Plastic Sax

*Geneva Price, a vocalist best known in recent years as a member of the Wild Women of Kansas City, has died.

*Hermon Mehari chatted with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s Up To Date program.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Jack Mouse and posted footage of performances by Joanna Berkebile and Hermon Mehari.

**Tweet of the Week: Chris Burnett- @KCStar needs to have a weekly Jazz column that actually covers the thriving jazz music scene (businesses, performing artists, educational events, and historical documentation) in the greater KC area. Jazz music is part of the historical DNA of Kansas City. @QuintonLucasKC

*From a press release: (The)“Tribute to Black Composers” concert will be presented at Unity Temple on the Plaza… on Sunday, March 19, at 4 p.m. in conjunction with the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation… (P)erformers include Angela Hagenbach, David Basse, Lori Tucker, and City Light Jazz Orchestra with… JWB... The show… is a history of Black songwriting and publishing in the 20th century. (Tickets are available here.)

A delightful blast from the past hit the internet without any fanfare last week. The mystery project with decidedly slapdash album art might be linked to the filmmaker Ben Meade, but background information and recording credits aren't available.

Live at Pilgrim Chapel 9/26/2010, a concert at the 75-capacity Kansas City room best known for weddings, documents a typically lighthearted set by the Wild Women of Kansas City. The vocal quartet of Myra Taylor (1917-2011), Millie Edwards, Geneva Price and Lori Tucker was a popular attraction at the time.

The Wild Women’s repertoire belied its billing as a jazz group. The 55-minute recording includes readings of the disco anthem “I Will Survive,” Ray Charles’ earthy hit “Night Time Is the Right Time” and the proto-rock gem “Don’t Let Go.”

Backed by an unidentified organist, bassist and drummer, the crowd-pleasing entertainers also perform familiar warhorses like “Sentimental Journey,” “Stormy Weather” and the inescapable “Kansas City.” Edwards sings lead on “What a Wonderful World” and Taylor does her playful Louis Armstrong impression during “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

The women assert their intent on “Let the Good Times Roll”: “Tell everybody: Wild Women are in town/Sometimes we’re serious, sometimes we got to clown/ We don’t let nobody play us cheap/We got heart, soul- ooh, listen to the beat.” Thanks to the invaluable Live at Pilgrim Chapel 9/26/2010, their vital beat plays on.