Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Purna Loka Ensemble is the subject of Libby Hanssen’s audio feature for KCUR.

*Roger Wilder, Andrew Ouellette, Max Levy, Paul Roberts, Sean Murdy and Matt Villinger are the winners of the American Jazz Museum’s Charlie Parker Song Contest.  Corresponding videos stream at the Facebook account of The Blue Room.

*The Kansas City jazz advocate Yoko Takemura notes Hermon Mehari’s participation in a Parisian fashion show in Jazz Tokyo.

*Logan Richardson contributes to Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, the Blue Note Records debut of the South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Green Lady Lounge- Steve Lambert - Naima Rose (Composer: Steve Lambert) #Jazz #NowPlaying #KansasCityJazz Green Lady Radio

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Come Sunday

Steve Lambert made a flute solo sound as tough as nails last night.  The outstanding multi-instrumentalist leads the 627 Big Band at the Green Lady Lounge every Sunday.  Contributions from notable musicians including saxophonist Brett Jackson, trumpeter Stan Kessler and organist Paul Roberts also shone.  Lambert’s formidable ensemble is one of several active big bands that continue to infuse Kansas City’s jazz scene with vitality.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

 *The Topeka Capital Journal reports that the 2015-16 season of the Topeka Jazz Concert Series (formerly the Topeka Jazz Workshop) includes an appearance by Karrin Allyson.

*A television station produced a glowing feature about the young saxophonist Houston Smith.

*The Pitch touts the final show at the second incarnation of Take Five Coffee + Bar.

*Eddie Moore was interviewed by a representative of KTBG.

*KC Jazz Lark commemorates his blog’s sixth anniversary with a set of photos.

*Paul Roberts lists his favorite albums.

*Marilyn Maye will perform seven shows at the Quality Hill Playhouse in September.

*Harold O’Neal’s new highlight reel includes his work on tracks for artists including Murs, Busta Rhymes and Angelique Kidjo.

*The members of a touring rock band documents their experiences in the Jazz District and at the Green Lady Lounge.  (The relevant portion of their adventure begins at around the 5:30 mark.)

*”Wavelength” is Carol Duboc’s latest music video.

*Mark Guiliana is among Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Brett Jackson- Thank you, wristband. Your approval means the world to me. #vip @ Green Lady Lounge (photo)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A day after suggesting that change may be afoot at the American Jazz Museum, The Kansas City Star reported that Greg Carroll resigned from his position as the CEO of the institution.

*KC Jazz Lark offers context for the change at the American Jazz Museum.

*Shades of Jade have issued a single titled "That One".

*Ryan Heinlein interviewed Eddie Moore for Inside Jazz Kansas City.  Paul Roberts compares the jazz community in Kansas City to the atmospheres in other cities.  Stan Kessler selects ten of his favorite albums.

*The Pitch recommends a pair of Cannonball Adderley/Nancy Wilson tribute concerts.

*A portion of Ensemble Ibérica’s “Music of Matt Otto” concert was filmed by Steve Paul.

*Larry Carlton will perform at the Gem Theater on October 1.

*Addison Frei is among Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects.

*Paul Shinn is included in Colorado radio station KUVO’s 30 Under 30 roundup of notable young artists.

*Chris Robinson questions the process of the Downbeat Critics Poll.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Dominique Sanders- need to get some swag back into jazz.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Review: UMKC Student Jazz Combos at White Recital Hall

Jazz is hard.  The music's advocates in Kansas City are so accustomed to hearing performances by exquisitely refined musicians that it's easy to take their virtuosity for granted. 

I was one of about 50 people who witnessed 14 students of UMKC's Jazz Studies program struggle to master their craft as members of three ensembles at White Recital Hall on the evening of November 12.  The concert concluded with a performance of a band led by Paul Roberts. 

I was unable to identify a player that seemed destined for greatness but that doesn't mean that none of the students won't develop into extraordinary musicians.  It usually takes time to develop an individual voice.  There's a big difference between achieving technical proficiency and becoming an interesting musician.  One drummer, for instance, played with the lifeless efficiency of an intricate drum machine. 

Much of the problem may have been a function of the format.  The members of a couple ensembles seemed constricted by the inclinations of both their bandmates and by the presence of their instructors.  I suspect that the students are fully capable of playing with far more passion in looser settings with likeminded musicians of their own choosing. 

That's why I was disconcerted that I was laying my eyes on all but two or three of the students for the first time.  Maybe if these budding musicians had spent more time attending confident performances by the likes of Vijay Iyer and Jeff Harshbarger they wouldn't have seemed quite as uncomfortable on stage Monday. 

With the addition of a little more seasoning in the real world, I'm confident that Bobby Watson and his excellent staff at UMKC will transform at least one of these promising kids into the next Hermon Mehari or Logan Richardson. 

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)