Had it not been for the Sunday jazz concerts sponsored by Kansas City, Missouri, in the 1970s and 1980s, Plastic Sax probably wouldn't exist. The free events served as my introduction to jazz.
One of the concerts that had the most influence on me took place across the street from my elementary school at Line Creek Park in 1977 or 1978. I'd never heard anything quite like The Jeff Lorber Fusion. The bassist's slap technique mesmerized me. A guy by the name of Kenneth Bruce Gorelick may or may not have been in the band. Everything about the gig knocked me out.
The young women I encountered in high school several years later dazzled me in entirely different ways. One of them was named Carol Duboc. She's since forged a career as a California-based songwriter and vocalist. Smile, Duboc's new album, was co-produced by Lorber. The project's smooth sound is highly recommended to fans of Brenda Russell, Michael Franks and Patti Austin. Here's the sunny video for the title track.
While I'm tempted to ask Duboc if she attended that Lorber concert in the 1970s, I'm not sure I want to know the answer. I walked to the show with my best friend Rob. My appreciation of Lorber's performance- to say nothing of my relationship with Rob- might have been jeopardized had a blonde caught my eye that summer evening.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
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