Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The work of the Coda Jazz Fund is lauded by The Kansas City Star.

*Additional live recordings of a band led by Jay McShann are unveiled by KCJazzLark.

*Another saxophone associated with Charlie Parker was slated to have been auctioned last weekend.  Here's a photo of the item that was expected to sell in the range of $22,000 to $26,000.

*Pat Metheny's The Orchestrion Project will be released on January 29.

*Chris Lewis calls Rahsaan Roland Kirk the "greatest jazz performer of all time" in an extended essay.

*Joe Dimino's interview with Hubert Laws touches on Kansas City once or twice.

*Tweet o' the Week: loveleehartley #Blue Room K City, Mo. Is the bomb! Thanks folks for getting me to Dance! Great Fun @AmericanJazzMuseum

*Comment o' the Week: Hunter- Black House- I think it is in extremely poor taste to criticize students who are in the early stages of their development and performing in a school setting. I also question your judgement that a critique of a student recital is worthy reading material. Even the UMKC student newspaper doesn't cover events like this.  Let's also keep in mind that school-assigned jazz combos are notoriously bad because most of the time the players don't get to choose who they play with or what material they get to play.  Feel free to criticize people who take your money and are actually being paid to perform. Spare the young and stuggling your half-assed musings on whether or not you think they're destined for greatness.

*Is Hunter right in suggesting that writing in general, non-specific terms about a public recital of university jazz students "is in extremely poor taste?  Feel free to join the angry mob here.

(Original image of the mirror ball from the original El Torrean Club on display at the Science of Rock exhibit at Union Station by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCJazzLark objects to changes recently made at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Chris Lewis conducted an excellent interview with Stan Kessler.

*Here's the EPK for T.J Martley's new Meditations Vol. 1 album.

*Pat Metheny is interviewed at All About Jazz.

*KCUR's 12th Street Jump conducted an online cutting contest.

*St. Louis Jazz Notes reports that Mike Metheny will perform in St. Louis on October 22.

*Road trip alert- Christian Scott, the artist responsible for Plastic Sax's probable pick for the best jazz album of 2012, will perform at St. Louis' Jazz at the Bistro on October 17-20.

*Tweet o' the Week: ShadesofJade4- Where is a good place preferably in KC to do a photoshoot for an album?

*Comment o' the Week: Sam- I don't think Brian is "fronting"....I think he is enjoying Ryan's amazing playing/keeping the bass drum from sliding across the floor.

*From UMKC: The 11th annual Jazz & BBQ benefit for the UMKC Jazz Studies program is Sunday, October 14, 2012. Legendary jazz trumpeter Gerald Wilson will receive a lifetime achievement award. The event, which is extremely popular and typically sold out, begins at 6 p.m. with a silent auction and buffet dinner. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with Bobby Watson and Dan Thomas leading the UMKC Conservatory Concert Jazz Band and the 11 O'Clock Jazz Band, respectively….  The event is in the UMKC Student Union, fourth floor multipurpose room, 5100 Cherry St., KCMO. Ticket prices: Patron levels $1,000, $500, $250, $175 and $100. Concert and buffet, $75 Concert only, $30.  A VIP reception is 5–6 p.m. preceding the event, on the rooftop of the Student Union.

*From the Prairie Village Jazz Festival: The third annual Prairie Village Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, September 8, 2012 in Harmon Park, at 77th and Mission Road, in Prairie Village, Kansas. Admittance to the festival is free.  The first festival, in 2010, drew an audience of 7000 fans to Harmon Park. Last year’s event was rained out after the second act. With dual headliners of internationally renowned vocalist Karrin Allyson and saxophone star Bobby Watson, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest yet.  The Prairie Village Jazz Festival is presented by BRGR Kitchen + Bar, and hosted by the Prairie Village Municipal Foundation and the City of Prairie Village. Proceeds from the event go to Heartland Habitat for Humanity. The Schedule:

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Diverse, Hermon Mehari, trumpet, Ben Leifer, bass, Brad Williams, drums

4:20 – 5:20 p.m.: Rich Wheeler Quartet 
Rich Wheeler, tenor saxophone, T.J. Martley, piano, Bill McKemy, bass, Sam Wisman, drums

5:40 – 6:40 p.m.: Mike Metheny Quartet
 Mike Metheny, trumpet and flugelhorn, T.J. Martley, piano, Gerald Spaits, bass, Todd Strait, drums

7:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Megan Birdsall Quartet
 Megan Birdsall, vocals, Wayne Hawkins, piano, Bob Bowman, bass, Matt Leifer, drums

8:20 – 9:20 p.m.: Bobby Watson Quartet
 Bobby Watson, alto saxophone, Chris Clarke, piano, Curtis Lundy, bass, Michael Waren, drums

9:40 – 10:55 p.m.: Karrin Allyson Quintet
 Karrin Allyson, vocals and piano, Bob Sheppard, tenor saxophone and flute, Rod Fleeman, guitar, Gerald Spaits, bass, Todd Strait, drums

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A saxophone once owned by Charlie Parker will be auctioned June 8. The instrument is "expected to sell for $30,000-$35,000."

*Here's a slideshow commemorating the life of the late Bill Caldwell.

*The Topeka Jazz Workshop has unveiled its 2012-13 season. Highlights include Byron Stripling, Marilyn Maye, Harry Allen and Wycliffe Gordon. Chuck Berg reviewed Sunday's performance by the Kenny Barron Trio in Topeka, the final concert of the 2011-12 season.

*Passport, the duo of Beau Bledsoe and Stan Kessler, is releasing an album. Here's the trailer.

*The new release by the Chris Hazelton Trio is reviewed by KCJazzLark.

*Michael Pagan is profiled by Eric Crump of the Marshall News.

*Bobby Watson is among the Kansas City Symphony's guests at Celebration at the Station on May 27.

*A set of videos documents a Brothers Leifer performance at Take Five Coffee. Check 'em out here, here, here and here.

*Here's footage of Diverse performing at the Middle of the Map festival.

*TJ Martley filmed his piano trio from an odd angle.

*Roger Lewis of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is interviewed by The Pitch in advance of his band's concert Thursday at Crossroads KC.

*Chris Lewis of Killer Strayhorn blogs at his band's site. He recently reviewed the new ECM release by the Marcin Wasilewski Trio.

*Glenn North provides insights on the history of cakewalking.

*I heard a DJ spin vinyl versions of tracks by Duke Ellington and Eric Dolphy at last weekend's Psychfest. The festival, which featured about fifty acts, was precisely the sort of enthusiasm-driven, forward-thinking event I recently proposed for Kansas City's jazz scene.

*Phonologotronic comments on his recent activity.

*The entertainment at the 2012 edition of Jazzoo includes an R&B band, a hip hop act, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band and Ida McBeth.

*Miles Bonny and Brandon Draper discuss Kansas City Academy's Grassroots Concert Series with Sam Wisman. (Via KC Stage Blog.)

*A fan uploaded ten minutes of shaky footage of last weekend's Ramsey Lewis concert at the Gem Theater.

*Tweet o' the Week: EldarMusic- New Yorkers! Come out to Blue Note: MAY 20- ELDAR + guest CHRIS POTTER MAY 22- ELDAR + guest KARRIN ALLYSON MAY 23- ELDAR + guest JOE LOCKE

*Comment o' the Week: Clint Ashlock- There were a bunch of things going on Sunday night, and I think you can look at it in a different perspective - that over half of the crowd were musicians shows how much respect these five guys have. There's another show Thursday night at the Blue Room if you happened to miss the Record Bar hit.

*From Lisa Engelken: Extraordinary singer, songwriter & arranger Lisa Engelken returns to Kansas City to perform at the Blue Room on Friday, June 22, 2012… Lisa is thrilled to Kansas City after last Summer’s sold-out performances, and to be joined once again by the powerhouse combo that includes Kansas City’s own Roger Wilder on piano, Gerald Spaits on bass and trumpeter Stan Kessler. Rounding out the quintet is San Francisco drummer Matthew Swindells. The program includes the premiere new works from Lisa’s upcoming album Anima Explorations and selections from Engelken’s Caravan, named to the “Best of 2010” List by the Jazz Journalists Association. Engelken is a Kansas-born straight-shooter, known for a fearless stage presence that has garnered her comparisons to Evel Kneivel, Janis Joplin and a roaring Harley Davidson.

(Original image of Psychfest by Plastic Sax.)

Review: Killer Strayhorn- One Begins to Wonder

 

As recently as the '80s, jazz was still a viable form of popular music.  Acts like Spyro Gyra, David Sanborn and Grover Washington, Jr. sold albums to people who also enjoyed the music of Anita Baker, Lionel Richie and Journey.  The best-selling jazz of the era was designed to please casual listeners with sturdy melodies, accessible textures and an overall pleasant sensibility. 

The members of Killer Strayhorn realize that there's still a lot of rewarding music left to be mined in that neglected vein.  The Kansas City band's new album One Begins to Wonder combines straight-ahead jazz with the pop sensibility of a crossover jazz act.  The five men in Killer Strayhorn make the savvy concept pay off.

The album's most telling track may be "Ridin' 'longside Bruce," a jaunty nod to Bruce Hornsby.  One can easily imagine the song's delectable groove thrilling thousands of Bela Fleck, Steely Dan or Phish fans at a summer festival.  Driven by Chris Lewis' piano, the title track possesses the gentle lilt of a Joe Sample project.  The band acknowledges its debt to Pat Metheny on a rendition of the guitarist's "As I Am."

Lest these comparisons give readers the wrong impression, One Begins to Wonder contains plenty of conventional jazz chops.  Billy Strayhorn's "U.M.M.G.", for instance, is given an appropriately melancholy treatment.  "Mellowdrama," a Heath Brothers jam from 1978, sounds like the best thing Bobby Watson never recorded.  Saxophonist James Isaac shines throughout.  Kansas City is knee-deep in woefully under-appreciated saxophonists.  Tracks like "Two by Two" make a case for Isaac being the candidate most worthy of wider recognition. 

My only complaint is that at almost eighty minutes, One Begins to Wonder lacks focus.  While charming, guitar-oriented tracks like "Escuridao" and "The Next Step For Mallory" sound like they belong on a separate album. 

Killer Strayhorn's first and second albums were also reviewed at Plastic Sax.  Long Story Short was good.  80/20 Blue was even better.  With One Begins to Wonder, Killer Strayhorn flirts with greatness.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Review: Killer Strayhorn- 80/20 Blue

Butterflies no bigger than dimes fluttered in my face as I lay in the grass when the Prairie Village Jazz Festival commenced on September 11. Warm sunshine and a cool breeze gave the perfect day a southern California feel. Similarly, the poised performance by Killer Strayhorn was more akin to the west coast jazz associated with Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan than the bluesy fire of Kansas City jazz.

80/20 Blue, the Kansas City-area ensemble's second album, mirrors that tried and true approach. A head is followed by a round of solos on most of the twelve tracks. Familiar but impeccable, the album is a sophisticated blowing session. The contributions of Bob Harvey (trumpet and flugelhorn) and James Isaac (saxophone and flute) are particularly noteworthy. Only "Damage Control" and "A Mile In Yo' Shoes pts. I-IV," tracks with arrangements that deviate from the standard pattern, stand out.

Then again, perhaps context is everything. 80/20 Blue may not rank among my favorite albums of 2010, but Chris Lewis' piano solo on Pat Metheny's "Timeline" goes down perfectly while sipping coffee on a Sunday morning. The insistent groove of"Whits-Up?" works well while tossing meat on a grill. And when tiny butterflies are around? Forget about it!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)