Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Tim Whitmer discussed his new album with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s Up To Date.

*Ken Lovern told Joe Dimino about OJT’s new album.

*The New York Times remembered the Missouri-born Nora Holt and KCUR recalled Kansas City native Dana Suesse.

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Alyssa Bell Jackson today announced the next concert for the 2024-2025 Signature Series, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at Helzberg Hall… The annual Kansas City Jazz Orchestra holiday concert, set against visuals from the cherished television special, will feature swinging big band arrangements from KCJO Artistic Director Clint Ashlock.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Chuck Haddix told The Pitch’s Nick Spacek about the backstory of the new Charlie Parker album Bird in Kansas City.

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra continues the 2024-25 season with.. Bright Size Life, featuring guitarist Rod Fleeman, Saturday, November 16, at the Folly Theater. Rod Fleeman is a founding member of The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and has appreciated Pat Metheny’s virtuosity since he first saw the guitarist play in the early 1970s…

Now’s the Time: Sachal Vasandani

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra will be joined by vocalist Sachal Vasandani at the Folly Theater on Friday, October 11. The slick crooner interprets the standard “Unforgettable” in the embedded video.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The prominent Kansas City jazz advocate Sharon Daugherty Valleau has died.

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra launches its 2024-25 Signature Series with Unforgettable featuring vocalist Sachal Vasandani, at 7pm on October 11, 2024 in Helzberg Hall of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Sachal Vasandani is a critically acclaimed and widely admired jazz vocalist who commands the stage, blending contemporary sensibilities with an old crooner’s soul.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Kansas City Star notes the schedule of a new dueling piano bar includes a weekly jazz matinee.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Cynthia van Roden and filmed portions of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s tribute to Charlie Parker.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Footage of the Lee’s Summit Jazz Festival was shared by Joe Dimino and a television news outlet. 

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director Clint Ashlock today announced the 2024-2025 Signature Series: Experiences, alongside the newly appointed Executive Director Alyssa Bell Jackson, who assumed her position earlier this year.  The season: Unforgettable featuring vocalist Sachal Vasandani, October 11, 2024 at 7 p.m. | Helzberg Hall; Bright Size Life featuring guitarist Rod Fleeman, November 16, 2024 at 7 p.m. Folly Theater; A Charlie Brown Christmas, December 10, 2024 at 7 p.m. | Helzberg Hall; Always and Forever featuring Bram and Lucy Wijnands, March 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. | Folly Theater; Level Up! April 5, 2025 at 7 p.m. | Helzberg Hall; Glamour of Old Hollywood featuring Brenna Whitaker May 31, 2025 at 7 p.m. | Folly Theater

*From a press release: Join us for a free community event with the KU Jazz Ensemble I before their European tour! (7:30 p.m. Monday, July 15 at Lied Center Auditorium.) KU Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dan Gailey, is the flagship ensemble within the Jazz Studies program at the University of Kansas. The program has received 32 DownBeat Student Music Awards, including Jazz Ensemble I’s 2023, 2021, 2019 and 2015 awards in the Graduate Division for Best College Big Band in the United States or Canada, and their Outstanding Performance Awards in the same division in 2024, 2022 and 2017.

*From a press release: ECM releases Pat Metheny's Bright Size Life as part of its Luminessence audiophile vinyl-reissue series… Available August 2, 2024, in Celebration of Metheny's 70th Birthday.

*From a press release: Craft Recordings is pleased to announce Ornithology: The Best of Bird, a brand-new Charlie “Bird” Parker collection that introduces the legendary saxophonist through 11 classic tracks. Spanning 1945–1953, the album compiles material from the influential jazz artist’s most prolific era… Arriving August 23 and available for pre-order today, Ornithology will be available on 1-LP, 1-CD and digital formats, while fans can find the album in two limited-edition pressings, including Canary Yellow vinyl (exclusively via Spotify Fans First) and Ruby (Barnes & Noble).

Now’s the Time: Deborah Brown

Deborah Brown and Bobby Watson are the preeminent musicians based in the Kansas City area. Each is an international treasure. Brown and Watson will be featured at the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s concert at the Folly Theater on Friday, May 17. Brown is accompanied by the Portland pianist George Colligan in the embedded video.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Queen Bey, once a prominent Kansas City based vocalist, has died.

*Green Lady Lounge recently initiated a series of lunchtime performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The venue’s May calendar lists offerings from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays prior to Rod Fleeman’s long-standing Saturday residency that begins at 2:30 p.m.

*Here’s a second way to listen to the KCUR audio feature about the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society.

*The American Jazz Museum is featured in a National Endowment of the Arts "grant spotlight".

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Alyssa Bell-Jackson today announced the final concert for the Conversations in Jazz 2023-2024 Season, This is Kansas City featuring two beloved Kansas City jazz greats Deborah Brown and Bobby Watson. This concert will be recorded live for an album to be released next season. This is Kansas City concert originally was to be held May 17 and 18 at the Folly Theatre. The concert will now be held on May 17 only.

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”.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Results from The Pitch’s The Best of KC 2023 awards: Best Jazz Artist: Lonnie McFadden; Best Jazz Band: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra; Best Jazz Venue: Green Lady Lounge.

*Plastic Sax has belatedly learned that the arts journalist Calvin Wilson died in August.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*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.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*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.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra headlines the 2023 edition of the Prairie Village Jazz Festival on September 9.

*Tia Fuller’s participation in the Spotlight: Charlie Parker initiative is among KCUR's concert recommendations for August.

*Bob Brookmeyer, Samantha Fish, Pat Metheny and Bobby Watson received votes in Downbeat magazine’s 71st Annual Critics Poll.

*St. Louis’ New Music Circle announced its 2023-24 season. Roscoe Mitchell, Elliott Sharp and William Parker are among the bookings.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Clint Ashlock considers the 2023-24 season of The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra for The Kansas City Star.

*Vanessa Thomas’ album release show at the Lied Center is among KCUR’s May concert recommendations.

*Joe Dimino attended a concert by The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and interviewed Alber.

*KCUR’s Greg Echlin reports on The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s intention to move from its current location adjacent to the American Jazz Museum.

*Tweet of the Week: KCMO Public Library- April 30 is #InternationalJazzDay! Check out books, music, and resources about some of the greatest names in jazz, including many with Kansas City connections: (link)

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Ronald McFadden has died.

*Lawrence Brooks IV highlighted the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s outreach programs for KCUR.

*Startland reports on plans for Ruthell’s in the Jazz District.

*Bill Frisell’s concert at the 1900 Building is among KCUR’s March concert recommendations.

*The Pitch checks out Con Chapman’s new book about Kansas City’s jazz history.

*Tweet of the Week: American Jazz Museum- Sending our dearest condolences to the McFadden Family on the loss of Ronald McFadden, the great vocalist, saxophonist and tap dancer. Thanks for your talent and for making us proud. We’ll miss every beat. Rest in Heaven, your family at the American Jazz Museum.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra has released a new version of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” featuring vocalist Eboni Fondren.

*Craig Aker, a notable figure in the music community of Columbia, Missouri, is featured in The Maneater.

*Tweet of the Week: Aaron Bean- Doing my door guy thing tonight @GreenLadyLounge until 3am! Kansas City JAZZ at its finest.

*From a press release: Mike Dillon & Punkadelick have released "Pandas", the second single from their forthcoming album, Inflorescence, due January 27 on Royal Potato Family… “In our minds, Led Zeppelin and Milt Jackson, Parliament-Funkadelic and The Minutemen, The Bad Brains and Frank Zappa are interconnected," says Mike Dillon. "All that comes together in how we approach instrumental creative music. Punk rock, funk and jazz are not prefab things, they're about freedom. We have no genre restriction in this band..."

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Snippets from a performance by Arnold Young and the Roughtet were shared by Joe Dimino.

*Mary Lou Williams aficionados are advised to investigate South Korean bassist Jeong Lim Yang’s startling interpretation of Zodiac Suite.

*Marc Myers has been on a Freddie Green spree at Jazz Wax.

*Tweet of the Week: Cinephile- Watched Altman's Kansas City. It seemed like it was an ode to his hometown, or his love for jazz, not a project driven to serve story or character. 6/10.

*From a press release: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Lea Petrie today announced the next concert for the 2022-2023 20th Anniversary season, The Family featuring guest artists Lonnie and Chloe McFadden, Tuesday,December 6 at 7 p.m. at the Helzberg Hall of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts… Multitalented local legend Lonnie McFadden, a vocalist, trumpeter, and tap dancer, grew up immersed in Kansas City jazz through his deep, familial ties from his father Jimmy, a tap dancer who worked alongside Count Basie, Jay McShann, and Charlie Parker.

Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes

*Brian Baggett and Ken Lovern discuss Baggett’s forthcoming album in a promotional video.

*The Kansas City debut of the Los Angeles duo Ohma is reviewed at There Stands the Glass.

*Bobby Watson promoted a concert in Schenectady in a candid interview with a correspondent for Albany’s The Times-Union.

*Jazzwise considers the sound of Britain’s Big Band Metheny ensemble.

*Joe Dimino interviewed Morgan Faw and shared clips of performances by the Greg Meise Trio, Lisa Henry and the Hannover Big Band.

*Tweet of the Week: Midwest Music Foundation- JUST ANNOUNCED! Check out the official lineup for Apocalypse Meow, Nov 5th at the @recordBar, ft. Eddie Moore, MellowPhobia, The Electric Lungs, purextc, and Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream! Grab tickets: (link) #apocalypsemeow #abbysfund

*From a press release: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Lea Petrie today announced the next concert for the 2022-2023 20th Anniversary season, The Voice featuring guest artist Deborah Brown, Thursday, November 10 at 7 p.m. at … Helzberg Hall… Brown is one of many American jazz performers who found her greatest fame and recognition overseas rather than in the U.S.

Now’s the Time: New York Voices

The man behind Plastic Sax would rather listen to “Baby Shark” on repeat all day rather than endure two hours of vocalese. Even so, he recognizes that plenty of people adore the music made by New York Voices. The quartet will perform with The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Folly Theater on Friday, October 14. Shoop-de-doo-bop!

Now’s the Time: Sean Jones

The marketing material promoting Sean Jones’ concert with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at Helzberg Hall on Friday, September 30, asserts that “there is no more essential practitioner of the brass arts” than the trumpeter. Advocates of Ambrose Akinmusire, Wynton Marsalis and Nicholas Payton might beg to differ. Nevertheless, Jones’ solo in the embedded video is extraordinary.