Billy Taylor's Trip to Kansas City

Billy Taylor died December 28. The pianist is seen here 52 years ago with a group of musicians associated with Count Basie's band. Taylor sounds excellent, but it's impossible to outshine Mr. Five by Five, Vic, Vice Prez and Buck. I could watch this brilliant clip all day.

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.)

Doing Something Mean To It

During the fascinating pre-concert discussion at the Folly Theater on September 25, a member of The Bad Plus defended his complicated relationship with jazz. He and his two band mates, he explained, had developed their passion for jazz in an entirely organic fashion. No one introduced them to the music. Instead, their innate curiosity led them to the genre.

I came to jazz in much the same fashion. And like the men in The Bad Plus, I retain my love of popular music. I don't trust any musician under the age of forty that hasn't listened to Kanye West's new album. It's disingenuous for contemporary musicians to insulate themselves from the culture at large. I don't necessarily want jazz musicians to emulate West's music, but they at least owe it to themselves and their audiences to know the score.

Crosscurrent, a Lennie Tristano-inspired band, perform at Jardine's tonight. Its music is excellent. Because a few of the band's members bear a faint resemblance to these caricatures, the band- at least in their current form- are unlikely to find a big audience. Crosscurrent's insistence on purity, while admirable, is confining.

I'll always prefer the guys who come from a background and mindset more akin to my own. A prominent Kansas City-based jazz musician, for instance, was a member of '90s rock band Grumpy. It wasn't a great band, but the musician's music today is undoubtedly richer for that experience.

James Moody on Charlie Parker

"And I'd like to say that Charlie Parker was my idol... And I'm saying that to say I'm just glad that I'm able to be able to be here with the wonderful ensemble to play some of the things that Charlie Parker did. Never the way he did- but at least attempt, you see. I'm 74 years old I've got another 74 to try it." -The late James Moody's introduction to the embedded 1999 performance of "Parker's Mood."

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*A free download of the Black House Improvisors' Collective's December 10 performance (image above) is available here.

*A new Interstring recording is noted by Joe Klopus.

*KCJazzLark endorses five albums by Kansas City jazz artists.

*Steve Penn provides a recap of the trip Bobby Watson and his UMKC students took to Japan.

*Robert Folsom reviewed Kenny G's concert at the Midland Theater.

*Tony's Kansas City shares Plastic Sax's enthusiasm for Mark Lowrey.

*Lee Ingalls, a long-time advocate of Kansas City's jazz scene, sang "Fly Me To the Moon" last week.

*A self-appointed know-it-all wants the Kauffman Center to book Keith Jarrett and instead of Willie Nelson.

*Lee Hill Kavanaugh wrote a warm remembrance of Steve Herold.

*Tweet o' the Week: americanjazzkc: Tix are still available for NYE at the Blue Room with Bobby Watson, Pam Watson, Pearl Thuston-Brown, Soul's Poem & Gate's BBQ! 816-474-6262

(Original image of the Black House Improvisors' December 10 performance by Plastic Sax.)

Plastic Sax's Top Ten Concerts and Albums of 2010

A couple years ago a Plastic Sax reader suggested that I reveal my personal musical preferences. I demurred. Keeping my tastes to myself seemed appropriate at the time. As this site has become more prominent, however, whatever veil of anonymity once existed has been shredded. Here are my favorite jazz albums and jazz performances of 2010.

Albums
1. Bobby Watson- The Gates BBQ Suite
2. Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green- Apex
3. Esperanza Spalding- Chamber Music Society
4. Alaturka- Tamam Abi
5. Mulatu Astatke- Mulatu Steps Ahead
6. Brad Mehldau- Highway Rider
7. Hearts of Darkness (self-titled)
8. The People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City (self-titled)
9. The Bad Plus- Never Stop
10. Mark Lowrey- Live at Jardine's

Performances
1. Marilyn Maye- Jardine's
2. Bobby Watson- Blue Room
3. Matt Otto Quartet- Jardine's
4. Pat Metheny- Uptown Theater
5. Stefon Harris and Blackout- White Recital Hall
6. Deborah Brown- Blue Room
7. Alaturka- Jardine's
8. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra- Yardley Hall
9. The People's Liberation Big Band- Record Bar
10. Bobby Watson with students- GiGi's Jazz Inn

(Original image of Sachal Vasandani at the Folly Theater by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: New Jazz Order

One of the best-kept secrets on the Kansas City jazz scene regularly occurs Tuesdays at Harling's. Clint Ashlock leads young musicians in a traditional big band setting. While the venue's men's room leaves something to be desired, there's no cover and drinks are cheap. Ashlock recently posted the following note about his December 21 gig: Next Tuesday, join New Jazz Order big band at Harlings from 9-12. Great special guests, some Ellington Nutcracker and other irreverency.