Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*From Chris Burnett of the American Jazz Museum: I have wonderful news to share regarding “Kansas City’s 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival”. The headliner talent has been finalized and with center around our new theme “Salute To George Duke” – featuring headliners: Pieces of a Dream, Bobby Lyle & Maysa, Con Funk Shun, The Messenger Legacy, Bettye LaVette, Kelley Hunt with local and regional talent! A great way to honor the legacy of the late a great master artist!  We are pleased to announce that plans for the Kansas City’s 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival are generating excitement throughout the metropolitan area. To ensure success, we will be presenting a one-day event again this year. It is important to the Kansas City region to keep the momentum of this great event moving forward with an eye to offering a multiple-day festival format in the coming years.

*The Mutual Musicians Foundation published a schedule of events related to Charlie Parker's birthday. 

*Libby Hanssen and KC Jazz Lark reviewed Vine Street Rumble's recent performance at the Blue Room.

*The Kansas City Star published a fall jazz preview.

*Larry Appelbaum published a blindfold test he conducted with Bobby Watson in 2010 at his blog.

*An editorial in The Kansas City Star notes the role the late Marian McPartland played in the history of Kansas City's jazz scene.

*Russell Thorpe provides an update on Phonologotronic.

*London's Royal Albert Hall hosts a tribute to Charlie Parker on August 28. 

*Tweet o' the Week: Frank Basile- Tune into @WKCRjazz now through Thursday for 72 straight hours of Lester Young and Charlie Parker!!

*Comment o' the Week: Russell- Because we are not plumbers or electricians. I think most people who are not musicians would argue that our skill-sets and services occupy the tippy tippy top of Mazlow's heirarchy. One can live a secure and comfortable life without going out to see musicians every night. I mean face it, It's not like our skill-sets and services and the fancy thoughts we get to think as musicians are on par with "gotta eat, need a roof, jeez its cold i need clothes, gotta eat, the rent is too damn high, and etc"  We also have the detrimental benefit of recording. Music has been a noun for quite some time now. You have a tangible artifact that will be exactly the same each time you listen to it (which is whole other psychoaucoustic issue). Music a long time ago used to be a VERB that EVERYONE in the community participated in. Stomping and clapping and dancing and yelling and trancing and all the rest of the ecstatic behaviors the humans display. This is not to say that this doesn't happen today, but what I'm really saying is most people have absolutely zero awareness of the visceral reaction their bodies have when listening to musics. The whole mind/body thing and the cognitive and physiological magic that is music. (which is why we, musicians, do it)  As many a pundit would decry "we are losing our culture!" or "America is being poisoned" and etc, in some sense is correct. Communities are not what they once were, and music has shifted to a much more private experience, so the importance of the musician, that person or family who you sought out when you and your friends wanted to get together and dance around and drink fermented honey and etc, has become as a throwaway person or thing, filling a temporary hedonic want because you find them soothing or agitating until your attention flits to another place then another then another, and your musical experiences are nothing but an interrupted series of snippets.  Lack of attention span, lack of physiological and social awareness, and the relentless crush of capitalism for cheap. And I don't even want to touch the "anyone who doesn't fulfill Jazz Quests 1-10 is going to burn forever in hellish environs and we shall forever scorn them" debate that people like to rage about.  Bottom line, capitalism. Musicians have/want/need to spend so much time honing their technique that, unless they have inexhaustible amounts of energy to keep up with the entrepenurial demands of succeeding, something is gonna slack. blah blah blah blah -----> sad trombone

*From a press release: Hollywood composer Conrad Pope and writer Alessandro de Gaetano, with assistance from Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols, launched a $14,000 Kickstarter goal to produce the musical stage play All for a Song based on the life and career of Kansas City Jazz Legend Myra Taylor.  The Kickstarter end date is Sept. 5. To date, only $577 has been raised. To assist their former Wild Woman and dear friend Myra, the Wild Women of Kansas City are holding a fundraiser. All monies raised will go to this project.  Date / Time:  September 1, 2-5 p.m.  Where:  Hotel Phillips, 12th and Baltimore, KCMO, in the 12 Baltimore Restaurant.  Entrance Fee:  None, but generous donations are appreciated.  The Wild Women will perform. There will be splendid raffles, menu items and cocktails.

*From a press release: The fall lineup for the JCCC Jazz Series has been set. The series, which showcases the talents of local jazz musicians, takes place at noon on Tuesdays for six consecutive weeks from Sept. 24 to Oct. 29. All performances, which are free and open to the public, are held in the Recital Hall of the Carlsen Center unless otherwise noted. Here's the lineup: Sept. 24- Roger Wilder Quintet; Oct. 1- Tim Whitmer Trio; Oct. 8- Dan Bliss and Rod Fleeman, guitars; Oct. 15- Everett Freeman Quartet; Oct. 22- James Ward Band featuring Ron Gutierrez, Polsky Theatre; Oct. 29- John Brewer presents Mosaic Jazz.

*From a press release: Black Lab, a new music festival sponsored by Black House Collective and Charlotte Street Foundation, will celebrate innovative new work being produced by artists and composers in the Midwest. The festival will take place in September and October 2013 in downtown Kansas City at Charlotte Street Foundation’s Paragraph Gallery, with performances each Thursday and Saturday night, featuring a wide range of talented musicians, dancers and artists.  Black Lab kicks off on Thursday, September 5 with a free opening night featuring a series of collaborative performances by Kansas City-based composers, performers, and artists. Russell Thorpe will premiere a new duet for alto saxophone and euphonium, and composer Teri Quinn will collaborate with costume designer Lynn Thonet and writer Sarah Mundy for a chaotic fashion show. Hunter Long will premiere two pieces, one choreographed and performed by Chadi El-Khoury, and the other a series of portraits for soprano titled "Now That I'm Dead I Know Everything."… Please visit blackhouse.typepad.com/black-lab.html for current info and tickets. Here's a related blog post.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

No Church in the Wild

I recently walked out on band during the first chorus of "Kansas City."  The Kansas City jazz musicians weren't catering to out-of-town basketball fans in a downtown bar.  They were playing for locals.  That's just not right.  Musicians can perform whatever they want, of course, but that doesn't mean I have to willingly endure it. 

I often find myself dodging gigs by locally-based musicians just because I know that I can't tolerate hearing their overly familiar renditions of classic compositions by Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter and Count Basie again. 

Acknowledging that it's 2013 is one way to avoid stagnancy.  In addition to a repertoire of worthy originals, Diverse plays a solid arrangement of a hit from Watch the Throne.  Phonologotron focuses on contemporary pop material.  Mark Lowrey plays an intriguing version of "Buildings and Mountains" by the Kansas City rock band the Republic Tigers.

It's an unhealthy sign that much of the positive attention the Next Collective is receiving is due to its contemporary song selection instead of the brilliant playing of its members.  Young musicians should perform material like "No Church in the Wild" as a matter of course. 

I have no intention of reviving the controversy associated with Benjamin Schwarz's controversial review of Ted Gioia's The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire.  Nor do I endorse a disavowal of the past.  Instead, I'm merely encouraging a handful of hidebound musicians to consider updating their songbooks.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A contributor to UMKC's student newspaper reviewed a recital.   (Via Offstage.)

*A commentator admires the "seriously beautiful music" contained on Alaturka's new Yalniz album.

*A review of Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle's The Freedom of Expression at Nextbop notes that the album is "straight-ahead in the contemporary sense."  Another reviewer suggests that the project possesses a "combustible energy."

*The Kansas City Star offers a review of Randy Brecker's appearance with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.  Anthony Rodgers also reviewed the concert.

*Bill Blankenship provides background on Bob Bowman, Todd Strait and other participants in the latest Topeka Jazz Workshop concert.  Chuck Berg reviewed the show.  (Via Offstage.)

*The man behind Phonologotron enjoys a current project.

*A writer for a British newspaper opines that Kansas City's "jazz district today is sadly a shadow of its former self."

*Here's the trailer for a new documentary about former Count Basie sideman Pauly Cohen.

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous- I'm afraid you're just showing your ignorance. Yes, jazz in Kansas City is on the rise....in Kansas City. When you and Jazzlark write about how local artists are world class it's just sad. The artistic distance between Matt Otto and Chris Potter, or Mark Lowry and Brad Mehldau, is vast. Yes the scene is drastically improving, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking that the music can compete on a national level. Go to New York for awhile and learn what good really is.

*Tweet o' the Week: Kevin Mahogany- Finished 5 nights at Birdland with 5 different bands!!

*From the Folly Theater: Eliane Elias will be backed by Marc Johnson and Mauricio Zottarelli at her concert on Saturday, April 13.

*From Ron Carlson: One update to the calendar. The Rob Scheps / Jerry Dodgion Quintet will now be playing the Blue Room on Friday, April 12th, so we have moved the Lucky Brewgrille date from Friday to Saturday, April 13th 7-10pm.  This will be a musical party event to close out Rob and Jerry's two week tour of the region.

*From Mike Metheny: The Metheny Music Foundation has awarded its first college scholarship. The news item can be found here. Since 2007 the Foundation has also been offering summer music camp scholarships to Lee's Summit students and will do so again in '13. Those winners will be announced in May.

*From the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra has an important concert coming up (Thursday, April 4th, 2013 – Muriel Kauffman Theatre/KCPA) which celebrates the 10th Anniversary Performing Arts Season by paying tribute to the “75th Anniversary” one of the most famous/important jazz events of all-time:  Benny Goodman’s historic 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert.

*From 12th Street Jump: This week we celebrate the music of Randy Brecker with our special guest, Randy Brecker himself!  The gang plays "So, What's Your Question" and reveals even more about this jazz great.

*From the American Jazz Museum #1: Jammin' at the Gem.  Saturday, March 23, 8 p.m.  The Gem Theater.  The Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest continuously-running jazz festival in the world, has presented nearly every major jazz star—from Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong to Esperanza Spalding and Trombone Shorty—since it was founded in 1958. World-renowned for its artistic excellence, sophisticated informality, and longstanding mission to create and support year-round jazz education and performance programs in local, regional, national, and international venues, Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration continues this commitment in 2013 with its third North American Tour. Featuring leading critically-acclaimed, GRAMMY®-winning jazz artists, the all-star band consists of bassist and musical director Christian McBride, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, saxophonist Chris Potter, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Benny Green, and drummer Lewis Nash. Embracing the past, present, and future of jazz, Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration will perform an assortment of classic jazz repertoire and original compositions by band members.

*From the American Jazz Museum #2: Thursday, April 4.  6:00pm until 7:00pm.  Free Conversation with Jazz Violinist, Regina Carter in The Atrium - a special Take Five event! During Carter's visit, a variety of topics may be addressed. They may include how our history can inform our personal creative works and an exploration of jazz music. Yacouba Sissoko, a master Kora player, will join Carter.  Attendees are invited to attend the Blue Room performance by Matt Kane's KC Generations Quintet at 7:00 p. m. following this special Take Five event.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*JJ's, a Plaza-area restaurant that regularly featured live jazz, was destroyed by a natural gas explosion yesterday.

*KCJazzLark praises the Green Lady Lounge.

*The Kansas City Star reviewed last weekend's concerts by Kenny Garrett, Kurt Elling and Bobby Watson with the Kansas City Symphony.  KC Metropolis also offers a review of Garrett's performance.

*Here's tantalizing footage of a rehearsal for Bobby Watson's collaboration with the Kansas City Symphony.

*Michael Shults performed the National Anthem at a University of Cincinnati game.

*Brandon Draper's February 16 set at Take Five Coffee + Bar is available as a free download at Bandcamp.

*The Jorge Arana Trio are captured in a session at KJHK.

*Phonologotron posted a portion of a recording from a recent rehearsal.

*Chris Burnett shares another draft of an arrangement of a new composition.

*Prior to Kenny Garrett's performance, Gale Tallis, Executive Director of the Folly Theater, announced that Stan Kessler and Matt Otto would perform with Matthew Rybicki at the bassist's concert on March 9.

*Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will return to Helzberg Hall on October 19.

*Joe Sample will be 12th Street Jump's featured guest artist in a taping of the show at White Recital Hall on March 26.

*UMKC will host the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference in 2014. The University News reports that "(t)he speakers and entertainment for the event will be focused on" the "Jazzin' It Up" theme.

*A new exhibit at the University of Kansas is titled “Rhythm and Meaning: Jazz at KU.” (Via Offstage.)

*You Tube gold: "UMKC Concert Jazz Band Rehearsal with Howard Johnson (2006)".

*Tweet o' the Week: brandondraper- Free Album!!! brandondraper.bandcamp.com. Ambient, drum 'n bass, hip hop, jazz, rock, 70's funk, Afro-Cuban,indie-rock.

*Comment of the Week: Nigel- That ladies and Gentlemen is how to hold the audience in the palm of your hand. It was a great clinic in "working the room".  Class, grace, style, polish and COMPETENCE!

*From Bill Lee: 95-year-old Clyde Bysom and his band Junkyard Jazz will be inducted into the Kansas Music Halll of Fame at Liberty Hall inn Lawrence on March 2. Junkyard jazz plays at the Lawrence American Legion Hall every Thursday evening.  Other 2013 inducteees are the Devestating Dinks (Salina), the Exceptions (Topeka), Ray Hildebrand (Paul of Paul & Paula, Prairie Village), Kerry Livgren (Berryton), Chuck Mead (Lawrence), Mystic Number National Bank (KC), the Playmate Blues Band (Hays), the Tempests (Hays), Steve Werner (KC), the Wizards From Kansas (Lawrence), Sherman Halsey (Independence, KS) and Larry Emmett & the Sliders (DeSoto).

*From Jason Bata: The Lincoln Prep Bands are hosting a benefit concert for their Wind Ensemble's trip to perform in Carnegie Hall this March.  The Lincoln Prep Jazz Ensemble & Combo will start the concert that will then feature The Kicks Big Band with Horace Washington.  The concert begins at 7:30pm on Thursday, February 21, in the LCPA Auditorium (2111Woodland). There will be food beforehand for $5 (burritos or nachos & a drink).

*From Kent Rausch: Roarin' Out Of KC! Kansas City's Vine Street Rumble Jazz Orchestra was formed to honor the legacy of the "golden era" of our city's world renowned jazz history. The band exclusively performs the same outrageously exciting music that made Kansas City THE place to be in the 30's and 40's, dedicated to taking the audience back to the wildly famous "jam sessions" and concert performances that literally changed the jazz world and influenced musicians from coast to coast and beyond… Saxophone: Mike Herrera, Steve Lambert, Brett Jackson, Carl Bender; Trumpet: Jay Sollenberger, Barry Springer, Al Pearson; Trombone: Jason Goudeau, Dan Strom; Piano: Walter Bryant; Guitar: Rod Fleeman; Bass: Zach Beeson; Drums: Jurgen Welge; Vocals: Lonnie McFadden. When:   Monday Feb. 25, 2013  8:00-9:30pm.  Where:  Californos.  Cost: Free!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)