Charlie Parker: The Plastic Sax Person of the Year

The weeds sprouting at the base of Robert Graham’s bust of Charlie Parker at 17th Street and Paseo Boulevard used to bother me.  I’ve since come to believe allowing for a bit of benign neglect is a healthy way to honor Parker’s legacy.  Expecting Kansas City’s jazz musicians to methodically emulate Parker’s innovations is unfairly burdensome.  A hundred years after his birth in Kansas City, Kansas, on August 29, 1920, Parker remains an imposing presence.

Although the global pandemic put a damper on celebrations of the centennial, the anniversary wasn’t forgotten.  Parker was the subject of a KCPT documentary and an exhibit at the American Jazz Museum. And at least two sets of Parker’s recordings were reissued on vinyl.  That’s why the icon who died in 1955 at the age of 34 is the obvious choice for Plastic Sax’s Person of the Year. Perhaps it’s time to allow the weeds to grow unattended.

The previous recipients of Plastic Sax's Person of the Year designation are Logan Richardson (2019), Peter Schlamb (2018), John Scott (2017),  Eddie Moore (2016), Larry Kopitnik (2015), Deborah Brown (2014), Stan Kessler (2013), Doug and Lori Chandler (2012), Jeff Harshbarger (2011), Mark Lowrey (2010) and Hermon Mehari (2009). Bobby Watson was named the Plastic Sax Person of the Decade in 2009 and again in 2019.

Now's the Time: Jammin' the Blues

The short 1944 film Jammin’ the Blues is so extraordinarily divine that I’m almost inclined to renounce my affinity for contemporary improvised music. Almost. It doesn’t get much better than the life-affirming session starring the one-time Kansas City based musicians Jo Jones and Lester Young.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Scalawag, an initiative dedicated to “supporting Southern movement, community, & dissent,” published the provocative stories There Goes the Neighborhood: What Really Caused the Decline of 18th & Vine and The Mutual Musicians Foundation is Fighting the Gentrification of Jazz in Kansas City.

*Christian McBride, Bobby Watson and Chuck Haddix participated in a panel discussion inspired by the graphic novel Chasin’ The Bird: Charlie Parker In California.

*The Peter Schlamb Quartet’s December 6 performance at Murry’s in Columbia streams on YouTube.

*The American Jazz Museum’s Believe In: AJM event streams at YouTube.

*Whirlwind Recordings posted a trailer for Logan Richardson’s latest album.

*Hermon Mehari created a music video for “All Alone.”

*Tweet of the Week: Modern Recordings- A perfect Sunday-Morning track: "Road to the Sun Pt. 2" from the forthcoming Pat Metheny-album. (link)

The Top Jazz-Related Stories and Trends of 2020

1. Lockdown Kansas City’s jazz scene wasn't spared the devastating consequences of the global pandemic.  Venues and musicians confronted a double whammy of restrictive government mandates and public disapproval of attempts to continue operating in hazardous conditions.

2. Centennial Year-long celebrations marking the centennial of the 1920 birth of Charlie Parker in Kansas City, Kansas, held the potential to enliven Kansas City’s jazz scene.  Area residents who don’t ordinarily display an interest in jazz might have discovered locally based talent in a media blitz promising more exposure than than the scene had enjoyed in years.  The virus cancelled the party.  

3. Virtual The embrace of livestreaming is the silver lining of the nightmare scenario.  The accessibility of jazz performances is unprecedented.  Hundreds of virtual gigs by Kansas City’s most notable improvisers were available to anyone with an internet connection.

4. Big Bet The opening of Lonnie's Reno Club is a glimmering ray of optimism in an overwhelming gloomy year.  Ascertaining the ability of Kansas City to support a ritzy jazz supper club should prove fascinating.

5. Keepin’ It Real Bobby Watson’s Keepin’ It Real led a strong slate of new recordings.

Now’s the Time: Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes

Marc Myers, the proprietor of the JazzWax blog, recently alerted his readers to a new documentary about the private life of Count Basie. Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes may be rented or purchased at Amazon.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Anne Kniggendorf reports on the passing of Molly Hammer for KCUR.

*Tweet of the Week: MuteAnt- Jazz Shorts by The K.C. Adventure Band A Swinging K.C. Jazz, short attention spanned, big band jazz tunes featuring Arnold Young on percussion and SaneLiv aka J Triks aka Triks Adventure on keys. This is some real deal KC jazz! (link)

*From a press release issued by the American Jazz Museum: This Thursday, December 3rd at 7pm, over 350 guests from Kansas City and cities across the U.S. will tune into Believe In: AJM, a virtual event to celebrate jazz music… This one-hour, interactive at-home experience tells a heartwarming story of music mentorship between local jazz legends Bobby Watson and Lonnie McFadden, and local rising stars Morgan Faw and Charles Fisher… Additional local performers include Charles Williams, the James Ward Band, Kemet Coleman, Lisa Henry, and Eclipse.

Plastic Sax’s Favorite Albums of 2020

The pandemic failed to forestall a strong slate of new albums by Kansas City’s jazz musicians.  A ranking of the year’s top live performances is missing for sadly obvious reasons.

Favorite Albums by Kansas City Artists

1. Bobby Watson- Keepin' It Real (My review.)

2. Molly Hammer- I'm Feeling Mellow

3. Mike Dillon- Rosewood (My review.)

4. Steve Cardenas- Blue Has a Range (My review.)

5. Pat Metheny- From This Place (My review.)

6. Brian Scarborough- Sunflower Song (My review.)

7. Guitar Elation- Double Live at Green Lady Lounge (My review.)

8. Matt Otto- Alliance (My review.)

9. Flutienastiness- This Is Me (My review.)

10. Purna Loka Ensemble- Metaraga

Favorite Albums by Artists From Elsewhere

1. Jyoti- Mama, You Can Bet!

2. Jennifer Curtis and Tyshawn Sorey- Invisible Ritual

3. Ambrose Akinmusire- On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment

4. Bill Frisell- Valentine

5. Kaja Draksler Octet- Out For Stars

6. Jeremy Pelt- The Art of Intimacy, Vol. 1

7. Angelica Sanchez and Marilyn Crispell- How to Turn the Moon

8. Sara Serpa- Recognition

9. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Hero Trio

10. Brad Mehldau- Suite: April 2020

I conducted the same exercise at Plastic Sax the each of the last ten years. Expanded rankings of my favorite albums of 2020 by Kansas City musicians are published at my nondenominational music site There Stands the Glass.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Kansas City vocalist Molly Hammer has died.

*Pat Metheny and Logan Richarson were recognized with Grammy nominations yesterday.

*Pat Metheny signed a deal with a new record label.

*Amber Underwood chatted with Joe Dimino.

*Tweet of the Week: Mutual Musicians KC- Big things in the works here at MMF. Stay tuned.

Book Review: Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s by Jeff Gold

William Claxton’s stunning portraits of musicians including Chet Baker and Miles Davis made him my favorite jazz photographer.  No longer.  My new heroes are the anonymous men and women who hawked souvenir photos in jazz clubs in the 1940s and 1950s.  Their previously unappreciated work is documented in Jeff Gold’s revelatory new book Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s.

In his introduction to the lavish volume, Gold notes the images “turn the camera around” from the musicians on stages to the patrons in the clubs.  Intended as “a cheap souvenir of a night out,” Gold rightly suggests the “quick snapshots” form an “accidental history.”  Scholars and fans can finally take a close look at precisely who frequented venues during jazz’s golden era.  Sittin’ In reveals fans of the form were often as charismatic as the musicians.

Typical entries feature black-and-white photos of smiling customers enclosed in paper frames.  The riveting pictures of strikingly beautiful women and men with outsize swagger are supplemented by Gold’s admirable scholarship.  He provides insights into the history and cultural significance of each venue.  He’s particularly interested in examining depictions of integration as well as the blatant racism associated with the Cotton Club.  In addition to providing a sense of the atmosphere and decor at each venue, the photographs allow viewers to see what patrons were wearing and drinking.

While interviews with musicians and historians including Jason Moran and Sonny Rollins provide invaluable insights, the majority of Sittin’ In’s 260 pages are dedicated to geographically-arranged chapters about clubs in 11 cities.  Dozens of New York City venues are examined, but only two rooms in Kansas City are featured.  Text on the frame of a souvenir photo of eight distracted patrons at Gilmore’s Chez Paree bills the room at 1822 Vine as “The Gayest Nite Spot In Greater Kansas City.”  A 1951 advertisement for Tootie’s New Mayfair outside the city limits of Kansas City promotes an appearance by Charley (sic) Parker.

Only the most provincial Kansas City jazz fan would let the underrepresentation of the town prevent them from coveting Sittin’ In.  Besides, Charlie Parker and Count Basie pop up throughout the book.  The luxurious paper stock and handsome layout complement the exceptional contents.  Sittin’ In is an essential addition to the bookshelf of every serious jazz library.  While the volume is weighty enough to be used as a doorstop, it’s destined to serve as the pride of countless coffee tables.

Now's the Time: George E. Lee and His Orchestra

Banjo!  Tuba!  The sound of Kansas City jazz has changed considerably since the band led by George E. Lee recorded "Paseo Strut" in 1929.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Feast magazine offers additional details about the unusual price structure at Lonnie Reno’s Club.

*Tweet of the Week: Mayor Quinton Lucas- Kansas City, we are #SaferAtHome. While these guidelines will provide necessary parameters to limit group gatherings, slowing the spread of #COVID19 will require participation from us all. We ask that you act in the best interest of not just yourself, but our entire community.

Album Review: Flutienastiness- This Is Me

The defining moment of This Is Me is a celebratory shout on the brief skit “FlutieWhooo!”  The new album by Amber Underwood, the Kansas City flautist who works under the alias Flutienastiness, is a feel-good soundtrack for an unforgettable party. This Is Me combines the mainstream inclinations of the flute-playing pop star Lizzo with the R&B-savvy jazz formulated by Bobbi Humphrey in the 1970s. The result is as likely to appeal to fans of the classic hits of Janet Jackson as to admirers of the jazz flautist Hubert Laws. Although producer Desmond Mason is the primary instrumentalist, locally based luminaries including Peter Schlamb and Brian Ward contribute to the mood-shifting release that gracefully glides between the dance floor and the bedroom. Several albums released by Kansas City musicians in 2020 are more artistically daring, but none are more fun than This Is Me.

Now's the Time: Claude "Fiddler" Williams

Larry Kopitnik, Plastic Sax’s 2015 Person of the Year, uploaded this 1990 television segment about Claude “Fiddler” Williams to YouTube in 2010. In addition to featuring the music of the late violinist, the piece offers valuable glimpses of what the Jazz District looked like 30 years ago.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Business Journal report on the opening of Lonnie's Reno Club.

*Pat Metheny’s From This Place was voted Album of the Year in Downbeat’s 85th Annual Readers Poll.  Readers also named Metheny the year’s top guitarist.

*Hermon Mehari created a heartwarming music video for "A Conversation With My Uncle" and "Eritrea".

*Joanna Berkebile, Lonnie McFadden, Matt Otto and Paul Shinn were interviewed by Joe Dimino.

*Tweet of the Week: Kansas City PBS- The performing arts have been sorely missed. That's why we're thrilled to bring you KC Performs, our new series bringing you beautiful performances from local artists. Starting next Thursday at 7:00 pm.

Album Review: Logan Richardson- Afrofuturism

An excellent album lurks inside the 47 minutes of Afrofuturism. It’s difficult to locate amid the miserable production spoiling Logan Richardson’s latest album. Afrofuturism’s aggressive attack is a logical progression from the genre-bending tone of Richardson’s 2018 album Blues People, but canned drum effects, garish keyboards and a grating mix spoil the admirable intent. The production exaggerates and emphasizes the most dated aspects of 1980s studio recordings. Richardson is Plastic Sax’s reigning Person of the Year partly because he’s a committed risk-taker. Afrofuturism is a losing proposition, but odds are Richardson’s next gamble will pay off.

Now’s the Time: Robert Altman’s Kansas City

The disorienting youthfulness of several members of the all-star band is one of the most striking aspects of this supplemental clip from Robert Altman’s 1996 film. Nicholas Payton and Joshua Redman are among the participants who look like children. Twenty-four years later, elements of Kansas City’s set still stand in the Jazz District.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Pamela Hider-Johnson, a pillar of Kansas City’s jazz community, has died.

*Logan Richardson chatted with Dekel Bor.

*An attractive reissue of Charlie Parker’s The Mercury & Clef 10-Inch LP Collection is displayed in an unboxing video.

*Tweet of the Week: Marcus Lewis- New music! #bigband #vote#hiphop

Album Review: Molly Hammer- I’m Feeling Mellow

Lukewarm reviews of Molly Hammer’s albums at Plastic Sax incited incensed reactions among friends of the Kansas City vocalist.  I’ve repeatedly suggested Hammer’s talent is better suited to sophisticated cabaret standards and brooding torch songs rather than the uptempo jazz that dominates her recordings.  

That’s why I’m over the moon about Hammer’s new album I'm Feeling Mellow.  Accompanied by guitarist Rod Fleeman and bassist Gerald Spaits, she interprets selections associated with Julie London.  By emphasizing her strengths, Hammer made the album I’ve always wanted from her.

London was joined by guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Ray Leatherwood on her classic 1960 debut Julie Is Her Name.  Even though four of I’m Feeling Mellow’s ten tracks mirror the setting of Julie Is Her Name, Hammer’s tribute isn’t a mere facsimile.

Rather than imitating London’s icy and crystalline voice, Hammer invests heartfelt urgency in her scuffed, dented and bruised instrument.  The worldly I’m Feeling Mellow is the work of a woman who knows a lot about life.

Fleeman, a musician best known outside Kansas City for his work with Karrin Allyson, plays with his usual tasteful flair.  And as he’s done innumerable times for the cabaret star Marilyn Maye, Spaits thoughtfully accentuates the vocals.

I’m Feeling Mellow is the definitive Hammer recording.  I’m likely to turn to the album rather than to London’s catalog when I want to hear “Cry Me a River” or “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” ten years from now.  It’s enormously gratifying to finally give a Hammer album my unqualified endorsement.

Now's the Time: The Count Basie Orchestra

Hearing saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis tear through “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” with the mid-’60s era Count Basie Orchestra is good for what ails you.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Molly Hammer’s new album I'm Feeling Mellow was released yesterday.

*The founder and director of the National African American Jazz Legacy Museum contrasts her endeavor with the American Jazz Museum’s mission in a report about a church fire in Oklahoma City.

*Tweet of the Week: Pat Metheny- Watch "From This Place"; Official Video: (link); Composed and Arranged by Pat Metheny; Lyric by Alison Riley; Pat Metheny: Guitar; Meshell Ndegeocello: Vocal