Now's the Time: Trombone Shorty

When the Power & Light District was nearing completion about eight years ago, jazz booster Ed Fenner optimistically lobbied for a regular series of jazz concerts on the KC Live stage.  Fenner died in 2008.  While big names in R&B, rock and country perform on the stage almost every week during the summer months, a jazz series never came about.  Fenner probably didn’t have the likes of the funk/rock/jazz crossover star Trombone Shorty in mind during his efforts, but I’ll think of him if I make it to the free performance by the exciting New Orleans bandleader in the Power & Light District on Friday, August 7. 

Time After Time: Ed Fenner's Life Remembered

We should all be so lucky.

Ed Fenner's memorial service Monday night at the Gem Theater was a warm and moving tribute to a man's life and passions. The eulogies- both spoken and musical- were memorable. Fenner died May 18.

In his gracious opening comments Gregory Carroll, Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum, called the service "a celebration and jazz jam."

"It was all about the jazz with Ed," Carroll noted.

"I call for the Kansas City jazz community to come together," he added.

For one night at least, they did. While there were never more than about 100 people inside the Gem, the guest registry contained a far greater number of names. Many left warm comments about Fenner. The speakers did likewise.

Bill Clause of KKFI spoke of Fenner's "discerning spirit and generous soul."

"He knew jazz in Kansas City wouldn't succeed unless people knew about it," Dr. William Eddy of UMKC's Jazz Friends said. "So he proceeded to let people know about it."

"He was dedicated to bringing the jazz community together, "Roger Atkinson of JAM magazine added. "It was his life."

Members of Fenner's family provided some of the night's most revealing moments. They even sung a rendition of a bawdy saloon song Fenner favored in his youth.

Younger brother Richard Fenner acknowledged that while some found Fenner "refreshingly honest," others considered him "brazenly blunt."

"I was probably the only five-year-old in Malibu, California, who knew how to mix a Manhattan," his daughter joked.

Many of Kansas City's top musicians participated in the service. They included Carroll, Millie Edwards, Greg Mize, Don Van Fleet, Micah Herman, Bobby Watson, Loren Pickford, Everette DeVan, Eboni Fondren, Kevin Cerovich and Ryan Lee.

(Original images by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Plastic Sax attended the memorable memorial service for Ed Fenner at the Gem Theater Monday night. A proper report is forthcoming.

*I updated the Plastic Sax jazz calendar. Note to clubs and musicians- while I encourage you to contact me directly, your first order of business should be to email your event schedule to the Jazz Ambassador's calendar site. Without Ed Fenner's contribution, you'll need to step up.

*Don't forget about Hawkfest in Topeka this weekend. Candace Evans has the rare and challenging honor of following the great Sam Rivers Saturday. Here's the festival's impressive schedule. And it's free!

*The Pitch investigated the mystery of Jazzbo.

*Makusa was profiled in UMKC's student paper.

*Plastic Sax enjoys scrolling through Downbeat's list of summer jazz festivals. Oh, to be a jetsetter...

*Clark Terry's site reports that the trumpeter returned home after a stint in a Kansas City hospital. (Tip via St. Louis Jazz Notes.)

*Marilyn Maye finally has a web site! Plastic Sax mocked the diva's lack of a web presence several months ago.

*I'm not big on Benedetti. But this scribe claims allegiance to the Charlie Parker solo recordings.

(Original image of Son Venezuela performing at Fiesta KC by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The more I ponder Ed Fenner's passing, the more concerned I become for Kansas City's traditional jazz establishment. Fenner had been carrying a disproportionate amount of the workload on his back. Might this be the end of an era? Each of the comments to my previous post is thoughtful, but take special note of Carrie Brockman's bulletin that Jardine's is hosting a memorial jam this Sunday. And don't miss Present magazine's tribute to Fenner.

*Last week's Ink featured a cover story about Kansas City's jazz scene.

*Steve Penn joined Plastic Sax in bemoaning recent programming changes at KKFI.

*The full schedule for June's Rhythm & Ribs festival has been set.

*Bobby Watson is performing next month at the Glasgow International Jazz Festival.

*The New Yorker published a remarkable profile of Charlie Parker obsessive Phil Schaap.

*The Unthinking Lemming continues to step up.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Ed Fenner

Self-styled "jazz activist" Ed Fenner reportedly died yesterday.

Fenner was a tireless promoter of jazz in Kansas City. He was responsible for compiling the Jazz Ambassador's jazz calendar. As I've previously noted, it's the single most valuable resource for local jazz fans. He also sold advertising for JAM magazine. And he had hoped to launch KC Jazz Voice this year.

Fenner and I didn't hear or experience jazz the same way. I'd be the first to admit that I have only a fraction of his energetic passion for the art form. I spotted him at nearly every traditional jazz show I attended at the Folly and Jardine's in the past few years.

Fenner's passing isn't just a terrible loss for his family and friends. It's a devastating blow to Kansas City's jazz community.