Snarky Puppy returns to Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Thursday, June 9. The band’s 2019 concert at the glitzy venue was one of the most auspicious jazz-adjacent shows to transpire in Kansas City in recent years.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Jeff Shirley posted a lyric video for a track from his forthcoming album Blue Gold.
*Tweet of the Week: KC Jazz Orchestra- We're stoked to be putting on a FREE big band concert live from Swope Park on June 21! Bring your family, friends and a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy #MakeMusicDay2022 @KCMOParks #kansascity #kcmo
Album Review: Addison Frei- Time and Again
Addison Frei established a reputation as a fine mainstream jazz pianist several years ago. With Time and Again, the former resident of Lawrence, Kansas, seems to have made the daunting leap from good to great. A prestigious rhythm section helps Frei make the significant breakthrough. Bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Terreon Gully provide impeccable support. Frei’s playing suggests he’s aware of contemporary innovators like Brad Mehldau even as he remains rooted in the classic sound of pianists such as Tommy Flanagan. A rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Remember” is the height of elegance while “Ramble for FK” is a gussied-up blues. The curiously formal and unexpectedly exceptional Time and Again is a timeless statement.
Now’s the Time: Nduduzo Makhathini
Nduduzo Makhathini will perform at the Blue Room on Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4. The celebrated South African pianist is touring in support of In the Spirit of Ntu, his new album on Blue Note Records.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Steve Kraske chatted with Eboni Fondren, Leslie Maclean and Aryana Nemati on KCUR’s Up To Date program.
*Kansas City’s jazz landscape is represented in a ranking of Kansas City's Ten Best Music Venues.
*Tweet of the Week: San Diego Reader- Kansas City native Julian Vaughn will be performing at the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival! Happening June 11 - June 12, 2022, at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. Purchase your tickets now (lineup)
Concert Review: Logan Richardson + Blues People at the Ship
Original image by Plastic Sax.
A perceptible anomaly prior to the homecoming concert of Logan Richardson + Blues People at the Ship on Thursday, May 19, indicated the evening would be memorable. The five musicians swaggered with confidence while socializing in a recently opened annex of the venue at which more than 100 revelers paid a $10 cover charge. Gloating is uncommon among Kansas City jazz musicians.
The men backed up their bold dispositions with a correspondingly towering 80-minute performance. Unapologetically loud and abrasive, the quintet exhibited a remarkable rapport strengthened during a tour that included a five-night stand at New York City’s jazz shrine the Village Vanguard. The potency of the outing was hardly a surprise.
Richardson, Plastic Sax’s 2019 Person of the Year, and vibraphonist/keyboardist Peter Schlamb, Plastic Sax’s 2018 Person of the Year, are arguably Kansas City’s most exciting musicians. They brought out the best in each other. The metal-edged guitarist Igor Osypov, the inventive bassist Dominique Sanders and the thrilling young drummer Nazir Ebo are also standout musicians.
The voice Richardson expresses through his saxophone attack, distinctive compositions and decisive bandleading skill has never been more eloquent. In a heartfelt soliloquy, he name-checked Kansas City jazz forebears including Ahmad Alaadeen, Jay McShann, Eddie Saunders and Claude Williams. Richardson’s bold innovations and rightful self-assurance honor their legacies.
Now’s the Time: The James Ward Band
Plenty of family bands call Kansas City home. The James Ward Band is among the best of them. The trio returns to the Blue Room on Saturday, May 21. The interpretation of Marcus Miller’s “Panther” in the embedded video typifies JWB’s robust approach to contemporary jazz.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Deploring the lack of organic enthusiasm for Kansas City’s jazz scene, Nina Cherry asks “(w)here is the interest in the music being created now?” in an essay published by Kansas City magazine.
*Jon Poses decries the absence of a single proper summer jazz festival in the state of Missouri in The Columbia Daily Tribune.
*Snippets of a midday performance at the Blue Room were captured by Joe Dimino.
*The author of Plastic Sax reviewed a jazz-tangential concert by the British musicologist Samantha Ege.
*Tweet of the Week: Jeff Shirley- Tonight, Jeff Shirley Organ Trio is at Green Lady Lounge, 11:30-2:30, joined by Mark Slimm and Brian Steever!! We're playing all originals, here's a short clip from Mark's tune "Lunar Lander." (video)
Grading the 2022-23 Season of the Folly Jazz Series
Original image by Plastic Sax.
The mere existence of the 41st season of The Folly Jazz Series is reason to celebrate. Without a proper jazz festival during the past five years and the termination of the American Jazz Museum’s Jammin’ at the Gem presentations several years ago, the Folly Jazz Series represents a reliable oasis for jazz fans thirsty for performances by touring musicians.
New York Voices with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
October 14, 2022
Grade: C-
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra seems to be in the midst of a resurgence. Yet the big band’s momentum is hindered by the pairing with the kitschy New York Voices. A collaboration with a representative of the latest wave of cliché-free vocalists exemplified by Cécile McLorin Salvant would have resulted in a very different grade.
Keiko Matsui
November 4, 2022
Grade: C+
Smooth jazz remains the most commercially viable form of jazz. Keiko Matsui has been at the vanguard of the genre since the release of her debut solo album 25 years ago. Ticket sales for the popular keyboardist’s concert might help subsidize the series’ less accessible bookings.
Miguel Zenón Quartet
January 20, 2023
Grade: A-
In addition to being an avid Charlie Parker devotee, the brilliant saxophonist Miguel Zenón is an enthusiastic proponent of the popular music of his native Puerto Rico. Caveat: only 50 people attended Zenón’s 2014 show at the Blue Room. The Folly Theater was half-empty for his 2018 appearance with the all-star SFJazz Collective.
Hermon Mehari Quartet
February 18, 2023
Grade: A-
Since moving to Europe, the one-time Kansas Citian Hermon Mehari has developed into one of the most exciting young innovators in jazz. Should the trumpeter play with the dazzling imagination displayed in his recent work rather than reverting to conventional bop, his concert could be a contender for the show of the year.
Oleta Adams
March 11, 2023
Grade: B+
The warm voice of Oleta Adams embodies the best aspects of her hometown of Kansas City. Each of the Parade of Hearts sculptures around the metropolis should be equipped with an internal speaker playing her heartwarming 1988 hit “Get Here.” Adams’ music is a sophisticated blend of pop, soul, gospel and jazz.
Tia Fuller Quintet
April 22, 2023
Grade: B
The form of jazz favored by the native Coloradan Tia Fuller is closely aligned with the sound associated with Kansas City’s most prominent jazz venues. The fervent swing the saxophonist is likely to exhibit will please habitués of the Blue Room and Green Lady Lounge.
Anat Cohen Quartetinho
May 5, 2023
Grade: B+
The truly global jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen is probably best known for her membership in the all-star band Artemis but her Brazilian-oriented group Quartetinho promises to bring a fresh sound to Kansas City. Caveat: Cohen’s concert at the Gem Theater in 2018 drew 200 people.
Now's the Time: Logan Richardson
Four days after completing a five-day run on the hallowed stage of The Village Vanguard, Logan Richardson + Blues People play a homecoming concert at The Ship on Thursday, May 19. The band consists of saxophonist Richardson, guitarist Igor Osypov, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, bassist Dominique Sanders and drummer Ryan J. Lee.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The 2022-23 season of The Folly Jazz Series has been revealed.
*The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra announced its 2022-23 season.
*Tweet of the Week: KU School of Music- Jazz Ensemble I excelled in the 45th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards and at the 2022 Rudin Jazz Championship at Jazz at Lincoln Center. We are so proud of everyone who worked hard for this! Rock Chalk! Learn about their accomplishments here.
Album Review: Matt Hopper’s Agora- Live at Green Lady Lounge
The formidable reputations of three locally based mainstream jazz guitarists position the distinguished men head-and-shoulders above their peers. Danny Embrey, Rod Fleeman and Will Matthews deserve the respect and acclaim they’ve garnered.
Matt Hopper is among the younger musicians who are actively demonstrating the future of jazz guitar in Kansas City is in good hands. Quietly released at the end of 2021, Live at Green Lady Lounge captures the sound of the band featuring Hopper and organist Ken Lovern, percussionist Pat Conway and drummer Todd Strait.
The recording exemplifies the distinctive sound that’s helped make Green Lady Lounge the most popular jazz venue in Kansas City. The music performed in the room at 1809 Grand Boulevard is invariably cheerful, sweetly harmonious and assertively propulsive.
While Live at Green Lady Lounge is no exception, the 2018 recording is no ordinary guitar-and-organ album. The quiet groove of “Marcelo’s Guitar” contains a slight intimation of psychedelic rock. Hopper’s trippy solo elevates a slinky reading of his “Green Lady Low Down.”
The dual tandems of Hopper and Lovern and Conway and Strait propel the ecstatic sensibility. Yet the guitarist merits the spotlight. Live at Green Lady Lounge indicates Hopper will eventually join the ranks of Embrey, Freeman and Matthews as a member of Kansas City jazz royalty.
Now’s the Time: Brian Scarborough
The buoyant Kansas City trombonist Brian Scarborough will perform with saxophonist Matt Otto, pianist Roger Wilder, bassist Ben Tervort and drummer Doug Auwarter at Westport Coffee House on Thursday, May 12. Otto and Tervort assist Scarborough in a rendering of the title track of his 2020 debut album Sunflower Song in the embedded video.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Doreen Maronde, a longtime Kansas City jazz advocate, is the subject of a lovely video profile created by Lakeview Village.
*Larry Kopitnik and James McGee considered the history of the Mutual Musicians Foundation with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s Up to Date program.
*The American Jazz Museum, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and KC Jazz Alive are among the recipients of grants from Kansas City, Missouri’s Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.
*The Kansas City Star amplified the American Jazz Museum’s current talking points.
*I tried and failed. Again. Kansas City isn’t represented among the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2022 Winners for Jazz Performance and Recordings.
*Tweet of the Week: Luke X. Martin- Mingus Big Band at the @ajazzmuseumKC's Gem Theater on International Jazz Day. Y'all missed a great show, #KansasCity!
Concert Review: High Pulp at recordBar
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Even if Kansas City isn’t quite ready to embrace the music’s future, jazz is going to be just fine. An invigorating performance by High Pulp at recordBar on Thursday, April 28, belied the fact the room was nearly empty. The giddy Seattle collective’s thrilling effort was an affirmation of jazz’s ongoing adaptability.
Countless pundits continue to wring their hands about the declining popularity of conventional forms of jazz. I’m guilty of occasionally joining the doomsayers. High Pulp’s mind-expanding and deliriously edifying set should inhibit negativity about the commercial prospects of improvised music for the foreseeable future at this site.
Had the same sounds been presented at a festival between sets by the like-minded young duo Domi & JD Beck and the jazz-loving rapper Tyler, The Creator, High Pulp would likely be hailed as the event’s breakout act. The fun-loving jazz-based cosmic grooves freely incorporate elements of hip-hop and electronic music.
The members of High Pulp are among the scores of sonically inclusive musicians working in the wake of Flying Lotus. Far from stooping to the lowest common denominator, High Pulp attempts to elevate listeners to the highest spiritual sphere. While many solos were outstanding, every note was intended to advance an ecstatic sensibility.
The only thing missing at Thursday’s show was an audience. Not counting the venue’s staff or the members of the other three bands on the bill- a power trio led by Jered Mattson of The Mattson 2, the electro-funk duo Kid Pari and the plugged-in singer-songwriter Meyadi- a dozen Kansas Citians heard a tantalizing sample of a flourishing future.
Now’s the Time: Stephen Martin
Stephen Martin, one of Kansas City’s finest young musicians, will lead bands at Black Dolphin on Saturday, April 30, and Friday, May 6. The saxophonist is likely to showcase material from his impressive new album High Plains. He’ll be joined by pianist Brant Jester, bassist Sam Copeland and drummer John Kizilarmut on April 30. Pianist Andrew Ouellette, bassist Sam Copeland and drummer Brian Steever will accompany Martin on May 6.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, Thundercat and The Comet is Coming are among the jazz and jazz-adjacent artists performing at the inaugural Format Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas, in September.
*Drew Williams created an enhanced performance video filmed during his trio’s recent appearance at Westport Coffee House.
*A local television station reported on high school band performances at the Gem Theater.
*Joe Dimino shared a taste of a Preston Portley show at the Blue Room. He also interviewed Miguel de Leon, Alyssa Murray and Anita Dixon and Robert Farmer.
*The author of this site lists his favorite albums, songs and performances of April at There Stands the Glass.
*Tweet of the Week: Pat Metheny- Exciting Side-Eye News We are thrilled to welcome a fantastic new player to the ongoing evolution of Pat's Side-Eye project. 24-year-old keyboard phenom Chris Fishman will be featured on the upcoming European tour (tour date graphic)
*From the Mutual Musicians Foundation: On Saturday, April 30 members will host an Open House to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Mutual Musicians Foundation— the oldest jazz house in the world. The event, which coincides with International Jazz Day, will celebrate the history of the Foundation and its contributions to the art form. The general public is invited to sit in on live jam sessions, learn about upcoming events for the year-long tribute and the relaunch of KOJH; the Foundation's community radio station. (9:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.)
Album Review: Josh Nelson Bob Bowman Collective- Tomorrow is Not Promised
Bob Bowman is a Kansas City institution. Although he now lives in Montana, the venerable bassist was a cornerstone of the area’s jazz scene for decades. Bowman’s playing has always been tasteful but never boring, perpetually swinging yet admirably unpredictable.
Bowman’s impeccable contribution is the heart and soul of Tomorrow is Not Promised, a new recording he oversees with pianist Josh Nelson. Drummer Steve Haughton, guitarist Larry Koonse and saxophonist Bob Sheppard round out the session.
As with most projects involving Bowman, the album is a graceful demonstration of mainstream jazz. “Sometime Ago” is among the tracks featuring lively interplay between Bowman and Nelson. “Blues for Albert E.” boasts a particularly engaging riff on an album filled with sprightly melodies.
The Los Angeles based Nelson displays the deft touch heard in his Kansas City appearances with musicians including Sara Gazarek. Haughton, Sheppard and Moonse sound similarly becoming. Yet without attempting to draw attention to himself, the unassuming Bowman steals the show.
Now’s the Time: High Pulp
The frenetic fusion of High Pulp is akin to the music made by Flying Lotus and Snarky Puppy. The Seattle collective receives assists from jazz luminaries Theo Croker, Jacob Mann, Jaleel Shaw and Brandee Younger on its new album Pursuit of Ends. High Pulp performs at miniBar on Thursday, April 28.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Performances and discussions featuring the Pittsburgh based Deanna Witkowski, a Mary Lou Williams scholar and jazz pianist, will be part of Creative City KC’s celebration of Jazz Day on April 30.
*Julie Denesha caught up with Lonnie McFadden for KCUR.
*Joe Dimino documented Alyssa Murray’s recent appearance at the Blue Room.
*David Basse’s site hosts Brian Scarborough’s interview with trombonist Steve Davis.
*Tweet of the Week: Kansas City Tweets from 1922- "In the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, rollicking, riffing, and rambunctious music was the soundtrack of the 20s and 30s, and it lasted all night long." A concert to memorialize that is Saturday, May 14th. I'm going! (link)
*From the American Jazz Museum: After a two-year break during the pandemic, the 18th and Vine Jazz Festival is returning to the Gem Theater and American Jazz Museum in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District. The 2022 festival is an annual three-day event for middle school and high school jazz ensembles, scheduled for 8am to 5pm Thursday, April 21st through Saturday, April 23rd. Although it started 20 years ago, this will be the 18th year of the festival after the two-year break due to Covid.