Concert Review: The Will Matthews Quintet at Open Spaces

I didn’t detect a trace of irony in Dan Cameron’s introduction for the Will Matthews Quintet’s performance at Swope Park on Saturday, October 20.  Cameron, the artistic director of the Open Spaces festival, insisted that “Kansas City is a jazz town.”  The ten people who showed up for the free show were outnumbered by Open Spaces staffers, volunteers and craft vendors. 

Matthews reminded the members of the intimate gathering that he’s played guitar with the Count Basie Orchestra for the last 22 years during a set that opened with an interpretation of “In a Mellow Tone.”  The sentiment expressed in the title of the Duke Ellington composition encapsulates Matthews’ accommodating swing.

Trombonist Louis Neal, keyboardist Matt Villinger and drummer Clarence Smith matched Matthews’ unhurried approach.  The woefully undervalued saxophonist Charles Perkins had other ideas.  Perkins’ intense evocation of Eric Dolphy averted any sense of routine complacency in the lightly attended but enormously satisfying outing.

(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.

Concert Review: Gerald Spaits' Sax & Violins

A solo by Charles Perkins over a bed of strings on Duke Ellington’s “Heaven” at the Westport CoffeeHouse on Thursday was one of the most divine things I’ve heard in recent months. 

The saxophonist's sublime effort was part of the second concert by Gerald Spaits’ Sax & Violins ensemble.  The bassist’s group includes a string quartet, saxophonists Perkins and Rich Wheeler and drummer Brian Steever.

My fear that the arrangements would favor treacly compromises was unwarranted.  Nothing I heard during the 30 minutes I spent among the 40 people who paid a $10 cover charge was overly sentimental.

A swinging solo by violinist Adam Galblum and a robust tandem statement from the saxophonists were among the other highlights.  Sax & Violins has claimed a spot near the top of the list of my favorite bands in Kansas City.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A "Tactical Social Media Promo Kit" designed to draw attention to this month's "Charlie Parker Celebration" is praised in the Kansas City Business Journal.  KC Jazz Lark extolls the effort and points out a related item Rick Hellman wrote for Downbeat.

*The Mid-America Arts Alliance is presenting a free concert by Vine Street Rumble on Friday, September 5.

*A gig by Clint Ashlock's Forward is sanctioned by The Pitch.

*Chris Burnett riffs on the memorization and recreation of classic works. 

*Tweet o' the Week: Fredric Sims- I think I am falling in love with jazz again! @GreenLadyLounge! #JazzTrio

*Comment o' the Week: Cb- Nice work. Reminds me lots of Logan Richardson.

*From Johnson County Community College: Two prominent area jazz musicians will perform at Johnson County Community College on Tuesday, Aug. 26, as part of a Kansas City celebration honoring Charlie “Yardbird” Parker. Bandleader and bassist Gerald Spaits and alto saxophonist Charles Perkins will play from noon to 1 p.m. in the college’s Atrium, the space between the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and the Regnier Center. The performance… is free and open to the public…

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Pitch provides a recap of last weekend's awards blowout.  Winners include the People's Liberation Big Band ("Best Jazz Ensemble"), Mark Lowrey ("Best Jazz Solo") and Hearts of Darkness ("Best Live Act").

*Darcus Gates, New Jazz Order, Will Matthews, Bobby Waston, Kerry Strayer, JWB and Ron Gutierrez are among the musicians scheduled to appear at the 14th Street Jazz Festival.  The free event is the same day as the Prairie Village Jazz Festival.

*Jeff Harshbarger, Plastic Sax's 2011 Person of the Year, pitches Kansas City in a spot for the Kansas City Area Development Council.

*Gerald Spaits and Charles Perkins are admired by KCJazzLark.

*Kristin Shafel Omiccioli previews several upcoming jazz events.

*A reviewer doesn't mention jazz in his endorsement of Take Five Coffee.

*People who choose to live that lifestyle should know that Guardian Alien performs Wednesday, August 15, at the RecordBar.

*Jazz Times provides additional details about this weekend's Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous- Are you saying Stan sounds most inspired when muffled?

*Tweet o' the Week: theprojecth- The Pitch didn't even mention us with the rest of the nominees in our category. Thanks Pitch! #pitchmusicawards

*From UMKC Theatre: “Kansas City Swing”- It’s Kansas City in the autumn of 1947 and Jackie Robinson has just integrated major league baseball. The Satchel Paige All-Stars from the Negro Leagues are gearing up to play the Bob Feller All-Stars from the Majors in a thrilling off-season match-up. But there’s a storm brewing. Baseball is about to change, and so is America. Directed by Ricardo Khan, this play is about some of the greatest stars of the Negro Leagues baseball era. It’s about jazz, and about the historic district at 18th and Vine. It’s a snapshot of America in extraordinary times and at the verge of extraordinary change. The show previews April 19 - 23 and runs April 24 – 28 at the Helen F. Spencer Theatre, Olson PAC. (Tip via R.H.)

*From Jim Mair: Auditions for  Kansas City High School All Stars Jazz Ensemble will take place on Wednesday August 29 between 6-9pm in the band room at KCKCC.  Audition material: Play Billies Bounce by Charlie Parker, Improvise in concert F Blues, Play a major scale of your choice full range of your instrument, Sight Reading.  The cost to perform in this group is $90. Payable at the first rehearsal on Wednesday September 5. The ensemble rehearses for ten weeks and will perform one or two concerts.  The director will be Origin recording Artist and ITG Competition winner Hermon Mehari.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Will Friedwald covered the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Harlem. Robert Glasper, Vanessa Rubin, Rashied Ali and other performed. Here's a snippet from Randy Weston's set. And a blogger shares some instructive shots.

*An exhibition titled Charlie Parker, From Birth To Death (no web site) opens Friday, August 29, at Penn Valley Community College. A press release promises "rare photographs depicting his musical life mixed with commentary by jazz greats who offer their views about his greatness." Try contacting the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center for more information.

*A jazz musician asked me to look into the jazz bookings at Sullivan's Steakhouse in Leawood. The new restaurant's manager offered the following reply to an email request for a performance calendar: "We should have a schedule to post by mid-September."

*Bar Natasha is closing. Although it was more a cabaret than a jazz venue, a number of jazz musicians frequently found work there.

*"Clubs are closing, musicians are changing their work and the surviving clubs are suspending their vision in lieu of the commercial, easy, and boring.. I feel like something new is on the horizon for this city I'm in..." Megan Birdsall confided in a blog post on August 22.

*Joe Klopus wrote an excellent appreciation of Charles Perkins (no web site). Perkins' sultry saxophone is heard on this video of a Fringe Festival performance. Jazz poet Dan Jaffe is also featured.

*Here's great news for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: A benefit CD featuring many of hip hop's top stars will be released October 21. Any money raised will be great, but the international awareness it will bring to the 18th & Vine institution will be invaluable.

*I intend to dedicate a full post to it later, but the new Jammin At the Gem season has been formally announced. Check it out here.

*Hey! There's now a web page for the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Juke House! There's nothing there, but it's a start anyway...

*Jazz photography by Bevery Rethkop (no web site) will be displayed at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Prairie Village. Details are on this church bulletin.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)