Now's the Time: The Last of the Blue Devils

It’s time to bring out the biggest gun in the arsenal.  “The Last of the Blue Devils” is an invaluable film about Kansas City jazz.  Its ongoing availability as a free stream on YouTube astounds me.  The first 15 minutes of the documentary in the embedded video capture a reunion of titans at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The New York Times reports on the odd collision of the Mutual Musicians Foundation’s low-wattage radio station and the Russian propaganda programming broadcast on the same frequency via KCXL.

*The local connections of the jazz-adjacent band the Purna Loka Ensemble are explored by Rick Hellman.

*Steve Kraske interviewed Stacey Kent on KCUR’s Up to Date.  The Kansas City Star previewed Kent’s concert at the Folly Theater.

*Charlie Parker’s plastic sax garners a mention in KCUR’s latest arts newsletter.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Johnson County Community College- Featuring some of the most respected local musicians, the Ruel Joyce and Jazz Recital Series kick off on Feb. 17! Happening every Monday and Tuesday at noon, these 1-hour performances are free and open to the public. For more info: (link)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Laura Spencer of KCUR reports on the resolution of the lawsuit that’s tarnished the reputation of the Mutual Musician Foundation.

*Eddie Moore chatted with Brian Ellison on KCUR’s Central Standard program.

*Joe Dimino plugs the “Big Bands Are Better” revue and documents a performance by the Brad Cox Octet.

*Not a single Kansas City or Kansas City-affiliated artist is mentioned in JazzTimes’ 2018 Expanded Critics’ Poll Results.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Sarah Kelly- God Kansas City would be such a haven if I actually liked jazz music

*I booked one the last available rooms in the fancy convention hotel at the hub of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville next month.  I still need a roommate.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star and WDAF-TV report on the shooting death of a man in the Jazz District on Saturday night.

*Laura Spencer of KCUR relays details about the lawsuit that’s rocked the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Bukeka Blakemore chatted with Joe Dimino.  Dimino also documented a performance by Lonnie McFadden at Black Dolphin.

*Pedrito Martinez spoke to Aarik Danielsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune in advance of his concert with Alfredo Rodriquez at Stephens College on February 7.

*Pat Metheny was voted top guitarist in JazzTimes’2018 readers poll.

*Comedian Negin Farsad enjoyed jazz at the Green Lady Lounge and the Majestic during a visit to Kansas City.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Pat Metheny- Pat Metheny is launching a new playing environment called “Side Eye” for this upcoming season. The first edition of Side Eye will feature James Francies and Nate Smith. Tickets to the 2019 US Tour are available now.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Ernest Melton is featured at the site of Quincy Jones' streaming entertainment startup Quest TV.  The photo that accompanies the article looks familiar.

*Not a single release by a Kansas City artist earned a spot on the list of the Top 50 albums in The 2018 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll.

*The man behind Plastic Sax extolled Logan Richardson on KCUR’s Up To Date program last week.

*John Stafford spoke to Joe Dimino about the new album by a vocal ensemble at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

*In her guest editorial about the Open Spaces festival for The Kansas City Star, Anne Gatschet writes that “(t)ourists are unlikely to say, ‘I’m going to Kansas City. Can’t wait to see the Mutual Musicians’ Foundation.’”

*Tweet o’ the Week: Ryan Heinlein- Pretty remarkable to neither honor the tradition or be forward thinking at all. That’s how this dies.

*From a press release: The Kansas City Jazz Summit will take place April 23 - 26, 2019. This event caters to middle school, high school and college jazz bands, combos and jazz choirs and will take place at Kansas City Kansas Community College. The festival will highlight Kansas City's rich jazz heritage through the "Basically Basie" Jazz Heritage Competition. Bands are judged on their ability to capture the essence of the Kansas City style as best exemplified by the Count Basie Orchestra. There is also a non-competitive category (Summit) that allows bands to showcase their own unique style and personality.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

The Top Jazz-Related Stories and Trends of 2018

1. Exhibit Closed
As the saying has it, this is why we can’t have nice things.  Ongoing disarray at the American Jazz Museum has substantially reduced the quality of life for dedicated music enthusiasts in Kansas City.  Not only does the institution no longer present an annual outdoor festival or book touring artists at the Gem Theater, the current programming at the museum’s nightclub is comparatively unimaginative.

2. Cracks In the Foundation
The legal travails and infighting at the Mutual Musicians Foundation acts as an ominous cloud over the entire Jazz District.  Pass the Tylenol.

3. No News is Bad News
Jazz coverage in Kansas City suffered several big hits in 2018.
Joe Klopus’ longstanding weekly Jazz Town column for The Kansas City Star was discontinued.  Metropolis, a publication subsidized by arts organizations, went belly-up.  The dedicated Kansas City jazz historian Larry Kopitnik stepped down as editor of Jam magazine.  The content and publication schedule of the periodical has suffered accordingly.  Plastic Sax is the sole local outlet offering regularly updated commentary and analysis of Kansas City’s jazz scene.

4. The Elephant In the Room
The most pressing issue on Kansas City’s jazz scene is the unabated erosion of support among the general public.  A cover charge of more than $10 attached to a jazz gig by an instrumental, improvisation-based Kansas City jazz ensemble not named the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is the equivalent of cement shoes in a mob hit.

5. Wide Open Spaces
A de facto jazz festival took place in Kansas City this year.  Almost no one showed up.  The city-sponsored Open Spaces festival boasted an extensive jazz component.  Yet less than 25 people were present at each of the several free performances I attended.  Along with the Roots and Janelle Monaé, the Vijay Iyer Sextet headlined the festival.  Less than 75 people paid the $20 cover charge to hear Iyer’s auspicious New York based band.

6. Fists of Fury
Kamasi Washington’s concert at the Truman provided an accounting of precisely how many people in Kansas City will pay to see a jazz show by a touring jazz instrumentalist who isn't appearing under the aegis of an established concert series.  Far and away the most popular and critically acclaimed jazz artist of the decade, Washington drew 500 people to the downtown concert venue.

7. If a Jazz Album Was Released in a Forest
Another year passed without any national recognition for a Kansas City artist other than Logan Richardson or Pat Metheny.  To the best of my knowledge, not a single album other than Richardson’s Blues People that’s listed on Plastic Sax’s Favorite Kansas City Albums of 2018 revceived notice in a prominent national publication.

8. Glimmers of Hope
It’s not all bad.  The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra performed a few dates in Europe with Deborah Brown.  The Green Lady Lounge, Kansas City’s most popular jazz club, continues to thrive with a winning formula of offering mainstream jazz without a cover charge.  KC Jazz Alive sponsored a residency by saxophonist Tivon Pennicott in a series of performances billed as the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.  The Marcus Lewis Big Band caught the attention of a few local pundits by bringing a pair of rappers into the fold.  “Bambu,” a funky track by Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, racked up more than 200,000 streams on Spotify.  The bookings of touring artists at the 1900 Building, Black Dolphin and at various locations used by Take Five Productions partly filled the void created by the retreat of the American Jazz Museum.

9. An Unsung Loss
The death of Luqman Hamza, one of Kansas City’s most respected veteran jazz musicians, was virtually unnoticed.

10. It’s a Date
The Kansas City Jazz Calendar was resurrected in 2018.

(Original image of a jazz performance at the Open Spaces festival by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City jazz historian Larry Kopitnik and The Kansas City Star’s Mark Davis discussed the travails of the Mutual Musicians Foundation with KCUR’s Steve Kraske.

*Ernest Melton was interviewed by Joe Dimino.  Dimino also shared footage of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s holiday concert.

*Snarky Puppy will perform at Muriel Kauffman Theatre on June 11, 2019.

*A Bay Area musician is seeking funding for a project titled Visions of Kansas City.

*Tweet o’ the Week: KPGZ-lp 102.7FM- More variety on the radio starts this weekend! If you like good jazz, you'll want to check out Neon Jazz with Joe Dimino. Sundays at 7pm on 102.7FM #CommunityRadio #KearneyMO #ClayCountyMO #KPGZ #Jazz #SmallTownBigSound

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Ernest Melton participated in The Kansas City Star’s weekly Star Sessions on Monday.  Here’s his interpretation of “Christmas Time is Here”.

*Lonnie McFadden is featured on a 74-minute podcast hosted by Joel Nichols.

*A writer for Vogue characterizes Green Lady Lounge and the Mutual Musicians Foundation as “effortlessly cool” in a much-discussed travelogue.

*Tracks by Peter Schlamb and Logan Richardson were selected in a best-of-2018 show on 90.9 The Bridge.

*Tweet o’ the Week: GreenLadyLounge- Rain, shine or BLIZZARD Green Lady Lounge has Live Kansas City Jazz 365 days a year. Music starts at 6pm today with: Wire Town 6pm-10pm Followed by RSS Trio 10:30pm-2:30am greenladylounge.com

*From a press release for Jazz Carolfest at Community Christian Church: ...This year we will be celebrating the 23rd year of this annual tradition benefitting Week of Compassion on Sunday, December 2nd at 4:00 p.m… This year’s stellar performances will include the return of Millie Edwards, Diane “Mama” Ray and the 3 Trails West Trio along with the diverse and exceptional talents of Misha Roberts, Calvin Arsenia, Missy Koonce, Charles Williams, Terry Swope, Adam Bender, Jameson Mair & Victor & Penny! Also rounding out the show will be the return of the sensational house band with Jazz veterans Tim Whitmer, Rod Fleeman, Jurgen Welge, James Albright, Jim Mair, Stan Kessler & Chris Hazelton.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The most recent round of ugly legal woes hobbling the Mutual Musicians Foundation are detailed by Mark Davis for The Kansas City Star.

*Laura Ziegler of UMKC reports on the installation of a new board of directors at the embattled American Jazz Museum.

*The inaugural edition of the Listening Room Recording Series is slated for 7 p.m. Sunday, November 25, at Black Dolphin.  A performance by Brian Baggett’s Dojo will be recorded for playback on Green Lady Radio (and possibly a release on vinyl).  The three-hour session that’s designed to capture a “live concert feel” is free and open to the public.

*Ernest Melton is featured by the Johnson County Library.

*The Joe Locke Trio featuring Pat Bianchi and Marvin “Smitty” Smith will perform at the Blue Room on Saturday, December 8.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Josh Hurst- I'm a late arriver to this one, but Logan Richardson's Blues People is one of the wildest, woolliest, and gnarliest jazz records of the year-- powerful in how it hauls well-trod conventions into the present day.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Music of Bennie Moten

The Jackson County Historical Society, the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors and the Mutual Musicians Foundation are hosting an event billed as Bennie, Basie, and Bird: An Evening of KC Jazz at the Foundation on Saturday, July 28.   While “live performances with original and contemporary arrangements of their classics” are promised, details on precisely who will be interpreting the music of Bennie Moten, Count Basie and Charlie Parker aren’t available.  Perhaps my skepticism makes me an insolent heretic, but I don’t intend to fork over the $35 price of admission until I know which musicians are participating.  A multitude of other options are listed at The Kansas City Jazz Calendar.

Now's the Time: Charles Perkins

One of Kansas City’s most talented saxophonists is introduced as “the one, the only, the original Charles Perkins” in the embedded footage captured at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.  Perkins will appear in the late-night gig at the Green Lady Lounge on Tuesday, May 29.  Details are available at the Kansas City Jazz Calendar.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Pat Metheny was featured by the National Endowment of the Arts in a video in advance of his induction as an NEA Jazz Master.  His remarkable acceptance speech is at the 52:00 minute mark of the 2018 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert.

*Joe Klopus examines the lineup of the SFJazz Collective in a concert preview for The Kansas City Star.

*Kansas City Mayor Sly James commented on the proposed temporary closure of the American Jazz Museum.

*“Bando”, a track by the Kansas City group We the People, is now available.

*Kamasi Washington will perform at The Truman on October 29.

*Jeneé Osterheldt chimed in on the woes of the American Jazz Museum.

*Nathan Davis, a saxophonist born in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1937, has died.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Tim Burnell- The American Jazz Museum is not a "black" museum.  It is an AWESOME museum.

*Comment o’ the Week: MP- There were a few that weren’t on the album. I saw one of my old friend’s mother at the concert. I might ask her if she remembers. Either way, that was a fun concert. First one of ever been to in my 15 years of concerts at the Gem that I can recall not having an intermission. And they really didn’t need one

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum and the Mutual Musicians Foundation are teaming up to present activities in honor of International Jazz Day… Swing, Bebop and Beyond celebrates the music and culture of Kansas City Jazz through performances, lectures, film screening, exhibitions, and walking tours… Schedule of Events for International Jazz Day April 30, 2018: Blue Room: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Jazz Brunch featuring Charles Williams, $5 at the door;  11:30 am – 5:30 pm Walking Tours; Mutual Musicians Foundation: 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm Jazz Hop featuring Tyree Johnson; Blue Room: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Jazz Fusion featuring Brad Williams; Mutual Musicians Foundation: 4:15 pm – 4:45 pm The History of the Mutual Musicians Foundation; Mutual Musicians Foundation: 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm Bebop featuring Ernest Melton; Gem Theater: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Swing featuring Denyse Walcott accompanied by dancers from Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey; Blue Room: 7:00 pm - until 11:00 pm Jam Session featuring Christian Swan; Gem Theater: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm  The Last of the Blue Devils film documentary; Mutual Musicians Foundation: 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm Latin Jazz featuring Pablo Sanhueza and the KC Latin Jazz All Stars; Mutual Musicians Foundation 11:30 pm – Until the sun comes up Late Jam Session featuring James Hathaway.

*From Chris Burnett: Italian jazz piano maestro Dino Massa will return to Kansas City in the Spring of 2019 to perform and record with Dino Massa Kansas City Quintet. This is the USA-based modern jazz ensemble Massa co-leads with the Kansas City-based alto saxophonist, Christopher Burnett.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

The Top Jazz-Related Stories and Trends of 2017

1. Fest Flop
The Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival was intended to signal the prowess of the American Jazz Museum’s new management structure.  The plan backfired.  The institution was belted with a catastrophic blow to its reputation and finances following the May event.  An inaccurate announcement that Janelle Monáe would be the primary headliner was the first in a series of miscues.  Performances by jazz heavyweights such as Chick Corea (photo), John Scofield, Regina Carter, Brian Blade and Houston Person were sparsely attended.  An odd emphasis on appearances by members of the cast of the television series Empire didn’t pay dividends either.

2. Fest Fallout
Following a torrent of bad publicity that included bounced checks and a weak turnout, the American Jazz Museum laid off staff, tabled its annual concert series at the Gem Theater and ceded control to the Parks Department.

3. Dolphin Dance
The expansion of the Green Lady Lounge jazz complex was the most encouraging development of 2017.  The Black Dolphin, a venue directly to the north of the Green Lady Lounge, is the latest edition to the jazz hub in the heart of the Crossroads District.  The Black Dolphin, the Orion Room and the Green Lady Lounge host more than 20 performances every week.

4. It’s Alive
KC Jazz Alive doubled down on its commitment to the area scene in 2017.  The organization’s covenant to honor the legacy of Charlie Parker included bringing pianist Sullivan Fortner and saxophonist Tivon Pennicott to Kansas City for a series of performances with locally based musicians.

5. Grave Offense
Territorial grandstanding dramatically diminished attendance at the annual Charlie Parker graveside memorial service.  Only four saxophonists participated in the “21-sax salute” at Lincoln Cemetery.

6. Cracks in the Foundation
The 100th anniversary of the founding of the Mutual Musicians Foundation should have been a big deal.  Instead, ongoing turmoil at the historic site tarnished the centennial.

7. I Could Write a Book
The publication of Changing the Tune: The Kansas City Women’s Jazz Festival, 1978-1985 served as a reminder that presenting large scale jazz events in Kansas City is extremely difficult.

8. Cultured
Citing Kansas City’s jazz history, UNESCO added the municipality to its Creative Cities Network.

9. Special Edition
While the lineup of the controversial Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival was loaded with formidable talent, the the year’s most thrilling one-two punch occurred on April 22.  Several dozen jazz aficionados managed to take in a performance of Bill Frisell’s score for The Great Flood at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art before racing to the Gem Theater to hear the adventurous trio of Jack Dejohnette, Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison.

10. It’s a Date
The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been resurrected.  The comprehensive listing is a community service of Plastic Sax and the Green Lady Lounge.

(Photo of the meager audience for the Chick Corea Trio at the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Larry Kopitnick previewed this month’s Charlie Parker-related events for The Pitch.

*Marilyn Maye and Houston Person are among the performers in the 2017-18 season of The Topeka Jazz Workshop.

* The Kansas City Star and KCUR reported on how a $7 million infusion of city money has been spent in the Jazz District.

*The Mutual Musicians Foundation has a new site and promotional video.

*Mark Lowrey leads a group in a intriguing arrangement of Soundgarden’s “Fell On Black Days.”

*Krystle Warren created a 71-second promotional video for her forthcoming album Three the Hard Way.  AllMusic premiered the new song “Red Clay”.

*Downbeat reviewed a series of Pat Metheny outings at a Norway festival.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Ronnie Scott’s- #lastchance to get your tickets to a rare treat! Krystle Warren will perform soon at our club, grab your tickets.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*CJ Janovy surveys the ongoing turmoil at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*The Kansas City Star reviewed the first and second days of the three-day Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival.

*Logan Richardson’s set at the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival was lauded by CJ Janovy.

*A television station broadcast a report from the Kansas City Jazz & Heritage Festival.

*Krystle Warren was interviewed by NPR’s Audie Cornish.  Warren also shared a track from her forthcoming album Three the Hard Way.

*Joe Klopus reports that Ramsey Lewis will return to the Gem Theater on Saturday, June 3.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Melvin L. Butler- Had a blast performing tonight in my hometown w/ @MahogonyKevin at #KCJazzFest. Look forward to tomorrow's gig w/@BrianBlade Fellowship Band

(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

*Tony’s Kansas City shares a document that indicates that Anita Dixon, the face of the Mutual Musicians Foundation for the last several years, is no longer associated with the institution.

*The Candido Camero concert on Friday, September 16, has been moved from the Gem Theater to the atrium of the American Jazz Museum and is "now free and open to the public."  Joe Klopus focuses on Candido Camera’s concert at the Gem Theater in his column for The Kansas City Star.

*A handful of jazz-related acts are reviewed in The Kansas City Star’s coverage of the Crossroads Music Fest.

*The Shawnee Mission Post documented the Prairie Village Jazz Festival.

*KCUR featured a track by Dan Thomas’s Voyage in advance of his band’s appearance at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival.

*The Pitch takes note of Matt Otto’s new weekly jam session.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Julie Doane- Enjoying the jazz band @ Gaslight Grill. This chick is 79 and feeling fine!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*C.J. Janovy reports on how the Mutual Musicians Foundation honored members of black musicians’ unions from around the country.

*Jermaine Reed states his case for additional funding for the Jazz District on KCPT’s Ruckus.  The Kansas City Star provides an update on the situation.  KCUR’s Steve Bell adds further insights.

*Details about the 2016 edition of the Charlie Parker Historical Tour (and an uncredited photo by Plastic Sax) are here.

*Tweet o’ the Week: American Jazz Museum- Vinyl on the Vine starts tonight at 5 pm. Groovy Grant of @kkfi901fm spins jazz in the Blue Room in a new series.

*Comment o’ the Week: Chris Hazelton- With both Cecile McLorin Salvant and Aaron Diehl on the Folly series, I'm hoping for a double-dose of my man and former Kansas City drummer Lawrence Leathers!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Event Recap: Bobby Watson at the Black Archives

Bobby Watson, one of the most talented and quotable people in Kansas City, was featured in a Community Stories forum at the Black Archives on Thursday, June 30.  Eighteen people heard Glenn North interview the saxophonist and educator.  A few of Watson’s remarks follow.

The first song I played for the church was “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”  Everyone said “amen”- there wasn’t no applause.  - on his first public performance as a child

A lot of brothers at that time weren’t playing jazz, they were playing funk. - on why he regularly performed with white musicians such as Gary Sivils, Paul Smith and Tommy Ruskin in the 1970s

It was like a real scary drive, even for me.  It wasn’t happening. - on visiting the Jazz District in the 1970s

It was such a great feeling to leave a place knowing you hadn’t done anything wrong when the sun was coming up. - on spending an entire night jamming at the Mutual Musicians Foundation

Bob Brookmeyer is down- he’s passed away- but he’s still down.  -on how the late trombonist excelled in jam sessions at the Mutual Musicians Foundation

Gerald Wilson told me that was the first song that used the word “swing.” - on Bennie Moten’s “Moten Swing”

We have this heavy church influence in this part of the country. - on the soulfulness of Kansas City jazz

His sound had such an aura of optimism and hope, and triumph over adversity. - on Charlie Parker

It’s my night, I’m doing them a favor by mentioning their names. - retort to North when asked to elaborate on the achievements of his protégés

They’re like a bad penny, they just keep turning up. - on the hustle of young Kansas City jazz musicians

People need to get with it, quickly. Stop being wrong, stop being prejudiced… you’re sitting on a gold mine here. - on opponents of additional city funding for the Jazz District

Watson performs at the Blue Room on Friday, July 8.

(Original image of the Black Archives by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star reports that the $27 million funding initiative for the Jazz District has stalled.

*The 2016 edition of the Parkville River Jam, an annual festival that has traditionally featured jazz and blues artists, has been cancelled.   The Parkville Rock & Roll festival has sprung up in its place. 

*A critic for The Kansas City Star reviewed last night’s concert by Béla Fleck & the Flecktones at Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

*The Pitch’s jazz columnist highlights Tim Whitmer’s longstanding association with the Phoenix.

*KC Jazz Lark promotes the 30th anniversary issue of Jam magazine.

*Chris Burnett continues his "real time album project release clinic" for the forthcoming album by the Dino Massa Kansas City Quartet.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Jay Farrar- Spending the weekend in the old Jazz District of KC and the hospitality of the locals is the antithesis of staying for Grand Prix in MTL.

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- I hope you're right about Cheptoo. I met her in the summer of 1996 when I got my first part-time job at KCPL.

*From a press release: I am pleased to announce the forthcoming new CD by multi-talented contemporary jazz vocalist/pianist/composer/producer Carol Duboc, Open the Curtains, with an all star girl power cast of musicians celebrating the enduring power of women, scheduled for release August 19th, 2016.  Duboc, who has been first call for such heavyweights Maurice White, Teddy Riley and George Duke, has assembled a star-studded line-up of musicians, who not only happen to be women but who are also some of the baddest musicians to grace this planet --  including percussionist Sheila E., pianist/ vocalist Patrice Rushen, saxophonist Mindi Abair, guitarists Bibi McGill and Jennifer Batten, drummer Queen Cora Coleman, bassist Rhonda Smith and trombonist and singer Aubrey Logan.

*From the site of the Mutual Musicians Foundation: The Mutual Musicians Foundation International is excited to present the Legacy 627 Music Awards. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment of the Arts, ART WORKS. Enjoy the night as we we gather together surviving musicians who once belonged to segregated musicians unions in America. As we honor  their presence, remember their journeys and their contributions to art and culture globally; we enshrine them in this ceremony to remember Local 627, now known as  the Mutual Musicians Foundation, 1823 Highland Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri, a National Historic Landmark.  Our night begins with heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks from 6PM - 7PM; with the awards ceremony immediately following from  7PM - 9PM.  Friday, June 17, 2016. $30.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)