The French pop-jazz artist Cyrille Aimée returns to the Folly Theater on Saturday, March 14. Plastic Sax reviewed her Kansas City debut in 2018.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director Clint Ashlock today announced the next concert for the 2025-2026 Signature Series, Benny Goodman Live at Carnegie Hall, for one performance on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Kansas City’s historic Folly Theatre… Featuring pre-eminent clarinetist, saxophonist and band leader Anat Cohen, KCJO will re-create a groundbreaking 1938 Carnegie Hall concert that marked a significant turning point, altering the direction of big-band jazz music, and becoming one of the most popular collections of live music ever produced... For Tickets and more information: kcjo.org/tickets.
Concert Review: The Joshua Redman Quartet at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Familiarity breeds contempt. I begrudgingly paid $37.50 for a pocket-sized seat in the back row of the Folly Theater on Saturday, February 7. The event was the fifth time I’ve caught up with Joshua Redman in the past eleven years.
The saxophonist played the Folly Theater in 2019 (Plastic Sax review), collaborated with the Bad Plus at the Gem Theater in 2015 (my review for The Kansas City Star), and at the Folly in 2007 (Plastic Sax review). I also heard Redman at New York City’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in 2017 (Plastic Sax review).
Rather than harboring disappointment with the reliably excellent Redman, I was irritated by the propensity of jazz presenters in Kansas City to feature the same acts year after year. Kansas City apparently doesn’t share my fussiness. A near-capacity audience of almost 1,000 paid rapt attention to Redman, pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo.
My gloom dissipated as it became apparent the quartet was operating at the apex of mainstream jazz. Compositions that sound flat on the 2025 album Words Fall Short were enlivened by elite interplay and stupendous solos. Yet allusions to more adventurous sounds provided the highlights of the 100-minute performance.
Redman’s fire-breathing introduction to a selection concluded with a piercing high note, causing an agitated woman in front of me to cover her ears. An extended unaccompanied solo by Cornish ranged from Art Tatum to Robert Glasper. Norris and Ebo made similarly prodigious statements.
As at Branford Marsalis’ outing at the Folly Theater eleven months ago, the Kansas City based drummer Carl Allen sat in with the band for one tune. While I might long for the likes of Mary Halvorson, I’ll never pass on an opportunity to hear Marsalis or Redman in Kansas City.
(Reed Jackson composed a more conventional review of Redman’s concert for Spectrum Culture.)
Now's the Time: Joshua Redman
The Folly Jazz Series resumes on Saturday, February 7, with the excellent quartet led by Joshua Redman. The saxophonist is slated to perform with pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo.
Concert Review: Marilyn Maye at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Frank Sinatra. Lena Horne. Tony Bennett. Mel Tormé. Bobby Short. Of the prominent twentieth century vocalists in the saloon singer and torch song traditions, Marilyn Maye is the last legend standing. The ninety-seven-year-old’s homecoming concert at the Folly Theater on Sunday, December 21, provided a life-affirming experience for an audience of about 750. (I paid $39 for a balcony seat.)
Accompanied by pianist Tedd Firth, guitarist Rod Fleeman, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Ray DeMarchi, Maye focused on material she performed during her 76 appearances on the late-night television program The Tonight Show.
A screen above the stage during portions of the two-set show displayed video and photographic excerpts featuring Maye, Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. Yet the wildly charismatic star didn’t rely on visual aids. Maye’s jokes remain funny and her voice is still strong.
Renditions of vintage material including “Cabaret,” “The Way We Were” and “Hello Dolly” were culled from Maye’s commercial peak fifty years ago. Yet Maye is anything but a has-been. Having outlived her peers and most of her core audience, Maye is an exemplar of artistic excellence and a heroic role model.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Footage of Marilyn Maye’s concert at the Folly Theater was shared by Joe Dimino.
The Top Jazz Performances of 2025
Original image of Shanté Clair and Krista Kopper at Grand Avenue Temple by Plastic Sax.
The Top Performances of 2025 by Kansas City Musicians
1. Nick Hmeljak, Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Jordan Faught and Jaylen Ward at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
2. Drew Williams, Ben Tervort and Brian Steever at the Stray Cat Film Center
Instagram clip.
3. Bram and Lucy Wijnands with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
4. Vanessa Thomas, Kara Smith, Michael Pagán and Steve Rigazzi at the Blue Room
Instagram clip.
5. Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Spencer Reeve and Jade Harvey at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival
Instagram clip.
6. The Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society’s “3 Expressions of Light and Sound” at Charlotte Street Foundation
Instagram clip.
7. Matt Villinger, Peter Schlamb, Sebastian Arias and Matt Robertson at the Blue Room
Instagram clip.
8. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
9. Deborah Brown and George Colligan at Upcycle Piano Craft
Instagram clip.
10. David Chael, Danny Embrey, Gerald Spaits and Brian Steever at Green Lady Lounge
My Instagram clip.
The Top Performances of 2025 by Touring Musicians
1. Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
Plastic Sax review.
2. Terence Blanchard at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
There Stands the Glass review.
3. Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
4. Samara Joy at the Folly Theater
There Stands the Glass review.
5. Devin Gray at the Ship
There Stands the Glass review.
6. Alexander Adams, Jeff Goulet (and Seth Davis) with Kristen Kopper and Shanté Clair at Grand Avenue Temple
Instagram clip.
7. Cory Weeds (with Chris Hazelton) at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
8. Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez at Helzberg Hall
Plastic Sax review.
9. Helen Sung (with Bach Aria Soloists) at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
10. Pete Escovedo at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
Last year’s survey is here.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*A blogger reviewed Samara Joy’s concert at the Folly Theater.
*Happy Holidays, the new album by Tim Whitmer’s Good Time Quartet featuring Rod Fleeman, is available on streaming services. The release party will be held at Black Dolphin on Wednesday, December 17.
*Joe Dimino shared footage of a performance by Mire Pral.
Now’s the Time: Samara Joy
Samara Joy returns to the Folly Theater on Saturday, November 22. The vocalist’s 2023 performance at the concert hall was magnificent.
Now’s the Time: Lakecia Benjamin
In spite of the initial buzz accompanying the booking of Lakecia Benjamin in the 2025-26 season of the Folly Jazz Series, most seats for the saxophonist’s concert remain unsold ten days prior to her appearance on Saturday, November 1. The embedded video suggests Benjamin and her band are ideally suited for a sophisticated Saturday night.
Past Due Bill
Original image of Pete Escovedo’s band at the Folly Theater by Plastic Sax.
I opted for the season opener of the Folly Jazz Series over the revived KC Jazz & Blues Festival on Saturday, October 5. Several people have insisted an explanation is in order. My decision was based on equal parts money and art.
The festival would have put me back $89.50 ($69.50 for the least expensive ticket and $20 parking at the baseball stadium hosting the event). I paid $30 for the cheapest ticket to Pete Escovedo’s concert at the Folly Theater. I found a free parking spot on a nearby street.
Familiarity also played a role in my choice. Bill Frisell- the crown jewel of the festival’s lineup- comes through Kansas City regularly. Stanley Clarke, the de facto headliner, played a free concert in Kansas City in 2019.
I don’t care for the music of the festival’s closing act Karl Denson. As for the locally based professional musicians in the festival lineup, I’ve heard every one of them at least once in recent months.
I’ve only seen Escovedo perform as a member of Santana at the Uptown Theater in the 1970s. Escovedo’s octet played low-stakes Latin jazz for an audience of more than 200 on Saturday. The vibes were good, but missing Frisell feels bad.
Now’s the Time: Jon Batiste
A brief audit of Jon Batiste’s irregular relationship with Kansas City is in order. Batiste played the Folly Theater in 2014. In 2017, taxpayers funded an $18,000 charter flight to Kansas City to enable the 31-year-old Batiste to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Jazz Museum. Batiste canceled a 2018 concert at Madrid Theatre the week of the show due to “scheduling issues.” The star’s Big Money tour stops at the Midland Theatre on Wednesday, August 27.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Tickets to Samara Joy’s November 22 concert at the Folly Theater went on sale to the general public this week.
Concert Review: Helen Sung and Bach Aria Soloists at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Plenty can go wrong at one-off, cross-genre collaborations. Performances of this ilk can be stilted, fussy and worse still, boring. A collaboration between the New York based jazz pianist Helen Sung and Kansas City’s chamber music ensemble Bach Aria Soloists dodged those traps at the Folly Theater on Saturday, April 5.
An audience of more than 300 was entertained by the charming tone of the baroque-meets-jazz experiment. (I paid $33.50 for a seat in the upper balcony.) Much like an elevated variety show, the casual approach staved off priggishness.
Separate segments featured torch songs, solo piano, a take on Bach with swinging harpsichord and a four-movement suite commissioned by Bach Aria Soloists. Sung explained the latter composition was inspired by Charles Mingus, but the work was infused with echoes of Chick Corea classics like “Spain.”
The great misfortune of the concert was its timing. Habitues of the Folly Theater were thrilled at a March 7 recital by arguably the world’s finest classical pianist and violinist. An eminent jazz band’s homage to Keith Jarrett played the room March 15. While Sung and Bach Aria Soloists didn’t match that level of artistry, their presentation was much more fun.
Concert Review: The Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
A storied American band played a European form of jazz at the Folly Theater on Saturday, Mary 15. The Branford Marsalis Quartet’s uncharacteristically continental ninety-minute concert was a high-concept triumph.
The band reimagines Keith Jarrett’s 1974 album Belonging on its forthcoming album on Blue Note Records. Even when the band wasn’t previewing material from Belonging, the distinctive tone of the ECM Records recording permeated the performance.
The singular American pianist Jarrett was joined by Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Swedish bassist Palle Danielsson and Norwegian drummer Jon Christensen on Belonging. Marsalis’ channeling of Garbarek provided the audience of about 1,000 a highly refined but undeniably peculiar experience. (I paid $42 for my ticket.)
Even when Marsalis switched to Ben Webster mode on vintage blues selections like “There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth the Salt of My Tears,” he and the band retained a sense of cool reserve.
Pianist Joey Calderazzo seemed to enjoy offering new insights into Jarrett’s legacy. As always, the superlative bassist Eric Revis impressed. The absence of Justin Faulker, the quartet’s current drummer, resulted in accidental entertainment.
Realizing that the frequent admonishments of drummer David Hawkins made by the three veterans were visible to the audience, Marsalis explained Hawkins was playing his second gig with the band. Hawkins, a drummer with deep Kansas City ties, didn’t seem fazed by the hazing. In fact, his powerhouse attack was welcome.
Carl Allen and Houston Smith of Kansas City joined Marsalis and Calderazzo for the encore. Calderazzo’s son sat next to his father. The child looked alternately awed, baffled and delighted. His was precisely the right reaction to the slightly disorienting but entirely wonderful concert.
Now’s the Time: Helen Sung
Pianist Helen Sung often explores the intersection of jazz and classical music. On Saturday, April 5, the native Texan will collaborate with the Kansas City chamber music group Bach Aria Soloists at the Folly Theater. Portions of the concert will likely resemble the performance in the embedded video.
Concert Review: Bram and Lucy Wijnands with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Lucy Wijnands introduced a rendition of “I’m Old Fashioned” with disarming candor at the Folly Theater on Saturday, March 1. She admitted “we thought this would be appropriate for tonight.” The presentation of period music would have been excruciatingly corny in lesser hands. Instead, the evening of retro-jazz was an artistic triumph.
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra featured keyboardist Bram Wijnands and his daughter Lucy in a generous acknowledgement of an area mainstay that demonstrates the organization’s ongoing commitment to the Kansas City community. The concert was a capstone in Bram’s career. For the New York based Lucy, the night was a memorable coming out party.
Bram Wijnands, a noted stride piano specialist prone to madcap antics, arranged all the material aside from the opening selections of the first and second sets. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra may never have sounded better than on Wijnands’ chart for the Count Basie Orchestra’s 1937 classic “Topsy”.
Turns in the spotlight by trumpeter Trent Austin and saxophonist Brad Gregory stood out amid dozens of impeccable solos. Wijnands’ statements on piano and celesta were similarly thrilling. Kansas City audiences have come to expect excellence from Wijnands and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. Wijnands’ daughter Lucy is a relative newcomer.
Lucy Wijnand’s fully realized talent stunned unsuspecting members of the audience of approximately 350. (I was comped.) She shone most brightly while focusing on material Ella Fitzgerald recorded from the 1930s through the 1960s.
Just as her father didn’t attempt to copy Basie’s signature piano style, Lucy didn’t ape Fitzgerald. Instead, her rich vocals resembled Judy Garland as much as Fitzgerald. Stale moments were few and far between. The vim and vigor of the Wijnands and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra made old-fashioned sounds seem brand new.
Now’s the Time: The Branford Marsalis Quartet
The ironic title of the Branford Marsalis Quartet’s potent 2000 album Contemporary Jazz seems even more contentious 25 years later. The embedded video features a rendition of the opening track “In the Crease.” The band will attempt to substantiate its primacy at the Folly Theater on Saturday, March 15.
Now’s the Time: Bram and Lucy Wijnands with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
The Folly Theater hosts the inspired pairing of the father-daughter tandem of Bram and Lucy Wijnands with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, March 1. The Wijnands perform at the London cabaret Crazy Coqs in the embedded video.
Now’s the Time: säje
säje makes its Folly Jazz Series debut on Friday, February 28. The vocal quartet consists of Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick and Amanda Taylor. The song performed in the embedded video won a Grammy Award in the category of “Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals” earlier this month.