Grading the 2020-21 Season of the Folly Jazz Series

The last concert I attended before the coronavirus lockdown was Luciana Souza’s appearance in the Folly Jazz Series on March 7.  The Kansas City debut of the innovative Brazilian was filled with surprises.  The recently announced 2020-21 bookings in the Folly Jazz Series don’t hold much potential for the thrill of discovery.  Conventional, tried-and-true sounds by touring musicians already familiar to Kansas City audiences dominate the season.  The absence of the centennial tribute to Kansas City’s Charlie Parker- the most important tour of the year- is particularly egregious.

Karrin Allyson
Saturday, October 17
Karrin Allyson rose to fame while living in Kansas City.  Her homecomings are always welcome.  She last performed in the Folly Jazz Series in 2016.
Grade: B

David Benoit
Saturday, December 12
David Benoit’s biography suggests the keyboardist “has reigned supreme as one the founding fathers of contemporary jazz” for decades.  Joined by the son of Mel Tormé, Benoit and his band will revisit his popular 2000 tribute to Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas.  The Folly last hosted Benoit’s holiday show in 2015.
Grade: C-

Jeff Lorber
Saturday, January 16
I walked to Line Creek Park in 1977 or 1978 to catch a free Sunday evening concert by a group led by Jeff Lorber.  The fusion band’s saxophonist was a scrawny kid named Kenny G.  Lorber performed at the Gem Theater in 2014.
Grade: C+

Anat Cohen
Friday, February 12
Anat Cohen is an Israeli clarinetist with wide-ranging interests.  She’ll be joined by Vitor Gonçalves, Tal Mashiach and James Shipp, men who helped make her lightly attended 2018 appearance at the Gem Theater extraordinary.
Grade: B+

Paquito D'Rivera Quintet
Saturday, March 20
The Cuban saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, 71, is a Latin jazz mainstay.  The former member of Irakere is making his first public appearance in Kansas City in recent years.
Grade: B+

Eliane Elias
Friday, April 9
Eliane Elias has repeatedly proven she’s a sublime performer on Kansas City stages.  The Brazilian chanteuse and pianist last appeared at the Folly in 2017.
Grade: B

(Original image of materials from the 2006-2007 season of the Folly Jazz Series by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Rashida Phillips of the American Jazz Museum chatted with Mike Shanin on KCPT’s Ruckus.

*Five musicians representing the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra performed in an episode of Star Sessions.

*“Light/Dark”, a selection from a forthcoming album by Kansas City Area Youth Jazz, is available for purchase.

*The Chicago organ trio the Soul Message Band will perform at Black Dolphin on March 15.

*Giovanni Russonello reviewed Karrin Allyson’s Shoulder to Shoulder album for Downbeat.

*Mary Lou Williams is remembered by a radio station in Seattle.

*From a press release: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will accept a donation of four iconic artifacts related to the life and legacy of jazz legend Lester Willis Young (Aug. 27, 1909–March 15, 1959) during a concert by the museum’s big band orchestra-in-residence, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra on Feb. 22. Lester Young Jr. will present the museum with his father’s three surviving instruments: a Conn-manufactured saxophone, a tenor saxophone made by Dolnet and a clarinet by H. Bettoney, as well as a signature porkpie hat that defined Young’s style and swagger.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Rashida Phillips is the new Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum.  A press release is excerpted below.

*The impetus behind Musicians Appreciation Day is addressed by Gerald Dunn in Luke Martin’s feature for KCUR.

*A performance by Marcus Lewis’ Brass & Boujee is among The Kansas City Star’s lastest concert recommendations.

*Pat Metheny received a honorary degree from the University of Missouri on December 14. (Video stream.)

*Smoke Jazz Club created a promotional video for the recently released Bird at 100 album featuring Bobby Watson.

*Kent Rausch chatted with Joe Dimino.

*Steve Kraske shared a holiday song by Karrin Allyson on KCUR’s Up To Date.

*Harold O’Neal announced the release of his next album.

*Tweet o’ the Week: American Jazz Museum- This Wednesday at 7:00 pm Kansas City Jazz Academy student combos are showcasing their talents on the Gem Theater stage. Check out the link below for more info!

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum Board of Directors has named Rashida Phillips as the Museum’s executive director, beginning January, 2020. Phillips, an active performer and jazz vocalist, will be leaving her post as senior director, community ventures at the Old Town School of Folk Music, in Chicago, Ill., where she oversees the school’s community-based education programs.  Phillips was born and raised in St. Louis. Her previous experience includes director of education and youth initiatives at the Chicago Humanities Festival, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, the Merit School of Music, and the Chicago Children’s Museum. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and a Master’s in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University…. Ralph Caro, who has served in the interim executive director position since March 2019, will assist Phillips with the transition.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: The Karrin Allyson Sextet- Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage

Karrin Allyson doesn’t lack ambition.  The jazz-oriented artist who rose to prominence while based in Kansas City collaborates with an impressive array of prominent friends on her unconventional new project.  Allyson and a core band of trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, saxophonist Mindi Abair, pianist Helen Sung, bassist Endea Owens and drummer Allison Miller are joined by stars including rapper Rapsody, jazz stalwart Kurt Elling, R&B standout Lalah Hathaway, violinist Regina Carter and singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash on Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage.  The performances are impeccable, but the primary purpose of the concept album is edification rather than entertainment.  Anyone who appreciates feminism, Sweet Honey in the Rock and #metoo is certain to be inspired by Allyson’s important history lesson.

(Original image of Karrin Allyson and Houston Person by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A television station’s report about the American Jazz Museum amplifies the talking points of the institution’s interim director Ralph Caro and Mayor Quinton Lucas.

*The Prairie Village Jazz Festival and Al Di Meola's concert at VooDoo are among the The Kansas City Star’s weekly concert recommendations.

*Downbeat reviewed performances by Lakecia Benjamin, Fred Hersch, George Coleman and Carl Allen at New York City’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.

*Details about Karrin Allyson’s new project Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage are revealed by Melinda Newman in Billboard magazine.

*Merrliee Trost has died.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Cat Reid- This is the new board for the museum. Chair acknowledges there are “mountains left to climb.” They’re in the process of selecting a new permanent exec director #jazz #kansascity #18thandvine

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Yoko Takemura recounts the backstory of the release of Jay McShann’s new Live in Tokyo album for Jazz Tokyo.

*Selections by Karrin Allyson, Peter Schlamb and Bobby Watson and were highlighted in an episode of the weekly radio program Eight One Sixty titled “Best Albums of the Decade.”

*Julian Vaughn’s Supreme debuted at #6 on Billboard’s jazz albums chart.

*A quartet led by vocalist Kelly Gant performed on Star Sessions.  Gant is among the artists on the bill at a fundraiser for Molly Hammer at Mod Gallery on Sunday, July 14.

*Chris Burnett is featured on page 130 of the latest issue of KC Studio magazine.

*Brad Allen and Herschel McWilliams were interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*An essayist proposes that Robert Altman’s “films are a true reflection of the Kansas style Jazz that he grew up with in his hometown.”

*Tweet o’ the Week: Sabrina Moella- 10. But back to the show, the whole band was excellent. Kristopher Funn on bass, Lawrence Fields on piano, Corey Fonville on drums, Chief aTunde Adjuah himself on trompet, Logan Richardson on the sax & Weedie Braimah on djembe. Chile. That's a jazz band dream team right there.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Ghosts in the Machine

Kansas City’s jazz scene isn’t merely haunted by its illustrious history.  The formidable legacy of past masters often seems to suffocate the musicians of today.  That’s one of the takeaways from an exercise I conducted at my nondenominational music blog There Stands the Glass.

The examination of Spotify’s monthly listeners metric for artists associated with Kansas City offers intriguing insights into the consumption of jazz recordings.  Half of the artists in the top ten and 24 of the top 100 are jazz musicians.  Pat Metheny, Karrin Allyson, the jazz-adjacent Oleta Adams and the smooth jazz stars Norman Brown and Julian Vaughn are the only living jazz artists in the top 50.  And the gulf between the iconic Charlie Parker (#10, 495,000 monthly listeners) and his present-day successor Logan Richardson (#99, 1,000 monthly listeners) is astounding. 

The absence of many of the artists regularly documented at Plastic Sax is glaring.   I note at the original post that “many ostensible hometown heroes are streamed by only a few hundred users each month.”  Streaming isn’t a zero-sum game- just because someone streams Charlie Parker doesn’t mean they’re not also streaming Logan Richardson- but the extreme imbalance between old and new is frightening.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Karrin Allyson- Some of That Sunshine

Even by the standards of an admirably restless artist, Karrin Allyson’s 2014 concert at the Folly Theater was a startling surprise.  She traded swing-based jazz and interpretations of Brazilian standards for straightforward adult pop.  (I reviewed the concert for The Kansas City Star.)  Allyson returned to a jazz orientation the subsequent times she’s performed in her former hometown of Kansas City.  I was beginning to think I’d fabricated the tone of the 2014 concert out of whole cloth.  Her latest album Some of That Sunshine indicates I’m not crazy.  Released six months ago, the project documents Allyson’s intriguing foray into the sophisticated realm of sophisticated singer-songwriters like Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin and James Taylor.  Her 13 original compositions sound as if they belong on the impeccably curated playlist of an urbane coffee shop. 

(Original image of Karrin Allyson and Houston Person performing at the Gem Theater in 2015 by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Logan Richardson’s Blues People is selected as the third best jazz album of 2018 by The New York Times’ Giovanni Russonello.

*Violinist Regina Carter is nominated for a Grammy Award for a solo on Karrin Allyson’s new album.  The Count Basie Orchestra’s All About That Basie is nominated for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.  The complete list of nominations is here.

*Molly Hammer appeared on a television morning show.

*David Basse hails the Jazz Studies program at UMKC for the institution’s student newspaper.

*A press release touts Anita Dixon’s efforts as a cultural heritage strategist.

*The Marcus Lewis Big Band, the Project H and Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 are among the best music of 2018 selections made by the staff of radio station 90.9 The Bridge.

*Chris Burnett lists his favorite albums of 2018.

*Marc Myers takes note of World Gardens, the latest album by the Italian pianist Roberto Magris that features Dominique Sanders, Brian Steever and Pablo Sanhueza.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Lee Rice Epstein- Yesterday, I was going to make an ironic joke about how outré a Count Basie album would be in 2018, and today I saw the Grammy noms, so that's a wrap, folks.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Gently Up the Stream

Let’s play a jazz version of the “would you rather” parlor game. 
Would you rather receive a cumulative 250 spins a week on non-commercial radio stations throughout the country or rack up 10,000 plays a week in the global marketplace with a single song on Spotify?

The former option involves mailing compact discs to dozens of radio stations and (ideally) hiring a publicist to persuade DJs to play it.  The latter gambit requires lobbying a well-placed connection at the music streaming service or simply relying on fortuitous serendipity to obtain placement on popular playlists.

The efforts documented on social media by many locally based musicians suggest that they covet placement on the JazzWeek terrestrial radio chart.  Karrin Allyson, an artist who launched her career in Kansas City, currently holds the #2 spot on the chart with 238 weekly plays of selections from her Some of That Sunshine album at 53 outlets.

“Fake it Till I Make It,” a track from the Kansas City based Marcus Lewis Big Band’s new album Brass & Boujee, achieved a different form of success.  Since being added to Spotify’s State of Jazz playlist a couple weeks ago, it’s been played more than 50,000 times. 

As much as I like working in the terrestrial radio format, I believe that focusing on placement at streaming services is a savvier strategy for most area jazz artists, at least until a song or album gains traction.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Karrin Allyson’s new album Some of That Sunshine was released last week.

*Lonnie McFadden was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*“Herman Mahari” and “Mark Lowery” are among the musicians nominated in The Pitch’s “The Best of Kansas City 2018” poll.

*The playlist Nate Chinen created to promote his new book Playing Changes: Jazz for the New Century includes two tracks by artists with Kansas City roots.  Logan Richardson’s “Anthem (To Human Justice)” and the Pat Metheny Group’s “The Way Up: Part Two” are represented.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Julia Mann- @RyanTedder I thought you might like this. I remember you visited Green Lady Lounge when you were here in Kansas City. Kansas City's #1 jazz bar, The Green Lady Lounge, now has it's own radio station streaming live jazz played exclusively by KC musicians! http://greenladyradio.com/

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Karrin Allyson will perform a free concert during Topeka’s Sunflower Music Festival on Monday, June 12.  Her tour itinerary also includes a date at the Kansas City Jazz and Heritage Festival on Friday, May 26.

*Stereogum included Hermon Mehari’s debut album in a roundup of compelling new jazz releases.

*Steve Lambert performed the National Anthem prior to a game in the men’s basketball tournament at the Sprint Center last weekend.

*Chris Burnett examines his artistic process.

*An Oakland outlet profiled Angela Wellman, a musician once based in Kansas City.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Hermon Mehari- "Bleu" debuts on @billboard Jazz Charts at #22: http://www.billboard.com/charts/jazz-albums … #billboard #billboardjazz #bleu

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- Thank you for doing this for so many years.

*From a press release: In celebration of Women in Jazz Month, Pablo Sanhueza has invited Jackie Zamora to join the KC Latin Jazz All-Stars at the Blue Room. Jackie is a lead vocalist with the New Mexico Latin Jazz Orchestra... The evening will feature pieces co-arranged by Ms. Zamora… Sponsored by the American Jazz Museum, and led by Pablo Sanhueza, The Kansas City Latin Jazz All-Stars has delivered authentic, traditional dance floor latin music for fourteen years… Free admission, all-ages show. Thursday, March 30, 2017 7pm

(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.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Soul Jazz Fridays, the new album by Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, was reviewed by KCUR.

*Kemet “The Phantom” Coleman wrote an appreciation of the young saxophonist Ernest Melton.

*The Kansas City sound engineer Ron Ubel has died.

*Karrin Allyson’s concert was reviewed by The Kansas City Star.  The concert was previewed by KCUR.

*Bobby Watson was interviewed by Jon Hart in a 36-minute Local 909 session.

*Ted Gioia, the author of the new book How To Listen to Jazz, chatted with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s Up to Date.

*James Conqueror, the man in charge of the Mutual Musician Foundation’s radio initiative, discussed his aspirations with Joe Dimino.

*Marc Myers lauds the digital reissue of the Count Basie Orchestra’s High Voltage.

*The documentary Kansas City Dreamin’ (Music In Shadows) features Diallo Javonne French’s photographs.  (Via Tony’s Kansas City.)

*Tweet o’ the Week: My New Band- Absorbed Lasagna is the name of my new Kansas City jazz quintet

*From a press release: Jazz luminaries David Basse and Joe Cartwright will bring a septet to Polsky Theatre in the Johnson County Community College Carlsen Center at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, as part of JCCC’s Winterlude concerts... Tickets, which are $20, are available online at jccc.edu/TheSeries… Other members of the septet are Seth Lee, bass; Taylor Babb, drums; Jason Goudeau, trombone; Stephen Martin, saxophone, and Nate Nall, trumpet.

*From a press release: Community Christian Church presents Jazz Carolfest 2016! Join Tim Whitmer and his all star cast of friends on Sunday, December 4 at 4pm for a swinging start to the Christmas season. The line-up features artists of from several generations including the talents of Kelley Hunt, Millie Edwards, Diane "Mama" Ray, Molly Hammer, Greg Meise, Tevin Williams, Scotty Dennis, John Stafford, the Kansas City Bass Quartet (James Albright, Gerald Spaits, Ben Leifer, & Tim Brewer), and The Wild Women (Geneva Price, Lori Tucker, & Millie Edwards) along with pianist Tim Whitmer and the award-winning house band (Jurgen Welge, James Albright, Rod Fleeman, Everette Devan, Todd Wilkinson, & Stan Kessler)... Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance and can be purchased in person or online at Community Christian Church.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Joe Klopus highlights forthcoming concerts by bands led by Karrin Allyson and Bobby Watson in his latest column.

*Chepttoo Kositany-Buckner and Bobby Watson pitch the forthcoming concert at the Gem Theater featuring Watson, Ernie Andrews and American Jazz Orchestra.  The Pitch also touted the show.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Sinbad- Kansas City where is the jazz and live music in Kansas City on a Friday night

*From the American Jazz Museum: We've added more dates to our (Riffing on the Repertoire author talks) series: Dec. 1 Rashod Ollison - Soul Serenade; Dec. 15 Brian Seibert - What the Eye Hears; Jan. 12 Michael Jarrett - Pressed for All Time; Jan. 26 Sherrie Tucker - Dance Floor Democracy; March 9 Stephen Rush - Free Jazz, Harmolodics and Ornette Coleman; March 23 Dr. Richard Turner - Jazz Religon, the Second Line and Black New Orleans; April 6 - Lanston Hughes Project with Dr. Ron McCurdy; April 20 - Charles Hersch Jews and Jazz: Improvising Ethnicity.  Ted Gioia speaks at the Museum on Thursday, Nov. 17.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Grading the 2016-17 Folly and Gem Seasons

The American Jazz Museum unveiled its forthcoming concert season at the Gem Theater last week.  Formerly known as Jammin’ at the Gem, the series has been renamed Jazz at the Gem, a change that “reflects the Museum’s renewed emphasis on making jazz central to its range of programming offerings.”

I hope the change is accompanied by needed improvements.  Addressing the spotty sound in the Gem Theater may pose a formidable challenge, but fixing basic production elements like the failure to turn off the house lights during a performance (Patti Austin, March 26, 2016) and providing patrons with more than a 75-minute show in exchange for their $50 tickets (The Bad Plus Joshua Redman, April 16, 2016) shouldn’t be difficult.

Every year I fear that the Folly Theater’s venerable jazz series will be discontinued due to dwindling attendance.  The outstanding blend of big names and forward-thinking artists in its 2016-17 season indicates that the presenters at the 12th Street venue are in it to win it.

My initial assessment of each concert follows.

Jonathan Butler
Gem Theater, September 30
Jonathan Butler is a proven crowd-pleaser in Kansas City.  The versatile South African’s combination of gospel, soul and smooth jazz kept a capacity audience on its feet at the Gem in 2011.
Grade: C+

Fourplay
Folly Theater, October 15
Bob James, Nathan East, Chuck Loeb and Harvey Mason are smooth jazz behemoths. 
Grade: B-

Karrin Allyson
Folly Theater, November 18
Although it bears the decidedly unpromising appellation of “Holiday Fundraising Concert,” appearances by the one-time Kansas City artist Karrin Allyson are always welcome.
Grade: B

Bobby Watson and the American Jazz Orchestra with Ernie Andrews
Gem Theater, November 19
Longtime readers of Plastic Sax may suspect that the author of this site believes that Bobby Watson can do no wrong.  That’s not entirely true.  Watson’s work as the leader of a big band doesn’t particularly appeal to me.  Even so, the presence of vocalist Ernie Andrews, 88, is a nice touch.
Grade: B

Tim Warfield
Gem Theater, December 9
“Jazzy” is one of my least favorite words.  Tim Warfield’s concert at the Gem is saddled with the unfortunate title "Jazzy Christmas."  Yet the saxophonist’s all-star band is anything but cloying.  He’ll be joined by vocalist Joanna Pascale, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Clarence Penn and Joanna Pascale.
Grade: B

Cécile McLorin Salvant
Folly Theater, December 10
Cécile McLorin Salvant is the most fashionable vocalist in jazz.  Her Kansas City debut qualifies as a major event.
Grade: A

Ramsey Lewis
Gem Theater, January 14, 2017
Ramsey Lewis, 81, is a brilliant soul-jazz pioneer.  Fans should note that his appearance is “part of a series of events in connection with Martin Luther King Day by the Kansas City chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference,” so a lot of tickets are probably already spoken for.
Grade: A-

Pieces of a Dream
Gem Theater, February 11, 2017
The jazz-tinged R&B group Pieces of a Dream was nightmarishly dull when it headlined the 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival in 2013.
Grade: C-

Robert Glasper
Folly Theater, February 18, 2017
By finding a rewarding new way to incorporate hip-hop with jazz, Robert Glasper may be the most influential jazz artist of the last ten years.
Grade: A

Aaron Diehl and Warren Wolf
Folly Theater, March 4, 2017
Many old guard partisans of mainstream jazz probably won’t realize it until ten minutes into the concert, but the sublime pairing of pianist Aaron Diehl and vibraphonist Warren Wolf will be one of their favorite concerts of 2017.  
Grade: B

Dianne Reeves
Gem Theater, March 25, 2017
While younger artists like Gregory Porter and Cécile McLorin Salvant receive more attention, Dianne Reeves has been one of the most elegant vocalists in jazz and soul music for 30 years.
Grade: B+

Donny McCaslin Trio
Folly Theater, April 7, 2017
The profile of Donny McCaslin received an enormous boost when he and his band contributed to the late David Bowie’s swansong Blackstar.  The imaginative saxophonist will be promoting an album that includes a cover of the Bowie/Eno composition “Warszawa.”
Grade: A-

Jack DeJohnette Trio
Gem Theater, April 22, 2017
Jack DeJohnette is precisely the sort of jazz giant I seek out when I travel to either coast.  The drummer is responsible for a large swathe of the most interesting music of the last 50 years.  He’ll be joined by saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and the bassist and electronic musician Matt Garrison, his collaborators on the adventurous new album In Movement.
Grade: A+

Eliane Elias Quartet
Folly Theater, May 19, 2017
The Eliane Elias Trio drew about 700 admireres to the 1,050-capacity Folly Theater for a satisfying concert in 2013.  Compared to most shows in the venue’s woefully under-attended jazz series, the turnout was a home run.  I can’t blame organizers for bringing the native Brazilian back to Kansas City.
Grade: B

I conducted similar exercises in 2015, 2014 (here and here), 2013, 2012, 2011 (here and here), 2010 (here and here), 2009 and 2008 (here and here).

(Original image by Plastic Sax)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCUR published a detailed examination of a new collection of 58 previously unreleased Charlie Parker recordings. 

*The Kansas City Business Journal and The Kansas City Star report on the $7 million compromise on additional funding for the Jazz District.

*The late Bob Brookmeyer, Pat Metheny, the Count Basie Orchestra, Logan Richardson, Bobby Watson, the late Kerry Strayer, Kevin Mahogany, Karrin Allyson and blues artist Danielle Nicole are among the Kansas City musicians nominated in the current Reader's Poll conducted by Downbeat magazine.

*Brandon Draper has released a live session from 2010 that features saxophonist Rich Wheeler, trombonist Kevin Cerovich, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb and basist Craig Akin.

*The Pitch recommends Kyle Turner’s appearance at the Blue Room.

*Marc Myers of JazzWax uncovers compelling Charlie Parker ephemera.

*Kansas City area resident and jazz enthusiast Teddy Dibble maintains the excellent music appreciation video channel eat.sleep.vinyl.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Legacy Recordings- MILES AHEAD, directed by & starring @DonCheadle, is out today on Blu-Ray, DVD, & digital!

*From a press release: David Basse and a seven piece band headed by pianist Joe Cartwright will perform at the one and only Blue Room in the Jazz District. Celebrate Kansas City’s legendary jazz and blues heritage and the release of Live at Pilgrim Chapel, the group's latest release. The band includes saxophonist Stephen Martin, trumpeter Nate Nall, trombonist Jason Goudeau, Seth Lee on bass, and drummer Taylor Babb. 8:30 p.m. Friday, August 5.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Eddie Moore reports that his group’s third album will be issued by Ropeadope.

*KC Jazz Lark has a fevered holiday vision.

*Songs by Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle and Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 were featured on an episode of KCUR’s Up To Date last week.  Here’s the podcast.

*The jazz writer for The Pitch selects a few highlights of 2015.

*A recent Plastic Sax post seems to have enlivened Inside Jazz KC. 

*Four albums by Kansas City-related artists were among the 461 releases acknowledged by at least one of the 147 critics who participated in the 10th Annual Jazz Critics Poll.  The rankings included Karrin Allyson (#144), Prism Quartet (#182), Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle (#296) and Pat Metheny (#452).

*Tweet o’ the Week: Karli Ritter- Green lady lounge never disappoints! (Vine)

*Comment o’ the Week: Dean Minderman- "Blogging is harder than it looks."  Heh. QFT!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star reports that EBT restaurant will close at the end of the month.  The establishment's lounge has long featured performances by many of Kansas City's most prominent jazz musicians.

*KC Jazz Lark assesses the “voids” in Kansas City's jazz scene.

*Bryan Hicks was the subject of a 50-minute interview on KCUR’s Central Standard program.

*Joe Klopus highlights a handful of forthcoming concerts.

*Julian Vaughn promoted his concert at the Gem Theater on a morning television program.  The Pitch recommends the show.

*Karrin Allyson was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album for Many A New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein.

(Original image of an autographed studio wall at 90.9 The Bridge by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review- Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein

Karrin Allyson performed a concert of adult pop at the Folly Theater ten months ago.  I expected her next release to sound like James Taylor.  Instead, she resembles Marilyn Maye on the sophisticated cabaret album Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Backed by pianist Kenny Barron and bassist John Patitucci, Allyson sings material from The King and I, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music and South Pacific.

Allyson makes it clear that she has no intention of playing it straight on the seemingly unpromising album opener “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”.  Her blues reading of the composition that’s often subject to cornball interpretations demonstrates Allyson’s aversion to cliches.  All 14 tracks contain similarly unconventional twists. 

Effortlessly sensuous and wise without seeming sanctimonious, Allyson is never overshadowed by the impeccable work of Barron and Patitucci.  Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein is an entirely welcome surprise.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)