Concert Review: True Dig at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival

“You couldn't ask for a more blessed day,” Tyrone Clark said during True Dig’s set at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival on Saturday afternoon.

He was right.  The warm sunshine and cool breeze seemed heaven-sent.  The music performed by True Dig- bandleader and bassist Clark, vocalist Lisa Henry, pianist Charles Williams, guitarist Charles Gatschet and drummer Michael Warren- suited the mild setting. 

The ensemble’s R&B-inflected jazz resembled the genial 1970s sound of the Crusaders and Bobbi Humphrey.  Sold by the charismatic Henry, the party songs “Fly Boy” and “Midwest Girls” provided the highlights of True Dig’s enjoyable outing.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra

The unseemly exodus that occurred during Joe Lovano’s performance with headliner Deborah Brown at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival last year is unlikely to be repeated on Saturday, September 12.  The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and the McFadden Brothers- the event’s co-headliners- are proven audience pleasers.  The Prairie Village Post published a festival ”primer”.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Star and The Pitch previewed the Prairie Village Jazz Festival. 

*Logan Richardson’s new album Shift will be released in Japan in October.

*KSHB posted a trailer for its “Kansas City & All That Jazz” documentary.

*Andrew Stinson selected ten desert island discs.

*Demencha reviewed Shades of Jade’s single “That One.”

*Downbeat reviewed Karrin Allyson’s new album.

*Joe Dimino’s most recent interviews include a chat with Alyssa Murray.

*The Detroit News and The Detroit Free Press lauded Pat Metheny’s headlining appearance at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

*Phil Woods bemoaned a lack of interest in his version of the “Charlie Parker With Strings” sessions in advance of his final live performance.

*A four-minute video features Joe Lovano, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Myra Melford and Esperanza Spalding performing at New York’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Valorie J Wells- @HistoricKC Miss Anita Dixon you did a great job on All That Jazz show. Thank you for keeping the Torch for KC Jazz

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Album Review: Michael Pagán- The Ottawa Sessions

I’m a slow learner.  The prospect of a new Michael Pagán album rarely makes me giddy, but I’m invariably floored by the high quality of each release by the pianist, composer and bandleader.

The Ottawa Sessions is no different.  In fact, it may be Pagán’s best effort to date.

The recording featuring Pagán, Bob Bowman and Brian Steever isn’t just another homage to the Bill Evans Trio.  In pairing of the dean of Kansas City jazz bassists with a rambunctious young drummer, Pagán has crafted  an energetic piano trio album that’s loaded with surprises. 

Not a single moment of the thirteen-minute reading of “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” is redundant.  Rather than resembling the deferential background murmurings of a cocktail lounge trio, the men play with brash assertiveness.  A rollicking reading of “Lullaby of the Leaves” and the playful “Kalamara Rex” are just as fun.

In hindsight, it should have been immediately apparent that The Ottawa Sessions would be an essential document of Kansas City’s mainstream jazz scene.  I’ll be ready next time.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Peter Martin

Peter Martin is an accomplished pianist with an impressive discography.  He’s also inspired one of the funniest jazz memes of the past year.  Martin’s “2-minute jazz” instructional videos led to a hilarious series of "one-minute jazz” parodies.  Simon performs at the Blue Room on Wednesday, September 9.  The Jackie Allen Quintet is also on the bill.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Almost 200 people- dozens of musicians and at least 20 members of the media among them- attended the celebration of Charlie Parker’s birthday at Lincoln Cemetery on Saturday.  The Kansas City Star shot video.  KCUR created an audio report (and a photo with a familiar byline).  Drone footage offers a unique perspective.

*KC Jazz Lark reveals the behind-the-scenes process of booking the Prairie Village Jazz Festival.

*Shades of Jade’s single “That One” was reviewed by Brian Clifton of Mills Record Company.

*America Patton spoke to The Kansas City Star about a Quindaro-related musical project. 

*Motema Music created a promotional video for Karrin Allyson’s forthcoming Many A New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein album.

*Clint Ashlock asks ”Why Do We Do This?”

*Danny Alexander reviewed Victor & Penny and Their Loose Change Orchestra's "Live at the Living Room Theatre" for KCUR.

*A blogger notes the disbursement of an impeccable jazz collection.

*Harold O’Neal created a static video of his riffing on “Giant Steps.”

*Tweet o’ the Week: Steve Paul- Fire's burning and people are gathering for 21 Sax salute for Charlie Parker birthday. Lincoln Cemetery, #KC #jazz

*From a press release: On Tuesday, September 8th, at 9 p.m., KSHB-TV will present “Kansas City & All That Jazz,” a 60 minute documentary highlighting Kansas City’s rich and unique jazz history. The beginning of jazz in Kansas City can be traced back nearly a century ago to the 18th & Vine Jazz District and to the headquarters of The Mutual Musicians Foundation… The epicenter of jazz in our town can be traced back to that old building, now operated by the Mutual Musicians Foundation.  Few people in Kansas City know of its existence today.  But the buildings’ cultural and historic impact and value on the outskirts of the 18th & Vine Jazz District cannot be measured… ”Kansas City & All That Jazz” uses it as the centerpiece to explore our rich history of jazz that is uniquely ours.

*The Kansas City Jazz Calendar has been updated.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Birdhouse

While at the celebration of Charlie Parker’s 95th birthday in Lincoln Cemetery yesterday, I forgot to ask Bird’s daughter Kim if she had any further recollections of the building pictured above.  I made a pilgrimage to Parker’s final home while in New York earlier this year.  Unlike most of his residences in the Kansas City area, the building in a moneyed part of Manhattan is well-preserved.

(Original images by Plastic Sax.)