take wing as Bird, a brilliant improviser and composer.

With in-depth research into previously overlooked sources and illustrated with several never-before-seen images, Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker corrects much of the misinformation and myth about one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Review: The Matt Otto Quartet featuring Alan Ferber at Westport Coffee House

I read a startling new interview with Don Was, the president of Blue Note Records, a few hours before I attended a performance at Westport Coffee House last Thursday.

In describing his vision for Blue Note, Was explained that he intends to avoid promoting what he characterized as "selfish music."  From The Philadelphia Inquirer story:  "It's music made by self-centered [expletives] who get up on stage and say, 'Check this out, look what I can do.' We're not interested in that. We're interested in generous music."

Under Was' tenure, Blue Note has released high-profile albums by Robert Glasper, José James, Aaron Neville and Gregory Porter.  These "groove"-based artists have little in common with the music presented Thursday by a band featuring the visiting trombonist Alan Ferber, saxophonist Matt Otto, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Brian Steever.

The audience of less than twenty consisted almost entirely of musicians, the significant others of musicians, journalists and a dorky jazz blogger.  Could the low turnout be a reflection of Was' assertion about "selfish" music?

I don't think so. 

I would have gladly paid the $10 cover just to see and hear the joy-infused interaction between Harshbarger and Steever.  Besides, Otto and Ferber are notably creative composers.  The original material they brought to the gig was filled with intriguing twists and turns.  Their playing was correspondingly exceptional.  My admiration of Otto's work is extensively documented at Plastic Sax.  Ferber co-led the 2009 album In the Paint with David Binney and was a member of Esperanza Spalding's band when she appeared at the Kauffman Center last year.  Those collaborations are indicative of the forward-thinking approach displayed Thursday.

While the two sets featured plenty of solos, few could have been mistaken for self-glorifying exhibitions of technical mastery.  The only moment that might have inspired the ire of Was came during a rendition of Charlie Parker's "Visa."  Ryan Heinlein, Stan Kessler and Michael Shults contributed to a lengthy round of solos.  While each effort was exceptional, the selfless theme that had preceded the closing selection was absent.

In addition to the R&B-oriented albums mentioned above, Was has overseen new releases by jazz giants including Joe Lovano and Wayne Shorter.  The music documented on those albums may be difficult, but it's hardly selfish.  Thursday's performance in Kansas City was worthy of that robust tradition.

(The People's Liberation BIg Band will perform Ferber's compositions on Sunday, May 19, at the RecordBar.  Original image by Plastic Sax.)