Now's the Time: Horace Washington

Horace Washington was a fixture on Kansas City’s jazz scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s.  The loyal following of the saxophonist and flautist ensured steady gigs at the town’s top jazz venues.  The embedded video captures a band led by Washington performing at the Blue Room a year before his death in 2014.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Lori Chandler of Take Five Coffee + Bar implores jazz musicians to "stop questioning the art form’s relevance" in her contribution to a "Kansas City Art Community's 15 Wishes For 2015" report compiled by C.J. Janovy.

*Alan Hoskins reports on the Kansas City Kansas Community College Blue Devil Jazz Band's trip to Cuba.

*KC Jazz Lark continues his year-end recap.

*Pam Hider Johnson remembers Horace Washington at KCUR's KC Currents.

*Dean Minderman has aggregated over 100 "Best Jazz of 2014" lists at St. Louis Jazz Notes.

*Tweet o' the Week: Ryan Heinlein- May start a handle called "jazz is the worst is the worst." @clintashlock @michaelshults are right. Joke or not time to stop selfdeprecation

*From a press release: The Celestial Strings of Michael O'Shiver, Harpist, performing with Guitarist Max Berry and The Consort Band.  Spirituality & All That Jazz.  Wednesday, January 7, 2015. Unity Temple on the Plaza.  $7.00.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

The Top Jazz-Related Stories and Trends of 2014

1. Bird Is the Word
Two essential biographies of Charlie Parker- Stanley Crouch's Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker and Chuck Haddix's Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker were published.  The authors appeared together at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center in June. 

2. Blessed are the Peacemakers
The new jazz support organization KC Jazz Alive bridged various longstanding divides that had long separated several locally based entities.  KC Jazz Alive's efforts to revitalize the annual Charlie Parker graveside ceremony attracted a few dozen people to Lincoln Cemetery in August.

3. Bigger and Better
The new location of Take Five Coffee + Bar increased the venue's capacity without diminishing its charming atmosphere and excellent acoustics.  The opening of the Orion Room in the basement of the Green Lady Lounge is a similarly heartening development.  After opening in December of 2013, the Broadway Jazz Club presented live music throughout the year.

5. Jazz?
What constituted jazz in 2014?  My top albums list included titles some categorize as hip-hop and ambient music, so I'm not in a position to criticize Kansas City jazz venues and festival organizers for repeatedly booking reggae, R&B and Latin rock bands. 

6. Empty seats
It was extremely encouraging to witness packed houses at the Blue Room, the Green Lady Lounge and Take Five Coffee + Bar during compelling jazz performances.  It was not uncommon, however, to see empty seats outnumber bodies at other prominent bookings.

7. Passings
Horace Washington, a pillar of Kansas City's jazz community, died in October.  Dionne Jeroue, a young up-and-coming vocalist, died in March. (EDIT: We also lost Stephanie Bryan, a trombonist and all-around lovely person, this year.)

8. I Mean You
Hermon Mehari competed in the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition.

9. Lights, Camera Action!
Dave Rizer continued to document Kansas City's jazz scene with dozens of performance videos.  He's providing an invaluable service.

9. Bowman's back
The resuscitation of Bob Bowman's career is a godsend. 

10. Rekkids
Chris Hazelton released a 7" single and a host of Kansas City jazz artists released worthwhile recordings.

I conducted similar exercises in 2013, 2012 and 2011.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Horace Washington

Horace Washington died last week.  His friendly stage presence and penchant for danceable soul-jazz made him one of Kansas City's most popular musicians in the 1980s.  I last heard him with the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz at the Blue Room during the 18th & Vine Jazz & Blues Festival on October 11.  As a review in The Kansas City Star noted, he led the band in a lively rendition of Herbie Mann's "Memphis Underground."  Washington was last featured at Plastic Sax in 2011.

Now's the Time: Lester "Duck" Warner

Lester "Duck" Warner will perform at Tim Whitmer's Spirituality & All That Jazz program at Unity on the Plaza on Wednesday, August 6.  The embedded footage of a 2006 event also features (in order of solos) Horace Washington on flute, Everett Freeman on keyboards, Karita Carter on trombone and Leon Brady on drums.  Tyrone Clark is on bass.

Album Review: Bobby Watson- Check Cashing Day

Decades removed from a significant place in the cultural mainstream, an alarming proportion of jazz has grown appallingly obsequious.  It's remarkable, consequently, when a prominent jazz artist incorporates explicit social commentary into his or her music.

Check Cashing Day, the latest album by Bobby Watson, is certain to upset some listeners.  Watson's political stance, combined with his formidable artistic aptitude, make Check Cashing Day one of the most important jazz albums by a Kansas City-based artist in recent years.

The daring project contains spoken word segments by poet Glenn North that directly address the political undercurrent that's fueled much of Watson's work.  In his famous 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. suggested that "we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check."  North and Watson take the concept figuratively and literally.  "The bill is up to four trillion dollars now and man, it's way past due," North implores.  "What do I have to do to get my forty acres and a mule?"

Reparations, ongoing racial disparities and unfulfilled promises are recurring themes.  Yet on "Revival (Ovedia)," North implies that spiritual redemption can be found at a jazz club at 18th & Vine.  A person who overheard me listening to Check Cashing Day protested that North's contribution to the album is "corny."  Heard out of context, the spoken word segments might be off-putting.  Within the framework of the entire album, however, North's work is powerful.

Most of the instrumentals are the sort of memorable hard bop compositions that have become Watson's trademark.  The opening track "Sweet Dreams," for instance, exemplifies Watson's gift for melody and love of swing.   The core "I Have a Dream Project" band- trumpeter Hermon Mehari, pianist Richard Johnson, bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Eric Kennedy- sparkle throughout.  "Seekers of the Sun (Son)," a track featuring vocalist Pamela Baskin-Watkins, resembles a vintage Lonnie Liston Smith selection.  Horace Washington and Karita Carter also make valuable contributions. 

The momentous album may irritate a few of Watson's longtime fans, but the achingly beautiful and momentous Check Cashing Day is an essential addition to Watson's esteemed discography. 

(Original bleary image of Bobby Watson by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCUR's KC Currents reports on the ongoing collaboration between saxophonists Matt Otto and Rich Wheeler.  (The segment begins at the 42:40 mark.)

*The Houston Chronicle cites the charitable efforts of the Olathe-based Mike Corrigan and B.A.C. Horn Doctors in New Orleans.

*Mark Lowrey has a Kickstarter campaign for his next album.

*Project H's YouTube channel includes clips from the band's recent trip to New Orleans.

*Howard Reich reviewed Bobby Watson's opening night at Chicago's Jazz Showcase.

*Pat Metheny will tour behind a new album that features Chris Potter, Ben Williams and Antonio Sanchez.  A Kansas City date isn't on the published itinerary. 

*A David Basse title receives a positive review.

*A set by KU jazz students was recorded by KJHK.

*Here's a video of Horace Washington performing the National Anthem at the Royals' home opener.

*Tweet o' the Week: Jason Harper- The People's Liberation Big Band brings riotous sound to silent Battleship Potemkin (Instagram photo)

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous- LOL - that album cover is nasty!

*From the American Jazz Museum: The American Jazz Museum is pleased to announce the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS has released its 2012 Art Works Grant Awards Recipient listing. The American Jazz Museum is honored to be among those recipients. Specifically, the American Jazz Museum has received $16,000 to support the 2012 Rhythm & Ribs Jazz and Blues Festival. The Rhythm & Ribs Jazz and Blues Festival is a day-long indoor/outdoor event featuring 15 performances on three stages by local and nationally known jazz and blues artists such as: Christian McBride, Charlie Hunter, Greg Gisbert, and Bobby “Blue” Bland, along with educational programming. The American Jazz Museum Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2012 Rhythm & Ribs Jazz and Blues Festival be produced on Saturday, October 13th. Ticket pricing, programs and feature artist talent element of the event are now in development.  “The news of receiving a 2012 NEA Art Works Grant is extremely encouraging to our mission,” says Greg Carroll, CEO of the American Jazz Museum. “The funding allows continued growth of the Rhythm & Ribs Jazz and Blues Festival and also reinforces the diverse cultural programming we deploy in support of our organizational mission pillars of Performance, Education, Exhibition, and Research,” Carroll concluded.

*From Jim Mair: Kansas City Kansas Community College rolled out its best in vocal jazz at the annual Jazz Cabaret Thursday night.  A crowd estimated at nearly 200 filled the Jewell Center for the annual showcase of KCKCC’s talented array of soloists and ensembles.

*From Jim Mair, part two: The Big Dogs had their way at the 2nd Annual Kansas City Jazz Summit at Kansas City Kansas Community College April 23-27.  The Blue Valley Northwest Big Dog Band took home first place in the Kansas City Jazz Heritage “Basically Basie” competition. Directed by John Selzer, the BV Northwest band received 787 votes to out-distance runnerup Lee Summit North and third place Winnetonka in voting by text by members of the audience. “I think voting by text was a first for a jazz competition,” said Jim Mair, KCKCC Associate Professor of Music and Festival Coordinator. The text voting represented 25 percent of the total score.  Not including KCKCC instrumental and vocal groups, 31 middle school, high school and college jazz bands and vocal groups from three states took part in the festival, a 25 percent increase over the initial festival.

*Spotted on the Folly Theater's calendar: Join with a group of stellar Kansas City musicians as we depart on a narrated journey of musical “time travel.” Starting in the early 1900s, we explore how America’s “melting pot” of many cultures provided the ingredients for the development and evolution of our country’s original the true meaning of our country's original musical art form – Jazz! This Folly Theater Production is high energy, great toe-tappin’ fun! The event is April 4, 2013.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Horace Washington: An Appreciation

Few things are as tedious as nostalgic reveries about the good old days, so I'll get this out of the way quickly. In the '80s, it was not uncommon to find throngs of people- many of them in their twenties- listening to jazz acts including Kevin Mahogany, The City Light Orchestra, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, Priscilla Bowman, Sonny Kenner, B.C.R., Ronnell Bright and The Scamps at any one of over a dozen jazz-oriented nightclubs in Kansas City. Another of the most popular acts at the time was Horace Washington.

Washington specialized in audience-pleasing melodic jazz in the vein of Stanley Turrentine and Grover Washington, Jr. Even though his sound was danceable, it had plenty of substance. I'm not sure why he didn't retain his spot at the top of the local scene, but a lack of an online presence certainly hasn't done him any favors. One of Plastic Sax's 27 readers emailed me last night after he happened across a poorly-attended Washington performance at a new Kansas City establishment. A Google search inspired by Washington's fine playing turned up this new video profile of the musician.

"I think Kansas City jazz has been grossly underrepresented," Washington says in the video. "The true form of Kansas City jazz is dying."

Maybe. Maybe not. But for better or for worse, things ain't what they used to be.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Andrew Zender interviewed Jeff Harshbarger.

*Angela Hagenbach was featured in The Star's Sunday magazine.

*Everything looks better in black and white. KCJazzLark posted exemplary photos of Bobby Watson's set at Jazz In the Woods.

*The Star reviewed Marilyn Maye's second set at Jardine's on Sunday. Two additional shows have been added on Sunday, June 20.

*The Pitch offers photos of Mark Southerland and Helen Gillet performing at Birdies.

*Mark Edelman makes a few jazz picks.

*Steve Penn checks in with Max Groove and Horace Washington.

*Here's the latest installment of Megan Birdsall's MBird tour vlog.

*According to this review, a track on John Escreet's new album "features spoken work segments from an old recording of Charlie Parker himself."

*Kim Park plays the role of Eric Dolphy on Saturday's 12th Street Jump.

*Here's the latest from the Black House Improvisors' Collective.

*Notice of an "emergency meeting" was posted at the site of the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*The excellent Jazz Wax blog remembers the late Danny Bank. The baritone saxophonist died June 5. The tribute includes of a stream of Bank playing "Night and Day" on a Charlie Parker session.

*Josh Charles recalls growing up in Kansas City.

*The Chicago Reader reports that Chicago saxophonist Fred Anderson is gravely ill. Anderson, an occasional performer at the Blue Room, is beloved by several of Plastic Sax's 37 readers. (Tip via Rick in P.V.)

*No Kansas City-specific artists or entities were among the nominees, but the listings of the Jazz Journalist Association's awards makes for interesting reading.

*Hear me stutter and sputter on the archived June 11 edition of KCUR's Up To Date.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*I stumbled across this hidden gem at the Phoenix's site while dutifully adding dates to the Kansas City Jazz Calendar: The Roberto Magris Quintet featuring Albert "Tootie" Heath, Logan Richardson, Elisa Pruett and Brandon Lee will perform at the club on December 13. Here's a related video featuring the Italian pianist. Shh- it's a secret.

*The Rhythm Lounge was "temporarily" closed according to this report.

*KCJazzLark turns out to be quite a photographer. Here are his shots of Megan Birdsall, Bob Bowman and Paul Smith.

*Horace Washington and Garland Smith tell stories at KCUR.

*A local television station catches up with Oleta Adams. (Link via Tony's Kansas City.)

*Have you seen the The Jazz Baroness? The character of Charlie Parker is disparaged in the documentary. Here's a trailer of sorts.

*Steve Penn reports on efforts to assist Lucky Wesley of the Scamps.

*Pete Dulin previewed a performance by Malachy Papers and Mike Dillon.

*Eldar is featured at NPR.

*A Bob Brookmeyer gig in New York is previewed by an interesting interview. Here's another piece about his December 2 concert.

*This is promising: The Owen/Cox Dance Group and The People's Liberation Big Band present The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, December 11-13, at the H&R Block City Stage Theater in Union Station. Details are here.

*The "grand opening event" of the exhibit Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World is December 3 at the American Jazz Museum. From the museum's site: Join us in the Changing Gallery from 6:00- 8:00 pm. Admission is free- suggested donation of $10 to support education programs at the American Jazz Museum. Kicking off our series of public programs and free concerts supporting (t)his exhibit is Jazz as an Instrument for Cultural Diplomacy American Ambassador Kenton Keith will be accompanied by American Jazz Museum Chief Executive Officer, Greg Carroll and world renowned jazz vocalist, Deborah Brown for an inspiring discussion exploring the history, present and future of jazz as an instrument for cultural diplomacy. To RSVP contact Glenn North.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)