Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Sam Zeff of KCUR reports on the latest twists and turns at the American Jazz Museum.

*The Kansas City Star’s Bill Turque assessed the City Council’s manuevering pertaining to the American Jazz Museum.

*A PBS panel discusses the American Jazz Museum at the 18:30 mark of the latest episode of Ruckus.

*The editorial board of The Kansas City Star infers that the ongoing turmoil surrounding the American Jazz Museum is a “distraction” that threatens to divert attention for citizen’s immediate needs.

*Michael Shults suggests that a “growing faction of ‘pretenders’ who wear fedoras and other ‘jazz hats’, make great looking gig flyers, and essentially act like a caricature of a JAZZ CAT on stage are gaining influence as well as an undue portion of the available gigs
in a provocative blog post.

*Joe Klopus surveys the week in jazz for The Kansas City Star.

*Deborah Brown and Joe Dimino chatted about the upcoming “Building Cultural Bridges Through Jazz” concert at the Gem Theater.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Kemet the Phantom- Pre-order my new single Fake It Till I Make It (feat. Kemet the Phantom & Hermon Mehari) by Marcus Lewis Big Band. Super honored to be a part of what I feel like will change the course of history.

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- Thanks for linking the vintage interview with Jay McShann. I loved that man.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Charles Williams Trio at First Baptist Church

Charles Williams declared that “I’m a real fun person” at the outset of his concert in the Jazz Vespers series at First Baptist Church on Sunday, May 27.  He validated the assertion with two convivial sets of melodic jazz.

Backed by bassist DeAndre Manning and drummer Mike Warren, the keyboardist focused on material from his new album Flavors of Jazz.  The lovely original composition “Macheé” and a bossa nova arrangement of “Chelsea Bridge” were particularly satisfying.

About 100 people heard Williams namecheck the Crusaders, Ahmad Jamal and  Grover Washington Jr. as inspirations.  The influence of those artists is apparent in the soulful urbanity of Williams’ sound.  His bandmates were ideal accompanists. Warren played like a sentient metronome.  A couple of Manning’s funky solos were so deliciously greasy that they shouldn’t have been allowed in church.  Williams’ unaccompanied reading of “Amazing Grace” acted as penance for Manning’s unsanctified outbursts.

In her ten-minute sermon at the intermission, Rev. Dezo Desauguste asserted that following God’s path “feels so right... feels so natural... feels so effortless.”  The same can be said of the rewarding music of Williams, Manning and Warren.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Charles Perkins

One of Kansas City’s most talented saxophonists is introduced as “the one, the only, the original Charles Perkins” in the embedded footage captured at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.  Perkins will appear in the late-night gig at the Green Lady Lounge on Tuesday, May 29.  Details are available at the Kansas City Jazz Calendar.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Laura Spencer of KCUR and Bill Turque of The Kansas City Star report on developments concerning the reorganization of the American Jazz Museum.  The editorial board of The Kansas City Star expresses displeasure with the latest news.

*A La Mode is featured in The Pitch.

*Jeff Shirley was interviewed by a representative of Johnson County Library.

*Deborah Brown, Bobby Watson, Sylswester Ostrowski and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra will perform at a concert titled Building Cultural Bridges Through Jazz at the Gem Theater on May 31.

*Teddy Dibble recalls Sun Ra’s 1982 residency in Kansas City at the 12:50 mark of his vinyl-oriented video.

*An engaging interview with Jay McShann was recently made available.  (Tip via Marc Myers.)

*Dean Minderman examines Jazz St. Louis’ 2018-19 bookings.  Highlights include the Bad Plus, Lonnie Smith and Chucho Valdes.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Holly Forsman- Donated a rare Charlie Parker album of 78s to the Kansas City Jazz Museum. Didn't want them to wind up in a garage sale when I died. They kindly made me CDS as a thank you.

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- Cheptoo is now history with The American Jazz Museum. Perhaps she'll come crawling back here to the library.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Harold O'Neal- Piano Cinema

A player piano in a Wild West saloon that emits the melodies of contemporary rock songs is a curious detail in HBO’s reboot of “Westworld.”  In much the same way, Harold O’Neal’s new solo album Piano Cinema is an unlikely combination of vintage and progressive sounds. 

Born in Tanzania and raised in Kansas City, O’Neal is the nephew of Pete O’Neal, the controversial exile who once led the Black Panthers in Kansas City. 

Piano Cinema often sounds as if a hologram of Art Tatum is paying tribute to Scott Joplin.  While “Jukebox Motion” echoes the rendition of “In a Sentimental Mood” on the 1963 album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane, much of Piano Cinema evokes the classical impressionism of Claude Debussy.

A curious sound field gives Piano Cinema a unique ambience.  While the music is serene on the surface, the album’s uneasy undercurrent might compel anyone who chooses to unwind to Piano Cinema to meditate with one eye open.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Marcus Lewis Big Band

Kansas City is home to at least five big bands.  Only the expansive ensemble led by trombonist Marcus Lewis incorporates hip-hop elements into its mix.  Lewis’ group performs at Westport Coffee House on Thursday, May 17.  The Kansas City Jazz Calendar, a comprehensive guide to the area’s scene, lists dozens of additional gigs in the second half of May.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner of the American Jazz Museum, vocalist Deborah Brown and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra are featured in a Polish publication.

*Kansas City drummer Jerry Pollock was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*Joe Klopus surveys the week in jazz for The Kansas City Star.

*A television reporter informs viewers of today’s legislative meeting regarding the direction of the beleaguered American Jazz Museum.

*Tweet o’ the Week: American Jazz Museum- OTD in 1953, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach made history by recording the live jazz album, The Quintet-Jazz at Massey Hall, in Toronto. Stop by AJM to pay tribute to Charlie Parker’s Grafton saxophone played on this historic day!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Todd Strait- There'll Be Some Changes Made

Todd Strait is one of the Kansas City jazz scene’s most valuable sideman.  The drummer's presence on a date lends instant prestige while his playing guarantees a phenomenal sense of swing.  Yet he’s relatively unknown outside of jazz circles.

There’ll Be Some Changes Made, Strait’s first album as leader, should increase his visibility.  The mainstream recording shows why he was an essential member of the touring bands led by jazz notables Karrin Allyson, Eldar Djangirov and Kevin Mahogany.  (Djangirov is the album’s mixing engineer.)

The 66-minute project features a few guest appearances, but Strait works with pianist Bill Mays and bassist Bob Bowman on almost every track.  Three selections are particularly rewarding.  An interpretation of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” is delightful.  “Kids Are Pretty People” showcases Strait’s impeccable tastefulness. The feisty dialogue between Strait and Bowman on “Tiptoe” provide the best moments of There'll Be Some Changes Made.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Chris Neville at Black Dolphin

Five of the seven musicians in the embedded video filmed 23 years ago have died.  Only pianist Chris Neville and saxophonist Plas Johnson survive.  The Boston based Neville performs at Black Dolphin on Monday, May 14.  He’ll be accompanied by bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Todd Strait.  The Kansas City Jazz Calendar lists 68 gigs between today and Neville’s outing.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Anne Kniggendorf of KCUR interviewed Brad Cox and Jeff Harshbarger in a preview of the People’s Liberation Big Band’s performance on Saturday, May 11.

*Doug Ramsey recommends Todd Strait’s new album There’ll Be Some Changes Made.

*Chuck Haddix considers the woes of the American Jazz Museum.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Phil Schaap- I get asked about the young musicians a lot and it’s possible that I diminish their propers by always pointing out that what’s desperately needed is young listeners  … and lots of them.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Uriel Herman Quartet at Black Dolphin

A concert by the SFJazz Collective wasn’t the best jazz performance I took in on Friday, April 27.  At Black Dolphin, a relatively unheralded Israeli quartet led by Uriel Herman played with more urgency than the all-star band at the Folly Theater.

Unencumbered from the strictures of America’s jazz tradition, Herman’s group resembled insolent heretics as they performed untoward acts on a form that’s often treated like a fragile antique by their American counterparts.  Pianist Herman, saxophonist and flautist Uriel Weinberger, bassist Avri Borochov and drummer Haim Peskoff exuded correspondingly rebellious swagger.  Even when Borochov wasn’t playing oud, the quartet incorporated Mediterranean elements into their foolhardy sound.

The setlist of the second set included the original compositions “Hour of the Wolf” and “White Night” as well as fresh interpretations of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things”.

A group of about a dozen tipsy men and women literally stumbled into the never-a-cover-charge venue at 10:45 p.m. In thrall of the quartet, a few of the unsuspecting celebrants appeared to fall in love with jazz for the first time.  At least one old hand felt his passion for the form rekindled by the Israeli musicians after the lukewarm outing by the SFJazz Collective had dampened his enthusiasm earlier that evening.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Joe Policastro Trio

Few developments on the Midwestern jazz scene would be more welcome than an ongoing exchange of musicians between Chicago and Kansas City.  The appearances of the Chicago based Joe Policastro Trio at Black Dolphin on Friday, May 4, and at the Reserve Restaurant & Lounge at the Ambassador Hotel on Saturday, May 5, are a promising step in that direction.  The guitarist’s group interprets the theme song of Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 film in the embedded video.  The Kansas City Jazz Calendar lists more than 75 additional gigs this weekend.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Gale Tallis announced the lineup of the 2018-19 Folly Jazz Series before the SFJazz Collective concert on Friday.  It consists of appearances by Ramsey Lewis, Kandace Springs, Kurt Elling, Joshua Redman, the Yellowjackets and Arturo Sandoval. 

*Laura Spencer documents a Kansas City Council committee meeting in which it was determined that Executive Director Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner and all but three board members would resign.  She also solicited the opinions of Kansas City jazz musicians.

*A public television panel considers the departure of Kositany-Buckner at the 5:00-minute mark of a recent program.

*Toriano Porter opines that “Kansas City is so closely associated with jazz that it would be shameful if apathy imperiled the future of (the American Jazz Museum)” for The Kansas City Star.

*Harold O’Neal created an EPK for his forthcoming Piano Cinema album.

*Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will perform a world premiere at the Lied Center on October 11.  The commissioned piece honors 15 people associated with the University of Kansas' basketball program.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Tony- It Was International Jazz Day In Kansas City And Nobody Cared . . . (link)

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- Sure is great news to see Logan on the fabulous Tiny Desk Series.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated with a thorough listing of May’s gigs.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)