Now's the Time: The Winard Harper Sextet

The camera is static, the sound mix is a little iffy and the bandleader is hidden behind a piano. But the muscularity of the Winard Harper Sextet's hard bop still comes through in this video. The New Jersey-based drummer's band plays tonight and tomorrow at the Blue Room. Harper offers a couple downloadable tracks at his MySpace account.

Ed Fenner Memorial Events

Here's a bulletin I received Wednesday from Andrew Zender of the American Jazz Museum regarding special memorial events for Ed Fenner:

I got the word today that there is a two-part memorial planned for Ed Fenner next week. This event was planned by Ed’s family along with a couple of his associates with the Jazz Ambassadors and UMKC, and the Museum is playing a part by providing its venues/spaces for some of the events.

By the way, there is a scholarship set up in Ed’s name through UMKC. Folks can send a donation to:

UMKC Conservatory of Music
Ed Fenner Memorial Scholarship Fund
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110

Monday, June 2 – Tribute/Jazz Jam, 6:00pm
This will take place at the Gem Theater. There will be a light reception from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, with the tribute “program” beginning directly afterwards. There will be a few brief speakers who will share their memories of Ed as well as an image slideshow put together by Dean Hampton. The rest of the event will be a jam session, although I haven’t heard who is ‘hosting’ the jam. This will run until 9:30-10:00pm. If there any musicians that wish to keep playing, they’ll move the jam over to The Blue Room since it’s a regular Blue Monday Jam session. Former KC bassist Craig Akin will be back in town from NYC with his band Topshelf Toons hosting the jam. Event(s) free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 3 – Ed Fenner Pub Crawl, 7:00pm
From what I understand, there is a fee of either $30 or $35 to participate in the jazz pub crawl – transportation is arranged. All proceeds directly to the scholarship that is set up in Ed’s name. The night begins at the Mutual Musicians Foundation around 7:00pm, then it’s off to Café Trio, Jardine’s, and back to The Blue Room to end the night. The group will probably stay at each venue for 45 minutes to an hour. Since The Blue Room normally isn’t operating on Tuesday nights, there will be a special guest group booked there for the evening.

Folks interested in going to the Pub Crawl can contact Phyllis Sargeon, a close friend of Ed’s, at phy26l@yahoo.com. I just got off the phone with her and she said they’re already near capacity on the pub crawl, but there are still 3-5 spots left.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Earl Robinson, a founding member of the Scamps, died May 19. He was 85. Robinson and his excellent band were probably my favorite roots-oriented act in the 1980s, although they'd already been entertaining Kansas Citians for decades. Here's how fun they were- I'd often opt for a night with the Scamps over local competitors BCR, the Blue Riddim Band, the City Light Orchestra, Little Hatch, Kevin Mahogany, the Morells, Ida McBeth, Horace Washington and Claude "Fiddler" Williams.

*Here's a bit of good news amidst the gloom. The Metheny Music Foundation awarded eleven students cash scholarships for summer band camp. Details are posted at the Foundation's site.

*Ed Fenner's obituary ran in Sunday's Star, What an remarkable life!

*My friend Jason remembers Ed Fenner.

*Discussions about funding the city's museums- the American Jazz Museum included- are quite taxing.

*My friend Richard profiles Shay Estes and Mark Lowrey.

*The Star published an elaborate feature on Brad Cox in its Sunday magazine.

*KCUR offers an insightful interview with Kevin Cerovich.

*Steve Penn follows up on an item Plastic Sax published April 9. His column provides background about D.J. Sweeney's quest to salvage jazz programming on KKFI. More disaffected grumbling is here.

*Anyone want to provide historic context for today's news report about the bandstand pavilion at Swope Park? It's "in danger of collapse."

*Hey! There's a "new" Charlie Parker recording!

*A Los Angeles man submitted an impassioned defense of the American Jazz Museum to the Star.

(Incredible image by this photographer. Plastic Sax tipsters BGO and Lee assisted with this post.)

Where's My Black Dress?

I had intended to dedicate an hour listening to authors at the Kansas City Literary Festival last weekend. Instead, the siren song of the Wild Women of Kansas City drew me to the courtyard outside the nearby Eddie Bauer store. I see this ensemble so frequently that their repertoire and most of Myra Taylor's gags should be old hat. Squeeze me into a black dress and I could easily sing along with the ladies. Yet for all that, the act has yet to become stale. I'll say it again- no act working today better represents Kansas City's musical legacy than the Wild Women of Kansas City.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Mr. Five By Five

Watching this newly posted performance by Jimmy Rushing I was initially struck by his stylistic similarity to fellow native Oklahoman Jay McShann. The uncanny resemblance had never occurred to me. The smoldering piece serves as yet another reminder that Kansas City's musical legacy is deeply rooted in the blues. Need more? Try this joy-inducing video. "I'm kind of plump that's true..."

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.