Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Spotlight: Charlie Parker initiative tops The Kansas City Star’s weekly entertainment advisory.

*David Basse is teaching an online course about Kansas City jazz at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Swing University.

*Kansas City’s Aryana Nemati receives a credit on a sanctioned live recording by singer-songwriter Father John Misty.

*Joe Dimino shares conversations with Daniel Dissmore and Dawson Jones.

*The jazz portion of the lineup of the San Jose Summer Fest boasts saxophone heavyweights Gary Bartz, Donald Harrison Jr., Charles McPherson and Bobby Watson.  A preview published by radio station KQED suggests that the event is a de facto tribute to Charlie Parker.

*Tweet of the Week: Jeff Zdanowicz- The Black Dolphin and the Green Lady Lounge. Nothing but good cocktails and great jazz! You should check it out!

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*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.

Now’s the Time: City Light Orchestra

The scarcity of footage of the late Kansas City jazz musicians Ahmad Alaadeen and Laverne Barker makes City Light Orchestra’s appearance on a wacky 1986 television program invaluable. The band appears at the 2:00, 16:16 and 20:26 marks in the embedded video. David Basse and Tim Whitmer remain among Kansas City’s most prominent musicians.