Now's the Time: Weekly News and Notes

*The Count Basie Orchestra’s Basie Swings the Blues won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album on Sunday.

*Nina Cherry commends Isaiah Petrie for Kansas City magazine.

*The Kansas City Star previewed concerts by The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.

*Joe Dimino shared footage of a performance by UMKC student bands.

*The Kansas City Star notes the January 2 passing of “Groovy” Grant Hopkins.

*A satirical Super Bowl-inspired item in Riff magazine suggests “the Kansas City jazz scene fell out of popularity nearly 70 years ago”.

Now’s the Time: Isaiah Petrie

Isaiah Petrie leads a quartet at Corvino on Friday, January 12. The vibraphonist is one of Kansas City’s most exciting young musicians.

Album Review: The DJ Quartet- Vision External

Vision External seems destined to be remembered as the unofficial debut showcase of Isaiah Petrie.  The young vibraphonist is a rising star in Kansas City’s music community.  Petrie, saxophonist Dougan Smith, bassist Nsikoh Bebe Lala and drummer Jaylen Ward comprise the un-Googleable ensemble The DJ Quartet on Vision External.  Petrie stands out, but each member of the group contributes to the vigorous post-bop of tracks including "The Call".  Even as it maintains convention, the DJ Quartet brings refreshing vitality to Kansas City’s mainstream jazz scene.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Eddie Moore and Jaylen Ward entered NPR’s annual Tiny Desk Contest.

*Bobby Watson appeared on a sports podcast in advance of the Super Bowl.

*Seth Allen of Libations & Company tells Joe Dimino about his new music venue in Lee’s Summit.

*Joe Dimino spoke with Isaiah Petrie.

*The famed songwriter Burt Bacharach, a Kansas City native, has died.

*Tweet of the Week: Bob Kendrick- In it’s heyday, 18th & Vine was a cultural crossroad where Baseball & Jazz intersected! Guests got a taste of that era yesterday when they were treated to live music by some talented, young Jazz musicians! (video)