Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes


















*A blogger reports that only a handful of people attended Charlie Parker's grave site memorial service last Sunday.

*KCJazzLark offers insights into a press conference held at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Susan B. Wilson of KCUR shares her impressions of the late-night atmosphere at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Hermon Mehari conducts a tour of Kansas City.

*The Kansas City Star offers a fall jazz preview.

*Here's an ostensibly new Bobby Watson track featuring Reach and vocalists that sound a lot like Book of Gaia.

*Michael Pagán and Joe Cartwright made an appearance on Fox4KC.

*David Valdez posted a recording of an August 5 gig at the Blue Monk in Portland that features Matt Otto and Todd Strait.  (Tip via On Jazz Musings.)

*Area jazz instructor and arts patron Charles Molina has died.  (Tip via Chris Burnett.)

*Marlin Cooper was inducted into the Mid-America Eduction Hall of Fame.

*A blogger reviewed a tribute to Fela Kuti at the RecordBar that featured several prominent members of Kansas City's jazz scene.

*Mark Lowrey and Brian Steever are among the musicians backing Sephiroth in footage of Lowrey's Tiny Music Project at the Czar Bar.

*Howard Mandel shares his impressions of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.  Ben Ratliff also provides an account of the annual New York event.

*Tom Ryan, an occasional commenter at Plastic Sax, has died.

*Tweet o' the Week: theprojecth- There are few things I enjoy more than playing the KC Suite for a loud audience.

*Comment o' the Week: Lee- F*cker! You come to Portland and don't even let me know. We are no longer friends!

*From Johnson County Community College: The lineup for the fall Jazz Series of Johnson County Community College has been announced. The series, which showcases the talents of local jazz musicians, takes place at noon Tuesday for six weeks from Sept. 25-Oct. 30. All performances, which are free and open to the public, are held in the Recital Hall of the Carlsen Center unless otherwise noted.  The fall 2012 Jazz Series lineup is: Sept. 25  Luqman Hamza Trio, piano and vocals. Oct. 2  Book of Gaia.  Oct. 9  Vine Street East featuring Monte Muza, guitar.  Oct. 16  Kerry Strayer and Dan Deluca, saxophone and piano.  Oct. 23  Joe Cartwright Trio.  Oct. 30  Mike Ning Trio.

*From Anita Dixon: The Mutual Musicians Foundation (MMF) formerly known as Local 627 or the “colored” musicians union from 1917 to 1970, has benefitted from funding secured by the Honorable Emanuel Cleaver, II and has completed an education and archive project to be unveiled, Friday, August 24th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the MMF, 1823 Highland Ave. 

“We have been almost two years working on this project and are extremely pleased to have the Congressman at the event and to give his time and energies to such worthy endeavors as the Mutual Musicians Foundation.” said MMF Chairman James Hathaway, Sr. 

Educational panels have been installed downstairs of the MMF and give a history of the neighborhood and the union hall that has been the subject of countless articles, documentaries and research.  In addition, a 30 minute documentary entitled, “Still Jammin’” will be viewed for the first time.  “This project demonstrates the strength of the history surrounding 18th and Vine and allows the MMF to truly showcase the unique legacy left to us.  We are so proud of the outcome.” said Anita J. Dixon, Vice President.


*From Royal Potato Family: Look up punk jazz in the dictionary and next to it you'll find a picture of its patron saint Mike Dillon... In that spirit, his latest solo album, Urn, due September 25 from The Royal Potato Family, pushes the envelope even further. He recently assembled a new band from his current hometown of New Orleans and proceeded to tour the group relentlessly for the first half of 2012. He then ducked into a Kansas City recording studio and cut the album straight to tape...

*From Brad Cox: The People's Liberation Big Band's show at the RecordBar on September 2 will be a tribute to John Cage in honor of his 100th birthday.

 (Original image by Plastic Sax.)

5 comments:

DeJuan said...

Thanks Cleaver! Continue to rack up debt with your $163K pork project. Thanks to KC Jazz Lark for exposing this activity.

Hey MMF, feel free to write for your own grants like real non-profit organizations do instead of relying on our tax dollars to pay for stuff.

DeJuan

If this was so important DO THE WORK YOURSELVES and find some wealthy stiffs to underwrite it so they can take a tax break.

Instead with a bogus track record old Cleave just hands out the money. I love the MMF. I know there is no accountability at 18th and Vine. Its sad how how they have to fabricate visitors numbers year after year.

Hey Cleave, have you paid your Car Wash taxes yet or has that slipped YOUR mind again.

Matt Leifer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
WLIB said...

The sh*t was really going to hit the fan if I didn't get Comment of the Week.

Anonymous said...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qDdnwPOuokU/TxNMk4iUxFI/AAAAAAAAAoI/HyLL3sHS4jg/s200/clint-eastwood-disgusted-gif.gif

Anonymous said...

DeJuan, Whoever you are, get a life! You obviously know NOTHING about what the why the arts are supported. Cleaver is to be commended for his attention to our only international image in KC and this very worthy historic landmark. And Matt Liefer, why was your comment removed? For as much money you get out of gigging at the MMF, guess you figured you would keep straddling that fence huh? Don't think word doesn't get around about how you really feel.