Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*I won't even pretend to play it cool. I am positively ecstatic that Mojo, the self-proclaimed "world's best music magazine," gave Plastic Sax a modest write-up in its June issue. Prior to the advent of the internet, I practically memorized every word printed in the prestigious British publication. Thanks go out to the anonymous reader of this site for the initial tip, BigSteveNO's comment in the previous post and my friend Steve for sending me the text:

Kansas City Here I Come: The website Plastic Sax is named from Charlie Parker's plastic Grafton alto that sold for $144,500 in 1995. The site is devoted to Kansas City jazz, a genre that spawned Count Basie, Ben Webster, Joe Turner, Lester Young, Jimmy Rushing, Coleman Hawkins, Julia Lee and, in more recent times, boasted such names as Pat Metheny, Bobby Watson, Oleta Adams and Marva Whitney. The news and views span past and present, sparked by videos featuring Kevin Mahogany, a vocalist much admired by Clint Eastwood, and the remarkable Krystle Warren, another singer, whose individual way with unlikely material could endear her to a MOJO audience."

*Free outdoor concerts every Friday at 18th & Vine? Maybe- according to this Pitch report.

*The Bonner Springs Chieftan catches up with Myra Taylor, a Bonner Springs native.

*The Star chats with the organizers of this weekend's Jazz in the Woods festival.

*Noted without comment: Not one of the five acts booked for the Kansas City Zoo's annual fundraiser, Jazzoo, was a jazz artist.

*The American Jazz Museum is hosting the "The Next Generation Jazz Summit" July 6-7. From a press release: With a lineup featuring the KCMO All-District Jazz Ensemble, the KCMO National Teen Poetry Slam Team, the American Jazz Museum Jazz Future ensemble, the Kansas City Youth Jazz Ensemble, the Houston All-City Jazz Ensemble and the Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Summit at 18th & Vine will be buzzing with the sounds of the talented youth who will advance jazz music and spoken word into new territories, injecting it with fresh ideas and concepts, matched with youthful energy and enthusiasm.

*St. Joseph's jazz festival is previewed in an editorial in the St. Joe News.

*The late Jay McShann will be honored at a Juneteenth celebration in Muskogee, Oklahoma, this weekend. Here's a report in the Muskogee Phoenix.

*Young trumpeter Hermon Mehari now has a MySpace account.

*National publication JazzTimes "has temporarily suspended publication of the magazine." I'm convinced that the future of jazz publishing lies with online fans sites like Plastic Sax and with a handful of government-subsidized advocates.

*Cafe Trio has opened at its new location at 4558 Main (near Jardine's).

*Don't forget about the new, improved and exportable Kansas CIty Jazz Calendar.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)