Album Review: Mike Dillon, Earl Harvin and Arnold Young- Universal Pulse

I’d rather escort a gaggle of screaming children to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese’s than listen to a 71-minute recording of three percussionists improvising.  Yet my aversion to the concept dissipates when the musicians in question are Mike Dillon, Earl Harvin and Arnold Young.  Universal Pulse, a 2004 session professionally recorded in Kansas City and released by the netlabel Muteant Sounds last month, is nothing like a self-indulgent drum circle.  The elite percussionists wield a variety of instruments and reference rhythms from several cultures, but Universal Pulse isn’t a dreaded world music project.  Some of the best bits sound like a mob of preternaturally funky children banging on pots and pans.  Chuck E. Cheese’s is going to have to wait.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Arnold Young’s Live at Westport Coffee House Theater was released on October 5.

*”007”, a new song by Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle, is available at iTunes.

*Marilyn Maye begins a seven-performance residency at Quality Hill Playhouse on November 1.

*Scott Yanow reviewed Bobby Watson’s Made in America for Chris Burnett’s new site.

*The municipal government of Kansas City created a brief promotional video about the “Legacy Plays On” exhibition at the American Jazz Museum.

*My detractors are encouraged to consider my statement of purpose regarding criticism of locally based artists.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Rick Hellman- Bucking for @HappyInBag Tweet O' the Week; Creighton Organization knocking 'em out @theshipkc (photo)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

* Hermon Mehari is the subject of feature story in the latest issue of Downbeat magazine.

*Joe Klopus highlights Changing the Tune: The Kansas City Women’s Jazz Festival, 1978-1985 in his weekly column.  A Seattle radio station published a review of the new book.

*Eddie Moore was interviewed by a reporter for UMKC’s student newspaper.

*A pair of new tracks by Arnold Young are available at Bandcamp.

*Jim Mair was honored with a 2017 UMKC Alumni Award.

*The Brian Blade Fellowship has been added to the lineup of the Kansas City Jazz and Heritage Festival.

*Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, John Medeski and Larry Grenadier will perform material from their new album Hudson at Yardley Hall on October 15.

*Tim Finn examined Sean Mawhirter’s journey from jazz to tango.

*Chelsea Emuakhagbon reviewed UMKC Jazz Night.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Eddie Moore- Lawd some of the most beautiful black women are in Brooklyn!

*From a press release: The KU Jazz Studies Program and its students were awarded top honors in the 40th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards. The KU Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dan Gailey, was recognized with the Graduate College Outstanding Performances honor in the category for large jazz ensembles. DownBeat also recognized the work of Brock Chart, a music composition graduate student from Salina. For his composition “Down to the Wire,” Chart was awarded the Graduate College Outstanding Compositions honor in the category for original compositions for large ensembles… Under Gailey’s leadership, the KU Jazz Studies Program has received 25 DownBeat Student Music Awards since 1992.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Hey Arnold!

A new video profile tells me (almost) everything I wanted to know about Arnold Young but was afraid to ask.  Partly because he favors adventurous sounds, the Kansas City drummer performs infrequently in conventional jazz venues.  As Young suggests in the video: “I’m not trying to recreate what happened in 1965.”

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Westchase Grille, a Leawood restaurant that regularly featured live jazz, has closed.

*Joe Dimino recently interviewed bassist and composer Bill McKemy for his Neon Jazz program.

*The jazz scene in Kansas City is in the midst of a "relative calm," according to KCJazzLark.

*The Kansas City Star published a review of the Monterey Jazz Festival 55th Anniversary Tour performance at the Gem Theater.

*Here's a set of videos that document the Black House Collective's recent performance at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

*Jerry Dodgion, a veteran musician who's coming to town with Rob Scheps next week, is the subject of a feature by Joe Klopus. 

*Comment o' the Week: Cb- ... After a while, this becomes the case, no matter how much you love those tunes, it is still someone covering those artists' original work. I have simply come to the conclusion as an artist, to play more of my own music. I think that is a natural progression in modern jazz. At least it is what those above did.  Covering popular songs of the day is another matter. That has been don in every era. Remember Herbie Hancock doing it? Next Collective is doing a great job with the popular songs of their day. I think it is cool if that moves you.  But, in jazz, it does indeed come down to improvisation and the musical idiosyncrasies of the respective artists. There is no avoiding this paradigm, regardless the cyclical vehicle or song form we are discussing at the moment.  Just my $0.02. Peace, Cb

*Tweet o' the Week: Ambrose Akinmusire- Kansas City !!! #awwmannowitsgatestime

*From Pete Williams: Esteemed drummer Arnold Young plays at YJ's Snack Bar every Wednesday night, usually from 8 to 10, with guests TBD. Last night he played with Mark Southerland and myself.

*From Jim Mair: KCKCC Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos 1 and 2 directed by Jim Mair with the KC High school all stars directed by Hermon Mehari.  Wednesday April 3, 7:00 to 8:30pm.  Unity on the Plaza. Spirituality and all that Jazz.  $7.  The multi-award winning KCKCC Jazz Ensemble will headline the evening.  This 17 piece big band directed by Jim Mair recently received #1 ratings at the KU and Pittsburg State Jazz Festivals.  The KCKCC Jazz Combo 1 and 2 also directed by Mair will also perform. These groups also received # 1 ratings at at KU and Pitt State.  Topping off the evening will be the most acclaimed trumpeter in our town, Hermon Mehari leading the Kansas City High  School Jazz All Stars. This group was hand selected from the very best high school players in the metro.

*From Chris Hazelton: Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7 will be making it's debut at the Kill Devil Club on April 12th from 10pm-1am.  The group will be focusing on funky dance grooves popular in the late 60's and 70's a la Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Lonnie Smith, and will also have some original compositions and arrangements of recent pop tunes.  As of now, the entire repertoire is different from my trio except for one tune.  Here is the lineup: Nick Howell - Trumpet, Nick Rowland - Tenor Sax, Brett Jackson - Baritone Sax, Matt Hopper - Guitar, Kevin Frazee - Drums, Gary Helm - Congas & Percussion, Chris Hazelton - Hammond B-3 Organ

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)