Now's the Time: Pablo Masis

The Brooklyn based trumpeter Pablo Masis is touring with guitarist Dave Juarez and bassist Jeff Koch.  The trio will be joined by saxophonist Adam Larson and drummer John Kizilarmut at Westport Coffee House on Monday, Sept. 30.

Let Your Backbone Slip

A mild commotion broke out at Capsule on Thursday, July 25, when a phone started playing music during a performance by a trio led by Peter Schlamb.  The panic during the 15 seconds it took a woman to silence her device resembled a tense scene from a horror film in which bloodthirsty monsters are attracted to noise.

The ostensible goal of the monthly Spine Showcase recitals is to provide a forum for forward-thinking jazz artists to perform for attentive audiences.  The brief interruption caused by the noisy phone allowed the 50 other people in the room to silently castigate the embarrassed offender.  The excellent performance by Schlamb (keyboards and vibraphone), DeAndre Manning (electric bass) and Ryan J. Lee (drums) helped judgy patrons quickly forget about the disruption.  The free beer and the absence of a cover charge also helped to allay any grievances.

Following a break featuring complimentary cake, Lee led a group featuring Andrew McGhie (saxophone), Andrew Ouellette (keyboards) and DeAndre Manning (electric bass).  The quartet evoked the most compelling fusion groups of the late 1970s.  Even though Lee’s emphatic drumming recoiled off the concrete floor like dangerous shrapnel, the sound field for both sets was remarkably clear.

Spine’s proposition is less translucent.  The initiative, intent and effort of the primary organizer are undeniably commendable, but I’m less convinced about the master plan.  I’m not among the 59 people who donated $4,655 to Spine’s successful Kickstarter campaign.  The organization’s assertion that it’s “showcasing local musicians playing the original material they don't get to perform anywhere else” seems disingenuous.

A free-jazz freakout at the Brick and a jubilant brass band excursion at the Ship transpired on the same night as the concert by Schlamb and Lee.  I’m fairly certain the featured musicians weren’t given any directives at either venerable nightclub.  The people who operate Kansas City’s music venues might rightfully insist that competing directly against a non-profit project that offers free beer and free admission is decidedly unhelpful.

Spine’s most valuable mandate is the creation of another proper listening room.  Boorish gabbing during musical performances of any stripe is my biggest pet peeve.  The grievance is particularly painful during acoustic jazz performances.  I’m grateful for any opportunity to hear innovative musicians work in respectful environments.  That’s why I’ve been a regular at the improvised music showcases hosted by Westport Coffee House, RecordBar and the 1900 Building for years.  Talking is strongly discouraged during the frequent jazz performances at the establishments.

I also expect to pay a cover charge and buy my own drinks.  I voluntarily dropped a few bills in the bucket on Thursday.  I’d like to see Spine make the transition into a self-sustaining entity for which substantial ticket and drink sales cover all expenses.  A robust jazz scene should be rooted in organic audience development rather than in sympathetic handouts.

(Original image of Peter Schlamb, DeAndre Manning and Ryan J. Lee by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Christian Swan

Christian Swan will perform at the Blue Room on Friday, May 17, and at Westport Coffeehouse on Sunday, May 19.  The keyboardist recently announced that he’s moving from Kansas City to Chicago.

Album Review: The Project H- Everyday, Forever

Everyday, Forever, the fourth album by The Project H, comes with strings attached.  The signature components of the Kansas City instrumental band’s sound- bold horns, sturdy melodies and unwavering grooves- are supplemented by a string quartet on half of the album’s ten tracks.

The strings add subtle shadings to “Black Swan,” provide a rhapsodic introduction to “The Company You Keep” and help make “Ripple Effect” one of the most animated tracks in the Project H’s catalog.

Jazz enthusiasts will be thrilled by Everyday Forever’s soaring solos.  A few highlights: bandleader and trombonist Ryan Heinlein’s engaging statement on “Black Swan,” saxophonist Brett Jackson’s aggressive attack on “Don’t Call It That,” vibraphonist Peter Schlamb’s fiery guest appearance on “Planet Smasher” and bassist Andrew Stinson’s thorough domination of “Table Scraps.”

Yet the Project H’s emblematic good-time vibes are the most appealing aspect of Everyday, Forever.  Accessible but smart, the ensemble remains an elite party band for bacchanalian revelers as well as for members of Kansas City’s intellectual elite.

The Project H’s second and third albums were reviewed at Plastic Sax in 2012 and 2014.  Everyday, Forever will be released on March 23.  The band will celebrate the project at the Westport Coffee House on Wednesday, April 4.  A trio led by Mark Lettieri of Snarky Puppy will also perform.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Gently Down the Stream

As I sat behind a camera that was transmitting a live internet broadcast of a performance by the Chris Burnett Quintet at Westport CoffeeHouse last week, I contemplated the validity of the bandleader’s assertion that “this technology will create more performance opportunities for artists in an age where live venues and clubs are not capable of booking all of the artists on the scene today.”

The impulse is commendable.  Given the scarcity of jazz venues and the ostensible tyranny of the owners of some establishments, many musicians are undoubtedly eager to circumvent the existing gatekeepers.  Even so, I wondered if Burnett was delusional for requesting that online viewers pay for the privilege of joining the 18 flesh-and-blood members of the audience in the room during the 30 minutes I spent taking in the first set.  He was competing with a vast universe of free live video content, including feeds on the behemoths Facebook Livestream and YouTube’s Live channel.  Remarkably, Burnett reports that 11 people forked over money to watch the concert online.

I hope Burnett continues the initiative.  For the purposes of Plastic Sax, however, I’m more desirous of shareable footage.  The shortage of well-lit, high-quality performance videos of representatives of Kansas City’s jazz community occasionally results in dubious weekly Now’s the Time posts that inspire derisive commentary from Plastic Sax readers.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

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.)

Now’s the Time: The Brian Scarborough Quintet

I raved about the Brian Scarborough Quintet’s outing at Westport CoffeeHouse last month.  A band led by the young trombonist returns to the listening room on Wednesday, January 20.  The ensemble will include Matt Otto and Jeff Harshbarger, elite musicians who are featured alongside Scarborough in the embedded video.

Concert Review: Brian Scarborough Quintet at Westport CoffeeHouse

I’ve been obsessed with Bob Brookmeyer’s Traditionalism Revisited since I purchased the CD at an estate sale for $1 in September.  The premise- a set of forward-thinking jazz musicians revisit the supposedly passé music of earlier decades- is made even more fascinating by the passage of time.  The music still sparkles 58 years after the 1957 session.

I felt as if I was listening to an updated version of Traditionalism Revisited at the Westport CoffeeHouse on Wednesday as the young trombonist Brian Scarborough led a band consisting of saxophonist Rich Wheeler, guitarist Danny Embrey, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Brandon Draper.

The willingness of four of the region’s elite musicians to back Scarborough reflects his substantial talent and enormous promise.  Like Brookmeyer, Scarborough is a scholarly trombonist with deep ties to Kansas City.

Just as Brookmeyer’s reverent approach to traditional jazz was invigorated by the work of cutting-edge musicians like Jimmy Giuffre on Traditionalism Revisited, Scarborough was provoked by the progressive playing of his more experienced colleagues on Wednesday.  The delectable tension between old and new impulses made the first half of Wednesday’s concert captivating.  A reading of Duke Ellington’s “The Petal of a Rose” was one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard in 2015, but the entire first set for an audience of two dozen was profound.

In his liner notes for Traditionalism Revisited, Nat Hentoff suggested that Brookmeyer wasn’t just another commonplace “parochial hipster.”  Neither is Scarborough.  The trombonist leads a similar band at Westport CoffeeHouse on Wednesday, January 20.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Eddie Moore is the subject of a lengthy profile in The Pitch.

*KC Jazz Lark touts the new issue of JAM magazine.

*The Kansas City Star reviewed Diana Krall’s return to the Midland theater.

*Libby Hanssen reviewed Julian Lage’s concert at the Folly Theater.

*The Pitch recommends New Jazz Order’s weekly gig at the Green Lady Lounge.

*Joe Dimino’s recent interview subjects include Michael Carvin.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Brett Jackson- Recording today at the immaculate @strangelandhq for @krizzkaliko. Keep your ears and eyes peeled…(image)

*Comment o’ the Week: Anonymous- My favorite part of her last KC appearance was getting to see Anthony Wilson join Matt Otto for a killer show at the Westport Coffee House. It would be nice to hear that again.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: John Blevins and Drew Williams at the Westport CoffeeHouse Theater

Drew Williams offered heartfelt thanks to the family and friends who attended his showcase at Westport CoffeeHouse Theater last Wednesday. 

The body language of at least a couple members of the audience indicated they’d didn't care for egghead jazz.  Seated between the only two of 30 people that didn’t seem to have a personal connection to the former Kansas City resident, I adored the nerdy sounds.

The ambitious concert began with a 40-minute set of Williams’ compositions.  Many of the arrangements performed by an octet resembled Sun Ra-penned pep band fight songs for a mathlete team. 

Williams occasionally looped his bass clarinet.  The contributions of guitarist Jeff McLaughlin and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell were also intriguing.  Although the musicians’ intense concentration on sheet music detracted from the presentation, Williams’ bold experimentation resulted in one the most exciting jazz-based performances I’ve heard in Kansas City in 2015.

A subsequent quintet interpretation of material from the New York based trumpeter John Blevins’ Matterhorn album was almost as engaging.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: John Blevins

John Blevins is touring in support of his new album Matterhorn.  The New York based trumpeter will lead a band at the Westport Coffeehouse on Wednesday, November 11.

Plastic Sax’s Favorite Performances and Albums of 2015 (So Far)

I’m taking a break from blogging for two or three weeks. Here are lists of my favorite things on the jazz scene during the first half of 2015.

Favorite Performances by Locally Based Musicians
1. Lauren Krum with the Project H- Westport Coffeehouse (Plastic Sax review)
2. Peter Schlamb’s Electric Tinks- RecordBar
3. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7- Green Lady Lounge
4. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
5. James Isaac Quintet- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax Review)

Favorite Performances by Musicians From Elsewhere
1. Trio M- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
2. Avishai Cohen, Tal Mashiach and Nasheet Waits- Take Five Coffee + Bar (Plastic Sax review)
3. Max Raabe and Palast Orchester- Helzberg Hall
4. Bill Frisell- White Theatre
5. The Hot Sardines- Folly Theater

Favorite Albums by Locally Based Musicians
1. Dominique Sanders- A True Story Based On… (Plastic Sax review)
2. Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet- Acknowledgement (Plastic Sax review)
3. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- Live In Kansas City
4. Paul Shinn Trio- Easy Now (Plastic Sax review)
5. Julian Vaughn- Limitless (Plastic Sax review)

Favorite Albums by Musicians From Elsewhere
1. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Bird Calls (Plastic Sax review)
2. Marc Cary- Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 2
3. Donny McCaslin- Fast Future
4. Terence Blanchard- Breathless
5. Kamasi Washington- The Epic

(Original image of Eddie Moore by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Project H

The Project H, the ensemble responsible for my favorite jazz-oriented performance by Kansas City musicians of the first few months of 2015, returns to the Westport Coffee House on Thursday, May 7.

Concert Review: Lauren Krum and the Project H at Westport Coffee House

Anticipating a rollicking set of hillbilly jazz, I eagerly paid the $10 cover to hear Lauren Krum sing with The Project H at the Westport Coffee House last Thursday.

I didn’t get what I paid for.

Instead, the collaboration between the vocalist from the alternative country band The Grisly Hand and the trombone-led jazz collective was a sophisticated exposition of adult pop. 

Rather than the Bob Wills-style Western swing I expected, Krum and the band played elegant renditions of material by the likes of Beck, Emily King, Michael Kiwanuka and Amy Winehouse.  The result resembled a promising rehearsal for a Shelby Lynne recording session.

Only the last selection, a tender reading of the standard “Why Try to Change Me Now?” that featured a sensitive contribution from saxophonist Brett Jackson, could be comfortably classified as jazz.  

While the show was nothing like what I’d anticipated, it was even better than I’d dared to hope.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Concert Review: The Andrew Ouellette Trio at Westport Coffee House

I've heard Andrew Ouellette perform straight-laced mainstream jazz and wild-eyed music with adventurous ensembles, but until Thursday I'd never attended one of his gigs as a leader. 

I was curious to see where the keyboardist would plant his musical flag as he collaborated with bassist Zach Beeson and drummer Brian Steever at the superb venue below the Westport Coffee House.

The selections performed during the first set are revealing.  In addition to at least one original composition, the trio played renditions of Harry Warren and Al Dubin's "September in the Rain," John Lewis' "Milestones," Brad Mehldau's "When It Rains," Milton Nascimento's "Cravo e Canela" and the unhappy ballad "Some Other Time."

The mix of standards, a show tune, a Brazilian number and a piece by a new jazz leader indicate that Ouellette embraces a wide range of styles. 

Steever, one of Kansas City's most excitable drummers, was as active as Ouellette was reserved.  Positioned between the very different men, Beeson ably connected their disparate styles for an audience of less than 10.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)