The indefatigable Marilyn Maye returns to the Folly Theater on Friday, September 25. Plastic Sax reviewed her 2025 appearance at the same venue.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Kansas City Star reports that the Bad Cat, a new jazz venue in Watts Mill with a $20 cover charge, opens this week.
*Kevin Morris surveys Kansas City’s jazz calendar for KC Studio.
*Joe Dimino captured footage of the rain-shortened Prairie Village Jazz Festival and interviewed Michael Pronko.
*From a press release: More than 20 of the area’s top women jazz musicians will gather Wednesday evening, Sept. 30, at Ted’s Taproom… to kick off the 50th anniversary edition of the Women's Jazz Festival… which will take place… March 17-19, 2028. There will be three concerts at the Music Hall featuring 12 groups in all, clinics led by featured performers, jam sessions and a free showing of the acclaimed 2011 documentary film “The Girls in the Band,” in which the Women’s Jazz Festival is featured.
Seven Hours at the Montavilla Jazz Festival
Original image of Sherry Alves’ tribute to Nancy King by Plastic Sax.
I recently accepted a dream job in Portland, an engagement necessitating an expansion of the geographical focus of Plastic Sax. My first serious investigation of the town’s jazz scene consisted of spending $43 for a one-day pass at the three-day Montavilla Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 5.
During the seven hours I spent in the Montavilla neighborhood I heard a pleasing array of sounds. I was compelled to leave before the more popular acts performed at the biggest and most prestigious stages, but I was amid about 200 revelers and dozens of festival staff and volunteers during my abbreviated time at the event.
Portland seems capable of holding its own with Kansas City as a jazz town. Its large-scale jazz festivals and constant influx of appearances by touring jazz acts certainly put Kansas City to shame. Excluding the student bands I caught in cafés and breweries, a summary of what I heard follows in order of my personal preference.
The Collective: Curated by Dae Bryant
An emcee introduced a set by Dae Bryant’s The Collective by suggesting the ensemble would pay tribute to Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. Instead, I detected the influence of new-school improvisers like Flying Lotus, Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey. The electro-acoustic attack, spoken word proclamations and Darrell Grant’s extended gospel riffs were precisely my thing.
Four for King: The Life, Spirit, and Music of Nancy King
Longtime readers of Plastic Sax know I’m allergic to vocalese and scat. I chose to catch Sherry Alves’ homage to the late Portland vocalist Nancy King on a hunch that it just might be something special. The bet paid off. Bolstered by former King accompanists Randy Porter and Todd Strait, Alves’ passionate advocacy of a neglected artist won me over.
Wen’ipt
It’s my understanding that Oregon, much like Oklahoma, has a large Indigenous population. Orion White, the bandleader and baritone saxophonist of Wen'ipt, gave voice to his people’s struggles and hopes in a ferocious outing. Although the band played a couple Jim Pepper covers, Wen’ipt’s unique sound is entirely fresh.
W4RP Trio
W4rp Trio, the only band I heard that isn’t based in the Pacific Northwest, played a hybrid style reminiscent of Yo-Yo Ma’s collaborations with progressive bluegrass musicians such as Béla Fleck and Chris Thile. A selection fusing compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and Craig Taborn exemplified W4rp Trio’s approach.
Shelly Rudolph’s Orfea Rising: A Jazz Myth Suite
Greek mythology! Aerialists! The premiere of Shelly Rudolph’s ambitious new song cycle Orfea Rising was an impressive spectacle.
Now’s the Time: Nick Hmeljak
The exciting young Kansas City trumpeter Nick Hmeljak leads a band at The Prairie Village Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 12.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Ken Lovern chatted with Joe Dimino.
*Organizers of the 18th & Vine Arts Festival would like Plastic Sax readers to consider attending the “multidisciplinary arts” event later this month.
Album Review: Alex Abramovitz & His Swing'n Kansas City Jazz Band- Jumpin’ on Grand: Live at Black Dolphin
The nation seems to be divided by citizens who long to return to “the good old days” and people eager to accelerate ongoing change. Accordingly, nostalgic recreations of sounds of the past often seem fraught with associated social tension. Yet the atmosphere of Jumpin’ on Grand: Live at Black Dolphin, an Alex Abramovitz album released in May, is lively enough to eradicate political divisions for its fifty-minute duration. Joined by saxophonist Jacob Schwartzberg, trombonist Asa Martin, pianist Drew Madden, bassist Jeff Schwartz and drummer Kenneth E. Davis, trumpeter, vocalist and emcee Abramovitz effectively reconstructs the atmosphere of a 1940s radio broadcast during the session recorded at Black Dolphin on October 18, 2025. Listeners of every persuasion may be won over by the peppy spunk of Abramovitz’s good-time jazz.
Now’s the Time: Rod Fleeman
Rod Fleeman, Plastic Sax’s 2021 Person of the Year, plays a matinee show at the Market at Meadowbrook on Friday, September 4. The guitarist’s refined approach is showcased in the embedded video.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Culled from a press release: A record release party and listening event for Ken Lovern’s album Blind Boone: The Musical will be held at YesWay Live (1519 Oak Street) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 29. Participants will “listen to the recording and discuss the story of Blind Boone, the behind the scenes of making the recording, and the concert to come January 28-30, 2027.”
Gig Review: Steve Cardenas at Ted’s Taproom
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Plastic Sax published reviews of Steve Cardenas’ hometown performances in 2025, 2024, 2022, 2019 and 2018. Cardenas’ gig at Ted’s Taproom on Friday, August 21, was the first in the series in which the New York based guitarist was occasionally disrupted by the loud conversations of patrons and shouts of bar staff.
Cardenas, bassist Forest Stewart and drummer Brian Steever overcame the imperfect environment with fortitude during the second of three sets. About 25 engaged listeners- half of whom were musicians- and another two dozen disinterested revelers were present. The cover charge was $10.
The hushed nuance of material including Cardenas’ beloved “Reflector” and Stewart’s sublime “Star Star” gradually subdued the most egregious of the bad actors. An uncharacteristic Meters-style funk romp, consequently, was an odd but delightful way for the trio to close its set.
Now’s the Time: Stephen Martin
Stephen Martin, Matt Otto and Bobby Watson are the featured saxophonists in the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s tribute to Charlie Parker at the Folly Theater on Saturday, August 29. Martin takes the first solo in a reading of “Boplicity” in the embedded video.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Bobby Watson chats about music and sports on a podcast.
*The Pitch acknowledged Zoh Amba’s recent appearance at the Truman.
*Joe Morris, Wadada Leo Smith and Fred Tompkins are among the musicians performing in the 2026-27 season of St. Louis’ New Music Circle.
*Saturday, August 29, is the 106th anniversary of the birth of Charlie Parker. Related events transpire in the Jazz District and at venues including the Folly Theater.
Album Review: Ken Lovern- Blind Boone: The Musical
Blind Boone: The Musical is Kansas City’s version of Hamilton. As with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical, Blind Boone is a song cycle based on a historical figure. Yet where Hamilton is rooted in hip-hop, Blind Boone is inspired by the sounds created by the titular character, the Missouri musician John William Boone.
Overseen by Ken Lovern, the ambitious project features contributions from a wide swathe of Kansas City’s music community. Listeners expecting nothing but vintage ragtime, blues and jazz will be surprised by Lovern’s frequent nods to classic rock.
“School for the Blind” and “The Natural Order” recall prime Frank Zappa. Aside from Kadesh Flow’s rapping, “Quindaro” might be a 1970s track by the Tubes. "Boone Plays It Back" draws on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. “Brand New Day” is in the vein of Sly & The Family Stone.
A comic book is packaged with physical copies of the album slated for release on September 4. A site dedicated to the project offers a trove of supplemental materials. Here’s hoping the fascinating Blind Boone eventually achieves the full staging it clearly merits.
Now's the Time: River People
Visitors to Rock Island Bridge were recently entertained by a jazz band performing on a small boat. The stunt is reminiscent of the era in which three-hour jazz cruises were a popular Kansas City diversion. Plastic Sax vaguely recalls taking dates on romantic excursions aboard the Missouri River Queen in the 1980s.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Loren Broaddus, Jackie Myers and Henry Scamurra are among the musicians performing this fall in the noon jazz recital series at Johnson County Community College.
*The Count Basie Center for the Arts marks the 122nd birth date of the Red Bank, New Jersey, native with concerts featuring the Count Basie Orchestra, Sutton Foster and Kelly O’Hara this weekend.
Concert Review: Logan Richardson at the Gem Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Logan Richardson concluded his appearance at the Gem Theater on Saturday, August 8, with a 20-minute verbal binge. Had the best bits of his talk been condensed to five minutes, the monologue would have been entertaining and instructive. In a similar fashion, the hour-long performance preceding the baffling epilogue veered between unparalleled brilliance and tedious excess.
Richardson, Plastic Sax’s 2019 Person of the Year, is the most prominent jazz musician to emerge from Kansas City this millennium. Fifty people attended an outing billed as “A Living Score: Searching for Charlie Parker.” I expected to pay a cover charge but the volunteer staff insisted I not bother.
Joined by cellist Ezgi Karakus and drummer Zach Morrow, Richardson initiated the outing by queuing ambient electronic-magnetic sounds he later explained were emitted by a tree leaf harvested from the nearby grounds of the Mutual Musicians Foundation. He tinkered with a small bank of electronic gear throughout the evening.
The saxophonist’s wailing over the sound bed occasionally resembled the electro-acoustic outings of Evan Parker and Pharoah Sanders. His piano work fell somewhere between Keith Jarrett and Matthew Shipp. Morrow’s playing was endlessly interesting. Karakaus’ cello was almost inaudible, but her strong vocals added fresh textures.
Richardson, as usual, emphasized innovation. Throughout his consequential career, his characteristic artistic restlessness has led to dazzling highs and disappointing lows. His August 9 outing contained both extremes. He didn’t apologize for not “regurgitating Charlie Parker.” Parker may have been a distant echo at the Gem Theater, but the sounds were pure Richardson.
Now’s the Time: Zoh Amba
Saturday, August 15, is a mixed-up day on Kansas City’s music scene. Rock-and-roller Tommy Stinson performs at the jazz club Ted’s Taproom. Zoh Amba, a sometime jazz musician who trained under David Murray, appears at the rock-oriented venue the Truman.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Ravi Coltrane, Nicole Glover, Kassa Overall and Joshua Redman are among the artists performing at New York City’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival this month.
Grading the 2026-27 Season of the Folly Jazz Series
Original image of the Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater by Plastic Sax.
The presenters of the Folly Jazz Series have outdone themselves. The six concerts in the small-but-mighty 2026-27 season are the venue’s most artistically compelling set of offerings in years.
Linda May Han Oh
October 10, 2026
Grade: A
Linda May Han Oh is among the most consequential young artists in improvised music. The bassist’s Strange Heavens was Plastic Sax’s favorite jazz album of 2025. Her new album Beneath Lifted Skies consists of duets with saxophonist Melissa Aldana. There’s no word yet about the bassist’s accompanists on October 10.
Julian Lage
January 9, 2027
Grade: A-
Disgruntled people walked out of Julian Lage’s headlining appearance at Jazz Winterlude in 2013. As the innovative guitarist has subsequently become a star, agitated patrons aren’t expected during Lage’s return to the Folly Jazz Series.
Ambrose Akinmusire
February 13, 2027
Grade: A
Easily the most exciting trumpeter to emerge in the past quarter-century, Ambrose Akinmusire is a generational figure. He’s one of very few artists who has successfully fused hip-hop, rock and classical music with jazz.
Billy Childs
March 7, 2027
Grade: B+
Billy Childs’ gentle melodicism makes the pianist one of the most accessible mainstream jazz pianists of the past fifty years. Now 69, Childs is at the height of his powers.
A Tribute to Kevin Mahogany featuring David Basse with the Dave Stryker Trio and Lisa Henry
March 27, 2027
Grade: B
Kansas City’s jazz community took great pride in Kevin Mahogany’s major label albums in the 1990s. The lustrous vocalist died in 2017. Gregory Porter is Mahogany’s contemporary equivalent.
The Branford Marsalis Quartet with Dianne Reeves
April 24, 2027
Grade: A-
A 2025 concert by the Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater was stupendous. The sublime vocalist Dianne Reeves is joining the band on tour in support of Dedicated to You, a September 18 release reinterpreting the beloved 1963 album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.
An assessment of the previous season is here.
Now’s the Time: New Jazz Order
The big band New Jazz Order performs Tuesdays at Westport Flea Market. The embedded video serves as a mission statement for the institution.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The retro-soul band the Freedom Affair headlines The Prairie Village Jazz Festival on September 12.
*A television news feature notes the annual celebration of the birth of Charlie Parker.
*Kansas City magazine relays an optimistic vision for the latest public investments in the Jazz District.
*Michael Pagán would like Plastic Sax readers to know that he’s “humbly proud to announce the publication and release of my dad's collection of lead sheets in fake book/PDF format: The Ricardo Pagán Fake Book. There are over 275 tunes written in his hand between 1960-1990. The book is free - please PM me with your email address if you'd like a copy.”
*From a press release: Internationally acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and visionary Logan Richardson returns to his hometown for an extraordinary evening of music, storytelling, and artistic exploration in A Living Score: Searching for Charlie Parker on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Gem Theater... “This is far more than a concert. It is an exploration,” describes Richardson. He explains the performance is a search through sound, memory, place, and possibility inspired by some of Kansas City's most celebrated cultural icons, including Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, Big Joe Turner, Burt Bacharach, and even Walt Disney.