Is Jazz Dead? No, It's Dyed

Anyone driving along 12th Street Saturday night might have understandably presumed that a jam-band was performing at the Folly Theater.

Hordes of shaggy fans in tie-dye stood smoking outside the venerable venue. But neither String Cheese Incident nor a Phish side project were on stage. Instead, the bohemians were downtown to hear John Scofield play guitar.

Scofield has successfully collaborated with Medeski Martin & Wood and worked alongside Phil Lesh. Fans of those acts have subsequently latched on to Scofield.

While many members of the jazz community wring their hands about the dwindling audience for jazz, Scofield has gone out of his way to bring new fans into the fold.

The trend has been previously noted at Plastic Sax. While I don't spend much time collecting Grateful Dead bootlegs, I recognize that jazz's great hope, at least among American audiences, is likely in the patchouli-stained hands of Deadheads.

Incidentally, some jerk gave the show a mixed review. What an idiot!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: John Scofield

John Scofield brings the funk. And because of the guitarist's strong predilection for deep grooves, I expect to encounter a full house when the Folly's jazz series continues Saturday. Rockers, jam band advocates and fusion freaks comprise Scofield's constituency. This video features Scofield in the trio setting he'll employ in Kansas City. The drummer, Bill Stewart, is the same, but Steve Swallow will be replaced by bassist Matt Penman. Joe Klopus previewed the show.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Wall Street Journal drama critic Terry Teachout blogs about a visit to Kansas City. It's a remarkable essay, both nostalgic and slightly dismissive. Here's his take on the American Jazz Museum: "No doubt it is a good thing that Kansas City is home to such an institution, but it is so self-evidently out of place that I found it impossible to warm to--especially since the surrounding neighborhood shows no visible signs of having been renewed by its presence."

*The Scamps have a MySpace account!

*Mosaic's Basie-Young box set is put into context by Steve Paul.

*Joel Francis revisits the legacy of the Coon-Sanders Night Hawk Orchestra.

*A Dubuque newspaper catches up with Oleta Adams.

*The aspirations behind "12 O'Clock Jump" were detailed by Joe Klopus.

*A documentary about Anita O'Day is showing at Screenland.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Phoenix Rising

It's an extremely limited sample size, but I'm very pleased to report that every time I've visited The Phoenix I've encountered a very lively environment. The jazz bar's seemingly successful second life is a great thing for the jazz scene, downtown's denizens and for Kansas City as a whole. And it's so reassuring to see a reconstituted version of The Scamps back on the club's calendar. Oh, happy day! The only potential sore spot, at least for purists, is that the venue seems to be more oriented to socializing than to serious listening. But then again, it's always been that way at the Phoenix. And if forced to choose, I'd rather see a packed jazz club filled with people who are ignoring the band than a nearly empty jazz club populated by a handful of intent listeners.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Nuit du Jazz at Jardine's

Did you miss the Nuit du Jazz show at Jardine's earlier this week? Fear not- a representative sampling is already on YouTube. While no video can capture the essence of the live experience, the murky footage makes it quite clear that the trio of Bram Wijnands, Jurgen Welge and Rod Fleeman was vastly entertaining. Critics of Plastic Sax would be right to suggest that videos of Bram Wijnands are disproportionately represented at this site. Here's why- someone actually bothers to film and post his shows. Allow me to remind Kansas City's jazz community of a little secret.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Both Jardine's and the Blue Room made Downbeat's new list of the world's 100 Best Jazz Clubs. A link? Don't be silly. Why would the magazine want people poking around at their site?

*The American Jazz Museum may face a decrease in city funding according to a KCUR report. Their story includes a link to the official documents.

*The staff of Plastic Sax is extraordinarily excited about the "Blue Note Records Listening Party" at the Blue Room on February 10. From the American Jazz Museum: Hosted by renowned saxophonist Bobby Watson and local Blue Note Records aficionado Elmer Jackson, the session is free and open to the public. Attendees will discuss the impact of the many eras of the legendary Blue Note record label while listening to local DJ and jazz enthusiast Miles Bonny spin music from 5:00PM to 7:00PM. Bonny provides a slightly different set of details at his site.

*Joel Francis offers his thoughtful analysis of the state of jazz in 2009.

*The second vlog by Miles Bonny is up.

*Jeff Harsharger is profiled by Joe Klopus.

*Via the ARC label group: It is with pleasure that we pass along this message from the Kansas City Youth Jazz, Inc. (KCYJ) organization. An Evening to Establish the Leon Brady Scholarship. This is our chance to... support and thank Leon Brady for 50 years of teaching and promoting music education, helping our kids make the right choices (and) keeping Kansas City's Jazz heritage alive. Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009. Place: YWCA of Greater Kansas City/1017 North Sixth Street/Kansas City, KS. Program: Performances by KCYJ students. Please respond by January 30 to 913-424-9903 or lindabrady@kcyouthjazz.org | www.KCYouthJazz.org.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Meet the New Jam

Where was the noise?

I darkened the door of Jardine's last Saturday afternoon fully prepared to soak in some free jazz.

What I heard wasn't at all what I had expected.

I reckoned that the young band assembled by Jeff Harshbarger would produce a sound more akin to John Coltrane's Ascension than to Mel Torme's Swingin' On the Moon. I was wrong.

It's a good thing, too. Many longtime participants of the previous jam session led by the impeccable Tommy Ruskin were on hand. They require a backing band fluent in standards. Harshbarger and his crew were ready for them.

According to the calendar at Jardine's site, the session continues every Saturday with the exception of Valentine's Day.

I look forward to returning. Next time I'll have "My Funny Valentine" and not "Pursuance" on my mind.

(Original and entirely inadequate image by Plastic Sax.)