Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Pam Hider Johnson promoted a series of Charlie Parker-related events on Kansas City's official YouTube channel.  (Via Tony’s Kansas City.)

*Joe Klopus notes the commencement of the annual Charlie Parker-related functions in his column for The Kansas City Star.  Larry Kopitnik highlights the annual observation for The Pitch.

*KANU won Jazz Week's Station of the Year award in the category of "stations with fewer than 40 hours" of weekly jazz programming.

*Kurt Elling will perform with the Branford Marsalis Quartet at Helzberg Hall on May, 11, 2017.

*Carol Duboc’s new album Open the Curtains was reviewed at All About Jazz.

*Tweet o’ the Week: McClain Johnson- Nels Cline was tearing up the solo in "Impossible Germany" last night. A full moon was glowing in the sky as the breeze was wafting through.

*Comment o’ the Week: Dean Minderman- I'm glad to see positive comments about David Sanborn, who's a fine musician and seems to be a genuinely decent person. But I've got to push back a bit against the notion that he's a deliberate knock-off of Maceo Parker.  Sanborn has said many times (including to me when I interviewed him a few years back) that his thing is heavily influenced by Hank Crawford and David "Fathead" Newman… (continued at link)

*From a press release: This year’s Kansas City’s Charlie Parker Celebration 2016 at the American Jazz Museum commemorates the 96th anniversary of the birth of legendary jazz great Charlie Parker with… a presentation by Dr. Ron McCurdy… who speaks on The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker on Thursday, August 18, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. in the Atrium of the American Jazz Museum. A 6 p.m. public reception precedes the program. Admission is free.  Complementing McCurdy’s talk, will be the unveiling of a new temporary exhibit titled A Musician in the Making: Charlie Parker in Kansas City, 1920-42. The five-panel traveling display, created from the collections of the American Jazz Museum and other archives… McCurdy’s presentation also kicks off the Museum’s new speaker series, called Riffing on the Repertoire that will bring top jazz scholars and authors to the 18th & Vine Jazz District throughout the rest of 2016. The lineup features noted authority Ted Gioia… and… Rashida Briggs.

*From a publicist: Seattle area saxophone and flute master Mark Lewis will be in Kansas City to play at the Majestic with Bram Wijnands on Aug. 26 and 27.  Mark’s new CD The New York Session is ready for listening! We will have it with us on the tour, though it won’t be officially released and promoted until January… The CD features Mark on alto sax and flute, George Cables on piano, Victor Lewis on drums and Essiet Essiet on bass.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star reports that the $27 million funding initiative for the Jazz District has stalled.

*The 2016 edition of the Parkville River Jam, an annual festival that has traditionally featured jazz and blues artists, has been cancelled.   The Parkville Rock & Roll festival has sprung up in its place. 

*A critic for The Kansas City Star reviewed last night’s concert by Béla Fleck & the Flecktones at Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

*The Pitch’s jazz columnist highlights Tim Whitmer’s longstanding association with the Phoenix.

*KC Jazz Lark promotes the 30th anniversary issue of Jam magazine.

*Chris Burnett continues his "real time album project release clinic" for the forthcoming album by the Dino Massa Kansas City Quartet.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Jay Farrar- Spending the weekend in the old Jazz District of KC and the hospitality of the locals is the antithesis of staying for Grand Prix in MTL.

*Comment o’ the Week: BGO- I hope you're right about Cheptoo. I met her in the summer of 1996 when I got my first part-time job at KCPL.

*From a press release: I am pleased to announce the forthcoming new CD by multi-talented contemporary jazz vocalist/pianist/composer/producer Carol Duboc, Open the Curtains, with an all star girl power cast of musicians celebrating the enduring power of women, scheduled for release August 19th, 2016.  Duboc, who has been first call for such heavyweights Maurice White, Teddy Riley and George Duke, has assembled a star-studded line-up of musicians, who not only happen to be women but who are also some of the baddest musicians to grace this planet --  including percussionist Sheila E., pianist/ vocalist Patrice Rushen, saxophonist Mindi Abair, guitarists Bibi McGill and Jennifer Batten, drummer Queen Cora Coleman, bassist Rhonda Smith and trombonist and singer Aubrey Logan.

*From the site of the Mutual Musicians Foundation: The Mutual Musicians Foundation International is excited to present the Legacy 627 Music Awards. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment of the Arts, ART WORKS. Enjoy the night as we we gather together surviving musicians who once belonged to segregated musicians unions in America. As we honor  their presence, remember their journeys and their contributions to art and culture globally; we enshrine them in this ceremony to remember Local 627, now known as  the Mutual Musicians Foundation, 1823 Highland Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri, a National Historic Landmark.  Our night begins with heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks from 6PM - 7PM; with the awards ceremony immediately following from  7PM - 9PM.  Friday, June 17, 2016. $30.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

 *The Topeka Capital Journal reports that the 2015-16 season of the Topeka Jazz Concert Series (formerly the Topeka Jazz Workshop) includes an appearance by Karrin Allyson.

*A television station produced a glowing feature about the young saxophonist Houston Smith.

*The Pitch touts the final show at the second incarnation of Take Five Coffee + Bar.

*Eddie Moore was interviewed by a representative of KTBG.

*KC Jazz Lark commemorates his blog’s sixth anniversary with a set of photos.

*Paul Roberts lists his favorite albums.

*Marilyn Maye will perform seven shows at the Quality Hill Playhouse in September.

*Harold O’Neal’s new highlight reel includes his work on tracks for artists including Murs, Busta Rhymes and Angelique Kidjo.

*The members of a touring rock band documents their experiences in the Jazz District and at the Green Lady Lounge.  (The relevant portion of their adventure begins at around the 5:30 mark.)

*”Wavelength” is Carol Duboc’s latest music video.

*Mark Guiliana is among Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Brett Jackson- Thank you, wristband. Your approval means the world to me. #vip @ Green Lady Lounge (photo)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Carol Duboc- Smile

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.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Pat Metheny's recording of John Zorn's Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 will be released May 21.

*KCJazzLark considers the ongoing evolution of Kansas City's jazz scene.

*A critic for The Guardian lauds a recent London performance by Bobby Watson.

*Hunter Long provides an update on the Black House Collective's ambitious new project.

*Eldar's recent activities are monitored by Pamela Espeland.

*"Kansas City's signature art form continues 'The Long Goodnight' as jazz becomes just another dead language they teach at UMKC, like Latin or American Literature," Tony Botello suggests in a Jardine's-related post.

*Joe Sample's conversation with Steve Kraske is archived here.

*Comment o' the Week: Thomas- We're not playing with musicians in mind. We're playing for the people that paid to get in and are spending their hard earned money. The guy who writes our check prefers it that way.

*Tweet o' the Week: Classic Las Vegas- Its 1965 in #Vegas and if you want to know how hot a ticket Sinatra with Count Basie at the Sands was, read this. (newspaper clipping).

*From a press release: Since her emergence onto the adult contemporary/urban jazz scene in the early 2000s, Carol Duboc has generously shared her wisdom and insight about love and romance in song-via both compelling original material and uniquely stylized covers of pop classics, as on her most recent recordings Songs For Lovers (2008) and Burt Bacharach Songbook (2009).  On her multi-faceted new album Smile, the sultry singer and songwriter-who penned songs for top pop/R&B artists like Patti Labelle, Chante Moore, Stephanie Mills and Jade before emerging as a solo artist-goes deeper emotionally than ever before…  Duboc co-produced Smile (and co-wrote all but one of its songs) with GRAMMY® nominated keyboardist, recording artist, composer and producer Jeff Lorber…  (Here's a music video for "Smile", a track from the forthcoming album.)

*From Jim Mair: One of Kansas City’s best known and most popular pianists, Tim Whitmer, will headline the last in the 2012-13 “Jazz by the Lake” series at Kansas City Kansas Community College Thursday, April 4.  The director of the “Spirituality and All That Jazz” programs at Unity on the Plaza, Whitmer will perform from noon-1 p.m. in Conference Center adjacent to the Campus Lake on the KCKCC campus at 7250 State Avenue.  Whitmer will be joined by Grammy-nominated guitarist Rod Fleeman and James Albright on bass with jazz saxophonist and KCKCC Jazz Band Director Jim Mair expected to make cameo appearances. “A toe-tapping great time,” promises Mair. The performance is open to the public without charge.   Light lunch is served.

*From Jim Mair #2: One of the most important trumpet players/composers in the world will present a master class at KCKCC in the band room.  (Dave Douglas) will also be joined by drummer Rudy Royston.  Monday April 8. 10am till noon.  $5.00 admission.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A recent Plastic Sax commenter suggested that the Phoenix would soon reopen. And sure enough, a notice in the Star confirms it. The last line in the piece references live music. Hurrah!

*Joe Klopus previews Eldar's five-day run at Jardine's.

*Hearne Christopher, Jr., catches up with Carol Duboc.

*Kelley Hunt, an artist largely associated with blues and roots-rock, has a "Back to Kansas City"-themed gig Saturday at the Blue Room.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)