Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Dave Helling considers potential liquor licensing changes in the Jazz District for The Kansas City Star.

*Plaza III, a venerable steakhouse that has long hosted jazz performances, will close next month.

*Joe Klopus spoke to Josh Nelson ahead of the pianist’s return visit to the Kansas City area.

*Organizers of the Jazz in the Woods festival reiterated previous reports that this year’s event has been canceled.

*Alex Anderson reviewed an appearance by David Amram.

*Béla Fleck & the Flecktones will perform at the Uptown Theater on July 9.

*Harold O’Neal created a four-minute video highlight reel.

*Tweet o’ the Week: KC Jazz Orchestra- Always brewing ideas for upcoming concerts - what sorts of music would you like to hear us do? #kcjazz

*Comment o’ the Week: Darrel McKaig- The bassist, Tamir, was my favorite accompanist. While he was highlighted during the duet with Cyrille, his playing throughout was impeccable.

*From a press release: Mikeyy Austin will join the new project from Eddie Moore, We The People, for his Kansas City debut.  Mikeyy is a young up and coming MC out of Lansing Michigan… We The People is a Power Trio plus one with Eddie Moore on piano, Dominique Sanders on bass, Zach Morrow on drums, and Leonard Dstroy on  Turntable/Aux percussion... this fusion group brings Prog Rock, Soul, Funk, and Hiphop together in a unique way that is spread over a bed on improvisation. 7 p.m. March 8, at RecordBar. $8.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star and KCUR reported on the death of Kevin Mahogany.

*The 2018 edition of the Jazz in the Woods festival has been canceled.  Event organizers blame the setback on “funding restrictions.”

*Stan Kessler was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*The Kansas City Star provides footage of a “Merry Bassmass” event at the Black Dolphin.

*Michael Pagán, the Music Department Chair at Ottawa University, discusses the institution’s “All-Steinway” designation.

*The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s annual holiday concert was previewed in KCUR’s Band of the Week segment.

*Mike Corrigan created a crowd-funding campaign to acquire John Jackson’s saxophone.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Marcus Lewis- Who said Jazz is Dead? #mlbb #brassandboujee

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- Good choice. John Scott has done so much to invigorate the scene... and despite what some cynics will say, it's not all B3!

*From a press release: World-traveled vocalist Deborah Brown will be the Jan. 28 featured artist as part of the Carlsen Center Presents series at Johnson County Community College… Brown has recorded 16 CD’s under her own name...  Performing with her in Polsky Theatre are… Rod Fleeman, guitar; Joe Cartwright, piano; Ben Leifer, bass; and Michael Warren, drums.

(Original image of the Hermon Mehari Quintet performing at Polsky Theatre on Sunday by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The 2017-18 season of the Folly Jazz Series has been announced.  The lineup: Lee Ritenour (October 28), Spanish Harlem Orchestra (December 9), Marcus Roberts Trio (January 19), Cyrille Aimee (February 17), Hot Sardines (March 9) and SFJazz Collective (April 27).

*The Green Lady Lounge will host an album release show for Steve Lambert’s new album Seven Stories on Sunday, June 25.  The saxophonist’s recording features contributions from vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, pianist Andrew Ouellette, bassists Ben Leifer and Dominique Sanders and drummer Brad Williams.

*The Passion of Charlie Parker, a concept album featuring contributions from the likes of Gregory Porter, Donny McCaslin and Kurt Elling, will be released on June 16.

*Jazz in the Woods is highlighted by Joe Klopus in a roundup of the week’s jazz calendar.

*KCUR aired a story about a jazz-themed art collection on display at the Garrison School Cultural Center in Liberty.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Sammy- would like for a kind gentleman to take me to the green lady lounge

*Comment o’ the Week: Michael- I always love it when you write about the music vs. the size of the audience :) I share your sentiments about Hermon and Peter, and have to add that Ryan Lee is absolutely smashing on this record!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Concerts by Joey Alexander and Eliane Elias capture the attention of Joe Klopus in his latest column for The Kansas City Star.

*Eddie Moore appeared in a promotional television appearance for the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival.

*The author of this site will preview Julian Vaughn's forthcoming concert at the Gem Theater on KCUR at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, May 17.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Jazz in the Woods- NEW this year - Introducing the BEER Garden! (Must be 21 to enjoy the beverage). Sample up to five beers for $5.00. #JazzInTheWoods

*Comment o’ the Week: Jeremy- Have you stopped doing your Events Calendar? Or did you move it to a new address? I'm sure that it was a lot of work to put that together each month, but you should know that it was appreciated.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The smooth jazz artist Richard Elliot and the Celtic rock band the Elders are the headliners of the 2017 edition of Jazz in the Woods.

*Joe Klopus previewed Robert Glasper’s concert at the Folly Theater.  Also, the venue initially indicated that Glasper would be accompanied by saxophonist Casey Benjamin, bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Mark Colenburg.  Instead, he’ll be joined by bassist Brandon Owens and drummer Damion Reid on Saturday.

*The Kansas City Star posted a photo gallery of jazz-related images.

*Tweet o’ the Week: American Jazz Museum- Spent the afternoon at Roasterie cupping a new coffee blend for the Museum ☕️

*From the American Jazz Museum: Celebrate birthdays of local and national jazz musicians with the American Jazz Museum on Friday, February 17, 2017 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. This month celebrates the contributions of local musicians Myra Taylor and Ben Kynard through musical performance and unveils a mini-poster exhibition about our honorees. Join us for cake, music, dancing, and a celebration of Kansas City's unique jazz sound! The program is free and open to the public, and will take place in the Gem Theater…

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCUR reviewed Echoes of Europe, the new album by the Dino Massa Kansas City Quintet.

*Ramsey Lewis' concert at the Gem Theater was reviewed by The Kansas City Star.

*Lisa Henry and Ryan Lee discussed the impact of the church on their music with Tim Finn of The Kansas City Star.

*The festival formerly known as Jazz in the Woods is returning to a smooth jazz format in 2017.  Organizers recently made an initial lineup announcement.

*Brian Ellison interviewed Ramsey Lewis for KCUR.

*Jessie Riggins examined the spring jazz calendar.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Moi- Last night I waited on Marilyn Maye and she ordered an apple martini with Citron and called me Honey all night

*From a press release: On Saturday, January 21, 2017, the David Basse-Joe Cartwright Septet, which includes musicians from the UMKC Jazz Studies Program, will present Step-Buddy-Be-Bop at 8:00 p.m. at the MTH Theater…  Originally from St. Louis, Bernard “Step Buddy” Anderson was a colorful jazz figure who helped to change the course of jazz. A multi-instrumentalist, Buddy introduced trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie to Charlie Parker… We celebrate the Kansas City jazz tradition with the music of the David Basse-Joe Cartwright Septet, and the photography and memorabilia of Bernard “Step Buddy” Anderson… Reserved ticket seats are $20.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: A La Mode at SoJo Summerfest

Although organizers of the festival formerly known as Jazz in the Woods went out of their way to assure potential attendees that presenting jazz was no longer a priority at the rebranded event, SoJo Summerfest opened Friday with a 45-minute performance by A La Mode.

As the photo indicates, not many people were willing to endure the suffocating heat to revel in A La Mode’s hot jazz at the free festival.  The quartet concentrated on playful material like “C’est Si Bon,” “I Want to be Loved by You,” “Dinah,” “Don't Get Around Much Anymore” and “Zazou.”

The charming vocalist Jesica Poell and the tasteful guitarist Clayton DeLong seem to be the only official members of the group, but the beguiling contribution of guest violinist Adam Galblum distinguished the ensemble from other hot jazz revivalists.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Fabricating a Festival

The transmutation of Jazz in the Woods into SoJo Summerfest is a disheartening blow to the jazz community.  Details about the 2016 editions of the one-day events The Prairie Village Jazz Festival and The 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival are still under wraps.

Neglected jazz aficionados in Kansas City have been provided with plenty of reasons to eye the ambitious lineups of  large-scale, multi-day festivals in Chicago, Detroit and Iowa City.

Kansas Citians needn’t succumb to wanderlust.  With careful planning and a willingness to bar-hop, it’s possible to fashion makeshift jazz festivals.  That’s what I did on the opening night of Ink’s Middle of the Map Fest.   The four-day music portion of the festival has an indie-rock orientation, but I managed to catch three engaging left-of-center jazz sets on Wednesday.

The Jorge Arana Trio evoked the abrasive electric jazz associated with the late Sonny Sharrock at Mills Record Company.  The quartet of vocalist Annie Ellicott, the modified instrument master Mark Southerland, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer John Kizilarmut veered between conventional jazz standards and wild flights of fancy at Californos.  Backed by elite musicians including keyboardist Brad Cox and guitarist Beau Bledsoe, the former Kansas City resident Krystle Warren performed a compelling blend of folk, gospel and jazz at the same venue. 

Devotees of small jazz ensembles could make a full night of sampling the offerings at the cocktail lounges of restaurants including The American, Cafe Trio, Chaz and Sullivan’s.  People who prefer not to drive could partake of the miniature festival that transpires at Green Lady Lounge every weekend.

Still not satisfied?  The three-day festival in the jazz capital of Iowa City features performances by bands led by heavy hitters including Edmar Castaneda, Vijay Iyer, Allison Miller, Poncho Sanchez and Miguel Zenón.  I may see you there.

(Original image of Krystle Warren and Brad Cox by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KC Jazz Lark lambasts the flippant rejection of jazz in the press release that announces the end of the Jazz in the Woods festival and the debut of SoJo Summerfest.

*Matt Otto’s new album Soliloquy is reviewed by a critic for KCUR.

*Joe Klopus previewed Ernie Krivda’s performance at the Blue Room for The Kansas City Star.  The Pitch also touts the gig.

*Bobby Watson surveys Kansas City’s music scene in a trailer for a new documentary.

*An Associated Press feature promotes the Blue Room.

*Matt Hopper is part of a crowdfunding campaign to finance a trip to Brazil.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Graveley Lab-  Favorite new jazz album…Logan Richardson’s “Shift”. wicked good!

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- I presume the eight musicians split the door to make a whopping fifty bucks each. "Pro Musicians" should stop working for less than $100 per performance. Musicians accepting this INSULT for the last twenty years has lowered the bar for every player to come from now on.

*From a press release: Congregation Beth Torah proudly announces a performance by Dan Thomas and some of KC’s finest jazz musicians featuring the music of Fiddler on the Roof. June 18th, 2016 at 7:30 pm… The performance will be held at Congregation Beth Torah, as a fundraiser for the Congregation… Tickets are available for patrons at $100/ticket, and general admission is $50/ticket.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Jazz in the Woods is no more.  The annual event founded by the jazz musician Vince Bilardo in the 1980s has been rebranded as the SoJo Summerfest.  The headliners at the two-day event in June are a country-rock band and a celtic-rock band.  A press release includes a spokesman's explanation of one of the factors behind the name change: “It also gives us the flexibility to adjust talent booking and event amenities over time to ensure the festival remains relevant for a wide variety of audiences in years to come.”

*Monique Gabrielle Salazar reviewed the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s Rhapsody for KCUR.

*Nonesuch Records will release two Pat Metheny albums on May 6.

*The Pitch touts Stan Kessler’s Force Five.

*Charlie Parker will be inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame on March 30.

*Robert Trussell interviewed the American Jazz Museum's Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner.

*Patti Austin’s concert at the Gem Theater was reviewed by The Kansas City Star.

*The documentary "Vince Giordano- There's a Future in the Past" will be shown at 7:25 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at the Cinemark Palace at the Country Club Plaza as part of the Kansas City FilmFest.  The New York based bandleader and the film’s co-director Amber Edwards will participate in a question-and-answer session after the screening.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Jack- @SoJo_Summerfest Not sure why you felt the need to mess with something that worked. Always looked forward to the national jazz acts.

*From Brandon Draper: Brandon Draper returns to the Blue Room in Kansas City with an all-star lineup featuring his father a renowned Hammond B3 blues artist.  April 9, 2016  7pm doors / sets 8:30pm – 12:30am. Brandon Draper: drums, percussion, guitar; Paul Draper: Hammond B3, vocals; Hermon Mehari: trumpet; Brian Scarborough: trombone; Rich Wheeler: tenor saxophone; John Kizilarmut: vibraphone, drums, percussion; Ben Leifer: bass. Set 1- Brandon Draper original jazz, Set 2- Paul Draper original blues/funk/jazz, Set 3- Jazz/Funk/Blues/Boogaloo Traditions.

*From Stan Kessler: The Sons of Brasil 25 Year Anniversary Celebration!  It's our silver anniversary. We've been playing regularly For a quarter of a century. Unbelievable. The celebration begins the following dates and will continue throughout the summer until we're sick of it. April 2, The Art Factory, 7-9:30. April 15, The Blue Room, 8:30-12:30. There will be SOB trivia contests with prizes for the winners. Personnel: Stanton Kessler-Trp./Flugel, Danny Embrey-Gtr., Roger Wilder-Piano, Greg Whitfield-Bass, Doug Auwarter-Drums, Gary Helm-Perc.

*From Blue Note Records: Following the February 26 release of Shift, Logan Richardson’s assured Blue Note debut, the alto saxophonist has announced May U.S. tour dates in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and his hometown of Kansas City  (May 23 at the Blue Room)… Richardson’s touring band will feature Mike Moreno on guitar and Sam Harris on piano.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The late Kerry Strayer took 19th place in the category of best baritone saxophonist in the 2015 Downbeat Critic’s Poll.  Also of note: Pat Metheny came in fifth in the guitarist category.  Kevin Mahogany was voted the 15th best male vocalist.  Karrin Allyson was named the 13th best female vocalist.  Other musicians with Kansas City connections appeared in the Rising Star subsection: the People’s Liberation Big Band (big band, 21st place) Eldar Djangirov (piano, 20th place), Chris Hazelton (organist, 19th place), Mike Dillon (vibraphone, 20th place).  Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Charlie Parker-inspired Bird Calls took Album of the Year.

*Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle’s Live In Kansas City album is available now.

*The AM Trio’s As of Now album has an official release date of June 30.

*KCUR published a detailed review of Dominique Sanders’ A True Story Based On…

*Joe Klopus runs down the week’s top jazz events in his latest column.

*Chris Burnett interviewed Marcus Hampton.

*”Kansas City’s oldest, most successful and least respected jazz festival" is examined by KC Jazz Lark.  He documented a portion of Saturday’s concerts at Jazz in the Woods.

*A television station produced a report on the Mutual Musicians Foundation’s plans for a radio station.  The station also aired a feature about KC Jazz Tours.

*KCUR reports on the 2nd Annual American Jazz Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

*ARC Label Week at the Blue Room will feature “two 90-minute concerts” on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. 

*Richie Pratt is memorialized by Chris Burnett.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Wendy Peffercorn- so basically I plan on spending my Saturday afternoon hunting down @MickJagger in Kansas City. First stop, American Jazz Museum.

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous - I hope your lukewarm review of the OJT CD doesn't discourage people from going to the Green Lady to support this great trio. Their live sets are much more adventurous than the CD. It's always a blast. I liked the line in Roger Atkinson's review of this CD (in a recent JAM magazine) where he mentions that hearing the OJT theme at the GL makes him want to grab another drink and stay for the next set. I can relate to that!

*From a press release: Bram Wijnands with Tim Whitmer & The Consort Band at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1.  $7. Bram Wijnands began playing piano at an early age in Eindhoven, the Netherlands... In July 1991, Bram made his debut on the KC Jazz scene at the City Light Jazz Club with Kansas City’s own Richard Ross.

*From Lisa Engelken: This Saturday is the celebration: the CD Release with a live debut of Little Warrior at Take Five Coffee + Bar: Saturday, June 27th… The Band: Kansas City's finest:  Roger Wilder on piano and Gerald Spaits on bass will be joining SF (by way of UK) drummer Matthew Swindells and myself.

(Original image of the salsa band 5ta Eskina busking in Santiago, Chile, last week by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Peter White

The scarcity of mainstream jazz in the lineup of Jazz in the Woods is no longer shocking.  Of the eight acts booked at this year’s event, five perform smooth jazz/jazz fusion/soul-lite and two are blues artists.  The outlier is a locally based straight-ahead jazz vocalist.  Peter White is the co-headliner on Friday, June 19.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The lineup of the next edition of the Jazz In the Woods festival has been announced.  Rick Braun and Peter White are Friday’s headliners.  Najee tops the bill on Saturday. 

*Gunnar Gidner, a student at UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, won the 2015 Vandoren Emerging Jazz Artist Competition.  (Tip via M.S.)

*KC Jazz Lark is puzzled by a notable jazz venue’s failure to properly promote its bookings.

*The Pitch recommends a gig featuring John Kizilarmut on vibraphone.

*A track from Bob Bowman’s new album was featured on KCUR.

*Joe Dimino’s most recent interview subjects include Kris Bowers and the former Kansas Citian Jo Ann Daugherty. 

*The lineup of the Iowa City Jazz Festival includes Ben Allison, Julian Lage, Charles Lloyd and Rudresh Mahanthappa.

*The beleaguered Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame continues to struggle.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Cynthia Moxley- Bobby Watson with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra 2nite at Square Room (Instagram video).

*Comment o’ the Week: Cb- I don't know if it is about "liking" or "not liking" smooth and contemporary jazz, really. It is making fun of ourselves as musicians in this context. Don't we ALL take ourselves too seriously much of the time? I think we do our fair share of "laying back" to our audiences ... ;)

*From Take Five Coffee: This weekend we’re bookending some serious funk with some Latin flavor. Friday, January 30, 8pm: Sons of Brasil- ...- $5 cover. Saturday, January 31, 8pm: Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 featuring Julia Haile- ...the Boogaloo 7 in their first performance outside of the Crossroads district in a long, long time. $10 cover. Sunday, January 25, 10am - 2pm: Sunday Jazz Brunch: Michael McClintock & Jordan Shipley- It’s a Mistura Fina kind of Sunday.. No cover.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KC Jazz Lark reports on last week's Jazz Blogger's Tour of Kansas City.

*Hermon Mehari is part of the Kansas City Area Development Council's delegation in New York  to sell  "national lifestyle, travel, food and entertainment media" on the allure of Kansas City.

*Candace Evans' gig at Zona Rosa is recommended by The Pitch.

*The Kansas City Star reviewed performances by the duo of Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

*The Pitch reports on the young couple who hope to restore the castle-like structure in the Jazz District.

*The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will perform at the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah's Casino on September 26.

*Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz interviewed Washington D.C. musician Lenny Marcus.

*Tweet o' the Week: Dennis P. Owens- A giant almost sat down in front of me. Jazz in the Woods

*Comment o' the Week: Chris Hazelton- The fact that they had anything even slightly resembling straight-ahead jazz is an improvement upon the last several years of this festival.

*From the American Jazz Museum: (Everette) DeVan recorded his latest studio album late last year, but his health slowed progress toward its release... He will celebrate the release of For the Love of You at The Blue Room on June 27th with a special guest lineup of performers who joined him on the album — drummer Danny Rojas, guitarist Matt Hopper, saxophonist Ian Corbett, and vibraphonist/AJM CEO Greg Carroll. The CD and other merchandise will be available for purchase at the show.

(Original image of Stanley Crouch and Chuck Haddix at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center on June 19 by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: Jazz in the Woods

I want my money back.

In a noble but flawed effort to present as many musicians associated with Kansas City's jazz scene as possible while still attracting a large audience, organizers of the Jazz in the Woods festival apportioned tiny time slots to four opening acts for Saturday's headliner Mindi Abair, a smooth jazz and pop star from California.  The intention was commendable, but the result was extremely frustrating.

The published schedule- "6:20 - 7:20 PM Angela Hagenbach/Lauren Braton, 7:45 - 8:45 PM Bobby Watson/Eldar, 9:10 - 10:25 PM Mindi Abair"- led me to believe that the opening sets would feature collaborations.

I was wrong.

Bobby Watson played for 30 glorious minutes and Eldar Djangirov was on stage for about 25 impressive minutes.  Both men employed guitarist Rod Fleeman, but otherwise each man brought his own band.

Backed by Fleeman, pianist Joe Cartwright, bassist Tyrone Clark and drummer Mike Warren, Watson performed three selections- his original composition "Sweet Dreams," Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and Duke Pearson's "Jeannine."  Each piece was better than the last.  Watson ran out of time just as he and his band were getting properly warmed up.

Eldar Djangirov was supported by Fleeman, saxophonist Jim Mair, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Todd Strait.  The highlight of his unnaturally abridged set, however, was an unaccompanied version of "Take the 'A' Train."

With the exception of drummer Doug Auwarter, Angela Hagenbach and Lauren Braton used the same band as Djangirov.  Each charming vocalist sang for about 30 minutes.

The event may have been free, but the opportunity for a priceless collaboration was lost.

(Original images by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Norman Brown, the Elders, Vincent Ingala, Mindi Abair, Bobby Watson, Eldar Djangarov, Angela Hagenbach and Lauren Braton are the performers at this year's Jazz In the Woods festival.

*Writing about the ongoing divisiveness in the Kansas City's jazz community, KC Jazz Lark suggests that "(i)t’s time we get along with each other."

*Kansas City's most popular blogger asserts that the city's connection to jazz is "one of the most tiresome and overly exaggerated nonexistent local legacies."

*Bob James will appear in a taping of 12th Street Jump at Broadway Jazz Club on May 15.  Tickets are $15.

*The Pitch notes the reunion of Trio ALL.

*The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform at the Lied Center on Wednesday, September 24.

*St. Louis Jazz Notes assesses the Sheldon Concert Hall's
2014-15 season.

*Tweet o' the Week: ABC Jazz- We're celebrating @IntlJazzDay today @ABCJazz @herbiehancock @UNESCO #BirdLives #JazzDay (link)

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated for May.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Restaurant Review: Smooth J Cafe

What's a restaurant review doing on a jazz blog?  Well, what's in a name?

The "J" in Smooth J Cafe stands for "Jazz."  The proprietors of the establishment in a Johnson County strip mall recently opened a restaurant that, in their words, "combines their love of cooking with their love of smooth jazz music."

And sure enough, songs dominated by treacly soprano sax and cloying acoustic guitars played softly in the background of the tidy room during my initial visit last week.  The ostensibly soothing sounds may have helped me keep my composure during a needlessly convoluted ordering process.  The embedded photo shows that the menu is posted on a wall several feet to the left of the order counter.  As with a couple subsequent customers, I had to shuffle back and forth to make my decision.

I ended up having a polite employee make my selection for me.  She recommended a "Rhythm Section" sandwich and cheesy corn casserole.  While a tad skimpy for the price ($8.50 including a side order and a cookie), the sandwich was tasty.  The casserole was delicious.

In spite of a full parking lot that happens to be the original site of the Corporate Woods Jazz Festival, only a few customers walked through the door during my 40-minute visit.  The nearby Garozzo's and Chipotle were packed.  That may change Friday, October 18, when Heat Index performs at Smooth J Cafe from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

While I may not make a special trip to Smooth J Cafe for a sandwich, the addition of a consistent live music lineup- along with the cheesy corn casserole- would keep me coming back for more.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*"Kansas City, this home to jazz with institutions and a tradition other cities can envy, is mired in minor festivals," KC Jazz Lark suggests in a powerful new post.

*The Kansas City Star reports that the Smooth J Cafe in Overland Park will have a smooth jazz theme.

*Here's footage of Winard Harper jamming at the Mutual Musicians Foundation earlier this month.

*Logan Richardson's talent as an actor is displayed in a clip from a new film.

*Tweet o' the Week: kellyurich- Jazz in the Woods cancelled. If you're a hipster you will have to find another place to pretend to like jazz music.

*Comment o' the Week: Tony DeSare- Lol, I would have expected exactly this reaction from the Journey cover from the jazzerati. You would have been slightly better off posting this one probably.

*From a press release: Alaadeen Enterprises (AEI), the non-profit education organization founded in 1998 by the late Ahmad Alaadeen – jazz musician and educator – plans to re-launch its jazz educational initiative on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 (his 79th birthday) at 11 AM at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, where he started his career as a Kansas City jazz musician.  The purpose of this event is to highlight AEI, its vision, and plans; to introduce its new Executive Director, Dennis J. Winslett, and to announce its major educational initiatives, including its Bird House Fellowship Program, which will develop a select group of music students through a comprehensive arts and humanities curriculum in workshops scheduled throughout the year, based on the Alaadeen Method of Instruction™…  The event is free to the public and is intended to attract local media coverage, to engage the broader jazz and arts community, and to launch a comprehensive strategic plan to revive jazz education in Kansas City.  The event will feature tributes from some of Kansas City’s most prominent jazz musicians and educators, who were taught and/or influenced by Ahmad Alaadeen, including Kevin Mahogany, Dennis Winslett, Logan Richardson, Bobby Watson, and more.  Several of their students, representing three generations of Kansas City jazz musicians, will perform Alaadeen's original compositions….

*From Michael Shults: (W)anted to tell you about a new project I'm working on, playing duets with Peter Schlamb.  Our first gig is Sunday (June 23) at Take Five at 7 PM. We'll do some originals by Peter and I, probably cover "Vaal" from Logan Richardson's album "Ethos", and some standards. It's definitely at the experiment stage right now, but it's a lot of fun and I think alto+vibes is a really unique sonority.

*From Kerry Strayer: Because of health concerns related to my cancer treatments I will not be able to appear with Barissentials this Friday, June 21, 2013 at Take 5 from 8-10pm.  However the band will appear with tenor saxophonist Steve Lambert subbing for me. I may stop by and sit in on a few tunes if I feel up to it but I will not be able to play the entire gig.  Please support the band and the venue. I hope I feel well enough to stop by and hope to reschedule this date at another time.

*From Mike Metheny: A KC Trumpet Summit at The Blue Room with: Stan Kessler, Hermon Mehari & Mike Metheny, featuring: TJ Martley, piano, Gerald Spaits, bass, Brian Steever, drums,  Saturday, June 29, 2013, 8:30pm - 12:30am.

*From Jazz Winterlude: Here's news: Jazz Winterlude and the JCCC Performing Arts Series invite you to two jazz performances in June: The Tyrone Clark Trio will perform on Monday, June 24 at noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Regnier Center Atrium on campus. On Wednesday, June 26, Gerald Spaits and Charles Perkins will perform from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in that space. The concerts are free, and Cafe Tempo will offer a free drink to those who purchase an entree (delicious!) between noon and 1:00 p.m. on those days. Join us for some fun!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Reappraising Jazz in the Woods

It's time to repent.  After thoroughly enjoying myself Friday at Jazz in the Woods, I realized that I need to come clean about my longstanding affection for the festival.

I witnessed the inception of Jazz in the Woods in the 1980s when drummer Vince Bilardo played swing-oriented jazz with locally-based musicians at the east side of the parking lot that now houses Garozzo's on College Boulevard.  As the festival began to shun Kansas City's jazz musicians in favor of more marketable artists, I aimed ridicule and scorn at the organizers of Jazz in the Woods.  Yet I continued to show up every year and never failed to have a good time. 

Friday's presentation was no exception.  Tony DeSare, a hybrid of John Pizzarelli and Michael Bublé, interpreted standards by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter in addition to covering songs by Prince, Bruce Springteen and Jerry Lee Lewis.  Alas, he didn't play the Journey song that ignited a storm of incendiary fury at Plastic Sax a couple weeks ago.  Greg Adams and East Bay Soul were fantastic in Adams' third appearance at Jazz in the Woods.  The former member of Tower of Power led a large band through funk and R&B classics like "The World Is a Ghetto" and "What's Going On."

It's worth noting that well over half of the people within 100 feet of the stage were black.  The demographics belie Johnson County's reputation as a bastion of white exclusivity and offers an answer to the oft-asked question about what became of the black audience for jazz.   Factoring in both age and race, the audience of over 5,000 at Friday's event was the most diverse I've encountered in 2013.  Aside from bored teenagers and disgruntled old folks who'd apparently expected to hear the sounds of Stan Kenton, everyone seemed to be wearing a smile.

My favorite jazz albums of 2013 include thorny efforts by the likes of Rudresh Mahanthappa.  I acknowledge that most people don't want to subject themselves to that sort of noise.  In fact, I've come to an even more divisive yet meaningful realization.  Snobbish dismissals of smooth jazz are, at best, elitist.  At worst, such derision contains shades of unintentional racism.  I intend to cleanse myself of this socially acceptable yet unflattering bias. 

After Friday's positive experience, I was looking forward to relaxing to the smooth jazz sounds of Julian Vaughn and Peter White at Jazz in the Woods the following night.  I was crestfallen when the event was rained out.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The 2013 edition of the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival includes Matt Otto, Stan Kessler with Kathleen Holeman, the Doug Talley Quartet and the Wild Men of Kansas City.  The free event takes place June 14-15 at Coleman Hawkins Park in St. Joseph, Missouri.

*The headliners of the fourth annual Jazz Winterlude are Terri Lyne Carrington and Arturo Sandoval.  The festival at Johnson County Community College is January 24-25.

*Deborah Brown was interviewed by Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz.

*Michael Pagán praises the Green Lady Lounge.

*Beau Bledsoe offers a fascinating peek behind the curtains at Fado Novato's successful fundraising campaign to finance an extended trip to Portugal.

*Jim Mair has been recognized for his work at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

*Hermon Mehari provides background about a young musician in legal trouble.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

*KC Jazz Lark commends the vitality of Kansas City's jazz scene while taking an apparent swipe at the author of this blog.  Noting the cancelation of Kanrocksas, my good friend implies that had the festival been a jazz-oriented event, I would be "wetting myself" in a rush to "morbidly declare jazz is dead."  The failure of the rock/hip hop/EDM-oriented Kanrocksas to sell 25,000 advance tickets at $200 a pop bears no relationship to the "lively but peaceful" status of a handful of small-capacity jazz venues.  I reject the notion that I "hold the mortality of jazz to a different standard."  Just last night, almost 2,000 fans paid $40 each to hear the XX- a band with rock, hip hop and EDM elements- perform at the Uptown Theater.  The harsh reality is that far less than 2,000 people will attend jazz live jazz performances in the Kansas City area during the first ten days of June.

*In response to the previous Plastic Sax post about Charlie Parker, T.J. Martley kindly reminded the excitable author of this blog of his video transcription of "Little Willie Leaps."

*UMKC's Jazz Camp is June 23-27.

*Dean Minderman of St. Louis Jazz Notes analyzes the outstanding 2013-14 season of Jazz St. Louis.  Highlights include Rudresh Mahanthappa, Joe Lovano's Us Five and the Bad Plus.

*Here's a promotional video for the Parkville River Jam, Jazz, Blues and Fine Arts Festival.

*Tweet o' the Week: Kyle Broussard- If @jpwayman post 1 more time about jazz in the woods I am un-following him.

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous- I made it 90 seconds before I turned it off, but that's because I was distracted, shoving needles in to my gonads and extinguishing cigarettes on my forearm.  (A less acerbic discussion is taking place here.)

*Clint Ashlock reports that his gig at Take Five Coffee + Bar this Saturday, June 8, features "a new project called Forward."  The band includes Ashlock, Ryan Lee, Michael Shults, Andrew Ouellette and Karl McComas-Reichl "doing all original stuff."

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)