Now's the Time: Pablo Masis

The Brooklyn based trumpeter Pablo Masis is touring with guitarist Dave Juarez and bassist Jeff Koch.  The trio will be joined by saxophonist Adam Larson and drummer John Kizilarmut at Westport Coffee House on Monday, Sept. 30.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Hermon Mehari chatted with KCUR’s Chuck Haddix.

*The editorial board of The Kansas City Star suggests that the “status quo at the American Jazz Museum is unacceptable.”

*Seven minutes of footage of last night’s concert by Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom was shared by Steve Paul.

*Mike Corrigan's instrument and instrument repair business is the subject of a two-minute feature created by NBC News.

*John Kizilarmut was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*The season debut of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra was documented by Joe Dimino.

*Clint Ashlock is quoted in a The New York Times story about the mania surrounding Patrick Mahomes, the young quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.

*Tweet o’ the Week: SpinningTreeTheatre- Jazz Great Angela Hagenbach Headlines Spinning Tree Sings! Cabaret Fundraiser. Mon Nov 12 @ 7:30pm, Just Off Broadway. Roger Wilder, Piano. Tyrone Clark, Bass. Michael Warren, Drums

(Original image of a men's bathroom in Arrowhead Stadium at Saturday's Ed Sheeran concert by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Stephen Martin- Vision

The jazz bro woo-cry is a repellent element of many jazz performances.  Yet I find myself involuntarily yelping the enthusiastic shout of appreciation every time I listen to Vision, the thrilling debut album by the Kansas City saxophonist Stephen Martin that will be released on July 27.

The playing of Martin, pianist Matt Villinger, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl and drummer John Kizilarmut isn’t gratuitously flashy.  Instead, exceptional group dynamics and uncommonly smart choices elicit my grating blurts of joy. 

Vision is particularly intriguing in the wake of the “new” John Coltrane album.  Give or take 18 months, the approach documented on the 1963 recording Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album serves as the foundation of Vision.  Rather than attempting to expand or update Coltrane’s sound, Martin’s quartet pays commendable homage to some the most renowned American music of the 20th century.

Villinger plays a fervent McCoy Tyner to Martin’s persuasive Coltrane.  The pianist stands out on uptempo selections including a raging version of Charlie Parker’s “Segment.”  While it doesn’t challenge convention or break new ground, Vision is among the most praiseworthy mainstream acoustic jazz albums to be made by a Kansas City artist in years.  Woo!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Focus on Sanity

There was no chance I would miss the discussion of Ornette Coleman’s groundbreaking 1958 album The Shape of Jazz to Come last Monday at the Lucile H. Bluford Branch of the Kansas City Public Library.  I was so giddy about the recondite event that I arrived an hour early.  While I couldn’t persuade the library’s two security guards or the disorderly vagrants they were minding to attend the seminar, my enthusiasm was shared by a handful of attendees at the listening party sponsored by The Kansas Jazz Orchestra.

John Kizilarmut, the passionate and knowledgeable moderator, set the tone for his presentation by playing a polarizing track by Mostly Other People Do the Killing.  In addition to providing context for The Shape of Jazz to Come, Kizilarmut shared a photo that his research led him to believe acted as the inspiration for the album’s lead track “Lonely Woman.” 

The small class listened to the first side of the album in reverent silence.  After Kizilarmut added additional insights, a loudmouth blogger instigated debates as the second side played.  Clint Ashlock, the Artistic Director of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, will analyze Maria Schneider’s Evanescence at the Central Library on March 12.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Plastic Sax's Favorite Performances of 2016

Favorite Performances by Kansas City Artists
1. Marilyn Maye- Quality Hill Playhouse
2. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Tank Room
3. Logan Richardson- Blue Room (Plastic Sax review)
4. Matt Otto Septet- Blue Room (Plastic Sax review)
5. Matt Villinger- Orion Room at the Green Lady Lounge
6. Karrin Allyson- Folly Theater
7. Gerald Spaits’ Sax & Violins- Westport CoffeeHouse (Plastic Sax review)
8. Jorge Arana Trio- Mills Record Company
9. Hermon Mehari Quartet- Polsky Theatre (Plastic Sax review)
10. Mark Southerland, Annie Ellicott, Jeff Harshbarger and John Kizilarmut- Californos

Favorite Performances by Artists From Elsewhere
1. Tortoise- Granada
2. Christian McBride Trio- Folly Theater
3. Pablo Ziegler’s Quartet for New Tango- Polsky Theatre (Plastic Sax review)
4. Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom- Blue Room
5. Roy Ayers- Blue Room
6. Candido- American Jazz Museum (Plastic Sax review)
7. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra- Midland theater
8. The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman- Gem Theater
9. Bill Frisell- Atkins Auditorium
10. Béla Fleck & the Flecktones- Muriel Kauffman Theatre

Plastic Sax conducted similar surveys in 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Hermon Mehari Quartet at Polsky Theatre

Your gray-haired correspondent was one of the youngest members of the audience of about 125 at Polsky Theatre last Tuesday for a free lunch hour concert by a quartet led by Hermon Mehari (Plastic Sax’s 2009 Person of the Year).

A friend suggested that the trumpeter and his band mates- pianist Peter Schlamb, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl and drummer John Kizilarmut- deliberately played conservatively to avoid offending their elders.  I’m not so sure.  I think Mehari’s default jazz mode is based on the sound Miles Davis established in the 1950s in his landmark recordings for Prestige Records. 

I understand why my pal was disappointed by the polite bop recital, but I found plenty to appreciate.  Mehari’s feathery tone was in fine form and McComas-Reichl and Kizilarmut were impeccable, but Schlamb’s playing was absolutely mesmerizing.  I was repeatedly floored by Schlamb’s next-level concepts.

Primarily known as a vibraphonist, Schlamb’s ideas may be even better conveyed via piano.  His subtly subversive contributions to otherwise conventional interpretations of “These Foolish Things” and “As Time Goes By” thrilled me.  A rendition of Schlamb's “Tatra”- a composition Mehari said would be included on his forthcoming solo album- was the most dynamic of the eight selections.

Setlist: If I Were a Bell, September in the Rain, Chi Chi, As Time Goes By, The Lamp is Low, Tatra, These Foolish Things, Stomping at the Savoy

(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

*Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner, the new CEO of the American Jazz Museum, was interviewed by The Pitch.

*Live at Pilgrim Chapel, the new album by David Basse and Joe Cartwright, was reviewed by KCUR.

*Dominique Sanders was interviewed by Fountain City Frequency.

*Zach Albetta chatted with John Kizilarmut in a podcast for Working Drummer.

*The Kansas City Star and The Pitch highlight Ambrose Akinmusire’s return to Kansas City.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Amanda Graor- @KCCauldron I want to capo and do the occasional tap dance solo on the bar ala Lonnie McFadden thx

*Comment o’ the Week: Mike Metheny- Thank you, Mike Warren, for taking the time to review my sonic experiments, confounding as they admittedly are. Your words were thoughtful and honest, and that works for me. (Note: “Twelve” is the number of albums produced since 1982, as opposed to ten tracks on the CD. That's what I get for being too cryptic…)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: Mike Herrera, Ernest Melton and Houston Smith at the Blue Room

I often cringe when I hear the opening strains of “In a Sentimental Mood.”  The chestnut is played far too often.

Houston Smith’s statement on the Duke Ellington standard at the Blue Room last Monday, however, transcended cliché.  With accompaniment by pianist Everett Freeman, bassist James Ward and drummer John Kizilarmut, the 18-year-old dazzled on the familiar tune.

Smith is attending the Berklee College of Music.  He was featured alongside the teenage Ernest Melton and the relative veteran Mike Herrera at the “Sax Showcase.”  An audience of about 50 attended the first set.

Melton chose “Ruby, My Dear” as his feature ballad.  His slightly sour and willfully course tenor playing recalled John Coltrane's work on his seminal 1957 collaboration with Thelonious Monk.  Herrera opted for a rendition of “All the Things You Are” to highlight his more refined approach. 

The marked contrasts between the three intriguing saxophonists served as yet another persuasive example of the artistic vitality of the Kansas City jazz scene.

(Original image of Herrera, Ward, Melton, Houston and Kizilarmut, left to right, by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Recently at Inside Jazz Kansas City: John Kizilarmut encourages listeners “on the fence” about jazz to embrace the music.  Clint Ashlock comments on cell phone usage.  Ryan Heinlein praises Kansas City’s jazz scene and lists his favorite albums.

*The Pitch reports that New Jazz Order’s weekly sessions have moved to Broadway Kansas City.

*KCUR interviewed Lisa Henry about an upcoming performance piece titled "Dear White People: The Racism Monologues Set to Music."

*Nicholas Payton performed with the Dave Matthews Band at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater on Tuesday.  The Kansas City Star reviewed the concert.

*Bram Wijnands was featured in an extended KCUR profile.

*The Pitch spotlights a recording of 12th Street Jump at Broadway Kansas City.

*Bill Frisell will perform at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on February 21, 2016.  Diana Krall will return to the Midland theater on November 21.

*The ARC label offers a recapitulation of its concert series at the Blue Room.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Libby Hanssen- New Jazz Order sounds like they've been playing at The Broadway Kansas City for years.

*From a press release: KC Jazz meets Broadway as Tim Whitmer presents the Fifth Annual July Jazz Jam at Community Christian Church. The Wild Women of Kansas City, featuring Millie Edwards, Lori Tucker and Geneva Price, join the always amazing Tim Whitmer and The KC Jazz All-Stars- Jurgen Welge, James Albright, Rod Fleeman and Jim Mair,- for an evening of Broadway standards and jazz classics... Sunday, July 26, 2015, 7 p.m. at Community Christian ChurchTickets are available at www.community-christian.org for $10/advance or $15/door.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

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.)

Concert Review: The Peter Schlamb Quartet at Take Five Coffee + Bar

I first heard Peter Schlamb perform during my initial visit to 1911 Restaurant and Lounge in 2011.  The absurdly chaotic atmosphere at the ill-fated venue didn't allow me to focus on the playing of the vibraphonist from St. Louis.  The subsequent Schlamb engagements I've attended also failed to make me understand why his peers in Kansas City held him in such high regard.

That changed Friday at Take Five Coffee + Bar as Schlamb led a quartet on the final date of his band's brief Midwestern tour.  Their first set was dazzling.

Schlamb's vibraphone shimmered with crystalline precision in the acoustically refined room.  His playing brimmed with interesting ideas and melodic surprises.  As one of his bandmates suggested at the break, Schlamb is "an elite musician."  I'm not prepared to suggest that Schlamb is the new Gary Burton or Bobby Hutcherson, but even circumspect admirers of the vibes legends would be impressed by Schlamb's work.

His inventiveness was matched by the correspondingly inspired efforts of trumpeter Hermon Mehari, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl and drummer John Kizilarmut.  Now that I'm finally converted to the righteousness of Schlamb's work, I hope to be present for the quartet's return to Take Five on Friday, May 30.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: Society Red at Take Five Coffee + Bar

If the goal of Society Red is to generate renewed interest in the music of Dexter Gordon, the band has already achieved a modicum of success.   I've listened to more Gordon in recent days than I have during all of the past decade. 

I caught Society Red's first set at Take Five Coffee + Bar on Friday, January 3. In addition to serving as a sort of coming out party for the band, the evening also marked the fourth anniversary of the Leawood venue.  A standing-room-only crowd was treated to a champagne toast and cake at the break.

True to the name of the ensemble, saxophonist Brett Jackson, trumpeter Ryan Thielman, keyboardist Chris Clarke, bassist Dominique Sanders and drummer John Kizilarmut focused on Gordon's music.

The format could have served as an excuse for a tedious blowing session, but Society Red paid tribute to Gordon with contagious enthusiasm.  The band plays feel-good music in the best sense of the phrase.

Jackson's impressive work on a ballad sounded remarkably like this.  Chris Clarke, one of the older guys in the band, serves as Society Red's wild card.  He seems less hung up on adhering to tradition than on infusing the group with bluesy sense of joy.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)