Review: Black Friday at Crosstown Station

It's not uncommon to find a couple hundred fresh-faced music lovers swaying and dancing to a band on a Friday night at Crosstown Station. When the men on the downtown club's stage are jazz musicians, however, it's clear that something extraordinary is happening.

Very rarely do trumpeter Hermon Mehari, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, keyboardist Mark Lowrey, bassist Dominique Sanders and drummer Ryan Lee find themselves performing for such a large and fully engaged audience of their peers.

Their collaborators for the "Black Friday" concert were vocalist Schelli Tolliver and rappers Les Izmore and Reach. Although the set list may have focused on material like Talib Kweli's "Get By" and there was more rapping than singing, the jazz aesthetic wasn't compromised. As Joel Francis foretold in his preview of the event, Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You" seamlessly led into Common's "Thelonious." It all felt entirely natural, inspired and vital. (Here's The Pitch's review.)

If it continues to be led by courageous and imaginative musicians, Kansas City's legacy of jazz innovation will soon be fully restored.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Kansas City's Jazz Wellspring

Many of my favorite moments as a jazz fan in Kansas City occur while listening to the University of Missouri-Kansas City's music students. It's exciting to watch kids discover their own voices. The career prospects of most of these students may be sketchy, but it's thrilling to know that for as long as Bobby Watson continues to teach at UMKC there will be no shortage of vital new talent in this town.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Mike Corrigan of B.A.C. Horn Doctors is opening a new jazz performance space in Olathe. Stan Kessler christens The Clinic with a performance on the afternoon of December 1.

*Miles Bonny and Reach discussed the relationship between Kansas City's jazz and hip hop communities with KCUR's Jabulani Leffall. Download the show here.

*NPR devoted five minutes to praising Harold O'Neal's new album. I still stand by my lukewarm review. O'Neal performs at the Mutual Musicians Foundation on New Year's Eve.

*KCJazzLark unveils a few old photos of Claude "Fiddler" Williams.

*All About Jazz reviews Bobby Watson's Gates BBQ Suite.

*Dave Stephens' most prominent fan reviews a gig and highlights Stephens' busy schedule.

*A fresh round of interesting words and music are posted at the the Black House Improvisors Collective site.

*Steve Penn catches up with Will Matthews.

*The current status of one of Charlie Parker's homes is detailed by the New York Times.

*From Michael Pagan: Millie Edwards & Mike Pagán, who have been appearing all over town, will perform at Jardine’s on Thursday, December 9th 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. The last time they were there they recorded it, and they’ll be at it again; this will be Part 2 of their “Live at Jardine’s” CD project. $4.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Listening Booth

It's the time of year when music nerds start thinking about compiling best-of lists. And for the first time, I won't own physical copies of most of the titles in my rankings. I'm not a big fan of MP3s but there just aren't any Kansas City retailers that stock much current jazz. Find me an area store with a copy of Apex by Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green in stock and I'll buy you a beer.

It wasn't always like this. I remember buying albums on the ECM label at Classical Westport. I first explored the Miles Davis catalog during 3-for-$10 Sony "Nice Price" sales. Yours truly once managed the jazz section at a Penny Lane Records store. (While the opportunity thrilled me, I suspect that my manager LeRoi Johnson bestowed the title on me in lieu of a raising my hourly pay.) The Record Cabinet and the Music Exchange are also sorely missed.

I'm curious- how do Plastic Sax readers acquire new music? Do you download (legally or otherwise), order from e-retailers like Amazon or resort to picking up old vinyl at neighborhood garage sales?

And in case you're curious- Bobby Watson's The Gates BBQ Suite is my album of the year.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Rod Fleeman

In many ways Rod Fleeman personifies Kansas City's jazz scene. Although he's a world-class talent, he chooses to maintain a relatively low profile. I believe he continues to tour internationally with Karrin Allyson, but I'm unable to verify that claim. Fleeman's old-school online presence isn't particularly informative. We're certainly lucky to have him. He's seen here with fellow guitarists Dan Bliss, Bill Dye and Tom DeMasters. Fleeman performs at Jardine's on Thursday, November 24, under the auspices of The Beach Nuts.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Because I'm both unwilling and unable to address the "Curtis Got Slapped" phenomenon, I'll suggest that curious Plastic Sax readers begin with the link provided here.

*NPR's A Blog Supreme appreciates "Moten Swing."

*Here's a poem inspired by Dave Douglas' recent appearance at the Blue Room.

*Howard Reich raves about Bobby Watson's opening night at Chicago's Jazz Showcase. (Tip via RH.) The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review critiqued Watson's The Gates BBQ Suite.

*Federal funding for the American Jazz Museum is characterized as a "ridiculous earmark".

*I admire what T.J. Martley has done here. And there's more where that came from.

*UMKC provides an update on Hermon Mehari.

*Here's more on the Reno Club from KCJazzLark.

*Steve Penn catches up with Harold O'Neal.

*New inductees into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame include Count Basie, Charlie Parker and Bobby Watson.

*Delfeayo Marsalis' Sweet Thunder "theatrical jazz production," will be performed at the Jim D. Morris Auditorium in Springfield, MO, on February 5.

*In addition to Kenny G's "Holiday Show" on December 17, the Midland Theater will host Chris Botti on February 18.

*A fascinating discussion is taking place in the comment section of the previous Plastic Sax post.

*Charlie Parker scholar Phil Schaap has a Twitter account.

*Tweet of the week: PatMethenyNews: Pat just completed shooting the Orchestrion show for a new HD-DVD that will be available on Blu-ray+ 3D formats

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Blame It On My Youth

I occasionally experienced anxiety attacks night terrors as a child. The room spun and a sonic whirlpool rushed through my head. I'd suppressed forgotten these incidents until I first saw Mark Southerland twirl a hose connected to a saxophone during a Snuff Jazz performance. The effect recreated the nightmarish sound that once terrified me.

Last night's Snuff Jazz recital was doubly intense. Guest artist Brian Haas, keyboardist of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, echoed Southerland's sound effect on a melodica.

I now know how to manage the onset of vertigo, so the combined effort of Southerland and Haas hardly phased me. They did inspire, however, thoughts about the relationship between age and music, especially in terms of jazz.

I'd spend the previous night listening to the incredible Deborah Brown. (Here's the Star's review.) About 150 people caught all or part of Brown's performance. Their median age was a relatively youthful 45. The median age of the audience of four-dozen at the Record Bar on Sunday was an even more encouraging 30.

I'm constantly wringing my hands about what will become of jazz once the original fans of artists ranging from Stan Kenton to the Crusaders succumb to old age.

Kansas City is loaded with scores of promising young jazz musicians, yet it's not uncommon for them to play for small audiences consisting of people three times their age. The jazz kids even have a hard time convincing their friends and romantic interests to attend their gigs.

That's why I invest so much hope in acts like Haas' Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and in the artist I call The One. I also wholeheartedly approve of the crossover attempts of The Bad Plus, Vijay Iyer and Brad Mehldau. The efforts of Kansas City-based forward thinkers like Hermon Mehari and Mark Lowrey are even better.

If innovative projects like Black Friday don't succeed, I'm afraid that jazz faces a truly nightmarish future.

(Original image of Brian Haas and Snuff Jazz by Plastic Sax.)