Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Sam Zeff of KCUR reports on the latest twists and turns at the American Jazz Museum.

*The Kansas City Star’s Bill Turque assessed the City Council’s manuevering pertaining to the American Jazz Museum.

*A PBS panel discusses the American Jazz Museum at the 18:30 mark of the latest episode of Ruckus.

*The editorial board of The Kansas City Star infers that the ongoing turmoil surrounding the American Jazz Museum is a “distraction” that threatens to divert attention for citizen’s immediate needs.

*Michael Shults suggests that a “growing faction of ‘pretenders’ who wear fedoras and other ‘jazz hats’, make great looking gig flyers, and essentially act like a caricature of a JAZZ CAT on stage are gaining influence as well as an undue portion of the available gigs
in a provocative blog post.

*Joe Klopus surveys the week in jazz for The Kansas City Star.

*Deborah Brown and Joe Dimino chatted about the upcoming “Building Cultural Bridges Through Jazz” concert at the Gem Theater.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Kemet the Phantom- Pre-order my new single Fake It Till I Make It (feat. Kemet the Phantom & Hermon Mehari) by Marcus Lewis Big Band. Super honored to be a part of what I feel like will change the course of history.

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- Thanks for linking the vintage interview with Jay McShann. I loved that man.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Michael Shults

How can we miss Michael Shults if he won’t stay away?  Once a leading light in Kansas City’s jazz community, the bright young saxophonist left town to become a music professor at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire.  He leads a quartet at the Black Dolphin on Friday, December 1, and plays in an organ trio format at the Green Lady Lounge on Sunday, December 3, during a return to his old stomping grounds.  The Kansas City Jazz Calendar lists a multitude of alternate bookings.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Pat Metheny has been named a NEA Jazz Master.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Michael Shults- Thanks David and Dee! Always a pleasure to hang and play at @GreenLadyLounge . @smartinjazz is pushing boundaries in Kansas City jazz.

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- Jazz has a legacy and tradition . It is important for musicians to both be curators and innovators. This music does neither. No opinion on whether it is pleasant entertainment. It is not JAZZ, thus your comparison to jazz is entirely misinformed

*From Kansas City Jazz Alive: Sullivan Fortner is already making a significant impact on the jazz world, even at his young age!  The Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz of the American Pianist Association is joining us in Kansas City to celebrate our native legend, Charlie "Yardbird" Parker.  August 17 - August 26, 2017, the New Orleans native will be performing at venues around Kansas City with local musicians and with a second Artist in Residence!.

(Original image of Max Groove performing at the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Chuck Haddix interviewed Chris Hazelton on KCUR.

*Jessie Riggins lauded the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s most recent concert.

*The Kansas City Star reviewed the Owen/Cox Dance Group and the People’s Liberation Big Band’s production of “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.”

*Joe Klopus advises readers that Logan Richardson will return to the Blue Room on Thursday.

*Jorge Arana analyzed one of his compositions for KCUR.

*Flatland commends the Charlotte Street Foundation grant recipient Eddie Moore.

*Todd Strait chatted with Joe Dimino.

*Marc Myers examines 1970s-era Count Basie.

*The Kansas City Star reports on construction projects in the Jazz District.

*Tweet o’ the Week: David Megee- Psychedelic xylophone at Green Lady Lounge. Yep.

*From Michael Shults: ”Wisconsin Public Television produced a documentary on the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, airing now. Here's a clip of KC jazz heavyweights Schlamb, Kizilarmut, and Bowman backing festival guest artists Jimmy Heath and Stefon Harris at the finale concert."

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*NextBop praises the “ever-present soulfulness” of Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle’s Kings & Queens album.

*The Pitch recommends the Monday afternoon performances at the Green Lady Lounge.

*Joe Klopus highlighted upcoming shows by Kathy Kosins and Ida McBeth for The Kansas City Star.

*The Topeka Jazz Concert Series received a $50,000 donation from a patron.

*Live jazz is reportedly featured in the cocktail lounge of the newly opened Eddie V’s restaurant on the Country Club Plaza.  Details have yet to be posted at the restaurant’s site.

*Pat Metheny topped the guitar category in the 81st Annual Downbeat Reader’s Poll.

*Michael Shults cites the example set by Hermon Mehari in a column about setting realistic goals.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Assilem Media HBIC- About this weekend... A lil sangin at the Mutual Musicians Foundation International #singer #songwriter #MeetAvaBella (video)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The lineup of the 2016-17 season of the Topeka Jazz Concert Series was unveiled by Bill Blankenship.

*Joe Klopus examines the seond and final week of the annual Charlie Parker-related activities that “culminate in the annual saxophone salute at Parker’s grave in Lincoln Cemetery” on Saturday.  The Pitch also surveys the week’s events.

*Bill McKemy of the American Jazz Museum and saxophonist Tivon Pennicott were interviewed by Steve Kraske.

*Kevin Whitehead reviewed the new archival Charlie Parker release for NPR.

*Ink magazine profiled Macy Layne, the communications director of a jazz advocacy organization.

*A music video (of sorts) has been created for Echoes of Europe, the title track of the forthcoming album by the Dino Massa Kansas City Quintet.

*Tweet o’ the Week: RappersIKnow- our boy and @rappersiknow fam @moorepiano's new album #KingsAndQueens drops Sept 2 on @ropeadope. Get ready!

*Comment o’ the Week: Michael Shults- After playing sets with Tivon the last two nights, I have to say that his playing is, empirically, beyond reproach. I hope you give him a second or third listen!

*From a press release: The next edition of the "Riffing on the Repertoire" speaker series examines the life and times of (Stan Levey) in in a special public presentation by Frank R. Hayde, author of the newly-released biography Stan Levey: Jazz Heavyweight. The program takes place on Thursday, September 15, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. in the Atrium of the American Jazz Museum… Hayde’s presentation continues the Museum’s new speaker series, called Riffing on the Repertoire, that is bringing top jazz scholars and authors to the 18th & Vine Jazz District throughout the rest of 2016. Other speakers in lineup include Kim Gabbard, author of Better Git It in Your Soul, an interpretive biography of Charles Mingus, on Thursday, October 6; Rashida Braggs, author of Jazz Diasporas: Race, Music, and Migration in Post-World War II Paris, on Thursday, October 20; Bob Gluck, author of The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other Revolutionary Ensembles, on Thursday, November 3; and Ted Gioia, speaking about his highly-acclaimed new book How to Listen to Jazz, on Thursday, November 17. All programs in the Riffing on the Repertoire series are admission free and take place in the Atrium of the American Jazz Museum at 6:30 p.m., with a public reception beginning at 6 p.m.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Gale Tallis, the executive director of the concert hall, recently announced that the next season of the Folly Theater's jazz series will include concerts by Cecile McLorin-Savant and the Donny McCaslin Quartet.

*The Pitch touts Saturday’s Patti Austin concert.

*Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle and the Project H are playing at a day party hosted by Nextbop in Austin this week.

*Chris Burnett filmed a conversation with Marcus Hampton.

*Brett Jackson was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*Chris Burnett reports that the Italian pianist Dino Massa will perform in the area next month.

*Tweet o’ the Week: John Levenstein- @realDonaldTrump You should also consider bringing up Kansas City jazz legend Count Basie. Something about jazz now being made in China?
 
*From Ron Carlson: After a hiatus from Live Jazz Fridays at the Lucky Brewgrille at 5401 Johnson Drive in Mission KS, we are now ready to schedule Live Jazz Thursdays there in April from 6 - 8 pm.  I am looking forward to this chance to play there with great players on a quieter night.  In the meantime, I am spending a good bit of time scheduling and periodically performing at The Art Factory near 135th and Nall Ave in Overland Park KS. This is the best new venue in that part of town since Take Five. Upcoming players schedule there include Bob Bowman, Stan Kessler, Matt Otto, Todd Strait, Laura Caviani and many others. We are even working on scheduling big bands for the room.

*From Michael Shults: Really happy to be bringing pianist Phil DeGreg back to KC next week. Phil was one of my teachers in graduate school at Cincinnati Conservatory and is really one of the best I've ever heard. He has an amazing story - studied psychology at Yale but caught the music bug while in college, moved to KC in the 80's and got it together in a hurry. Essentially went from a novice to touring with Woody Herman in a few short years. I wrote about him for allaboutjazz.com in 2011. We are playing two shows next week - Tuesday (March 22) at the Majestic, and Wednesday (March 23) at Green Lady with New Jazz Order.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Ain't Misbehavin'

Michael Shults made a reasonable request in his thoughtful response to a recent Plastic Sax post that linked to Natalie Gallagher’s story about Eddie Moore.

Great article on Eddie and I have really liked Natalie's writing on jazz for the Pitch! What's with every single music critic's obligatory preamble about how nobody's actually listening/the crowds are sparse at jazz-oriented gigs, though? Can we put a moratorium on this angle for awhile? Lookin' at you too, Bill.

Shullts isn’t the only person who objects to this recurring story line.  The appeal merits a detailed response.

The official narrative constructed by the staffs of tourism bureaus and public officials- most of whom I've never encountered at a jazz performance- is that Kansas City’s populace is obsessed with jazz.  The fallacy is perpetuated by jazz educators (lookin’ at you too, Michael) and enthusiasts wearing rose-colored glasses.

Regularly attending attend rock, hip-hop, pop, classical and R&B shows provides “music critics” with the benefit of context.  Natalie and I mention the poor attendance and audience indifference at jazz gigs because it's shocking.  We generally don’t encounter empty rooms and disinterested listeners elsewhere.

Jazz isn’t being singled out.  My review of Kanye West's 2013 concert at the Sprint Center was a lead item at aggregators like the Huffington Post, Reddit and the Drudge Report because I observed that the arena was only a quarter full. 

It was a tantalizing story when less than 5,000 people purchased $44.50-$125 tickets to see Yeezy.  It's also a story when less than 200 people paid $10-$50 to attend a well-promoted concert by the leading jazz luminary Julian Lage at the 1,050-seat Folly Theater last weekend. 

I’ve attended several jazz gigs by Kansas City musicians in 2015 at which the audience numbered less than ten.  It breaks my heart.  And for the hundredth time- these observations aren’t a reflection of the quality of the music.

I have no intention of glossing over the discouraging reality that so few people in Kansas City currently share our passion for this music.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Joe Klopus notes the homecoming of Steve Cardenas in his latest column.  The Pitch also touts Cardenas’ shows at Take Five Coffee and the Blue Room.

*Charlie Watts visited the American Jazz Museum.

*Joe Dimino’s latest interview subjects include Matt Carrillo and Steve Rigazzi.

*Ensemble Ibérica shared insights into their rehearsal sessions for a concert featuring the music of Matt Otto.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Michael Shults- Tim Ries from the Rolling Stones sat in with us last night. So that was neat. (photo)

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum in partnership with the ARC recording label will present two free master classes in the Blue Room jazz club on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 from 6-9pm. Admission is free and open to the public. Jazz pianist, composer and ARC cofounder, Sumi Tonooka will present an hour master class. Jazz percussionist, composer and ARC recording artist, Jeff “Siege” Siegel will also present an hour master class. There will be opportunity for Q and A sessions, as well as interacting with the artists in this context.

*From Take Five Coffee + Bar: Thursday, July 2, 7pm:  Steve Cardenas and Ben Allison Trio: It's a tremendous pleasure to welcome Kansas City native guitarist Steve Cardenas back to Take Five, and we're delighted that he's bringing with him superlative bassist Ben Allison for this show. Steve has risen in the jazz world to claim a spot as one of the most influential guitarists working today… (w)ith drummer Brian Steever… $10 cover.  Friday, July 3, 8pm:  Alyssa Murray's AM Trio: Pianist and vocalist Alyssa Murray brings her free-ranging and versatile sense of fun to the Take Five stage along with bassist Joel Stratton and drummer Josh Blythe for a mix of originals and standards. $5 cover.  Saturday, July 4: No music, closed early for Independence Day.  Sunday, July 5, 10am - 2pm:  Sunday Jazz Brunch, Bob Bowman and Friends: No cover.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated for the new month.

(Original image of the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot at Saturday’s Karl Denson and Tim Ries concert by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The American Jazz Museum has unveiled the lineup for the 2015-16 season of Jammin’ at the Gem.

*Here’s a preview of ”Alright Now!”, the latest 7” single by Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7.

*Joe Klopus’ new column highlights Marilyn Maye’s forthcoming concert at the Gem Theater.  The Pitch also recommends her appearance.

*Michael Shults created a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the recording of his first solo album.

*Here’s another analysis of the status of Kansas City’s Jazz District.

*Peter Erskine and Joey Calderazzo are among Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Katie Crawford- It makes sense if you don't think about it. (@ Mutual Musicians Foundation)

*Comment o’ the Week: Cb- Thanks for the review and thanks for coming to the performance. Dino really enjoyed Kansas City, even during his short stay (Wednesday - Sunday). We had a very nice turnout of listeners at both, Take Five (Matt Leifer on drums) and the Blue Room (Michael Warren on drums). The bar manager, Andre Tyler, told me that we had 102 paid admissions to the Blue Room. Wow! The "Jazz Beat" preview was great too!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet- Acknowledgement

Creating a compelling straight-ahead album in the style of the Jazz Messengers is difficult in 2015.  Yet Acknowledgement, the new release by Matt Kane and the Kansas City Generations Sextet, manages to infuse the inauspicious format with fresh energy.

The New York-based drummer has devised an essential document of Kansas City’s jazz scene.  Kane, saxophonists Steve Lambert and Michael Shults, trumpeter Hermon Mehari, pianist Andrew Ouellette and bassist Ben Leifer apply their formidable talents to the compositions of Ahmad Alaadeen, Pat Metheny and Bobby Watson.

The pairing of excellent musicians with the melodies that have come to define the Kansas City sound is consistently persuasive.

Kane deserves credit for allowing Shults and Lambert to shine.  Their contributions consistently elevate Acknowledgement.  The pair tear it up on Alaadeen’s “ASR."

The programming of Alaadeen’s “And the Beauty of It All” and Watson’s “Wheel Within a Wheel”- the familiar selections are album’s fifth and sixth tracks- is capable of acting as an emotional one-two punch on Kansas City's jazz advocates.

For anyone who has logged significant time at clubs including the Blue Room and the Green Lady Lounge in recent years, Acknowledgement sounds like home.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Former Hannibal residents Matt Kane, Michael Shults and Andrew Ouellette are featured in their hometown newspaper.

*The Pitch recommends a gig by Dominique Sanders’ trio.

*Karrin Allyson is among Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Green Lady Lounge- Easter at Green Lady Lounge: 627 Big Band 8:30-11:30 celebrating a year of Sunday gigs at Green Lady. Never a cover.

*Comment o’ the Week: Saxman- The only thing less relevant than jazz to most people is the "performance art piece".

*From Shades of Jade: ...Shades of Jade has gotten off to a great start partnering up with local bands in the Kansas City area... Now they have extended their reach to an up and coming band from Minneapolis, MI called Nooky Jones! … these two bands have similar influences in neo soul… Shades of Jade will continue to exclusively debut their new original music every third Friday of the month this year from 9pm-1am. The Tank Room… 9pm-1am.

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum will join thousands of musicians and hundreds of concert presenters across the country this May in celebrating National Chamber Music Month.  The American Jazz Museum’s presentation of a monthlong calendar in the Blue Room jazz club that features Charlotte Embry and Soigné on Friday, May 1st; the Dino Massa / Chris Burnett Group on Friday, May 8th; and, the Jazz Disciples with vocalist, Lisa Henry and poet, Glenn North, is part of a nationwide initiative to raise public awareness of the many styles of small ensemble music performed and presented today… Chamber Music America defines chamber music as works for small ensembles of 2–10 members, playing one to a part and generally performing without a conductor.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KC Jazz Lark buries the lead in a significant post about a jazz booster organization.

*Steve Paul lobbies against a proposed funding cut for the American Jazz Museum in an editorial in The Kansas City Star.

*Mike Corrigan’s (B.A.C.) Horn Doctor business was featured in a jazz-oriented profile by The Kansas City Star.

*Chris Burnett considers the promotion of jazz performances.

*The Pitch recommends a performance by Candace Evans.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Rudresh Mahanthappa- Bird Calls CD Release show tonight at @JazzStandardNYC. Sets at 7:30 and 10 PM. (link)

*Comment o’ the Week: Cb- I really dig Noah Preminger's music, HIB. He's from the east coast, correct?

*From Michael Shults- Saturday night March 28th I'm giving a lecture recital on the music of Bobby Watson at 7 PM at Take Five… I'll be analyzing and performing six of Bobby's compositions… several of these tunes were the songs that got me hooked on jazz as a teenager. It's also an all-Watson era UMKC alumni band: Clint Ashlock on trumpet, Andrew Ouellette on piano, Matt Leifer on drums and Ben Leifer on bass. I think for all of us it's a way to pay some small tribute to a man who had a profound influence on us and who, oh by the way, happens to be one of the greatest living composers of American art music. After the lecture recital, we'll take a break and Brett Jackson will join us for a tribute to the Jazz Messengers.

*From Take Five Coffee: Friday, March 27, 8pm: Sons of Brasil-
The Sons bring the samba, the bossa, and a host of other propulsive musical styles from Brazil and other cultures of Latin America. $5.  Saturday, March 28- 7pm: Michael Shults Lecture Recital: The work of Bobby Watson, 8pm: Music of the Jazz Messengers- Trumpeter Clint Ashlock leads a high-powered ensemble...  $5 cover.  Sunday, March 29, 10am - 2pm: Sunday Jazz Brunch: Gerald Spaits with Rod Fleeman and Paul Smith. No cover.

*From a press release: Enjoy the multi-faceted music of the Kansas City Kansas Community College Jazz program with the award-winning KCKCC Blue Devils Jazz Orchestra and vocal Jazz ensemble The Standard.  Wednesday, April 1, 2015.  Unity Temple on the Plaza. $7.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*After Anita Dixon of the Mutual Musicians Foundation recounted her recent trip to Copenhagen to meet members of the Ben Webster Foundation, a panel addressed the top of "How Kansas City Relates To Its Jazz Legacy" on KCUR's Central Standard program.

*KC Jazz Lark admires the atmosphere at the Green Lady Lounge during the Foundation 627 Big Band's weekly Sunday performances.

*The Kansas City Star and The Pitch reviewed of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's concert at Harrah's casino.

*KCPT provides footage Bobby Watson's birthday celebration at the Blue Room.

*UMKC keeps tabs on Michael Shults' career.

*Contrary to published reports, neither The Bad Plus nor Roscoe Mitchell will perform at the Blue Room on Friday, Oct. 3.

*Chris Burnett ponders the art of jazz.

*Tweet o' the Week: LarryvilleLife- Out here at the Lied with these bigwigs to see Wynton. Too bad we can't enjoy a nice cocktail with our pricey tickets! @liedcenterks

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated with a full slate of October gigs.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Matt Otto Quintet at the Westport Coffee House

After watching the first several selections of the NBA draft on Thursday, I turned off ESPN and headed to the Westport Coffee House. 

A band led by saxophonist and composer Matt Otto featured saxophonist Michael Shults, keyboardist T.J. Martley, bassist Ben Leifer and drummer Ryan Lee in the venue's weekly Jazz Underground series.

As the quintet performed exquisitely crafted and immaculately rendered jazz for an audience of about 20, it struck me that each man would rank highly on a hypothetical draft board of Kansas City jazz musicians.

Like Chris Bosh, Otto is a multifaceted talent.  Shults is a creative playmaker akin to Steve Nash.  The cerebral Martley is the Shane Battier of the local jazz scene.  Leifer and Lee are tremendous individual talents, but much like Marcus and Markieff Morris, they're most valuable as members of the same team.

I apologize to all five deserving lottery picks and to all 15 Plastic Sax readers for my blundering analogies.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Pitch touts the career prospects of Kelley Gant.

*Sunday's concert by Chick Corea and Béla Fleck was reviewed by The Kansas City Star and KC Metropolis.

*Saxophonist Ryan Anselmi's new album Lookout Road contains a hybrid of jazz and Americana sounds.

*Pat Metheny recalls the influence Wes Montgomery had on his early work.

*Megan Birdsall is interviewed by The Pitch about her Americana project MBird.

*Jazz blogging is harder than it looks.

*Tweet o' the Week: Nicholas Segura- It didn't really hit until tonight, I'll miss you so so much my sister Dionne Jeroue

*From a press release: Nationally-syndicated jazz variety show the 12th Street Jump will return to the Broadway Jazz Club on Wednesday, April 16th from 7:30 pm to 9pm and will celebrate the music of double bassist and composer Charles Mingus with special guest Steve Lambert on saxophone.  

*From a press release: (T)he Kansas City Kansas Community College Jazz Band is ramping up fundraising efforts for its trip to the 2014 Havana International Jazz Festival later this year… The KCKCC Jazz Band was invited to perform at the 2014 Havana International Jazz Festival in Havana, Cuba last fall. The festival is Dec. 17 to 22…  Donations are currently being accepted to help the KCKCC Jazz Band with the approximately $60,000 of travel expenses...

*From Michael Shults: This Friday night from 7-11 at Louie's Wine Dive I'm playing a very special show with a great tenor saxophonist from Cincinnati named Oz Landesberg. Oz is, in my view, the top saxophone player in the Queen City and was one of my greatest inspirations during my two years there. Really looking forward to this one. We'll be joined by Seth Lee and TJ Martley. Wanted to encourage everyone to come out and check out Oz's fabulous playing and welcome him to KC for the weekend!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Mike Hendricks reports on long-term plans for the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*The Kansas City Star published a review of the "The Nutcracker" by the Owen/Cox Dance Company and the People's Liberation Big Band.

*The Magic Jazz Fairy returns to KC Jazz Lark's blog.

*Here's the latest episode of "Blues In the News" from 12th Street Jump.

*Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz interviewed Suzanna Smith, a Bay Area-based vocalist.

*Tweet o' the Week: Michael Shults- Hobbyist musicians have totally distorted laypeople's views of my profession.

*From a press release: Drummer extraordinaire Matt Wilson kicks off the tour to celebrate his new CD Gathering Call with concerts in St. Louis and Columbia, MO.  Joined by special guest John Medeski on piano, Wilson performs with his quartet featuring Chris Lightcap on bass, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, and Jeff Lederer on tenor/soprano saxophones and clarinet.  Wednesday, January 22 - Saturday, January 25, at Jazz at the Bistro… St. Louis. One set each night beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission: $33 Wednesday and Thursday; $38 Friday and Saturday; $15 students...  Sunday, January 26 at Murry's… Columbia, MO.  Special fundraising concert for the We Always Swing Jazz Series. Sets at 3:30 and 7:00 p.m. Tickets: general admission $35 - $50; students $25 - $40.

*From Take Five Coffee: Friday, December 27, 8 pm:  Kevin Cerovich and the Ben Leifer Quartet- Kansas City native Kevin Cerovich is an award-winning trombonist and one of those players whose return gets the other musicians in town excited. We're thrilled to have him rock the house in the excellent company of Ben Leifer (bass), John Kizilarmut (drums) and Mike Herrera (sax). $5 cover.  Saturday, December 28, 8 pm:  Drew Williams Quintet- This is becoming an annual event - welcome Drew Williams back to Take Five to share his latest whimsical compositions.  Drew (sax) is the leader of the famed Drew Williams Nonet in NYC, and he has blown our minds every time he comes to play. This time he's accompanied by Bill McKemy (bass), Tim Aubuchon (tenor), Brendan Culp (drums) and Scott Bein (guitar).  Sunday, December 29, 7 pm:  Matt Chalk Trio- Our first try at this was cancelled due to the ice, so here's another chance to get close to the fire and hear one of the most intriguing young saxophonists to come out of KC in a long time. A hearty welcome home for the holidays to Matt Chalk, who is presently killing it in New York City. Tonight he's bringing Ben Leifer (bass) and Ryan Lee (drums) to round out an intimate trio with tremendous power. $5 cover.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star reviewed Deborah Brown's performance with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at Helzberg Hall and Miguel Zenón's appearance at the Blue Room.

*Ben Ratliff of The New York Times interviewed Stanley Crouch about the new biography Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker.  The author also discussed Parker with Don Imus.

*A set of photos documenting the Prairie Village Jazz Festival was posted by KC Jazz Lark.

*Joe Klopus highlights Jim O'Connor's visit to Kansas City in his weekly column.

*The 9th Inning Sports Bar & Grill, a relatively new establishment a block west of the museum complex in the Jazz District, has closed.  (Link via Tony's Kansas City.)

*Black House Collective shares photos of its ongoing new music festival.

*Here's the audio of a recent edition of 12th Street Jump's "Blues In the News."

*Pat Metheny's Unity Group (sic) has a date booked at the Topeka Performing Arts Center on March 8, 2014.

*Comment o' the Week: North KC Evan- 12thStreet Jump puts live KC jazz all over the radio! What other KC jazz ANYTHING reaches that many people on a weekly basis? Find some love...or just respect.

*Tweet o' the Week: Michael Shults- Miguel Zenon just broke music. It's broken. He shattered it into a million tiny pieces.

*From a press release: A celebration of the life and music of Charlie Parker with Chuck Haddix discussing his new book “Bird: The Life & Music of Charlie Parker.”  Accompanied by Special Guests Saxophonist Bobby Watson And Trumpeter Hermon Mehari along with Tim Whitmer and an All-Star Band playing the music of Charlie Parker… To musically enhance excerpts of this story, internationally renowned saxophonist Bobby Watson will channel Charlie Parker through his horn… Bobby will be joined by trumpeter and former student, Hermon Mehari and other musical guests… Spirituality & All That Jazz.  Unity Temple on the Plaza.  Wednesday, October 2, 2013. Tickets at the door only - $7.00.

*From the American Jazz Museum: The American Jazz Museum is one of three organizations chosen to benefit from sales of Boulevard Brewery's KC Pils from July 1 through September 30.  Beginning September 20, a ten-day public voting period will determine how the money will be divided, with the top vote getter receiving 60% of available funds and the two runners up each collecting 20%.  The process will repeat every three months, so that 12 worthy organizations will receive funding each year.  Ballots may be cast here.

*From Rob Scheps: On Friday September 27, I will play a cool double. Two hip, different venues with 2 great bands… Friday Sept. 27: Rob Scheps (flute/ tenor sax) with the Ron Carlson Trio, 6 pm to 8 pm, Lucky Brewgrille. Friday Sept. 27: Rob Scheps with the Mark Lowrey Trio, 9 pm to 12 am, Green Lady Lounge.

*From a press release: The Count Basie Orchestra and All That Music Productions, LLC, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scotty Barnhart as the new Director of The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra. He follows Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel in leading one of the greatest and most important jazz orchestras in history.  Founded in 1935 by pianist William James Basie (1904-1984), the orchestra still tours the world today and is presently ending a two-week tour in Japan… Mr. Barnhart, born in 1964, is a native of Atlanta, Georgia… He has been a featured trumpet soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra for the last 20 years... His first concert as leader of the orchestra is September 25, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Cobb Energy Center in a tribute to Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Joe Williams. Barnhart resides in Los Angeles, California, and Tallahassee, Florida.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Matt Kane is featured on Joe Dimino's Neon Jazz.

*There's plenty of jazz content in The Pitch's survey of Kansas City's music scene.

*The Kansas City Business Journal reports on the city's ongoing investments in the Jazz District.

*Michael Shults performs on a new release by the Joe Duran Nonet.

*A critic characterizes Eldar Djangirov's Breakthrough album as "brilliant."

*The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors' convention will be held in Kansas City in September.

*Tweet o' the Week: Michael Shults- Every time I play with @StevenLambertKC I'm a weird mix of inspired and depressed afterwards. #sessionrat #persistence #diligence #hardwork

*Comment o' the Week: Nigel- Sure miss all the great dialogue we used to have on this blog.

*From Take Five Coffee: We've got a weekend of serious music therapy sure to get down inside you and correct what ails you… Both shows start at 8pm, and cost a mere $5 at the door. (As always, the whole door goes to the musicians.)  Friday night, it's the Chris Hazelton Trio. An emerging master of the B3, Hazelton brings Danny Embrey on guitar and Kevin Frazee on drums. The room will jump. Get in early so you have a place to land.  Saturday night the marvelous, mischievous and magical Miss Megan Birdsall will sing jazz as only she can. And what a group she's got behind her: TJ Martley on piano, Danny Embrey on guitar, Bob Bowman on bass and Tim Cambron on drums.

*From a press release: Spirituality & All That Jazz.  7:00 p.m.  Unity Temple on the Plaza.  Tickets at the door only - $7.00.  Wednesday, August 7, 2013.  Kansas City’s Own Rich Hill, Pianist & Vocalist performing with Tim Whitmer & The Consort Band.  Rich Hill, jazz keyboardist/vocalist/trombonist… studied classical piano with John McIntyre and Jazz with George Salisbury and John Elliott. He’s accompanied major Jazz and Blues artists such as Slide Hampton, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Albert Collins, and opened concerts for Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, and Harry Connick, Jr.  Rich maintains an active schedule performing in Kansas City Jazz venues.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Over twenty years after releasing her debut album, former Kansas City resident Karrin Allyson received the “Rising Female Vocalist” award from Downbeat magazine last week. 

*KC Jazz Lark hopes for a more ambitious jazz festival at 18th & Vine.

*Here’s a taste of Michael Shults and Peter Schlamb performing at Take Five Coffee + Bar earlier this week.

*Ben Sidran will be featured on December 15 as part of the 2013-14 Season at the White Theatre.

*The Pitch highlights this weekend’s “Trumpet Summit” starring Mike Metheny, Stan Kessler and Hermon Mehari.

*Bebopifed reports that the Alan Ferber Nonet was awarded a grant by Chamber Music America.  Ferber recently played a series of gigs with Matt Otto in the Kansas City area.

*Tweet o' the Week: Christian McBride- I got to open for Mr. Bland at the Kansas City Jazz Festival in 2011. It was a great honor to be in his presence and see him perform.

*Via Smooth J Cafe’s Facebook account: We are so pleased to announce that Julian Vaughn, Top 20 Billboard recording artist and smooth jazz legend, will be performing at our Grand Opening on July 30th! Attendance is by invitation only but we have reserved a limited number of invitations for guests who visit our web page and sign up for pre-opening offers. We can't invite everyone (the fire department won't let us pack too many people into the restaurant) so if you haven't signed up you should do so now! You do not want to miss this show! Most important, we want to meet you and welcome you to our new restaurant!

*From Brad Cox: The People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the "Jeff Harshbarger Presents" jazz series on Sunday, July 7 with an 8:00 pm performance at the RecordBar (1020 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO). The first set of the night will feature a "year in review" of the band's 2012-2013 compositional output, including excerpts from Patrick Alonzo Conway's music for Voyeur, a short play written with Heidi Van. The second set will feature PLBB's "greatest hits" of the previous five years. Cover price at the door is $5.  As a result of its monthly RecordBar engagement, The People's Liberation Big Band has created more than fifty new original large ensemble jazz works over the past five years, including large-scale work such as the ensemble's original film score for Battleship Potemkin.  The group's July 7 RecordBar performance will feature such fixtures of the Kansas City jazz community as Roger Wilder, Matt Otto, Jeff Harshbarger and Rich Wheeler, as well as guest vocalist Shay Estes.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)