Album Review: Drew Williams Quartet- Live at Weights and Measures

Many of Kansas City’s most accomplished jazz musicians recoil from social media hijinks and resist shameless self-promotion. Too often, their meritorious reticence results in comparative inconspicuousness.

The commendably serious Drew Williams is one such musician. The saxophonist is among Kansas City’s most forward-thinking artists. His new release Live at Weights and Measures reminds listeners that Williams is equally adept in straight-ahead settings and freer formats.

Williams is joined by the similarly versatile keyboardist Matt Villinger, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Jaylen Ward on the session. Williams’ creativity is further evidenced by the availability of Live at Weights and Measures in both audio and video formats. 

On Thelonious Monk’s “We See”, Dave Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way”, Kurt Rosenwinkel’s “Minor Blues”, Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark” and Williams’ original “Fix Your Heart (Or Die)”, the quartet demonstrates the splendid quality of jazz flourishing at the periphery of Kansas City’s jazz spotlight.

Album Review: All Night Trio- Yeah Sun

All Night Trio may be Kansas City’s best band. The wavy convergence of Matt Villinger, Peter Schlamb and Zach Morrow applies elite jazz chops to funky electro-pop. What could be better? Why, the addition of Hermon Mehari, of course! The trumpeter appears on “Echo Cycle,” the second track on the new album Yeah Sun.  The gloriously woozy title track is a worthy follow-up to All Night Trio’s 2022 banger "All Faded". “The Next Gen” is centered on Morrow’s uplifting rap. The title of “Thunder Step” seems to be a nod to the crossover star Thundercat. A thirty-minute party, Yeah Sun is contemporary club music for people who collect Bobby Timmons records on vinyl.

Jazz Night in Kansas City (Is Every Night)

Attending performances by locally based jazz musicians is what I miss most about Kansas City while traveling. While I regularly take advantage of high-profile concerts by cutting-edge improvisers who rarely appear in Kansas City in my destinations, few locales match the depth of artistry showcased nightly in the Kansas City area.

Following a trip to the tropics, I caught up with a portion of the embarrassment of riches on Thursday, November 15. My outing began at the Music House School of Music in Prairie Village. The storied trumpeter Stan Kessler joined the house band of guitarist Aaron Sizemore, bassist Forest Stewart and drummer Michael Warren.

Sizemore tends to incorporate European innovations of recent decades into his sound, a disposition that differentiates him from his peers in Kansas City. The singularity didn’t make an impression on harried music students on strict schedules at the busy facility. The small audience at Thursday’s no-cover event consisted of the usual suspects. A video of the concert streams here.

In the Lowest Ferns couldn’t be more different. The West Bottoms club specializing in electronic dance music occasionally hosts jazz musicians. About 25 fashion-conscious people paid a $15 cover charge to take in the first set by saxophonist Ernest Melton, keyboardist Parker Woolworth, bassist Jordan Faught and drummer Jaylen Ward. The quartet’s spiritual soul-jazz was enhanced by a fog machine.

Two blocks away, Peter Schlamb unveiled an instrument he described as his “new toy” in a free show at The Ship.  The slippery tones of the MalletKAT added another weapon to the vibraphonist’s formidable arsenal. The high-energy improvisations of Schlamb, saxophonist Matt Otto, keyboardist Matt Villinger, bassist Sebastian Arias and drummer Zach Morrow were stunning.

In an act that felt like a cultural misdemeanor, the two eldest people among the audience of 20 left at the conclusion of the first set at 10:15 p.m. I nodded in agreement when a savvy old head suggested “that’s the best band in Kansas City” as we shuffled to the door. For me, Shlamb’s electric band sounds like home.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Joe Dimino interviewed Rick Willoughby and shared footage of a performance led by Matt Villinger.

*Adam Larson and Mike Dillon were lauded on the KKFI radio program Wednesday Midday Medley.

Album Review: The Alex Frank Quartet- Reclaim

Matt Otto’s Umbra, Plastic Sax’s favorite album of 2023, features elegant contributions from guitarist Alex Frank. The Kansas City musician makes a similarly graceful statement on his new album Reclaim. Accompanied by keyboardist Matt Villinger, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer John Kizilarmut, Frank displays uncommon melodic bounce and an optimistic sensibility. Frank often seems on the verge of shredding, but in keeping with his tasteful playing with Otto, restraint is the byword of Reclaim.

Album Review: Matt Otto- Umbra

Umbra, the Matt Otto album released in August by Origin Records, is an understated masterpiece. Imbued with quiet grace, Umbra reflects the subtle magnanimity associated with Otto, a Kansas City saxophonist with a cool West Coast approach.

Yet the vaguely threatening “Little Things” opens Umbra. The core trio of saxophonist Otto, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Kizilarmut is supplemented by shadowy contributions from trumpeter Hermon Mehari, keyboardist Matt Villinger and guitarist Alex Frank.

The musicians seem intent on pursuing peaceful resolutions on the remainder of the album. Otto promptly sets about addressing the quandary on the gorgeous second selection “Hawk.” 

“Paw Paw,” perhaps Umbra’s best track, mirrors the excellence of Otto’s previous 2023 album Kansas City Trio. Kizilarmut’s sly playing indicates he’s become one of the elite drummers in improvised music.

The elastic “Melisma” concludes Umbra by alluding to the tension presented in “Little Things.” Profound equanimity, paired with extraordinary musicianship, gracefully resolve the album’s intellectual and spiritual challenges.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Paula Saunders, Amber Underwood and Angela Ward anticipate a cultural exchange in Chile in a television news report.

*Hermon Mehari looks forward to his performance in the Folly Jazz Series in a Kansas City magazine feature.

*Following a month-long stoppage, The Blue Room reopens with a jam session led by Matt Villinger on Monday, January 30.

*The Pitch relays an update from Chaz on the Plaza.

*Jakob Baekgaard composed an overview of Mary Lou Williams’ career for All About Jazz.

*Portions of the Miguel Zenón Quartet’s concert at the Folly Theater were captured by Joe Dimino.

*Tweet of the Week: Green Lady Lounge- In 2022, Green Lady Lounge & Black Dolphin musicians earned $942,582.81 in performance pay & credit card tips from fans. By the merit of their performances & demand from fans, these Kansas City jazz musicians showed their success & robust viability in the free market.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*When he wasn’t raving about the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society, the author of Plastic Sax played jazz and jazz-adjacent music including tracks by Matt Villinger’s All Night Trio, Anna Butterss and “Ode to Mary,” Moor Mother’s tribute to Mary Lou Williams on a best-of 2022 radio program.

*Soirée Steak & Oyster House, a restaurant in the Jazz District that occasionally features jazz performances, is the beneficiary of a crowd-funding campaign.

*Mike Dillon chatted with Joe Dimino.

*Tweet of the Week: Mo- My friends and i trying to take pictures at @GreenLadyLounge last night (meme)

*From a press release: ​​CD Release Event at Green Lady Lounge on Saturday, January 14, from 2:30 to 5:30 pm.: After decades of working as a sought-after sideman and invaluable collaborator for the likes of Karrin Allyson, Diane Shuur, Marilyn Maye, and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, guitarist Rod Fleeman has released his first album as a leader. Saturday Afternoon Live at Green Lady Lounge captures Fleeman, bassist Gerald Spaits, and drummer Todd Strait performing a set of original material at Kansas City’s most popular jazz venue.

*From a press release: ​​Jazz/Punk Raconteur Mike Dillon & Punkadelick are on tour, performing locally for a CD Release Party at The Brick, Wednesday, January 4… Punkadelic is a trio featuring Mike Dillon (Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, Les Claypool) on vibraphone, marimba, Prophet 6, congas, and bongos; Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog and melodica; and Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce) on drums, cymbals and vocals.

Plastic Sax’s Favorite Albums of 2022

The Top Ten Kansas City Jazz Albums of 2022

1. Bobby Watson- Back Home in Kansas City

Review.

2. Hermon Mehari- Asmara

Review.

3. Steve Cardenas- Healing Power: The Music of Carla Bley

Review.

4. Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Kansas City

Review.

5. Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Chicago

Review.

6. Krista Kopper and Evan Verploegh- For the Trees

Review.

7. Arnold Young and the Roughtet- Fear Is the Mind Killer

Review.

8. Rod Fleeman Trio- Saturday Afternoon: Live at Green Lady Lounge

9. Matt Villinger’s All Night Trio- All Faded

Review.

10. Stephen Martin- High Plains

Review.

The Top Ten Jazz Albums of 2022 by Artists from Elsewhere

1. Moor Mother- Jazz Codes

2. Mary Halvorson- Belladonna

3. Nate Wooley- Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes

4. Dave Douglas- Songs of Ascent: Book 1- Degrees

5. Anat Cohen- Quartetinho

6. Matthew Shipp Trio- World Construct

7. Tyshawn Sorey- The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism

8. Nduduzo Makhathini- In The Spirit of Ntu

9. Gerald Clayton- Bells on Sand

10. Daniel Villarreal- Panamá 77

Links to previous annual surveys begin here.

EP Review: Eddie Moore- Intuition

Matt Villinger croons about enjoying the company of friends in a smoky room on the title track of his 2022 album All Faded.  The music that's “spinning everywhere” in Villinger’s scenario might be found on the new release by his fellow Kansas City keyboardist Eddie Moore.

Intuition, the debut solo album by the accomplished musician who was Plastic Sax’s 2016 Person of the Year, is a smoker’s delight.  Most of the 24-minute project consists of wavy grooves that seem designed to complement the experiences of listeners who frequent dispensaries.  

The shimmering “A New Me, A New You” nods to Bob James’ wavy classic “Nautilus.”  The forward momentum of “Skate Park Days” explores the common ground between Lupe Fiasco and the Crusaders.  A ticklish pulse makes “Brave Enough” Intuition’s most effective track. 

The vibe is dampened by two selections featuring rappers. While their flows are good, the emcees add incongruous lyrical negativity. Whether or not it was Moore’s intention, Intuition is an ideal companion for the carefree consumption of chronic.

Album Review: Matt Villinger’s All Night Trio- All Faded

The most vital sounds emanating from Kansas City occur when Peter Schlamb goes goblin mode on electric vibraphone. “Eternal Dollars,” the standout track on All Night Trio’s new album All Faded, is a prime example of the phenomenon. Following an admirable solo by guest trumpeter Herman Mehari, Schlamb makes a stupendously gonzo statement. Propelled by Matt Villinger (keyboards, vocals) and Zach Morrow (drums, vocals), Schlamb repeatedly demonstrates why he’s one of the most exciting young talents in improvised music. While nothing else is as indispensable as “Eternal Dollars,” All Faded is loaded with wavy grooves. The title track and “Hazeology” are low-key party songs. Subtler instrumental tracks including “Benny” and “Slow Jam” are even more intoxicating.

Now’s the Time: All Night Trio

All Night Trio, Matt Villinger’s jazz-adjacent band, performs at the Blue Room on Friday, July 8. The embedded music video for the wavy “All Faded” features cameo appearances by the Kansas City musicians Stephen Martin and Peter Schlamb.

Now’s the Time: Will Matthews

Guitarist Will Matthews performs a matinee show at Soiree Steak & Oyster House on Friday, February 4. Matthews is accompanied by keyboardist Matt Villinger and drummer Marty Morrison in the embedded video.

Now’s the Time: The All Night Trio

People look at me as if I’m speaking gibberish every time I say Matt Villinger’s All Night Trio is among my favorite bands in Kansas City.  The limited awareness of the outstanding group is reprehensible.  I’m posting this extended video documentation of the vital collaboration between Villinger, Peter Schlamb and Zach Morrow as a public service.