K.C. Blues, Part One

Kansas City was shut out of WBGO’s widely circulated fall jazz survey of 88 notable new albums and initiatives.  Not a single Kansas City musician, recording or area event rated a mention.  The snub isn’t surprising to readers of Plastic Sax.  I regularly note the lack of acknowledgement garnered by Kansas City’s jazz scene.  The most dispiriting aspect of the influential preview is the sickening sense the dismissal is warranted.  In the coming weeks I’ll examine the reasons behind the all-too-familiar Kansas City blues.  I’ll  conclude the analysis with eight reasons for optimism.

Now's the Time: Harlan Leonard

“Get a load of these hepsters who are gonna holler at ya!”  The excitable patter opening this wartime radio shot threatens to steal the spotlight from the energetic performance of Harlan Leonard‘s band.  His group was once Kansas City’s premier jazz ensemble.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Lonnie McFadden’s longstanding Friday afternoon gig at The Phoenix will end October 30. He’s slated to begin performing at the former Reserve Restaurant & Lounge at The Ambassador Hotel in November. The Kansas City Business Journal  reports the venue is now named The American Reserve Bar & Grille.

*Joe Dimino documented a performance by We the People. He also recorded his chat with saxophonist Rich Wheeler.

*Hermon Mehari created a lush music video for “Dreamscapes,” a track from his A Change For the Dreamlike EP.

*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum's newest gallery space honors Kansas City native Ida McBeth, a self-proclaimed "song stylist" and nationally recognized jazz legend. The Ida McBeth Gallery offers space for artists, particularly those devoted to music, who need a small gallery space to showcase their work. The inaugural collection Legendary Jazz Greats by Robert Blehert honors Ida along with 26 other jazz heroes like Count Basie, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker… (T)he new exhibit... will be on display until December 31. The Ida McBeth Gallery is open to the public with paid admission to the American Jazz Museum.

Album Review: We the People- Misunderstood

Eddie Moore has acted as a change agent since his arrival in Kansas City several years ago.  His willingness to go on the record about perceived disparities on the jazz scene and his eager embrace of popular music make Moore a civic and artistic leader.

Misunderstood, the new album by Moore’s group We The People, puts Kansas City’s jazz community on notice.  Along with bassist Jason Emmond, drummer Zach Morrow and turntablist Keith Rodgers, the keyboardist created a blend of jazz fusion, soul-jazz and the synthesis of improvised music and hip-hop associated with California based musicians like Flying Lotus.

We The People’s disruptive intent is made explicit by spoken word samples and rapping.  On “KFC”- it’s clearly not a song about fried chicken- We The People decry Kansas City’s fixation on jazz heritage and lament “you gotta f##king grow.”  The ferocious outburst “50th Law” features unhinged musical aggression and a grungy sound field.

Not all 28 minutes of Misunderstood are dyspeptic.  “Enough” is a gospel-infused self-empowerment anthem featuring rapturous vocals by Angel Gibson.  “The Truth” is undulating neo-soul while the contemplative “Round Up” recalls the prettiest tracks on Moore’s solo albums.

We The People throw down the gauntlet with Misunderstood.  History suggests the majority of Kansas City’s jazz community will respond with unknowing indifference.  Yet whether the recording is embraced or ignored, Misunderstood will stand as an essential document of this tumultuous time.

Now’s the Time: Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future

Kansas City Jazz & Blues: Past, Present & Future was released to great fanfare in 2010.  Marilyn Maye performed at the premiere of Sue Vicory’s documentary at the Gem Theater.  The entire film now streams at YouTube.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Elmer Jackson, a prominent member of Kansas City’s jazz community, has died.  I took a photo of Jackson at the Blue Room in 2009.

*We The People’s debut album Misunderstood is available for preorder.  The street date is Friday, September 25.

*Tweet of the Week: Maggie- Every morning, I listen to classic jazz while I write some morning pages. John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk. It’s like... magic. Pure art. And I think of people who make fun of jazz (or ppl who like jazz) and feel super bad for them.

Album Review: Matt Otto- Alliance

The timing of Alliance is fortuitous.  Matt Otto released his latest album on August 29, just as the longing for worry-free live performances reached an apex.  While I’ve reconciled myself to continuing to abide by pandemic precautions, I particularly miss attending performances led by Otto.  

The saxophonist’s regular gigs at the Kansas City venues Black Dolphin, the Blue Room, recordBar and Westport Coffee House every couple months were among the artistic highlights of Kansas City’s music scene.  The 44-minute Alliance resembles a short but satisfying set typical of the musician who’s responsible for one of the most rewarding strains of jazz in Kansas City of the past 15 years.  

The album’s extensive lineup initially looks like a comprehensive roll call of Kansas City’s elite young talent.  Marcus Lewis, Hermon Mehari, Peter Schlamb, Adam Schlozman and Brian Steever are among the prominent contributors.  Each man modifies his approach to suit Otto’s graceful lyricism.  Even when a drummer bashes aggressively, the gentle ripple of Otto’s signature style is maintained.  The only surprise is the entrancing whine of Mike Stover’s pedal steel guitar on “Debs.”

While Alliance isn’t Otto’s most important work, it’s another vital statement from a man who continues to embolden Kansas City’s improvised music scene with his profound talent and fresh ideas.  I’ve never taken Otto for granted, but I’ll have a new appreciation for his performances when this extended nightmare is over. 

Now's the Time: Stanley Crouch

Stanley Crouch has died.  The jazz critic and author of Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker visited Kansas City in 2014 to promote the biography.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Brian Scarborough’s Sunflower Song was reviewed by Chicago Jazz Magazine.

*Tweet of the Week: KC Jazz Orchestra- Check out that forecast, KC! Beautiful weather brightens any situation, and we're taking advantage with another @kcdriveinconcerts this coming Sat 9/19, Tenor Madness! Our last drive-in concert sold out, so get your tickets before they're gone! (link)

Album Review: Norman Brown- Heart to Heart

Céline Dion’s backing band impressed me almost as much as the hitmaker’s celebrated voice when I saw the diva perform at the Sprint Center last year.  The musicians were as slick as black ice on a Canadian turnpike.  

The affable trifles of Heart to Heart, the 12th studio album by the former Kansas City resident Norman Brown, resemble the frothy anonymity of the vamping that accompanied Dion’s off-stage costume changes.  Brown’s improvisation-laced blend of diluted funk and subdued pop is luxuriantly utilitarian background music. 

Brown hasn’t forsaken the exceptional guitar prowess that made him one of the biggest names in smooth jazz.  His playing on “She’s Mine” and “Unconditional” places him squarely in the crossover lineage of Wes Montgomery and George Benson.

“Outside the Norm,” the closing track of Heart to Heart, comes as a bit of shock after 40 minutes of unobtrusive murmuring.  The unexpected burst of unvarnished smooth jazz hints at a tantalizingly different aspect of Brown’s talent that doesn’t elicit comparison to an easy listening act.

Now's the Time: Buck Clayton

The trumpeter Buck Clayton, a native of Parsons, Kansas, and prominent alumnus of the Count Basie Orchestra, performs “Stompin’ at the Savoy” with Sir Charles Thompson, Gene Ramey and Oliver Jackson in the embedded video.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Aryana Nemati, Jackie Myers and Carly Atwood pay tribute to Charlie Parker compositions at the Kansas City Museum.

*The streaming performances of pianist Mark Lowrey caught the attention of KCUR.

*Tweet of the Week: Warta Jazz- Trombonis asal Kansas City Brian Scarborough merilis album SunFlower Song (link)

Documentary Review: Bird: Not Out of Nowhere

During a pledge break on the broadcast premiere of Bird: Not Out of Nowhere, the Kansas City musician Lonnie McFadden lauded Louis Armstrong’s colossal status in New Orleans and cited Memphis’ ongoing embrace of Elvis Presley.  McFadden wistfully acknowledged Charlie Parker remains relatively unknown in his hometown of Kansas City.  The ongoing cold shoulder Kansas City gives Parker added an ironic twist to the public television station KCPT’s use of the documentary as a fund-raising vehicle.  

In a separate pledge break, Brad Austin, the producer, director, editor and photographer of Bird: Not Out of Nowhere, explained “the film is based on Chuck (Haddix)’s book and his knowledge of Charlie Parker.”  Haddix, the author of Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker, is one of four Parker experts narrating the documentary.  McFadden and his fellow musicians Logan Richardson and Bobby Watson also contribute to the film designed to provide “a new look on how (Parker’s) upbringing in Kansas City led to worldwide fame.”

The stories told by Haddix, McFadden and Watson are so familiar to dedicated members of Kansas City’s jazz community that some viewers of Bird: Not Out of Nowhere have their routines memorized.  Still, it’s good to have their patter preserved for posterity.  And the visuals- a refreshed version of the effects used by the famed documentarian Ken Burns- are worthy of their subject.  The misspelling of the word “saxophonist” as “saxaphonist” is one of the few blemishes in the polished film.

Not surprisingly, the scenes featuring music are best.  Excerpts of a quartet led by Watson playing “Wheel Within a Wheel,” “I’m Glad There Is You” and “Confirmation” are compelling.  Watson’s demonstration of the stylistic difference between swing and bop is similarly excellent.  McFadden’s rendering of “Parker’s Mood” over habitual background chatter at The Phoenix is also valuable.

Richardson provides a candid assessment of Kansas City’s appalling erasure of Parker’s legacy near the end of the film. He contrasts the majesty of Frédéric Chopin’s grave in Paris with the scruffy resting place of Parker in Lincoln Cemetery.  Speaking for all of Kansas City, he sighs “we could be better.”  While Bird: Not Out of Nowhere can’t rectify past injustices, it’s an encouraging step toward a more honorable future.

Now's the Time: Reggie Watkins

Reggie Watkins, a Kansas City keyboardist best known for his affinity for gospel music, died in March.  The embedded video captures him performing with a small jazz combo in the lobby of the American Jazz Museum in 2015.  Watkins takes a solo at the 3:50 mark.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Brian Scarborough is featured in The Pitch.

*The legacy of the late LaVerne Barker is examined by Flatland.

*Jacob Wagner tells KCUR that “Kansas City's taken too long to recognize black creativity and African-American music that put us on the map” in a KCUR overview of Charlie Parker’s life.

*Aryana Nemati-Baghestani is interviewed by an in-house UMKC publication.

*The editorial board of The Kansas City Star ponders violence in the Jazz District.

*Bill Clinton is among the luminaries paying homage to Charlie Parker on the icon’s YouTube channel.

*Bret Primack interviewed Bobby Watson and Chuck Haddix.

*Joe Dimino documented a performance by five members of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. He also interviewed the participants.

*Alliance, a new album by Matt Otto, was released last week.

*The Mid-America Arts Alliance awarded $50,000 to the American Jazz Museum.

*A new mural adorns the exterior of the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*Tweet o’ the Week: HypnoRaygun- Danny Embrey makes 99% of "real guitarists" look like beginners. He's unbelievable.

*From a press release: Due to restrictions imposed by Kansas City, MO and the CDC, and our concern for our patrons, staff, volunteers, crew, and artists, the Folly (Theater) has made some changes in our current Jazz Season. We have decided to postpone Karrin Allyson from October 17th to January 22. David Benoit will be moved to December 10th of 2021.

*From a press release: Craft Recordings is proud to announce the release of the compact disc edition of The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection. The collection, which spotlights Charlie Parker’s groundbreaking bebop sessions for the legendary jazz label (spanning 1944 to 1948), is already available on vinyl and digital formats. The CD edition features 28 tracks from the four legendary Savoy 10-inch LPs, presented with newly restored and remastered audio and a deluxe 20-page booklet… The compact disc edition… (is) set for a November 6th release date.

Album Reviews: Champian Fulton’s Birdsong And Pasquale Grasso’s Solo Bird

Bird at 100, the 2019 album Bobby Watson recorded with fellow saxophonists Gary Bartz and Vincent Herring, demonstrated the Kansas City hero’s admirable fealty to Charlie Parker.  While several Kansas City based jazz musicians have issued fine albums this year, none have observed the centennial of Parker’s birth with the release of a project explicitly dedicated to Bird.  Two New York based musicians- the Italian-born guitarist Pasquale Grasso and the Oklahoma native Champian Fulton- fill the surprising void with compelling new projects featuring compositions associated with Parker.

Birdsong has an impossibly charming backstory.  Fulton’s jazz-crazed parents played Charlie Parker With Strings during her birth.  Fulton later befriended Jay McShann, the bandleader who gave Parker his first big break decades earlier.  The joyous blues-steeped swing of The Man From Muskogee informs Fulton’s style.  

Her throwback approach is seemingly incompatible with Parker’s ferocious innovations.  Yet Fulton finds ingenious ways to honor Parker without compromising her signature pre-bop sound on Birdsong.  The presence of Scott Hamilton- the tenor saxophonist admired for his vital evocations of Parker’s heroes like Lester Young and Ben Webster- helps Fulton tactfully circumvent the stylistic challenge.  Fans of McShann and Sir Charles Thompson will adore Fulton’s jumping old-school piano attack.  And her vocals occupy a space halfway between Sheila Jordan and Sarah Vaughan. Champian’s father Stephen Fulton (flugelhorn), Hide Tanaka (bass) and Fukushi Tainaka (drums) play with a correspondingly joyful spirit.

Birdsong instigates foot tapping.  Grasso exercises the cerebrum on Solo Bird.  The guitarist’s brilliant disassembling of selections like “Yardbird Suite” and “Confirmation” provides fresh insights into the classic material.  His mind-bending agility is the aural equivalent of watching a chess grandmaster play a series of speed matches.  At 16 minutes, Solo Bird is frustratingly brief.  The EP is part of a series in which Grasso also pays homage to Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk.  Nothing alike, Birdsong and Solo Bird are two disparate pieces of the infinite array of possibilities brought into being by the genius of Charlie Parker.

Now's the Time: Lincoln Cemetery

I shot this video at Charlie Parker’s grave in Lincoln Cemetery on August 29, 2010. Alas, turf wars within Kansas City’s jazz community put an end to this birthday tradition years before the global pandemic struck.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Eddie Moore, Hermon Mehari and Jackie Myers are among the musicians paying tribute to Charlie Parker in an episode of Eight One Sixty.

*Television news stations reported on area Charlie Parker celebrations here, here and here.

*The New York Times lists the best ways to observe the centennial of Charlie Parker’s birth.

*Marcus Lewis chatted with Joe Dimino.

*The Kansas City Star reports that Johnson County Community College is rescheduling its fall concerts.  The slate included an appearance by Larry Carlton.

*Tweet o’ the Week: Kansas City PBS- Just in case you haven't heard: On the centennial of Charlie "Bird" Parker's birth, we're taking a look back at the 21 years #Bird spent in #KansasCity and his lasting impression on present-day #KC jazz. Take our word for it, you don't want to miss this premiere! August 29!

The First 2,035 Posts

The first 2,025 posts dating back to 2007 are here.