EP Review: Blue Devil Revival- Birth of a Revival

The tautological title of Birth of a Revival- a new four-track EP issued under the auspices of the Mutual Musicians Foundation- is dubious. The summit of five prominent musicians produces the established sound of Kansas City jazz in 2026.

Trumpeter Chalis O'Neal, saxophonist Ernest Melton, keyboardist Desmond Mason, bassist DeAndre Manning and drummer Tyree Johnson play with their usual hip-hop-informed panache as Blue Devil Revival.

Listeners are encouraged to disregard the nonsensical marketing tagline in the project’s social media advertisements: “This is not a reenactment. It is a revival.” The energetic Birth of a Revival is a worthwhile reiteration.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Toriano Porter advocates the efforts of the American Jazz Museum for The Kansas City Star.  KCUR also published a brief feature about the return of the institution’s plastic sax.

*Julie Denesha created an audio feature about Raj Ma Hall for KCUR.

*Tyree Johnson is the subject of a KC Studio profile.

*Carolyn Glenn Brewer discussed her book about Pat Metheny’s formative years on Neon Jazz.

*Tweet of the Week: KCUR's Up To Date- Closing out the show today, the young Kansas City woman who just won the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition: Lucy Wijnands.