Narrative tells a beautiful story. The new album featuring Kansas City’s Adam Larson on tenor saxophone and John Kizilarmut on drums is a tale of beneficent cooperation with the Chicago based tenor saxophonist Chris Madsen, guitarist Scott Hesse and bassist Clark Sommers. In spite of the configuration, Narrative isn’t a dueling tenors date. The quintet works together on the mainstream session that’s less incendiary than Larson’s recently completed With Love trilogy. The uplifting tracks are comforting rather than confrontational. The captivating Narrative is imprinted with scores of happy ever afters.
Now’s the Time: The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Whether they love him or loathe him, jazz aficionados in Kansas City can’t say they miss Wynton Marsalis. The celebrity musician regularly appears in the area. Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performs at the Folly Theater on Friday, October 20. The concert is presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s return to the Folly Theater is plugged by The Kansas City Star.
*Danny Embrey is interviewed by Ken Lovern in four new videos.
*Mary Lou Williams was remembered on an episode of KCUR’s Up To Date program.
*Pinball, a new album by Seth Davis and Kevin Cheli, was reviewed by a blogger.
Concert Review: Samara Joy at the Folly Theater
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Samara Joy seemed too good to be true. Wondering if I might be able to expose an elaborate hoax, I bought a $60 seat in the front row for Joy’s October 14 concert at the Folly Theater the day tickets went on sale.
Positioned fifteen feet from the musician named Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards seven months ago, I was able to look for signs of lip syncing or pre-recorded vocals. I’m elated to report that Joy is the real deal.
The only deception I detected involved my occasionally failed attempts to maintain my composure. Dumbstruck by Joy’s intelligent use of her extraordinary voice, I was inclined to leap out of my seat during each song.
Not even the sometimes stuffy swing arrangements rendered by Joy’s youthful seven-piece band dampened my enthusiasm. The retro sound invited comparisons to jazz’s most storied vocalists. Joy just might be the greatest of all time.
She breathed new life into exhausted repertoire. Joy’s readings of "'Round Midnight", “Sweet Pumpkin” and even “Guess Who I Saw Today” were stupendously fresh. The coup de grâce: her vocalese is free of scatting.
The artistic maturity of a 23-year-old who candidly confessed her affinity for romantic comedies and Tik Tok to the capacity audience of 1,000 is mind-boggling. While it’s entirely unreasonable, the real thing has indeed come along.
Now’s the Time: DOMi & JD Beck
The impertinent jazz pranksters DOMi & JD Beck make their Kansas City debut at the Uptown Theater on Monday, October 16. As noted in KCUR’s preview of the concert, the duo is opening for the hyper-musical rock band Polyphia.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra is the subject of a KCUR audio feature.
*Nina Cherry checks in with Chris Hazelton on behalf of Kansas City magazine.
*Joe Dimino interviewed Roberto Magris and Paul Collins of JMood Records.
Album Review: Danny Embrey- Orion Room
Stepping through the doors of Green Lady Lounge is a transportive experience. The transition from urban sidewalk to swanky jazz club necessitates a psychological shift. Revelers immediately sense good times are imminent.
Kansas City’s most popular jazz venue has a second performance space in the basement. The Orion Room is even groovier than the lounge upstairs.
Even though it was recorded at Green Lady Lounge in 2023, Danny Embrey’s new album Orion Room captures the speakeasy ambience of the plush basement. The guitarist, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Brian Steever craft a slinky soundtrack to slightly subversive behavior.
While several solos are stupendous, the emphasis of Orion Room isn’t on the individual statements. Instead, the music is an invitation to a party brimming with sly innuendos and knowing winks.
Embrey has long been one of Kansas City’s most respected musicians. Spaits and Steever steer his sophisticated playing in insinuating directions. The trio get into artistically exhilarating forms of trouble on Orion Room. All are welcome at the seductive soirée.
Now's the Time: Moon Hooch
Moon Hooch is an exceptional party band. Fans who attend Moon Hooch shows to participate in unhinged dance frenzies leave with expanded appreciations of what’s possible when jazz collides with popular music. The New York based band performs at recordBar on Monday, October 9.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Pat Metheny’s 2013 album Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 is among the hundreds of albums released by Tzadik Records made available at streaming services last month.
*Performances of jazz at the Folly Theater and the Uptown Theater are among KCUR’s October concert recommendations.
*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Lea Petrie today announced the next concert for the Conversations in Jazz 2023-2024 Season, She’s the Talk of the Town, featuring Marilyn Maye, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Folly Theater. At 7 p.m., Artistic Director Clint Ashlock will lead a pre-concert Jazz Chat.
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.
Now’s the Time: Matt Kane
Drummer Matt Kane returns to town for a set as a leader with pianist Brant Jester and bassist Bob Bowman on Monday, October 2. Kane’s new album Song Poems was released September 1.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*A writer for The Pitch insists a performance by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra was “one of the best jazz concerts this city will ever see.”
*Gary Walker interviewed Scotty Barnhart of the Count Basie Orchestra for WBGO.
Concert Review: Alan Voss Quartet at Swope Park Pavilion
Original image of Alan Voss’ quartet at Swope Park Pavillion by Plastic Sax.
A tricked out red sedan blaring Public Enemy’s “Don’t Believe the Hype” cruised past Swope Park Pavilion during a performance by a quartet led by Alan Voss on Sunday, September 18.
Chuck D’s reference to John Coltrane in the rap anthem caused the sonic intrusion to intensify my blissful state. Few things could be better than hearing vital improvisations on an idyllic day at a spectacular venue.
The faithful rendering of Voss’ Baobab affirmed the reference to Steve Cardenas in my review of the album. Furthermore, I realized that Voss shares Pat Metheny’s melodic sensibility.
As on the 2023 recording, Voss’ vision was expertly facilitated by the multi-generational lineup of saxophonist Benjamin Baker, bassist Forest Stewart and drummer Evan Verploegh.
Sadly, there wasn’t much hype to disbelieve. A stray hound, a few fans, several musicians who had performed earlier and a drug dealer and his clientele heard what Chuck D and I might characterize as def jams.
Now’s the Time: Amina Figarova
Amina Figarova fronts an auspicious band at the Blue Room on Saturday, September 23. The daring New York based pianist will be joined by saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, flutist Bart Platteau, bassist Martin Masakowski and drummer Donald Edwards.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Aaron Diehl’s adaptation of Mary Lou Williams’ orchestration of Zodiac Suite was released by Mack Avenue last week.
*Joe Dimino shared footage of the Jackie Myers Trio performing at KC Bier Co.
*From a press release: On May 15, 1953, five of jazz’s most influential musicians – Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and Bud Powell – gathered at Toronto’s Massey Hall for what would result in their first and only known recording as a quintet. While only a small audience was able to experience it in person, this historic evening was captured on tape. The resulting album, The Quintet: Jazz at Massey Hall, would become one of the genre’s most essential and celebrated releases. Now, Craft Recordings commemorates the 70th anniversary of this singular concert (2023) with Hot House: The Complete Jazz at Massey Hall Recordings, a definitive collection that presents the entirety of the evening’s recorded material by the members of this quintet. Arriving November 17 and available for pre-order today, the 3-LP, 2-CD and digital release features meticulous 24-bit audio restoration and remastering…
*From a press release: Longtime Kansas City jazz guitar hero Danny Embrey is releasing his first recording of new music under his name since 1988… Bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Brian Steever join Danny on this freewheeling live recording. The compositions are mostly by Danny with a couple by Gerald Spaits and one each by Brian Steever and Kansas City piano legend Russ Long… The performances on this recording were captured live at Green Lady Lounge earlier this year. Danny leads a trio in the downstairs Orion Room every Friday and Saturday from 7:30 to 10:30, and has done so for several years now. CD Release Event on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 7:30 pm in the downstairs Orion Room at Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand, Kansas City, Missouri. The show lasts till 10:30, but the first set will include many of the new tunes from the CD and stories about their origin… CDs will be available for $10 each at Green Lady Lounge on the day of the show… Digital copies will be available as of October 2 on all major streaming platforms.
Album Review: The Count Basie Orchestra- Swings the Blues
The bluesy form of swing popularized by The Count Basie Orchestra in the 1930s is still recognized as the sound of Kansas City around the world. The big band’s latest release Swings the Blues is an invigorating update of the celebratory form.
Led by Scotty Barnhart, the ensemble is joined by an all-star cast of blues musicians. Featured guests including Mr. Sipp, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland and Robert Cray display their distinctive styles as the Basie band retains its signature swing.
Swings the Blues is nothing new for the Count Basie Orchestra. The band’s massive discography includes collaborations with stars including Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. Remarkably, Swings the Blues is often every bit as good as those classic recordings.
Now’s the Time: Charles Perkins and Gerald Spaits
The 2023-24 season of noon jazz recitals at Johnson County Community College opens with a performance overseen by saxophonist Charles Perkins and bassist Gerald Spaits on Tuesday, September 19. Details are here.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Eboni Fondren sang in a choir at the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
*Recent episodes of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program include performances by Tim Whitmer’s Goodtime Quartet and the Reyes Brothers Organ Trio.
Concert Review: Dan Clucas at World Culture KC
Original image of Dan Clucas, Seth Davis and Shante Clair at World Culture KC by Plastic Sax.
Established jazz clubs occupy hallowed grounds for devotees of improvised music. The venues are more essential than ever. Due to ongoing attrition, however, many of the most rewarding performances are increasingly transpiring in unconventional settings.
A sextet played compelling new music on the porch of a home known as World Culture KC in Kansas City on Monday, September 4. The droning of cicadas, the buzz of aircraft and the lonesome whistles of trains accentuated the outing.
The event was a forum for the Los Angeles based Dan Clucas. The multi-instrumentalist has recording credits on albums by artists ranging from guitar hero Nels Cline to the rock band the BellRays. His most recent release is a harsh “hypothetical meeting between trumpeter Fats Navarro and drummer Peeter Uuskyla.”
Representatives of the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society (EMAS)- guitarists Shanté Clair and Seth Davis, harpist Brooke Knoll, bassist and electronics manipulator Aaron Osborne and drummer Evan Verploegh- deferred to their guest. Poor sightlines for the handful of attendees made it unclear which of the musicians adeptly echoed Clucas’ trumpet and violin riffs.
Ideally suited to the informal setting, the gently anarchic and carefully considered chaos might not have fared as well in a conventional jazz club. Thanks in large part to the scrappy persistence of EMAS, Kansas City’s position on the cutting edge of the international jazz map is being reasserted.
Now’s the Time: Gregory Porter
Gregory Porter performs at Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Sunday, September 10. KCUR's preview of the concert suggests Porter’s work evokes the late Kansas City vocalist Kevin Mahogany.