Album Review: Matt Otto- Kansas City Trio

The three trio albums Adam Larson released in a 14-month span are one of the most artistically rewarding achievements undertaken by a Kansas City musician in years. As if in response to Larson’s vital statement, Matt Otto issued the similarly daring Kansas City Trio on June 30.

Three Kansas City bassists- Bob Bowman, Jeff Harshbarger Ben Leifer- and three locally based drummers- John Kizilarmut, Marty Morrison and Brian Steever- construct interesting frameworks for Otto’s endlessly imaginative excursions.

The robust intellect, sly humor and gracious humanity displayed by Otto imbue the 12 tracks with magnificent grace. While his trios are always controlled and cool, their approaches emanate from the adventurous edge of mainstream jazz.

Relatively young artists, Larson and Otto are in their artistic primes. Any mid-size city would be lucky to claim one such elite saxophonist. Kansas City is exceptionally fortunate that both Larson and Otto call Kansas City home.

Album Review: The Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Kansas City

With Love, From Chicago, the album the Kansas City based saxophonist Adam Larson released in February, is outstanding.  Good news: the followup With Love, From Kansas City is its equal.  

The Kansas City based tandem of bassist Ben Leifer and drummer John Kizilarmut is as formidable as the rhythm section of Clark Sommers and Dana Hall featured on With Love, From Chicago.  

On both alto and tenor, Larson’s tone possesses the impact of a pair of brass knuckles.  Packed with swagger, the music made by the hard-charging trio crackles with energy.

“New Thread” sounds like an instant classic.  An inventive take on Peter Shlamb’s “REL,” a recently minted Kansas City standard, is wonderful.  A ferocious attack on Charlie Parker’s “Chi-Chi” is even more exciting.

Thousands of people recently celebrated the 102nd birthday of Parker by revisiting Bird’s recordings.  Listening to Larson’s phenomenal new albums may be an even better way to acknowledge Parker’s legacy.

Album Review: Stephen Martin- High Plains

Bobby Watson and Stephen Martin romp through an affectionate interpretation of Benny Golson’s standard “Stablemates” on the latter musician’s new release High Plains.  Bold and assured, the selection exemplifies the impeccable form of swing that’s dominated Kansas City’’s jazz scene in recent decades.

Watson is one of several members of an elite consortium of notable Kansas City musicians joining Martin on his second album.  The saxophonist’s vision is bolstered by Peter Schlamb (vibraphone and piano) and Ben Leifer (basses).   Saxophonist Matt Otto produced High Plains and performs on one track.  The Nebraska based drummer David Hawkins rounds out the group.

High Plains is suffused with Martin’s devotion to John Coltrane.  Thanks partly to Schlamb’s wondrous invocation of McCoy Tyner, the band reaches Afro Blue Impressions-level intensity on “The Void.” Martin and his stablemates are less clamorous on the remainder of the album. Mainstream jazz- in Kansas City or anywhere else- doesn’t get much better than High Plains.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*A television news broadcast reports that streets in the Jazz District will be blocked on weekends this summer.

*Downbeat published a review of Tony Tixier’s I Am Human.  The French pianist’s album features duets with Ben Leifer, Hermon Mehari and Logan Richardson.

*Tweet of the Week: Dr. K Goldschmitt- Something I think about every time I teach History of Jazz is Altman’s Kansas City. He got a group of ridiculously talented musicians in the mid-1990s to meticulously re-enact a style from 60 years prior. Can you imagine this happening in any other genre?

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Ben Leifer, Herman Mehari and Logan Richardson are among Tony Tixier’s collaborators on the pianist’s new album I Am Human.

*A virtual performance of “Black in America” created by the Marcus Lewis Big Band for the Jazz Education Network streams at YouTube.

*Max Groove spoke to Joe Dimino.

*Tweet of the Week: DerekM07- I’m rooting for the chiefs just cause all the Jazz documentaries I been watching go Kansas City

*From a press release: Charlie "Bird" Parker's Grafton saxophone, one of Kansas City's most treasured jazz artifacts, will embark on a journey to Lake Buena Vista, Florida today for an extended stay at EPCOT® Theme Park at the Walt Disney World Resort. On Monday, Walt Disney Imagineering unveiled “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure,” a salute to cities across America that had a major impact on jazz music: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, New York City, and San Juan. And the American Jazz Museum and Mayor Lucas recently offered the crown jewel from the museum's collection to be added to the exhibit… This addition to the exhibit puts a national spotlight on Kansas City and is a huge opportunity for the American Jazz Museum at a critical time. Despite many public challenges throughout the museum's history, a refreshed board and new staff leadership have ushered in a new era of growth and transformation, after just one year with new Executive Director Rashida Phillips at the helm… The Grafton saxophone is scheduled to remain at EPCOT for six months.