Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Aarik Danielsen previewed Bobby Watson’s concerts in Columbia for The Columbia Daily Tribune.

*Joe Klopus highlighted an upcoming performance by the Spanish Harlem Orchestra for The Kansas City Star.

*Doug Talley was interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*Havilah and Triple Play’s Come Rain or Come Shine album was released in October.

*Chris Burnett compiled a list of the “Top Jazz of 2017”.

*The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform at Muriel Kauffman Theatre on June 14, 2018.

*Marc Myers’ remembrance of the late guitarist Mundell Lowe includes a compelling anecdote about Charlie Parker.

*A track from Bobby Watson’s Made in America was featured on a “Best of 2017” program on radio station 90.9 The Bridge.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Bill Brownlee- The gracious folks at @909thebridge are allowing me to return to the station this evening. I'll play hip-hop, jazz, gospel, blues and R&B tracks from 6-7 p.m. https://bridge909.org/eightonesixty/  #EightOneSixty (link)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Larry Kopitnik’s cogent analysis for The Pitch decries the lack of progress in the Jazz District on the 20th anniversary of the American Jazz Museum.

*Joe Klopus previews the Prairie Village Jazz Festival for The Kansas City Star.

*Matana Roberts, the Thing and an all-star band led by Steve Swell are among the left-of-center luminaries booked in the 2017-18 season of the New Music Circle in St. Louis.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Steve Paul- It's a People's Liberation Big Band of KC night at @recordBar. #jazz

*Comment o’ the Week: Chris Hazelton- Papa Lou is the best!

*From a press release: The fall Jazz Series at Johnson County Community College begins on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Carlsen Center Recital Hall… The free series features weekly noon-hour performances by outstanding local musicians in the 70-seat Recital Hall unless noted… Sept. 26: Danny Embrey/Rod Fleeman Duo; Oct. 3: Ron Gutierrez Quartet (Polsky Theatre); Oct. 10 : Todd Strait Quartet (Polsky Theatre); Oct. 17 : Tyrone Clark Trio; Oct. 24 : Steve Lambert Quintet; Oct. 31 : Bryan Hicks Duo; Nov. 7: Holeman, Hicks and Hill.

*From Doug Talley: Mark your calendar for the evening of September 15!! This is a special Silent Picture at the Colonnade with Music scored (and played live) by Doug Talley on woodwinds, Tim Brewer on bass, T.J. Martley on keyboard, Keith Kavanaugh on drums and Sam Platt on percussion… Admission is FREE… The band will play starting at 7:00 but Movie dark is not until 8:00 pm… The Movie will be shown at the Colonnade Building at St John and Gladstone Blvd...  This film is an early Alfred Hitchcock silent classic thriller, "The Lodger" 1927.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Kathleen Holeman- Live at Corbin Theater

Kathleen Holeman is adored by jazz enthusiasts in Kansas City who prefer the tried-and-true swing of vocalists like June Christy to the contemporary innovations associated with artists such as Gretchen Parlato.  Holeman is a first-call vocalist for The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and regularly collaborates with other prominent area ensembles.  Her new album Live at Corbin Theater is a convincing showcase for her vivacious approach.  Saxophonist Doug Talley, guitarist Rod Fleeman, keyboardist Walter Bryant, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Al Wiley accompany Holeman on a dozen standards.  I know a few people who might weep with appreciation at the band’s interpretation of “Skylark” and jump for joy upon hearing the arrangement of “Almost Like Being in Love.” 

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The paucity of jazz among the headliners of the 2014 Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz and Blues Festival is lambasted by KC Jazz Lark.

*Bobby Watson will deliver a lecture titled "From Zero to Question Mark: Defining Success in the 21st Century" in October.

*Mills Record Company extolls the virtues of the Best Jazz Ensemble nominees for The Pitch's annual music awards.

*Pat Metheny participated in an interview with Crossroads KC in advance of his performance at the outdoor venue.

*The Pitch touts Sunday brunch at Broadway Jazz Club.

*Tweet o' the Week: Todd R. Wilkinson- OK after a recent investigation, I'm calling BS on the oft heard, "But, Boots Randolph could really play jazz."

*Comment o' the Week: Dean Minderman- Hmmmm...with both Brian Culbertson and Gerald Albright, the Gem series seems to be doubling down on the R&B/funk/jazz. Kind of surprised we haven't gotten dates for one or both over here in St. Louis. Also, I wish someone here would book Terry Lyne Carrington's band. I really liked her drumming when she played here with Headhunters 2005; IMO, she was the unsung MVP of that all-star group.

*From Doug Talley: The Doug Talley Quintet will be performing at the Blue Room, 18th and Vine, KCMO, this Saturday, August 2, 8:30pm.  Stop by, enjoy the music, and say goodbye to Wayne Hawkins, our piano player, who is moving to upstate New York in August!!

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KC Jazz Alive's schedule of events for a "Kansas City Charlie Parker Celebration" includes a "Historical Tour & Musical Salute."

*The Pitch lauds the Green Lady Lounge's commitment to organ jazz.

*Tracks by Everette DeVan and Diverse were featured on KCUR's Up To Date.

*Chris Burnett considers his "thoughtful" approach.

*KMBC reports that an early morning shooting occurred last Saturday at 19th and Vine.

*Jazz festivals in other markets are analyzed by KC Jazz Lark.

*Joe Dimino interviewed California-based saxophonist Doc Stewart for his Neon Jazz podcast.

*Tweet o' the Week: Broadway Jazz Club- Don't forget, we will be closed on Tuesdays starting this month, but we will be having #jazzbruch starting this Sunday! #kc #kcmo #livejazz

*Comment o' the Week: Mike T.- one of my favorite tunes on the ipod is dan gailey's "point, no point." I think KU's band is exceptional... and we can see them for free? on the eve of day off from work? count me in!

*From Shades of Jade: …After years of hard work, fine tuning, and defining of its fingerprint sound, Shades of Jade, a midwestern jazz collective will release its debut album September 21st 2014.  With various influences coming from Jazz, Pop, R&B, Blues, Funk, Rock, Classical, and Hip Hop, “Shades of Jade: Fingerprinted Memories pt: I” tells the personal story of the ethos portrayed in past experiences of the average American… Great composers of this album include young conservatory trained artists like Joshua Williams (B.A.C. Endorsed Trumpet) Desmond Mason (Piano and Keyboards) Dominique Sanders (Bass) Justin McCoy (Drums) and special guest artist composer DCPLX.

*From Ticketmaster: On August 23, 2014, Kansas City will induct six great Jazz Musician's into the American Jazz Walk of Fame during its inaugural ceremony and concert featuring the Count Basie Orchestra and Bobby Watson and the American Jazz Orchestra. These artists names will be placed on bronze medallions and imbedded in the sidewalks around the American Jazz Museum in the Historic 18th & Vine District. The unveiling of these medallions will occur at 6:30 pm followed by the concert at 7:00 pm. This annual event will continue to add more bronze medallions bearing the names great Jazz Artists.

*From Doug Talley: The Doug Talley Quintet will be performing at the Blue Room, 18th and Vine, KCMO, this Saturday, July 5, 8:30pm… Our new CD, “Chess Players: Music of Wayne Shorter,” contains music written and originally performed in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and set in a variety of instrument combinations and styles.  Joe Parisi - trumpet and flugelhorn. Wayne Hawkins - piano. Tim Brewer - acoustic and electric bass. Keith Kavanaugh - drums and cymbals. Doug Talley - saxes and clarinet. 

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated for July.

(Original image of Stan Kessler, Matt Leifer and Bill McKemy by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Details about the Mutual Musicians Foundation's “Jazz: No Language Required Bloggers Tour" are available here.  KC Jazz Lark opines on the event.

*The Kansas City Star notes the new legal status of The Ship.

*Doug Talley reports that The Chess Players: The Music of Wayne Shorter, his quartet's fifth album, will be released on June 21.   The band performs at Zona Rosa on Thursday, June 19, at Take Five Coffee + Bar on Saturday, June 21, and at the Blue Room on July 5.

*The Pitch recommends Brian Steever's gig at Westport Coffee House.

*Clint Ashlock posted another interesting entry to his blog.

*Earlier this week, Chris Burnett advised Plastic Sax that "(w)e are going into the studio this morning. We will begin recording my new CD."

*Todd Wilkinson uploaded a 53-minute video of a 1998 Boko Maru performance at Fedora's to YouTube.

*KCUR offers a timeline of the Black Archives of Mid-America.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Tampa-based vocalist for his Neon Jazz podcast.

*Tweet o' the Week: Ryan Heinlein- Wow! @PorchFestKC was wonderful. Highlight of the year for us. It was everything we love about our city. Thank you for having us!

*Comment o' the Week: Gary- it's a weekly hour but below it states the event is 7:30-9, the time must fly!

*From a press release: This summer nineteen University of Kansas students will share their extraordinary talents on the international stage when they embark on a whirlwind European tour.  In early July, KU Jazz Ensemble I will play eight shows in eleven days, with dates in France, Germany and Switzerland - including appearances by invitation at two of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals - the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Jazz À Vienne Festival. The ensemble and its director, Dan Gailey, will be joined on all performances by two very special guests - celebrated Kansas City-based jazz vocalist Deborah Brown and Steve Leisring, world-renowned trumpeter and KU faculty.  Local audiences can preview selections from the repertoire for the European dates at a special kick-off concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 3 at the Lied Center of Kansas, sponsored by the KU School of Music and the Lied Center of Kansas. The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required…

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KC Jazz Lark has kind words for the American Jazz Museum.

*Lisa Henry, Jim Mair and Doug Talley are among the musicians featured in a The Kansas City Star article about jazz education.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Sonny Rollins (!) for his Neon Jazz podcast.

*Tony Bennett's concert at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts was  reviewed by The Kansas City Star.

*A blogger calls Diverse's Our Journey a wise and prophetic classical jazzy journey.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

*Clint Ashlock muses on bandleading and composing in a new blog post.

*The Kansas City Star reports on a couple's plan to restore the castle-like structure at 2001 Vine Street.

*Tweet o' the Week: Kansas City Dates- LIKE JAZZ??? (kcmo) - I'm a single black man in my 50's and would like to meet a woman who is also single and … (link).

*Comment o' the Week: I'd like to thank the thoughtful Plastic Sax readers who point out typos and misprints.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Joe Dimino posted new interviews with Jeff Harshbarger and Clint Ashlock at Neon Jazz.

*KCJazzLark alerts his readers to a BBC report about Herb Jeffries and shares a vintage photograph of the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*The Grand Marquis created a new Kickstarter campaign.

*Jeneé Osterheldt spoke to Fanny Dunfee, Ahmad Alaadeen's widow, about her new book of poetry.

*Diana Krall's concert at the Midland theater was reviewed by The Kansas City Star.

*A critic raves about a Kansas City-inspired band's performance at a British jazz festival.

*Tweet o' the Week: parkavepirate- Easy Listening Jazz is like the Kansas City Royals...unobtrusive and yet secretly enjoyable with no real threat.

*Comment o' the Week: Russell- Time is no longer linear anymore.. it's a retrovirus

*From Rob Scheps: Early Notice: The Rob Scheps / Jim O'Connor Quintet- Rob Scheps - tenor sax, Jim O'Connor - trumpet/ flugelhorn, Roger Wilder - piano, Bob "Dwight" Bowman - bass, Brian Steever - drums, makes its Kansas Debut in these shows: Thursday October 3, 2013- Jazz On The Lake, Kansas City Kansas Community College, 12 pm - 1 pm.  Friday October 11, 2013- Take Five Coffee Bar, 7 pm - 10 pm…  Jim O'Connor is one of the greatest jazz trumpeters I've ever heard.

*From Doug Talley: This Friday, May 10, 8:30pm, we'll be performing the music of Wayne Shorter at the Blue Room, 18th and Vine, KCMO.  Don't miss this opportunity to hear pianist Sean Giddings, Shawnee Mission Northwest graduate currently living in Texas. Doug Talley - saxes, Joe Parisi - trumpet and flugelhorn, Sean Giddings - piano, Tim Brewer - acoustic and electric bass, Keith Kavanaugh - drums and cymbals.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Steve Penn reports on the most recent rift at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Chuck Berg covered the Topeka Jazz Workshop's January 16 tribute to the late Russ Long. The concert was also previewed by the Topeka Capital-Journal.

*Robert Folsom reviewed Earl Klugh's concert at the Folly Theater.

*The merits of this weekend's Jazz Winterlude festival are extolled by KCJazzLark.

*Ink offers a review of the debut album by the People's Liberation Big Band of Kansas City.

*Mark Edelman promotes the live jazz offerings at Leawood's West Chase Grille. It's the first I've heard of it. There's no mention of jazz at the restaurant's site.

*A blogger questions Kansas City's jazz legacy.

*From the American Jazz Museum: The American Jazz Museum mourns the passing of William Henry Cogshell, who left us on January 6, 2011. Mr. Cogshell was a current member of the American Jazz Museum Board of Directors and Chair of the Board Finance Committee.

*Joe Lovano's January 11 concert at the Village Vanguard streams here.

*Doug Talley was featured in a North Dakota publication.

*Doug Auwarter shares Brazilian recipes.

*The Take Five Coffee House offers live music, including an occasional jazz event. Diverse, for example, performs at the Leawood venue on Friday, January 21.

*Tweet o' the Week: Clint Ashlock: Thursday night, JCCC Winterlude - New Jazz Order with Megan Birdsall, 7-8pm. It's FREE. And good. In JOHNSON COUNTY. Seriously. Come.

*My friend Meesha asks readers for help in identifying a set of vintage photos of Kansas City.

*Care to guess which youth jazz participant admired Charlie Parker? You really don't want to know.

*Ink previewed Diverse's forthcoming performance of A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory.

*Concert announcements: Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten appear at the Granada Theater on March 11. Junior Mance returns to the Blue Room with a quintet on February 5.

*From Steve Kidwell: Hoping you'll list these events on your calendar. They are all part of the Musical Gems Concert series benefiting the Lincoln College Preparatory Academy Wind Ensemble performance in China. The third event is not a jazz event- but is great music! Horace Washington, woodwinds with the Kicks Big Band, January 28, 8 p.m. Mike Ning, piano & Sherri Jones, vocalist with the Kicks Big Band and the Lincoln Academy Jazz Ensemble, February 18, 8 p.m. Lincoln Academy Wind Ensemble premiering their China repertoire, February 27, 3 p.m. All three events are at the Gem Theater. Advanced: VIP $50, Regular $25, Under 12 - $15 (upper level only)

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Star published an overview of the year on Kansas City's jazz scene. It's a solid piece, but the author inadvertently overlooked a handful of noteworthy items. The Metheny brothers had a terrific year. Mike's adventurously eclectic 60.1 album is very good. Pat's Orchestrion project, which touched down at the Uptown Theater in May, challenged preconceived perceptions of the ways in which music may be performed. Also omitted were the deaths of prominent area jazz veterans Pete Eye and Oscar "Lucky" Wesley. And lest we forget, 2010 was also the year Curtis Got Slapped.

*Steve Paul praises the contributions of the People's Liberation Big Band.

*KCJazzLark makes another invaluable contribution to Kansas City's jazz scene with the unearthing of additional Jay McShann footage.

*Ink asks Hermon Mehari to pick favorites.

*Mark Lowrey blogs for the Midwest Music Foundation.

*Pat Metheny's Orchestrion is ranked #50 in the Village Voice's jazz critic's poll. Dave Holland, who will be at the Gem Theater on January 22, is represented at #12 with Pathways.

*Stephanie Laws has "a case of the Mondays".

*Steve Penn notes the holiday efforts of the Coda Jazz Fund.

*Here's the EPK for An Open Letter to Thelonious, Ellis Marsalis's new album. The pianist will perform at the Folly Theater on February 11.

*From Jim Mair: The Kansas City High School All Star Jazz Ensemble will headline Tim Whitmer's series Spirituality and All That Jazz on Wednesday, January 5, at 7:00pm at Unity on the Plaza... The group is under the direction of Doug Talley.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCJazzLark offers an account of the October 18 performance of Bobby Watson's The Gates BBQ Suite at the Blue Room. I wrote about the event here.

*An Arkansas newspaper covered Doug Talley's recent trip to the Natural State.

*Here's a new interview with Marilyn Maye.

*The sordid saga of alleged fraud perpetrated by Petro America has a Kansas City jazz connection. The Pitch and the Star relate the shocking story.

*Here's the latest dispatch from Black House Improvisors' Collective.

*Tweet o' the week: KCJazzLark: At Marquee Lounge earlier tonight for Crosscurrent, one of KC's best jazz groups. But the place needs to figure out what it wants to be....

*While it doesn't have any Kansas City-specific content, I highly recommend The Revivalist to forward-thinking jazz fans. The new site has a feature on Ben Williams, the young bassist in Nicholas Payton's band at the Rhythm & Ribs festival earlier this month.

*From a Johnson County Community College press release: A new CD, Live from JCCC’s Yardley Hall, featuring the late Kansas City jazz pianist and band leader Pete Eye along with three other musicians, will be released during a jazz concert and party from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the Atrium in the Regnier Center, Johnson County Community College... The CD was recorded at Eye’s final major concert on March 3, 2009, part of the JCCC Jazz Series. Eye died April 8, 2010.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

In My Solitude At Jazz Winterlude

An irrational fear of spending two hours in a room full of geriatric fans of Stan Kenton prevented me from seeing The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra until Saturday. The orchestra's rewarding headlining performance at the Jazz Winterlude festival showed that I've been missing out on a good time.

Yeah, it was square. But it was rarely dull. And there were a handful of bold moments of defiance. Lurking underneath artistic director Jim Mair's obsequious demeanor is a subversive hipster. He slipped in the Charles Mingus version of "Moanin'" heard here, a radical act given the sensibilities of many of the organization's financial supporters. The audience of about 700 tolerated it largely because Kerry Strayer's baritone saxophone work on the piece was undeniably thrilling. He did justice to Mingus' legacy.

The members of the orchestra certainly rank among (in Mair's words) "Kansas City's finest musicians." I'd watched Doug Talley and trumpeter Joe Parisi work through a set of Wayne Shorter material earlier in the day. All the notes were right but much of the fiery spirit of Shorter's originals was absent. The pair's concise solos with the orchestra, however, were excellent. The big band context showcases their strengths. Other highlights were Mair's rapturous solo on "Stardust" and a riotous reading of Kenton's "The Peanut Vendor." (Shows what I know.)

I was already familiar with most members of the ensemble but guest vocalist Brienn Perry was a revelation. He looks like a linebacker but sings like a combination of Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme and Joe Williams. Accompanied only by pianist Charles Wiliams, Perry absolutely nailed "One For My Baby."

Original? Don't be silly. Incredibly enjoyable? Absolutely. The same can be said for the orchestra as a whole. It may be an exercise in nostalgia but it's far from anemic. Even the goofy dance routines at the end of the performance served as an appropriate reminder of the roots of the big band sound.

I hope to attend the orchestra's next concert on April 30. Why should I let old folks have all the fun?


















Here are five additional things I appreciated Saturday:

1. Sons of Brasil (above) were very fine. Stan Kessler original "If It Feels Good" was particularly funky.

2. Bassist James Albright played with three groups Saturday. He raised the level of play in each one.

3. Young pianist Sean Giddings did some nice things in Doug Talley's group. I don't believe I'd seen him play before.






















4. Ryan Lee (above) just dominated James Ward's trio. The drummer overplayed. I liked it anyway.

















5. I'd only seen most of these locally-based players in bars. Hearing the musicians in a formal concert setting was a rare treat. All three rooms at the festival offered excellent acoustics and comfortable seating. The ultra-conservative lineup certainly wasn't booked with me in mind, but I'd happily buy into the concept next January.

(Original images by Plastic Sax.)