Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Plastic Sax is pleased to unveil the unveil the lineup of the 2015 edition of the Prairie Village Jazz Festival.  The September 12 event will be headlined by the pairing of the McFadden Brothers and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.  Angela Hagenbach, Matt Kane and the Kansas City Generations Sextet, Horacescope, Tyrone Clark and True Dig, the Peter Schlamb Quartet and the Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights round out the lineup.  Set times, complete personnel listings and details about the price of admission are at the conclusion of this post.

*The initial offerings at the new site Inside Jazz Kansas City include essays by Michael Shults on jazz pedagogy, Stan Kessler on versatility and Clint Ashlock on friendship.

*KC Jazz Lark documents a performance by the trio of Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas and Brian Steever at the Blue Room.

*The AM Trio was featured on KCUR’s weekly Local Listen segment.

*ARC Week at the Blue Room was highlighted by Joe Klopus. The Pitch also recommends the concert series.

*Ink notes the return of Krystle Warren.

*Pat Metheny: The Unity Sessions will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on September 18.

*The Kansas City Star reports on a new study that examines the link between the Crossroads and Jazz districts.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Gaslight Grill- We have a few tables available for tonight's performance by The New Red Onion Jazz Babies! Call 913-897-3540 to make reservations!

*Comment o' the Week: Gary- It was nice of Charlie Watts to remind the city of its jazz heritage. I wonder if that many of the concert-goers realized that.

*The Prairie Village Jazz Festival
Saturday, September 12, 2015
$5 Admission (18 years of age and under, free)

2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights
This band’s rich tradition includes being named a finalist in the Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Competition, with an invitation to perform in Lincoln Center.
               
3:20 – 4:10 p.m. Peter Schlamb Quartet
Peter Schlamb, vibraphone, Hermon Mehari, trumpet, Karl McComas-Reichl, bass, John Kizilarmut, drums
These young Kansas City musicians have toured the Midwest performing original compositions and be-bop standards behind the unique voicing of trumpet and vibes.
               
4:30 – 5:20 p.m. Tyrone Clark and True Dig
Tyrone Clark, bass, Lisa Henry, vocals, Charles Williams, piano, Charles Gatschet, guitar, Michael Warren, drums
Tyrone played bass with both of last year’s headline acts. This year he brings his own stellar ensemble, including vocalist Lisa Henry.
               
5:40 – 6:30 p.m. Horacescope
Stan Kessler, trumpet, David Chael, saxophone, Roger Wilder, piano, James Albright, bass, Sam Wisman, drums
With a group of Kansas City jazz masters led by trumpeter Stan Kessler, Horacescope plays the music of noted pianist and composer Horace Silver.
               
6:50 – 7:40 p.m. Matt Kane and the Kansas City Generations Sextet
Matt Kane, drums, Michael Shults, alto saxophone, Steve Lambert, tenor saxophone and flute, Hermon Mehari, trumpet, Andrew Ouellette, piano, Ben Leifer, bass
Matt Kane saw the incredible young talent dominating KC jazz today and gathered some of the best into his Generations Sextet. Their new CD presents their take on compositions by Pat Metheny, Bobby Watson and Ahmad Alaadeen. This show is their exclusive Kansas City engagement.
               
8:00 – 8:55 p.m. Angela Hagenbach
Angela Hagenbach, vocals, Roger Wilder, piano, Danny Embrey, guitar, Zach Beeson, bass, Doug Auwarter, drums
Angela Hagenbach’s magnificent voice has been a Kansas City favorite for over two decades. It’s about time we showcase her in this festival!
               
9:15 – 10:30 p.m. The McFadden Brothers with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
Lonnie and Ronnie McFadden, tap dancers, with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra directed by Clint Ashlock
The tap dancing McFadden Brothers, a Kansas City treasure, have toured with the Count Basie Orchestra. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is KC’s premiere big band, performing a subscription series at The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. We put the McFaddens and the Orchestra together for a festival finale that promises to be loaded with energy and wildly fun, no subscription necessary.
           
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The late Kerry Strayer took 19th place in the category of best baritone saxophonist in the 2015 Downbeat Critic’s Poll.  Also of note: Pat Metheny came in fifth in the guitarist category.  Kevin Mahogany was voted the 15th best male vocalist.  Karrin Allyson was named the 13th best female vocalist.  Other musicians with Kansas City connections appeared in the Rising Star subsection: the People’s Liberation Big Band (big band, 21st place) Eldar Djangirov (piano, 20th place), Chris Hazelton (organist, 19th place), Mike Dillon (vibraphone, 20th place).  Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Charlie Parker-inspired Bird Calls took Album of the Year.

*Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle’s Live In Kansas City album is available now.

*The AM Trio’s As of Now album has an official release date of June 30.

*KCUR published a detailed review of Dominique Sanders’ A True Story Based On…

*Joe Klopus runs down the week’s top jazz events in his latest column.

*Chris Burnett interviewed Marcus Hampton.

*”Kansas City’s oldest, most successful and least respected jazz festival" is examined by KC Jazz Lark.  He documented a portion of Saturday’s concerts at Jazz in the Woods.

*A television station produced a report on the Mutual Musicians Foundation’s plans for a radio station.  The station also aired a feature about KC Jazz Tours.

*KCUR reports on the 2nd Annual American Jazz Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

*ARC Label Week at the Blue Room will feature “two 90-minute concerts” on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. 

*Richie Pratt is memorialized by Chris Burnett.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Wendy Peffercorn- so basically I plan on spending my Saturday afternoon hunting down @MickJagger in Kansas City. First stop, American Jazz Museum.

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous - I hope your lukewarm review of the OJT CD doesn't discourage people from going to the Green Lady to support this great trio. Their live sets are much more adventurous than the CD. It's always a blast. I liked the line in Roger Atkinson's review of this CD (in a recent JAM magazine) where he mentions that hearing the OJT theme at the GL makes him want to grab another drink and stay for the next set. I can relate to that!

*From a press release: Bram Wijnands with Tim Whitmer & The Consort Band at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1.  $7. Bram Wijnands began playing piano at an early age in Eindhoven, the Netherlands... In July 1991, Bram made his debut on the KC Jazz scene at the City Light Jazz Club with Kansas City’s own Richard Ross.

*From Lisa Engelken: This Saturday is the celebration: the CD Release with a live debut of Little Warrior at Take Five Coffee + Bar: Saturday, June 27th… The Band: Kansas City's finest:  Roger Wilder on piano and Gerald Spaits on bass will be joining SF (by way of UK) drummer Matthew Swindells and myself.

(Original image of the salsa band 5ta Eskina busking in Santiago, Chile, last week by Plastic Sax.)