*"Kansas City's Top Jazz Club Jardine's Goes Heavy Metal." That's the headline attached to Hearne Christopher's report on Jardine's attempt to make money on Monday nights. As reflected on the Kansas City Jazz Calendar, Jardine's no longer features jazz on Mondays. It's a hit to Kansas City's reputation as a jazz town, but if rock'n'roll can finance the remaining jazz schedule at Jardine's, the Plastic Sax staff enthusiastically supports the move. And thankfully, the Blue Room still offers a stellar Monday-night jazz lineup.
*The self-titled debut album by Diverse will be released by Origin Records on July 21. The group is composed of Hermon Mehari (trumpet), William Sanders (tenor), John Brewer (keyboards), Ben Leifer (bass) and Ryan Lee on drums. The recording was produced by Bobby Watson, who appears on one track.
*KCUR's Up To Date will broadcast "a conversation with area jazz group the Sons of Brasil with guest host Bill Anderson" Thursday at 11am. As always, the show will be available as a free downloadable podcast.
*A concert by Bobby Watson, Jaleel Shaw and the UMKC Concert Jazz Band is posted at Vimeo. (Tip via Michael Shults.)
*Steve Penn sticks up for the American Jazz Museum.
*A combination book signing and birthday party is being held for Alaadeen on July 28 at the Mutual Musicians Foundation. The 75-year-old is promoting The Rest of the Story: Jazz Improvisation and History.
*An NPR employee originally from Kansas City reminisces about bassist Ray Brown.
*Jason Harper laments the announcement that Shawnee's Needmore Discs will close in August.
*Mark Edelman talks to Joe Klopus about 12 O'Clock Jump.
*A blogger shares her appreciation of Jardine's.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
Did you go to the Next Generation Jazz Summit at all? I meant to go yesterday but ended up working until 7, by which time it was over.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really a clinic kind-of-guy, Harper. I did not attend.
ReplyDeleteThe Blue Room was packed to capacity, both Monday and Tuesday evening.
ReplyDeleteThe clinics were earlier in the day for the kids - but the shows at night were for the public too. All of the groups were phenomenal, particularly the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.
Had one closed their eyes while listening to the session at the Blue Room, you wouldn't have known the difference between the 15-year olds and the 55-year old players.
The Tuesday shows didn't even start until 7:00PM. You could have made it.