Doug and Lori Chandler: The Plastic Sax People of the Year

Two of the most valuable people on Kansas City's jazz scene are amateur musicians.  Doug Chandler plays drums.  Lori Chandler is a bass guitar student.  Yet the couple's musical talents have nothing to do with the crucial contribution they've made to the area's live music landscape. The co-owners of Take Five Coffee + Bar are Plastic Sax's 2012 people of the year.

As several conventional jazz venues have shuttered or shifted formats, the Chandlers have provided an increasingly ambitious refuge for the music at Take Five.  The couple spoke to Plastic Sax at their home earlier this month about their experiences since opening Take Five on January 2, 2010.

"It started out as just a coffee shop," Doug said.  "We didn't set out to do music." 

Take Five was the site of a fundraiser designed to help finance the European trip of jazz act Diverse in early 2010.  Shortly afterwards guitarist Ron Carlson contacted the Chandlers about the possibility of booking additional jazz performances.  Other musicians, including Stan Kessler, were soon added to the mix. 

A jazz venue was born.

"We started taking what was in our business plans for marketing and using that money to pay bands," Lori said.

"We make our money five dollars at a time," Doug added.  "The rest of the business is very important to us but the jazz sets us apart."

The unconventional strategy isn't without risk.

"Some nights it works amazingly well.  Other nights it doesn't," Lori said. "To a certain extent that's how we gauge who is going to come back.  To come back you have to be someone we're really passionate about or make money for us."

Musicians have learned to respect Take Five in spite of its suburban location in southern Johnson County.

"Every time a musician plays there for the first time I have to imagine what's going through their head is, 'I'm going out to Leawood and I'm going to play in a coffee shop'," Lori suggests.  "They get out there and they have a crowd and that crowd is hanging on every note.  And all of a sudden it's cool.  But it takes getting over that 'coffee shop in Leawood' thing."

Audiences have also been remarkably receptive.

"There's something about the intimacy," Doug explained.  "The overall concept of Take Five is we try to make it like your satellite living room.  It's as comfortable as going into your own front room but you don't have to do the dishes. You can be your own host in our place.  That intimacy carries over when we set a band in a corner of the room and someone like Clint Ashlock is blowing his trumpet right in front of a twelve-year-old kid in a comfy chair.  The kid is mesmerized by what Clint's doing.  Parents realize that's something you can't get anywhere else.  They can have a glass of wine yet not feel like they're going into a bar." 

The room's excellent acoustics enhance the experience.

"We got super lucky," Lori noted.  "The one thing I would change about the room is the damn pole."

The unfortunate placement of a structural beam seems to be one of the few barriers between Take Five and the area's musicians.

"We look at the musicians like family.  We want to be a place where they will try out things that won't try out somewhere else," Doug said.  "They're partners.  We want them to do well and they want us to do well."

Lori is philosophical about the relationship.

"We appreciate the music.  We will continue to book music that we really like and people that we really like and push the limits," she said.  "We're not just a venue.   We care about the musicians and the people that come to see them.  I just want to be part of the jazz community."

The previous Plastic Sax people of the year are Jeff Harshbarger in 2011, Mark Lowrey in 2010 and Hermon Mehari in 2009.

(Image supplied by Doug and Lori Chandler.)

Eddie Moore: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle’s album release party for Kings & Queens at the Tank Room in October was markedly different from the hundreds of jazz performances I’ve attended since I founded Plastic Sax in 2007. 

Dozens of revelers even younger than I was ten years ago paid a $10 cover charge to sway and dance to the ensemble’s masterful improvisation-oriented fusion of jazz, funk and hip-hop.

The joyous event was an encouraging anomaly in a jazz scene that’s in acute need of fledgling enthusiasts.  While the keyboardist, composer and bandleader also thrives in straight-ahead settings, Moore’s recognition that hip-hop is part of the same continuum of American music as jazz suggests that his approach to improvised music will continue to attract new adherents.

Moore’s progressive perspective and copious achievements make him an obvious choice for Plastic Sax’s Person of the Year.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are Larry Kopitnik (2015), Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Person Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Deborah Brown: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

The revelation struck me midway through Deborah Brown's exceptional headlining performance at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival in September.  Brown wasn't fortunate to share the stage with guest artists Joe Lovano and Terell Stafford. Instead, the prestigious jazz stars were privileged to share the stage with her.

Brown's regal presence and lustrous voice were similarly spellbinding at Helzberg Hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performance Arts on December 1.  She clearly relished performing on a stage commensurate with her talent in her hometown.

Several Plastic Sax reviews and editorials have referenced Brown's perplexingly low profile in Kansas City.  She may be better known in Amsterdam, Paris and St. Petersburg than in the city where she resides.  Yet with the possible exception of Bobby Watson, the globetrotting Brown is Kansas City's foremost international jazz ambassador among locally based musicians.

Her ongoing contributions and immense talent make the elegant artist Plastic Sax's Person of the Year of 2014.

In a freewheeling conversation at her home earlier this month, Brown lauded the revitalization of the local jazz scene.  When I suggested that she was the only Kansas City based artist I cared to hear scat, she immediately jumped to the defense of her hometown peers.

Even so, it's obvious that Brown possesses a unique voice that's further honed by her careful analysis of jazz history.  Brown speaks reverently of artists including Betty Carter.  Many admirers, myself among them, place Brown alongside Carter on their lists of the greatest jazz vocalists.

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The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Person Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Deborah Brown supplied the first image.  The second photo was taken by Plastic Sax at Helzberg Hall on December 1.)

Peter Schlamb: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

Peter Schlamb has been feverishly praised at Plastic Sax since his name was first mentioned at this site in 2010.  Almost every one of the rave reviews garnered by the brilliant vibraphonist is entirely organic.  Schlamb doesn’t promote his work.

Schlamb’s stellar seven-song EP Electric Tinks was furtively released a few weeks ago without a smidgen of publicity.  Schlamb doesn't even list it at his site.  Yet in my review of the EP- the sole critique the project has received- I assert that Schlamb’s plugged-in vibraphone is “the most compelling sound of the past few years” in Kansas City. 

It’s not an accident that the arrival of the St. Louis transplant has coincided with the artistic renaissance of Kansas City’s jazz scene.  That’s why Shlamb is the Plastic Sax Person of the Year for 2018.  Mum’s the word.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are John Scott (2017),  Eddie Moore (2016), Larry Kopitnik (2015), Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Sax Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Chris Burnett/Dino Massa Group at Take Five Coffee + Bar

Few things on Kansas City’s jazz scene make me happier than seeing Doug and Lori Chandler break out extra chairs to accommodate unexpectedly large audiences at Take Five Coffee + Bar.

A quintet led by Chris Burnett in his first appearance at the venue's new Leawood location drew several dozen listeners to an hour-long first set on Saturday.

Partly because he’s responsible for a relentless onslaught of social media postings, it’s easy to forget that Burnett is a fine saxophonist.  His band consisted of pianist Dino Massa, guitarist Charles Gatschet, bassist Andrew Stinson and drummer Matt Leifer.

Burnett explained that he and Massa met in Italy more than twenty years ago.  Massa played with the elegant precision associated with the Kansas City pianist Joe Cartwright.

The ensemble opened with a faithful rendition of Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance,” a selection that set the tone for a tasteful set that included several original compositions by Burnett and Massa.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

*Critics at The Pitch named Jeff Harshbarger, Plastic Sax's 2011 Person of the Year, as the Best Local Musician.  They awarded Take Five Coffee + Bar with the prize of Best Suburban Oasis.  Owners Doug and Lori Chandler were Plastic Sax's 2012 People of the Year.  The publication's readers- presumably fans of Tim Whitmer's Saturday afternoon gigs- voted The Phoenix as the Best Jazz Venue.

*Joe Klopus previews Saturday's 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival in his weekly column.

*KC Jazz Lark considers the unusual challenges faced by the organizers of 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival.

*A man has been charged with assault in connection to last month's shootings near 18th & Vine.

*Libby Hanssen reviewed Gretchen Parlato's concert at the Folly Theater.

*The Pitch recommends Brian Haas' performance Sunday, October 13, at the RecordBar.

*Howard Reich raves about Bobby Watson in The Chicago Tribune.

*Matt Otto and a cat issue a "30 day long tone challenge."

*"Kansas City Swing", a new play set in 1947 Kansas City, opens in New Jersey this week.

*Former Kansan Lisa Engelken's new album Little Warrior was reviewed by a California-based publication.

*Comment o' the Week: Gary- Went to Take Five Saturday night and heard James Isaac Group. Thanks for the tip, Plastic Sax.

*Tweet o' the Week: Follow dw6 and JAG- Spoken to some great musicians so far in KC! Spent some time at the American Jazz Museum and now we're about to interview Bobby Watkins!

*From a press release: The Jazz Program at Kansas City Kansas Community College will present their first concert of the season West Wyandotte Library on Wednesday, October 9th at 6:30pm. Directed by Jim Mair and John Stafford II, the concert will feature the KCKCC Jazz Band, Latin Band, Jazz Combos and Vocal Jazz Ensembles.  Open to the public, there is no charge although donations for student travel opportunities will be accepted.

*From Take Five Coffee + Bar: This weekend at Take Five Coffee + Bar we're offering the power and passion of high-flying ensembles featuring some of the best trumpet artistry you'll find anywhere… Friday, October 11, 8pm:  The Rob Scheps/Jim O'Connor Quintet.  Saxophonist Rob Scheps finds a way to ramble through Kansas City a couple of times a year... Trumpeter Jim O'Connor, his guest on this tour, has... a deep list of credits... The crew behind these two are some of KC's best: Roger Wilder on piano, Bob Bowman on bass and Brian Steever on drums. $5.  Saturday, October 12, 8pm:  The Hermon Mehari Trio with Anthony Saunders...  Featuring Ryan Lee on drums and Andrew Ouellette on keys, this show will also showcase Hermon's special guest, vocalist Anthony Saunders... $5 cover.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Logan Richardson: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

The most encouraging moment of 2019 on Kansas City’s jazz scene transpired at the Ship on September 11.  Several dozen people in their twenties and thirties were transfixed by a band led by Logan Richardson.  As the saxophonist, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, bassist Dominique Sanders and drummer Ryan Lee locked in on a mesmerizing groove, the sort of rarified sound associated with the innovative jazz hubs of Chicago, Los Angeles and London made an all-too-uncommon appearance in Kansas City.  Long based in Europe, Richardson seemed to spend more time in his hometown in 2019.  He elevated the playing of his contemporaries in his public performances in Kansas City.  He also contributed to Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s Grammy nominated Ancestral Recall album and released the bold track “Her” on December 13.  Plastic Sax has documented Richardson’s ascent for more than ten years.  His designation as the Plastic Sax Person of the Year is overdue.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are Peter Schlamb (2018), John Scott (2017),  Eddie Moore (2016), Larry Kopitnik (2015), Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Sax Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Drew Williams

Drew Williams' site prominently features an endorsement from Doug and Lori Chandler of Take Five Coffee + Bar.  The couple asserts that Williams' "playing is driving, thoughtful and expertly balanced" and that his compositions are "challenging in their use of time and angular lines, but at the same time very accessible."  Williams returns to Take Five on Saturday.   He'll be accompanied by saxophonist Tim Aubuchon, guitarist Scott Bein, bassist Bill McKemy and drummer Brendan Culp.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Doug and Lori Chandler, Plastic Sax's People of the Year in 2013, have announced that Take Five Coffee + Bar will close following a performance on August 15.  A portion of their statement is at the bottom of this post.   The Pitch, The Kansas City Star and KCUR reported on the closure.   Clint Ashlock and KC Jazz Lark comment on the disappointing news.

*The headliners of the American Jazz Museum’s 18th & Vine Jazz & Blues Festival on October 10 are the Family Stone, Conrad Herwig, Popa Chubby and Dwele.

*The Ottawa Sessions, a piano trio album featuring Michael Pagán, Bob Bowman and Brian Steever, is available now.

*An editorial in The Kansas City Star suggests that the American Jazz Museum “should play a more vital and inspiring role in the city than it has.”

*The Pitch touts a gig by Peter Schlamb’s Electric Tinks.

*The Jorge Arana Trio created a 30-second trailer for its forthcoming album.

*Bobby Watson performed the National Anthem at a public ceremony last week.

*The lineup of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival (in New York) includes the Oliver Lake Big Band, Andy Bey, Rudresh Mahanthappa and Myra Melford.

*Tweet o’ the Week: HNIC… again- He must be trying to get ideas for his side chick cause I'm not going to a jazz lounge.

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- To each his own. I currently prefer any type of replication of 1955-era swing to a flawed version of jazz-informed R&B!

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated.

*From Take Five Coffee + Bar: We are very sad to have to make this announcement, but Take Five is going to be taking an indefinite “set break” (in other words, we’re closing our doors) effective August 15… Thank you all for participating in the creation of a community unlike any other in this part of the city… Thank you again to those who supported us, cheered us on, became regulars, brought others to be regulars, sat breathless in front of Trio M, Bobby Watson, Avishai Cohen and the immense talent of our Kansas City jazz scene.  We are proud of what we accomplished, and there’s more to be done.  We’re just Taking Five.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Take Two of Take Five

An inconspicuous sign in an inviting cranny of the new location of Take Five Coffee + Bar provides welcome news for Kansas City's jazz scene.  The government-mandated plaque reads "maximum occupancy 189."

About 50 people heard pianist Roger Wilder, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Brian Steever support New York-based saxophonists Roger Rosenberg and Rob Scheps during the first set of the official opening night of Take Five's spacious new location on Friday, October 24.  That number would have filled the previous locale.

"It feels like the old place gave birth to triplets," Scheps joked.

There's lots to love about the revamped Take Five.  The sound on Friday- especially the depth and richness of Bowman's bass- was superb.  The relaxed atmosphere of the old venue also survived the move. 

By doubling down on their daring investment in the area's jazz scene, proprietors Doug and Lori Chandler, Plastic Sax's People of the Year in 2012, continue to improve the quality of life of the area's jazz aficionados. 

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Larry Kopitnik: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

Larry Kopitnik has been one of the best friends to the Kansas City jazz community for several years.  A tireless advocate of Kansas City jazz’s past, present and future, Larry is a selfless promoter of the scene.  He’s one of those indispensable people without whom the entire infrastructure might crumble.  That’s why Larry is Plastic Sax’s 2015 Person of the Year.

Here’s a partial list of Larry’s contributions:

Blogger. Larry was partly motivated to found his Kansas City jazz blog KC Jazz Lark in 2009 to offer a tempered counterpoint to Plastic Sax. While Larry’s measured tone is usually diplomatic, he’s not afraid to point out uncomfortable truths or to offer strong opinions. 

Journalist. The weekly Jazz Beat column and occasional features Larry writes for The Pitch are essential reading.  He also recently became the editor of JAM, the distinguished magazine of the booster organization the Jazz Ambassadors.

Festivities.  Larry’s savvy oversight has made The Prairie Village Jazz Festival one of the highlights of the area’s arts calendar.  The brilliant pairing of Deborah Brown with Joe Lovano in 2014 reflects Larry’s daring approach to booking.

Photography. Larry is a fine photographer.  Many of his images serve as the default publicity shots for musicians and bands.

Support.  A lot of people talk about supporting live jazz.  Larry actually does it.  He’s one of the most attentive members of audiences at performances throughout the area.

Institutional Memory.  In previous decades, Larry served as the president of the Kansas City Jazz Festival and was the chairman of the Kansas City Jazz Commission.  He’s also an amateur historian.  The breadth of his knowledge allows Larry to provide invaluable context to current developments.

Sage.  Larry acts as a trusted advisor to musicians and venue owners.  As with the rest of Kansas City’s jazz community, they’re lucky to have him.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Person Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Taking Stock at Take Five Coffee + Bar

“Coffee is coffee and food is food but this is something different,” Lori Chandler said Friday at Take Five Coffee + Bar.  “It's the community that makes all of this worth it.”

Chandler was speaking from the stage of her venue in Overland Park.  Stan Kessler, the evening’s bandleader, had requested that Chandler and her husband Doug stand with him as he offered his gratitude to the couple for creating the area’s best jazz listening room. 

As previously reported, Take Five will close after a performance on August 15.

Chandler encouraged the members of the audience of about 50 to continue to support the musicians she’s featured at two incarnations of Take Five since 2010. 

“My plea to you guys is to find out where they're playing and go listen,” Chandler said. 

Finding appealing options will be more difficult.  In addition to providing an excellent environment and a superb sound field, Take Five boasted a notably adventurous calendar.  It’s unclear if other spaces will be willing to take chances on left-of-center touring acts like Trio M and Avishai Cohen.

I almost certainly wasn’t the only person present Friday who opted for a performance by a band billed as the Kessler-Embrey Conspiracy at least partially because the show was taking place in a room where conservations wouldn’t overwhelm the music.

The quartet of trumpeter Kessler, guitarist Danny Embrey, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Todd Strait played surprisingly reserved mainstream jazz during its first set.

Chandler has indicated that she intends to reopen Take Five at a different location.  Until then, Kessler and his band mates may be challenged to find equally attentive audiences in comparably accommodating rooms.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

John Scott: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

John Scott cracked the elusive code.  Operating a profitable jazz club in Kansas City was beginning to seem like an unattainable pipe dream.  Unlike several intrepid entrepreneurs who opened ill-fated jazz-oriented venues in recent years, the man who oversees Green Lady Lounge isn’t merely surviving.  Scott daringly expanded his unlikely jazz empire in 2017.

In addition to presenting jazz performances on two stages at 1809 Grand Boulevard, Scott launched a trio of ambitious new endeavors in 2017.  Most significantly, he opened Black Dolphin, a venue at 1813 Grand Boulevard.  Scott was also instrumental in motivating Plastic Sax to revive the comprehensive Kansas City Jazz Calendar.  Finally, Scott recently unveiled Green Lady Radio, a streaming service dedicated to further promoting locally based jazz artists.

Scott’s initial victory, however, was identifying the formula for sustaining a popular jazz club in Kansas City: no cover charge, superior service, luxurious cocktails, dim lighting and live music that rewards attentive listening but that can also be treated as background music.

Scott ruffled a few feathers along the way.  Some musicians bristle at his mandates.  Not every artist is willing to wear a coat and tie, take short set breaks or adhere to Scott’s musical parameters.  His infamously salty dismissal of adventurous improvisatory music caused a stir in the jazz community 15 months ago.  (My preference for more abrasive jazz performed in listening rooms has never been a secret.)

This commendation is unlikely to meet with Scott’s approval.  He’s certain to suggest that a musician like Chris Hazelton, Stephen Martin or Molly Hammer is more deserving of the recognition.  Perhaps, but those artists honed their crafts on stages operated by Scott.  His audacious determination and visionary gumption have elevated the entirety of Kansas City’s jazz community.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year award are Eddie Moore (2016), Larry Kopitnik (2015), Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Sax Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image of Green Lady Lounge and Black Dolphin by Plastic Sax.)

Stan Kessler: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

Stan Kessler has been one of Kansas City's most prominent jazz musicians for decades.  He performs in a variety of settings several nights a week.  When he's not on the bandstand, Kessler can often be spotted in the audience at jazz shows.

His ensembles include the forward-thinking Parallax, the Sons of Brasil and the new quartet Crossfire.

Partly because the outgoing trumpeter, composer, educator and bandleader rarely hesitates to proffer his strong opinions, an interview accompanies the coronation of Kessler as the 2013 Plastic Sax Person of the Year. 

Which do you consider more exciting- rubbing shoulders with numerous jazz legends when you first hit Kansas City's jazz scene or today's environment, an era in which impressive young musicians are bountiful?
I highly respected the KC jazz legends and was impressed and inspired by them. Without them I wouldn't be the player I am today. However, I'd have to say that I am even more excited and inspired by the recent crop of amazing young players. There are so many of them and they are simply astounding. They are so mature and developed for their age, or any age for that matter. They are blessed with talent and and have gleaned much from the current jazz education machine, something guys my age never had the pleasure of experiencing. These young cats are constantly kicking my ass, which is a good thing. It's highly motivating!

You're exceptionally outspoken.  You don't hesitate to share your opinions on a variety of subjects.  Has your candor ever hindered your professional career?  And if so, do you care?
I've always been outspoken, and I have some strong opinions that I choose to share. They are just my opinions, nothing more, based on my experiences. I try to be truthful, which I'm sure occasionally ruffles some feathers. I try to be tactful, but don't always succeed. It may have hindered my career, but I'm not aware of it, which is usually the case. My intention is never to harm, but when I see injustice, oppression or hypocrisy, I feel compelled. It's also true that sometimes I wish I'd kept my damn mouth shut, a feeling probably shared by many. I don't care if someone disagrees with me, I love a good discussion or debate. The problem arises when people take things personally or too seriously. It seems to me that people have gotten so thin skinned. It used to be that you could have an argument with someone with an opposing view, agree to disagree and part friends. What I really care about is being misunderstood. For example, I often get heated responses from a Facebook post that is intended to just get people thinking about something. I also enjoy being the devil's advocate just to stimulate a discussion. A mutual friend of ours told me to be careful when you put sarcasm in print, people may not know your tongue is in your cheek. That's so true! Those who really know me get me.

An enormous gap in knowledge often separates a casual listener in a jazz club and a serious musician.  Is it frustrating knowing that if you quote, say, Clifford Brown in a solo that it's likely that only your band mates will get the reference?
Not at all, it's really for the musicians anyway. But it is especially gratifying when someone in the audience laughs and is hip enough to catch it.

What's your greatest musical moment on stage- not necessarily your biggest audience or your most prestigious gig but a time when you felt you'd achieved something particularly extraordinary?
There are so many, I've been at this for 45 years. I truly feel that there are moments on any given gig when I feel transported to a heavenly place, when I think to myself "This is why I do this." At those times, I feel that I've been part of something extraordinary. There have been concerts or festivals where I've felt that the band had the listeners in the palms of our hands.  The first time The Sons of Brasil did Jazz In June in Omaha it was particularly thrilling. There were 7000 people there, as far as the eye could see, and they were really with us. The first gig Parallax played at Take Five Coffee Bar was amazing. You were there!  Another one that sticks out in my mind was when I was in the Wichita State Jazz Ensemble and we won the UMKC big band competition. The prize was a spot in the KC Jazz Fest at Municipal Aud., where my parents had been taking me to see the event since I was ten. Finally, during the WSU jazz festival, I got to meet, hang and do a plunger duet with Clark Terry at the closing concert. I though my heart would burst.

You were a central figure in the drama swirling around the closure of Jardine's in 2012.  Is there anything you'd like to clarify to set the record straight or do you prefer to let bygones be bygones?
I moved on from that long ago. I love Beena and I'm happy that she has landed on her feet and is once again thriving. It was such an tragic and heart breaking chain of events, especially for her. For the most part, I'd rather not revisit it. However, I would like to clear up a couple of things. Somewhere along the line, our local gossip monger stated that I was responsible for a boycott of the club, which is bullshit. His claim was based on supposition and erroneous information that he could not back up. I simply informed my friends, some of which asked me about it directly, on what had happened and they made up their own minds as to what to do. Most of them chose to not play. There was also a picket line organized by my son and the other ex-employees which I had nothing to do with. He even called me beforehand and asked me if I was comfortable with it and would it adversely affect my career. I told him to follow his heart and do what he thought was right and disregard me.

Do you work in a variety of settings out of economic necessity or are your many ensembles essential outlets for your creative interests?
It's both. I want to stay busy and each group has its place(s) in various venues. I love playing with lots of different people and try to put groups together with personnel that reflect the direction I want the music to go. And, I am open to any interest that keeps me relevant and nurtures my endless creative desires. I never want to just stand still.

The Broadway Jazz Cafe just opened.  What's the right number of jazz clubs for Kansas City?
100. Seriously, I am always concerned about that. Right now, there is a nice equilibrium between the number of venues, musicians and fans. I hope it continues and that everyone can prosper. This town is not so big and there's a limited amount of disposable income out there that everyone is competing for. Things are pretty stable right now, but it's a house of cards. If one club closes it throws everything off. If too many players move here, the scene get saturated and it gets even tougher to stay working. The older players understand this because they've experienced the ebb and flow of the biz for many years. They also have families, substantial bills and mortgages. I hope that some of the younger cats will catch on to the idea of balance, think of their future and act accordingly.

If you had the power to make a single change to Kansas City's jazz scene, what would it be?
I would wish that the city and the venues would spend a lot more money promoting the scene, getting the people out. Unfortunately, they are scuffling financially like everyone else, running on budgets that are minimal and making little profit. It's fallen on the musicians to carry the load, with Facebook, mailing lists, etc. This needs to change soon, but the economy has to get back on its feet.

You choose to work with a lot of young musicians.  What do you hear in them and how do they influence your music?
I hear brilliance, courage and passion. It's contagious. They delight and inspire me, each of them having such individual and unique voices. They are all such great people and players. I want to be involved with them as long as they will have me.

What do you hope to achieve with your new quartet?
I want to break some new ground, personally and musically. I want to be challenged and make good new music with these vibrant musicians. I want to move the audience on an emotional level. And, of course. I want to entertain.

Which is more important in a jazz musician- technical proficiency or imagination and inspiration?
Oh by far, imagination and inspiration. Chops are so overrated and not the point. Playing fast, high and loud does not equate to playing musically. Miles proved that. You only need enough proficiency to pull off your ideas, what you hear. It just so happens that jazz players need a lot of chops because the music demands it. I'd much rather hear two notes that have feeling than 100 regurgitated by a button pusher. I want to hear originality, especially in songwriting. It's not an easy thing to do, having a unique voice in the world.

What's going on with your hair?  (I like it.)
I don't remember the 60's, so I'm reliving it. Actually, I just need a change. Another change will come soon, the long hair is a pain in the ass. It is, however, keeping my head and neck warm! I'm so relieved that you like it, I was worried.

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The previous Plastic Sax people of the year are Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009).  Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Person Person of the Decade in 2009.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)