The storied bassist Robert Hurst is part of an all-star band appearing at the Blue Room on Saturday, October 30. The Kansas City native Logan Richardson leads the auspicious date. The saxophonist will also be joined by saxophonist Mark Turner and drummer Damion Reid. Hurst performs with violinist Regina Carter in the embedded video. Tickets to Saturday’s show are available here.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Disney’s touring exhibit “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” will stop at the American Jazz Museum.
*Deluxe editions of Pat Metheny’s Road to the Sun album will be available next month.
*Tweet of the Week: dumb intellectual (scary)- the “Swing” episode from Ken Burns “Jazz” is a great little kansas city history lesson
Concert Review: Pat Metheny, James Francies and Joe Dyson at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Pat Metheny told the approximately 1,500 people in Detroit’s Orchestra Hall on Sunday, October 17, that they were risking their lives by attending the concert. After striking that gloomy note, the iconic guitarist, keyboardist James Francies, drummer Joe Dyson and a scaled down version of Metheny’s robotic Orchestrion performed 130 minutes of incandescently optimistic music.
The dynamic recital presented by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra covered a satisfying portion of the vast expanse of the Lee’s Summit native’s career. In addition to grandiose fusion and straight-ahead jazz, the concert touched on pastoral folk, chamber music and honky-tonk harmolodics.
Most of the repertoire was familiar to Metheny fans, but the trio played classic compositions in bold new ways. The physically imposing Francies stole the show. Wearing a t-shirt aptly emblazoned with the album cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, Francies showed why he’s hailed as one of the leading lights of contemporary improvised music.
Francies flouted the protocols of organ jazz on a couple straight-ahead selections and staggered unsuspecting members of the audience with the sounds of tomorrow on Metheny’s electronica-laced compositions. Conversely, the unflappable Dyson evoked the tried-and-true style associated with Jimmy Cobb.
Never an ostentatious guitarist, Metheny’s playing is more elegant than ever. Watching him lead a groundbreaking group at this stage of his career is as enlightening as it is inspiring. The Lee’s Summit native’s enduring brilliance makes his nearly decade-long embargo of Kansas City all the more painful. No performance is worth dying for, but Sunday’s concert in Detroit came close.
Now's the Time: Pink Martini
NPR listeners will flock to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, October 26. The faux jazz and grandiloquent pop produced by Pink Martini encapsulates the advanced-degree aesthetic of stereotypical Morning Edition enthusiasts.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Coal and Diamonds, an album by Kansas City Kansas Community College’s The Standard Vocal Jazz Ensemble, was released last week.
*Stan Kessler and Bennie Moten were recently inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame
*The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a feature about Robert Boone, the current drummer of The Count Basie Orchestra.
*Tweet of the Week: Tom Jackman- Also in KC, the Green Lady Lounge is an all time great jazz joint. #opentil230
Album Review: Verploegh & Baker- Singles
Singles, the fiery album by the duo of drummer Evan Verploegh and saxophonist Benjamin Baker, is the first release of the record label operated by the Extemporaneous Music Society. It’s an auspicious opening salvo from the latest initiative of the Kansas City collective.
“Locked Breath,” a two-minute burst of controlled ferocity, opens the album. The spirit of punk rock propels “Paved Lawn.” The duo ratchets back the vitriol without losing an iota of intensity on “Again Endangered.” The funk-infested “Remain in Dark” features righteous honking and pulverizing pummeling.
The 12-minute protest song “Necessity/Excess” doesn’t require vocals to convey a sense of societal indignation. The closing track “Ode to the Ghosts” possesses the sort of elegantly sensitive chaos associated with free-thinking jazz giants ranging from Charles Mingus to Henry Threadgill.
The potency of Singles shows the praise Plastic Sax has accorded the efforts of musicians associated with the Extemporaneous Music Society in recent months isn’t misplaced. The formation of EMS Records is another indication that the underground rebellion on Kansas City’s improvised music scene is gaining momentum.
Now's the Time: Bob Bowman
Bob Bowman exhibits his formidable talent in a duo setting with saxophonist Matt Otto in the embedded video. The venerable bassist performs at Yardley Hall on Sunday, October 17. Tickets are available here.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Joe Dimino filmed portions of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s “Bird Lives” concert.
*A television station noted the opening of Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grille in downtown Kansas City.
*The man behind Plastic Sax raves about the latest release by Moor Mother in the new episode of his In My Headache podcast.
*Tweet of the Week: Count Basie Orchestra- Count Basie was a member of Walter Page’s Blue Devils, as well as Bennie Moten’s Orchestra, the band with which Basie first recorded in October 1929.
On the Market
Original image by Plastic Sax.
I’ve spent several carefree Friday afternoons at The Market at Meadowbrook this year. The cafe attached to The Inn at Meadowbrook in Prairie Village features live music from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every Friday. Most of the entertainers in the family-friendly setting perform jazz. Outings by small groups led by Adam Galblum and Jackie Myers have been particularly rewarding. Alas, not every booking is commendable. The efficient staff and excellent food offer consolation when the music is inferior. On those occasions, watching affluent travelers check into the tony hotel is sufficiently entertaining. Although I don’t benefit from the high-dollar transactions, the ingrained sound of a ringing cash register is music to my ears.
Now's the Time: Jaleel Shaw
Jaleel Shaw and three notable bandmates pay tribute to the slain Cleveland youth Tamir Rice in the embedded video. The saxophonist from Philadelphia joins The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra in a tribute to Charlie Parker at Helzberg Hall on Friday, October 8.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*John Armato discussed his new album with Nic Spacek for a feature in The Kansas City Star.
*Zach Shemon, Assistant Professor of Saxophone at UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, was part of an hour-long conversation about his ensemble Prism Quartet on Classical KC.
*Kansas City Magazine created a guide titled “The Best Places to See Live Jazz in Kansas City Right Now.”
*Tweet of the Week: KC Jazz Orchestra- Join us one week from today at Polsky Theater (on the Johnson County Community College campus) for a free masterclass with Jaleel Shaw featuring the music of Charlie Parker! We can't wait!
Concert Review: Thollem McDonas at 9th and State
Original image by Plastic Sax.
The Antler’s Club, a den of iniquity during the Pendergast era in Kansas City, hosted a band featuring a teenaged Charlie Parker in 1938. In the same space in the West Bottoms on September 24, 2021, five musicians successfully pursued an extreme manifestation of Parker-inspired improvisation.
The itinerant new music luminary Thollem McDonas (keyboard) was joined by Kansas City musicians Seth Davis (guitar), Krista Kopper (bass), Jeff Harshbarger (bass) and Brian Steever (drums) in the tavern now operating as 9th & State. Following a set in which McDonas provided music for ACVilla’s short silent film Worlds In a Life, the quintet launched into an extended improvisation filled with strong interplay.
Although he’s acclaimed for high-profile collaborations, McDonas deferred to the Kansas Citians. Kopper and Harshbarger deftly took turns as de facto leaders. Kopper initiated many of the most interesting developments. Harshbarger’s impressive stunts included wielding two bows simultaneously.
The swing-oriented Steever thrived in the free setting. His bag of tricks included using bandanas as drumsticks. The jagged tones emitted by Davis’ instrument resembled concertina wire. Parker may not have recognized the sounds, but he probably would have approved of the quintet’s audacious flaunting of Kansas City’s established conventions.
Now's the Time: Karrin Allyson
Karrin Allyson returns to the Folly Theater on Saturday, October 9. She’ll be accompanied by pianist Miro Sprague, guitarist Rod Fleeman, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Jerome Jennings.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Karrin Allyson chats with Steve Kraske on KCUR.
*Pat Metheny discusses the process of choosing new collaborators.
*Tweet of the Week: All Music TV- Wednesday night come see this book by Amiri Baraka brought to life when Logan Richardson Presents Blues People, inspired by this seminal book from author Amiri Baraka @mr_musichead Just Jazz Live Concert Series. Ticket link in bio!!!! Kansas City stand up!!! #justjazztv
Album Review: Count Basie Orchestra- Live at Birdland
Ghosts are real. The Count Basie Orchestra, the ghost band of the late Kansas City jazz legend Count Basie, is haunted by exceptionally lively spirits. Recorded at the New York City venue in 2020, the new release Live at Birdland may be the ensemble’s strongest album since Basie’s death in 1984. Imbued with refined elegance and propulsive swing, the two-and-a-half hour set finds the big band paying homage to the past without seeming old-fashioned or mechanical. The musicians’ succinct, blues-steeped solos are suffused with joy. Rather than sounding as if it belongs in a dilapidated theater, Live at Birdland is a radiant soundtrack for a festive party. Basie lives!
Now's the Time: Boney James
The smooth jazz star Boney James performs at the Midland theater on Sunday, September 26. The saxophonist interprets Rufus’ 1975 hit “Sweet Thing” in the embedded video.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Blair Bryant was featured in a brief segment on a local television program.
*The Topeka Capital-Journal announced the 2021-22 season of the Topeka Jazz Workshop.
*Steve Million was interviewed by Joe Dimino.
*Tweet of the Week: Jazz Artistry Now- Listen to Youth Jazz Radio for free at Spotify #followusonspotify @youthjazzkc @Spotify @spotifyartists @ARCMusic #youthjazz #KansasCity
Album Review: Pat Metheny- Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV)
Pat Metheny suggests his collaboration with the daring keyboardist James Francies and powerful drummer Eric Harland is “an organ-trio for the 21st century” in the press release for Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV). Given the Lee’s Summit native’s expansive range, it’s not surprising the new live album documents the form’s past, present and future.
The trio pays faithful homage to the established organ trio tradition on a groovy version of Ornette Coleman’s “Turnaround.” The swinging rendition of “Timeline” wouldn’t sound out of place at Kansas City’s mainstream jazz hub Green Lady Lounge. “Timeline” isn’t the only vintage Metheny track given a treatment on the new live album.
The trio revisits the first two tracks from Bright Size Life, the 1976 album on which Metheny began transforming the possibilities of jazz. While the unforgettable melodies of “Sirabhorn” and “Bright Size Life” elicit nostalgic associations, the new performances add fresh nuances to the familiar compositions. A vibrant take of the Metheny favorite “Better Days Ahead” is the best version to date.
“Lodger” is Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV)’s outlier. Unlike anything Metheny has previously offered, the blustery track is in the mode of guitar heroes such as Jeff Beck and Gary Moore. It’s shocking to hear the trailblazing artist follow an established blues-rock formula on a composition seemingly based on Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing.”
“It Starts When We Disappear” and “Zenith Blue” bookend Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV). With inflections of electronica- as well as shades of Metheny’s revolutionary Orchestrion- the most thrilling moments of the extended tracks acknowledge the past, add vitality to the present and blaze a trail to an even more tantalizing future.
Now's the Time: Madeleine Peyroux
Madeleine Peyroux, a jazz-adjacent musician inspired in part by Billie Holiday, performs at Helzberg Hall on Thursday, September 30. The concert is co-headlined by Paula Cole, a singer-songwriter whose previous area appearance was a free concert at a Johnson County shopping center.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Kevin Frazee, a prominent Kansas City drummer, has reportedly died. Here’s a representative performance with OJT.
*KCUR offered a musically ambiguous survey of Kansas City’s jazz venues.
*Pat Metheny appeared on Questlove’s podcast.
*A resident of the Jazz District told The Kansas City Star “we’re afraid” in the wake of a deadly shooting last week. A television station also took note of the crime.
*Tweet of the Week: MCC Kansas City- The public is invited to enjoy a FREE evening of jazz 6-9 p.m. this Friday (9/17) Saxophone at MCC-Penn Valley. Featuring: * Gospel vocalist Lisa Henry * Trumpeter Chalis O'Neal * Charles D. Williams, pianist for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra (link)
*From a press release: The American Jazz Museum is proud to present Lights, Camera, Vine!, a three-day film series that explores jazz music’s impact on film in America. This series has been created in partnership with local film makers Rodney Thompson and Diallo French. Stretching from Thursday, September 30 to Saturday, October 2nd, features include two iconic jazz films - "Lady Sings the Blues" starring Diana Ross as Billie Holiday, and Spike Lee's "Mo' Better Blues" - as well as selections from the American Jazz Museum's John H. Baker Film Collection. Screenings will each include a reception with live music, and a Q&A session and discussion with local film experts after the film.