Album Review: The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra- Rock Chalk Suite

The men’s basketball team representing the University of Kansas was ranked No. 1 when the coronavirus outbreak prematurely ended its season.  The Jayhawks were denied a shot at winning the national championship, but music-loving Jayhawk fans can take comfort in a similarly rarified achievement.

Rock Chalk Suite, a recording by The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, was released on March 20.  The project was “commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Lied Center of Kansas, KU’s performing arts center.”  Each of the 15 original compositions honors a Kansas basketball standout.  The Lied Center provides the “stories behind the songs”.

The hyper-partisan Kansas alumni who make their allegiance an integral component of their identities should be shouting the good news from their rooftops.  Yet I haven’t heard one of them boast about Rock Chalk Suite.  KU boosters aren’t alone in ignoring the recording.  One of four albums released by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the first quarter of 2020, Rock Chalk Suite has been roundly ignored by the general public and the jazz media.

The neglect is unmerited.  Most of the unflaggingly swinging selections are immediately engaging.  Wynton Marsalis and his all-star ensemble sound fully committed to honoring Kansas’ basketball tradition on Ellingtonian selections like “Passing Game.”  Only three tracks contain overt references to basketball, making Rock Chalk Suite a largely unjarring experience for supporters of Kansas adversaries like Duke and Missouri. 

Switching out Luther Vandross’ “One Shining Moment” for the Jazz at Lincoln Orchestra’s Rock Chalk Suite may not placate devotees of sports, but for many jazz fans in Kansas and throughout the world, it’s an even trade.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Renee Rosnes

Renee Rosnes, one of the most accomplished mainstream pianists of the last 30 years, will perform with Dan Gailey’s KU Jazz Ensemble I at the Lied Center on Thursday, April 4.  Rosnes leads an all-star band in the embedded clip.  Thursday’s concert is one of hundreds of gigs listed at The Kansas City Jazz Calendar in April.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Lied Center and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are collaborating on a project based on the University of Kansas’ basketball program.

*The Sextet’s Blog Castle will be released on October 7.

*Molly Hammer’s new album Out of This World was released on September 15.

*James Martin suggests that the American Jazz Museum “presents itself as an important organizer and presenter” in the “The Legacy Plays On” exhibition.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Blue Blazes- Overheard in a Kansas City jazz venue tonight -"I know you're a little suicidal right now, but, I've got some gourmet cheese popcorn.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*An audio version of KCUR’s review of Logan Richardson’s Shift was aired by KCUR last week and is available for streaming.

*Bobby Watson performed “Mandela” with an all-star group that included Hugh Masekela on the television broadcast of “Jazz at the White House,” a component of International Jazz Day.  He also performed “Just One of Those Things” with Jamie Cullum.  Pat Metheny accompanied Sting on “Sister Moon” and was present for a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”  Metheny’s performance of “Minuano (Six Eight)” didn’t make the broadcast but can be enjoyed at the 42:15 mark of “private” 90-minute videos of the event that can be found online.

*Steve Kraske chatted with Bobby Watson about his experience at the White House.

*Footage of a band led by Dino Massa was captured at the Art Factory last week.

*Joe Klopus previewed gigs by Alan Ferber and Delfeayo Marsalis.  The Pitch also highlighted Marsalis’ show.

*Benny Green, the Rebirth Brass Band and Bria Skonberg are among the jazz artists booked in the 2016-17 performing arts season of the Lied Center in Lawrence.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Middle of the Map- Jorge Arana Trio on the @riotroom patio / Sweet electro-jazz sound #motmkc'ers

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Branford Marsalis Quartet

It’s been more than five years since the Branford Marsalis Quartet appeared in Kansas City or Lawrence.  The embedded video features footage from a session for the 2012 release Four MFs Playin’ Tunes, the only studio album the group has released in the interim.  The quartet will perform at the Lied Center on Wednesday, April 6.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star's lengthy examination of the Jazz District's struggles and an in-depth look at the state of the American Jazz Museum were written by Mike Hendricks.

*KC Jazz Lark continues his invaluable "What the Jazz Museum Was Going To Be" series.

*A blogger notes that Chuck Haddix has unearthed two previously undiscovered recordings featuring Charlie Parker.  (Tip via Tony's Kansas City.)

*Kin (←→), a new album by the Pat Metheny Unity Group ( Metheny, Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez, Ben Williams and multi-instrumentalist Giulio Carmassi), will be released by Nonesuch on February 4, 2014.

*The Pitch takes note of the physical release of Bobby Watson's Check Cashing Day.

*The Kansas City Star published a review of the Kenny Barron Trio's concert at the Folly Theater.

*The push behind the construction of a "Jazz Walk of Fame" seems to be gaining momentum.

*The Kansas City Star reports that the new executive director of the Lied Center is the former vice president of concerts and programming at Jazz at the Lincoln Center.

*An amusing moment at the 3:00 mark of a video produced by Pharrell William's "Other" channel- "I've been listening to- what's that show?- "Bird Flight" on the radio early in the morning. It's that radio show all about Charlie Byrd."

*Tweet o' the Week: Heinlein Music- 98.1 going to town on 18th & Vine right now. So far my favorite quote has been, "I've never been there but maybe 20 people have been there."

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous: I think it's a shame you feel the need separate the local from the touring. Hold everyone to the same standard and stop stacking the deck for local players. Of course if your standard is simply listing as many musicians as you can, by all means keep doing that.  Seriously, you mentioned seeing a dinner gig at the Majestic as one of your top shows? Gotta shoe-horn in Mark Lowry I suppose. The fact that you don't include dates is the big give away that you're just listing people. PLBB at the RecordBar? They play every month and their shows vary in quality depending on whose there and what the material was. Truly a facile and completely meaningless list.

*You can talk as much as you like as you're eating a $45 steak.

*From a press release: The University of Kansas School of Music proudly presents the 12th Annual Jazz Vespers concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at the Lied Center of Kansas.  The concert will feature KU Jazz Ensemble I and Jazz Ensemble II, directed by Dan Gailey, KU director of Jazz Studies; KU Jazz Singers, directed by David von Kampen, D.M.A. student in composition; and KU Combo I, directed by Matt Otto, KU lecturer in Jazz Studies. Also featured will be KU professor of Film and Media Studies Chuck Berg, tenor saxophone; KU professor of saxophone, Vince Gnojek, saxophone; and KU School of Music dean Robert Walzel, clarinet. The program features jazz arrangements of holiday favorites by some of the most celebrated writers in jazz including Duke Ellington, Gil Evans and Ernie Wilkins. The program includes The First Noel; It Came Upon a Midnight Clear; The Little Drummer Boy; It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year; Winter Wonderland; Sugar Rum Cherry; Jingle Bells; and more.  Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children, seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased at the Lied Center Ticket Office, by phone at 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu.

*From Take Five Coffee: Friday, November 29, 8 pm:  Project H- Friday we host the huge ensemble sound of a septet that features all original compositions and ridiculous talent. Trombonist and composer Ryan Heinlein leads the way, pushing the swings on a jazz playground with his miscreant playmates - Clint Ashlock (trumpet), Dominique Sanders (bass), Andrew Ouellette (keys), Matt Leifer (drums), Jeff Stocks (guitar) and Brett Jackson (sax). It's like the Little Rascals with horns, sort of. $5 cover.  Saturday, November 30, 8 pm:  Sons of Brasil- Slip a little samba seasoning into your holiday feast! The Sons know how to heat up a cold night - Stan Kessler (trumpet), Danny Embrey (guitar), Greg Whitfield (bass) and Doug Auwarter (drums) are the absolute best around at what they do, and what they do is deliver spell-binding grooves in the Brazilian style $5 cover.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock's solo piano recital Sunday at the Lied Center will probably sound nothing like the music he made with his proto-disco band in 1974. Yet because excuses to post clips of '70s funk don't come around too often at Plastic Sax, I'll take advantage of the rare opportunity to indulge in the unfairly maligned era of the legend's career. Here's Joe Klopus' preview of the concert.