Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes























*"Kansas City, this home to jazz with institutions and a tradition other cities can envy, is mired in minor festivals," KC Jazz Lark suggests in a powerful new post.

*The Kansas City Star reports that the Smooth J Cafe in Overland Park will have a smooth jazz theme.

*Here's footage of Winard Harper jamming at the Mutual Musicians Foundation earlier this month.

*Logan Richardson's talent as an actor is displayed in a clip from a new film.

*Tweet o' the Week: kellyurich- Jazz in the Woods cancelled. If you're a hipster you will have to find another place to pretend to like jazz music.

*Comment o' the Week: Tony DeSare- Lol, I would have expected exactly this reaction from the Journey cover from the jazzerati. You would have been slightly better off posting this one probably.

*From a press release: Alaadeen Enterprises (AEI), the non-profit education organization founded in 1998 by the late Ahmad Alaadeen – jazz musician and educator – plans to re-launch its jazz educational initiative on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 (his 79th birthday) at 11 AM at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, where he started his career as a Kansas City jazz musician.  The purpose of this event is to highlight AEI, its vision, and plans; to introduce its new Executive Director, Dennis J. Winslett, and to announce its major educational initiatives, including its Bird House Fellowship Program, which will develop a select group of music students through a comprehensive arts and humanities curriculum in workshops scheduled throughout the year, based on the Alaadeen Method of Instruction™…  The event is free to the public and is intended to attract local media coverage, to engage the broader jazz and arts community, and to launch a comprehensive strategic plan to revive jazz education in Kansas City.  The event will feature tributes from some of Kansas City’s most prominent jazz musicians and educators, who were taught and/or influenced by Ahmad Alaadeen, including Kevin Mahogany, Dennis Winslett, Logan Richardson, Bobby Watson, and more.  Several of their students, representing three generations of Kansas City jazz musicians, will perform Alaadeen's original compositions….

*From Michael Shults: (W)anted to tell you about a new project I'm working on, playing duets with Peter Schlamb.  Our first gig is Sunday (June 23) at Take Five at 7 PM. We'll do some originals by Peter and I, probably cover "Vaal" from Logan Richardson's album "Ethos", and some standards. It's definitely at the experiment stage right now, but it's a lot of fun and I think alto+vibes is a really unique sonority.

*From Kerry Strayer: Because of health concerns related to my cancer treatments I will not be able to appear with Barissentials this Friday, June 21, 2013 at Take 5 from 8-10pm.  However the band will appear with tenor saxophonist Steve Lambert subbing for me. I may stop by and sit in on a few tunes if I feel up to it but I will not be able to play the entire gig.  Please support the band and the venue. I hope I feel well enough to stop by and hope to reschedule this date at another time.

*From Mike Metheny: A KC Trumpet Summit at The Blue Room with: Stan Kessler, Hermon Mehari & Mike Metheny, featuring: TJ Martley, piano, Gerald Spaits, bass, Brian Steever, drums,  Saturday, June 29, 2013, 8:30pm - 12:30am.

*From Jazz Winterlude: Here's news: Jazz Winterlude and the JCCC Performing Arts Series invite you to two jazz performances in June: The Tyrone Clark Trio will perform on Monday, June 24 at noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Regnier Center Atrium on campus. On Wednesday, June 26, Gerald Spaits and Charles Perkins will perform from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in that space. The concerts are free, and Cafe Tempo will offer a free drink to those who purchase an entree (delicious!) between noon and 1:00 p.m. on those days. Join us for some fun!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

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