JAM Magazine: February/March 1997 Issue: News and Notes

Verve On Tour
Taking a page from Norman Granz's "Jazz at the Philharmonic," Verve Records has assembled the traveling Verve Jazz Fest that began a 19-city tour on January 8th. The tour is scheduled to end in Kansas City on Sunday, February 2, in a benefit performance for the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival. Concertgoers along the way have been treated to the sounds of the Joe Henderson Trio, Charlie Haden's Quartet West and the "Kansas City" All-Stars, the latter an offshoot of the Robert Altman film "Kansas City." Featured "Kansas City" all-stars have included saxophonists James Carter, Craig Handy, David Newman and Jesse Davis, clarinetist Don Byron, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, guitarist Mark Whitfield, and vocalist and KC favorite Kevin Mahogany. Henderson is touring with George Mraz (bass) and Al Foster (drums), and the members of Quartet West, in addition to bassist Haden, are Ernie Watts (tenor sax), Alan Broadbent (piano) and Larance Marable (drums). To date, the entourage has appeared in such cities as San Francisco, L.A., Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, New York and Boston. If you're quick, and if it's still the weekend of Feb. 1-2 (the street date of this issue), you can catch the grand finale of this historic tour when it plays the Grand Pavilion of KC's brand new Station Casino, I-435 and Highway 210 in North Kansas City. The show starts at 5:00 p.m. and tickets can be ordered from Ticketmaster at 931-3330.

Jazz at UMKC
The 1996-97 jazz calendar at UMKC continues with an interesting lineup of events for winter-spring. To wit:

Sunday, February 2 -- The George Salisbury Jazz Scholarship Cabaret Concert featuring the Kansas City Jazztet (Mike Parkinson, trumpet; John Leisenring, trombone; Kim Park, woodwinds; Brian Harman, guitar; Paul Smith, piano; Bob Bowman, bass; Todd Strait, drums), Joe Cartwright and Musa Nova, Ahmad Alaadeen and the Deans of Swing, the Russ Long Group, scholarship recipients Chris Collier (saxophone, piano) and Marlon Bonds (trumpet) with the UMKC Jazz Workshop, Frank Smith, and Milt Abel. 2:00, p.m. at Pierson Hall, University Center.
Tuesday, February 11 -- Saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera with the Kansas City Jazztet and the UMKC Jazz Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. at White Recital Hall. D'Rivera will also present a clinic on Tuesday afternoon. Phone 235-2905 for the details.
o Monday, March 3 -- Saxophonist Gary Foster and pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi; 7:00 p.m., Pierson Hall/University Center and sponsored by the Kansas City Jazz Workshop. Akiyoshi will also present an open-to-the-public jazz clinic at 3:00 p.m., in Room 326, Center for the Performing Arts.
Friday-Saturday, March 7-8 -- The Kansas City Jazz Band Festival, Center for the Performing Arts. Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall: The Kansas City Metro District Jazz Bands directed by Dave Aaberg and Kerry Strayer; the Kansas City Jazztet with guest artists Gary Foster, Kerry Strayer and Bill Scarlett (woodwinds), Chuck Tumlinson and Tom Richeson (trumpet), Steve Tyler (trombone) and Jim Widner (bass). Saturday, March 8, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: performances by 25+ regional high school and junior high school jazz ensembles and combos; free clinics by the guest artists; 7:30 p.m.: evening concert featuring the "Outstanding School Jazz Ensemble" and the UMKC Jazz Orchestra with festival guest artists. White Recital Hall.
Tuesday-Wednesday, March 18-19 -- The UMKC Jazz Workshops, 7:30 p.m. each night at Grant Recital Hall, 52nd & Holmes. Free admission.
Friday, May 2 -- The UMKC Jazz Orchestra with guest artist TBA.

For additional information about jazz at UMKC, call 235-2905. (Note: Any high school or college student may attend any concert free of charge by presenting a valid student ID at the ticket office before the concert. For ticket information, phone the Central Ticket Office at 235-2700.)

Taking Jazz Into the 21st Century
Bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride may be a year older now (24) than he was when he played the Drum Room last year, but he's still barely old enough to vote. No matter. McBride continues to be one of the world's premier jazz musicians, and he's returning to KC on Thursday, February 6 for two shows (7 & 9 p.m.) at The Club at Plaza III. "Christian has the goods to move jazz into the 21st century with freshness, integrity and innovation" says the Los Angeles Times. 'Nuff said. Rounding out the band on the 6th will be Charles Craig (piano), Tim Warfield (tenor), and Carl Allen (drums). Call 753-0000 for reservations. (Note: Christian McBride will not be appearing with the "Kansas City" All-Stars at the Verve Jazz Festival on Feb. 2.)

15 Years of "Just Jazz"
The enduring team of Ginny Coleman and Ruth Rhoden are zeroing in on a milestone. As of February '97, they will have hosted KCUR's "Just Jazz" (Saturdays, noon to 2:00 p.m..) for exactly 15 years. To commemorate this anniversary, Ginny and Ruth are inviting all KC jazz lovers to The Club at Plaza III on Saturday, February 8 to raise a glass in the name of good jazz, Kansas City-style and otherwise. The music -- featuring the Gary Sivils "Trumpet Summit " band -- gets underway at 8:30 p.m. But get there earlier, lest Ginny and Ruth gain an advantage in terms of glasses raised.

Talley On The Move
In the wake of his newest release, Town Topic (reviewed in the October/November '96 JAM), tenor saxophonist Doug Talley is spending a little more time on the road with his quartet (Wayne Hawkins, piano; Tim Brewer, bass; Keith Kavanaugh, drums). There are two gigs of note for jazz fans in Wamego, Kansas ('bout halfway between Manhattan and Topeka) and Joplin, Missouri. On Saturday, February 8, the band will appear at Wamego's historic Columbian Theater as part of its "All That Jazz" series. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by calling 800-899-1893. Then on Sunday, February 23, at 2:30 p.m., the Doug Talley Quartet will appear at Webster Hall on the campus of Joplin's Missouri Southern State College. This concert will be presented by the non-profit organization, "Jazz In Joplin." For ticket info about the 23rd, call 417-623-5840

Fat Tuesday!
(Cotton-Mouth Wednesday...)
On February 11, "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the Kansas City Blues Society will present its 6th Annual Blues Club Crawl at 16 area blues and jazz clubs. From 8:00 until midnight, crawlers will be able to sample everyone from King Alex and the Untouchables (Club Mardi Gras) to the Creole Zydeco Farmers (Grand Emporium). Shuttle buses will serve to link such nightspots as Club 427, Slow's Place, the Phoenix (downtown), Harling's, Blayney's, Jardine's, the Levee, and BB's Lawnside BBQ among others. Featured jazz artists will include Steve Miller, Rosetta Robinson, The Scamps, Mama Ray, Rich Van Sant, and Sonny Kenner. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. For complete Club Crawl listings, call 478-7648.

And He's Just 24
Regardless of your feelings about the whole "smooth jazz" genre, some really fine musicians reside there and do good work. 24 year old keyboardist and Chicago native Brian Culbertson is one such artist who finds himself riding a wave of strong radio play and solid album sales (Long Night Out, Modern Life, and 1996's After Hours, all on the Bluemoon label). Despite his format-friendly "smooth jazz" style, Culbertson says he goes out of his way to avoid sounding like other musicians he hears in that relatively new musical category. "I don't want to do anything normal," he explains. "A lot of the artists who play that kind of music -- I call it 'instrumental pop' -- tend to use the same chord changes, the same licks. I make a conscious effort not to fall into that trap." Culbertson -- who has serious jazz roots having racked up numerous Down Beat student awards while in high school -- will be appearing at The Club at Plaza III for two shows on Sunday, February 16. Showtimes are 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., tickets are available at The Club or any Ticketmaster outlet. Call The Club at Plaza III at 753-0000 is you'd like to know more.

Jazz at the Central Exchange
In 1996, The Central Exchange, 1020 Central, presented singers Angela Hagenbach, Karrin Allyson and Coleen Cassidy as guest speakers/performers for a series of special luncheons co-sponsored by the Central Exchange and the Jazz Ambassadors. This "Artist Spotlight" series continues in '97 with an appearance by singer/entertainer Queen Bey on Friday, February 21. Cost, including lunch, is $15, payable at the door (members of the Central Exchange and the Jazz Ambassadors will be admitted for $10). The program runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call the Central Exchange Office at 471-7560 for reservations and additional information.

18th & Vine's Jazz Masters
Last summer the 18th & Vine Authority launched a jazz masters program that brought to town such luminaries as drummer Max Roach, organist Shirley Scott, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, saxophonist Bobby Watson, and piano legend Jay McShann. Over 60 young musicians from area schools had the priceless educational opportunity to interact with these great players. The winter session of this "Kansas City Institute for Jazz Performance and History" will get under way with a workshop by guitarist Kenny Burrell on Friday, February 21. ("Burrell is the epitome of intelligent composing whose solos are always thoughtful, well-conceived, and executed with impeccable technique" says Down Beat.) Following Burrell will be pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi (March 5), saxophonist Jimmy Heath (April 11), and trumpeter Clark Terry, (May 12). The site for each of these residencies is the Kansas City Middle School of the Arts/Paseo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, 4848 Woodland. Like to know more? Call 831-4396.

Jazz From The North
It's no secret here in KC that Minneapolis-St. Paul has a vibrant jazz scene; witness The Dakota, one of the hippest jazz rooms in the Midwest, as well as one of St. Paul's current exports, pianist Laura Caviani, a regular visitor to Kansas City jazz clubs. The Motion Poets (once known as the Little Big Band) is another up and coming Minneapolis-based jazz group enjoying national press ("...the members are not only promising soloists, but also composers of striking merit..." says Jazz Times). With one CD out (Truth and Consequence) and a new one due out March 11 (Standard of Living, both on the IGMOD label), the Motion Poets are now in the midst of a two month tour that will bring them to KC. Catch their 6:30 p.m. show on Tuesday, February 25, at Club 427 and find out why the noted jazz writer Neil Tesser was impressed with "compositional and textural concerns of a greater range and stature than what you'd expect from a simple hard-blowing jazz sextet." Phone Club 427 at 421-CLUB (2582) for more.

Waters and Jarvis: KC Bound
As you've already gathered from "First Take," two of the jazz world's most enduring performers are coming to the area. Catch saxophonist Benny Waters and pianist Jane Jarvis at Station Casino where they are tentatively scheduled to appear on Friday, March 7. And read more about their fascinating lives on page ??. For updated information about this one-night appearance, call the Jazz Hotline (753- JASS) prior to the engagement.

A Rare KC Appearance
It's always seemed ironic -- and a little sobering -- that Jay McShann, one of the great treasures in the history of jazz, makes his home in the Kansas City area, yet, with a handful of exceptions, performs almost everywhere else on the planet except here. (Jay's last KC appearance was at September's poorly attended Kansas City International Jazz Festival at Starlight.) On Sunday, March 9, Mr. McShann will make a rare nightclub date when he performs, in concert, at The Club at Plaza III. Reservations are recommended for what will surely be a memorable evening. Call 753-0000 for the details.

KCJW Adds One
The Kansas City Jazz Workshop has added one more concert to its 1996-97 season. And it will feature none other than one of KC's most popular big bands, the Mo-Kan River City Jazz Orchestra lead by saxophonist Dean Stringer. This "Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Concert" will take place on Monday, May 19, 7:00 p.m. at UMKC's Pierson Hall; season ticket holders will be admitted free, walk-ups will be charged $12 at the door. The remaining KCJW schedules looks like this:

Monday, March 3, 7:00 p.m. -- Toshiko Akiyoshi & Gary Foster with Danny Embrey (guitar), Bob Bowman (bass), Tommy Ruskin (drums)
Sunday, April 6, 7:00 p.m. -- North Texas State Jazz Singers
Monday, May 19, 7:00 p.m. -- The Mo-Kan River City Jazz Orchestra

All concerts are held at UMKC's Pierson Hall. For KCJW ticket information, call either 436-0318 or 737-3627.

Pete Eye Jams at Station Casino
Why should the KC jazz community pay special attention to all the hoopla surrounding the opening of the new Station Casino? Three reasons: a) internationally established jazz musicians are already scheduled to appear there; b) a second Phoenix jazz club is showcasing many of Kansas City's fine jazz musicians; and c) pianist Pete Eye and his trio are hosting an "invitation only" jazz jam every Saturday at the new Phoenix from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bummed out about the demise of the Drum Room and live jazz at The Point? Maybe Station Casino will save the day.

Studying with the Pros
At a January 14 press conference at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, it was announced that five deserving high school music students would be receiving free instruction for the next nine months from members of the Foundation and the Elder Statesmen of KC Jazz via the Youth Component of the Outreach to Neighborhood and Community Organizations. The lucky students (from ROCA -- Resources of Cultural Artists -- and Paseo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts) are Frederick Strother, Justin Freeland, Seth Lee, Harold O'Neal and Logan Richardson. Numerous arts-related organizations have pitched in to make this educational opportunity possible, including the Missouri African American Cultural Initiative (a project of the Missouri Arts Foundation), the Missouri Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the KCMO Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Goin' To Kansas City/Jazz Legends Commemorated, the Elder Statesmen of KC Jazz, the Mutual Musicians Foundation, and Resources of Cultural Artists. If ever there was a good example of many different entities working together on behalf of the next generation of jazz musicians, this is it.

Jazz at JCCC Redux
Drummer/educator Ray DeMarchi has received so much interest in his big band program at Johnson County Community College that he wants to start a third band at JCCC, 12345 College Boulevard in Overland Park. The new ensemble will meet on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. at the college. High school students are especially encouraged to join, and might even be able to earn college credit via the Quick Start Program. Interested? Give Ray a call at 363-3892.

Got News? Got Notes? Please send to: Editor/JAM, P.O. Box 36181, Kansas City, MO 64171-6181. Deadline for all submissions is the 15th of each odd numbered month.

RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Verve On Tour Taking a page from Norman Granz's "Jazz at the Philharmonic," Verve Records has assembled the traveling Verve Jazz Fest that began a 19-city tour on January 8th. The tour is scheduled to end in Kansas City on Sunday, February 2, in a benefit performance for the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival. Concertgoers along the way have been treated to the sounds of the Joe Henderson Trio, Charlie Haden's Quartet West and the "Kansas City" All-Stars, the latter an offshoot of the Robert Altman film "Kansas City." Featured "Kansas City" all-stars have included saxophonists James Carter, Craig Handy, David Newman and Jesse Davis, clarinetist Don Byron, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, guitarist Mark Whitfield, and vocalist and KC favorite Kevin Mahogany. Henderson is touring with George Mraz (bass) and Al Foster (drums), and the members of Quartet West, in addition to bassist Haden, are Ernie Watts (tenor sax), Alan Broadbent (piano) and Larance Marable (drums). To date, the entourage has appeared in such cities as San Francisco, L.A., Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, New York and Boston. If you're quick, and if it's still the weekend of Feb. 1-2 (the street date of this issue), you can catch the grand finale of this historic tour when it plays the Grand Pavilion of KC's brand new Station Casino, I-435 and Highway 210 in North Kansas City. The show starts at 5:00 p.m. and tickets can be ordered from Ticketmaster at 931-3330. Jazz at UMKC The 1996-97 jazz calendar at UMKC continues with an interesting lineup of events for winter-spring. To wit: Sunday, February 2 -- The George Salisbury Jazz Scholarship Cabaret Concert featuring the Kansas City Jazztet (Mike Parkinson, trumpet; John Leisenring, trombone; Kim Park, woodwinds; Brian Harman, guitar; Paul Smith, piano; Bob Bowman, bass; Todd Strait, drums), Joe Cartwright and Musa Nova, Ahmad Alaadeen and the Deans of Swing, the Russ Long Group, scholarship recipients Chris Collier (saxophone, piano) and Marlon Bonds (trumpet) with the UMKC Jazz Workshop, Frank Smith, and Milt Abel. 2:00, p.m. at Pierson Hall, University Center. Tuesday, February 11 -- Saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera with the Kansas City Jazztet and the UMKC Jazz Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. at White Recital Hall. D'Rivera will also present a clinic on Tuesday afternoon. Phone 235-2905 for the details. o Monday, March 3 -- Saxophonist Gary Foster and pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi; 7:00 p.m., Pierson Hall/University Center and sponsored by the Kansas City Jazz Workshop. Akiyoshi will also present an open-to-the-public jazz clinic at 3:00 p.m., in Room 326, Center for the Performing Arts. Friday-Saturday, March 7-8 -- The Kansas City Jazz Band Festival, Center for the Performing Arts. Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall: The Kansas City Metro District Jazz Bands directed by Dave Aaberg and Kerry Strayer; the Kansas City Jazztet with guest artists Gary Foster, Kerry Strayer and Bill Scarlett (woodwinds), Chuck Tumlinson and Tom Richeson (trumpet), Steve Tyler (trombone) and Jim Widner (bass). Saturday, March 8, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: performances by 25+ regional high school and junior high school jazz ensembles and combos; free clinics by the guest artists; 7:30 p.m.: evening concert featuring the "Outstanding School Jazz Ensemble" and the UMKC Jazz Orchestra with festival guest artists. White Recital Hall. Tuesday-Wednesday, March 18-19 -- The UMKC Jazz Workshops, 7:30 p.m. each night at Grant Recital Hall, 52nd & Holmes. Free admission. Friday, May 2 -- The UMKC Jazz Orchestra with guest artist TBA. For additional information about jazz at UMKC, call 235-2905. (Note: Any high school or college student may attend any concert free of charge by presenting a valid student ID at the ticket office before the concert. For ticket information, phone the Central Ticket Office at 235-2700.) Taking Jazz Into the 21st Century Bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride may be a year older now (24) than he was when he played the Drum Room last year, but he's still barely old enough to vote. No matter. McBride continues to be one of the world's premier jazz musicians, and he's returning to KC on Thursday, February 6 for two shows (7 & 9 p.m.) at The Club at Plaza III. "Christian has the goods to move jazz into the 21st century with freshness, integrity and innovation" says the Los Angeles Times. 'Nuff said. Rounding out the band on the 6th will be Charles Craig (piano), Tim Warfield (tenor), and Carl Allen (drums). Call 753-0000 for reservations. (Note: Christian McBride will not be appearing with the "Kansas City" All-Stars at the Verve Jazz Festival on Feb. 2.) 15 Years of "Just Jazz" The enduring team of Ginny Coleman and Ruth Rhoden are zeroing in on a milestone. As of February '97, they will have hosted KCUR's "Just Jazz" (Saturdays, noon to 2:00 p.m..) for exactly 15 years. To commemorate this anniversary, Ginny and Ruth are inviting all KC jazz lovers to The Club at Plaza III on Saturday, February 8 to raise a glass in the name of good jazz, Kansas City-style and otherwise. The music -- featuring the Gary Sivils "Trumpet Summit " band -- gets underway at 8:30 p.m. But get there earlier, lest Ginny and Ruth gain an advantage in terms of glasses raised. Talley On The Move In the wake of his newest release, Town Topic (reviewed in the October/November '96 JAM), tenor saxophonist Doug Talley is spending a little more time on the road with his quartet (Wayne Hawkins, piano; Tim Brewer, bass; Keith Kavanaugh, drums). There are two gigs of note for jazz fans in Wamego, Kansas ('bout halfway between Manhattan and Topeka) and Joplin, Missouri. On Saturday, February 8, the band will appear at Wamego's historic Columbian Theater as part of its "All That Jazz" series. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by calling 800-899-1893. Then on Sunday, February 23, at 2:30 p.m., the Doug Talley Quartet will appear at Webster Hall on the campus of Joplin's Missouri Southern State College. This concert will be presented by the non-profit organization, "Jazz In Joplin." For ticket info about the 23rd, call 417-623-5840 Fat Tuesday! (Cotton-Mouth Wednesday...) On February 11, "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the Kansas City Blues Society will present its 6th Annual Blues Club Crawl at 16 area blues and jazz clubs. From 8:00 until midnight, crawlers will be able to sample everyone from King Alex and the Untouchables (Club Mardi Gras) to the Creole Zydeco Farmers (Grand Emporium). Shuttle buses will serve to link such nightspots as Club 427, Slow's Place, the Phoenix (downtown), Harling's, Blayney's, Jardine's, the Levee, and BB's Lawnside BBQ among others. Featured jazz artists will include Steve Miller, Rosetta Robinson, The Scamps, Mama Ray, Rich Van Sant, and Sonny Kenner. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. For complete Club Crawl listings, call 478-7648. And He's Just 24 Regardless of your feelings about the whole "smooth jazz" genre, some really fine musicians reside there and do good work. 24 year old keyboardist and Chicago native Brian Culbertson is one such artist who finds himself riding a wave of strong radio play and solid album sales (Long Night Out, Modern Life, and 1996's After Hours, all on the Bluemoon label). Despite his format-friendly "smooth jazz" style, Culbertson says he goes out of his way to avoid sounding like other musicians he hears in that relatively new musical category. "I don't want to do anything normal," he explains. "A lot of the artists who play that kind of music -- I call it 'instrumental pop' -- tend to use the same chord changes, the same licks. I make a conscious effort not to fall into that trap." Culbertson -- who has serious jazz roots having racked up numerous Down Beat student awards while in high school -- will be appearing at The Club at Plaza III for two shows on Sunday, February 16. Showtimes are 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., tickets are available at The Club or any Ticketmaster outlet. Call The Club at Plaza III at 753-0000 is you'd like to know more. Jazz at the Central Exchange In 1996, The Central Exchange, 1020 Central, presented singers Angela Hagenbach, Karrin Allyson and Coleen Cassidy as guest speakers/performers for a series of special luncheons co-sponsored by the Central Exchange and the Jazz Ambassadors. This "Artist Spotlight" series continues in '97 with an appearance by singer/entertainer Queen Bey on Friday, February 21. Cost, including lunch, is $15, payable at the door (members of the Central Exchange and the Jazz Ambassadors will be admitted for $10). The program runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call the Central Exchange Office at 471-7560 for reservations and additional information. 18th & Vine's Jazz Masters Last summer the 18th & Vine Authority launched a jazz masters program that brought to town such luminaries as drummer Max Roach, organist Shirley Scott, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, saxophonist Bobby Watson, and piano legend Jay McShann. Over 60 young musicians from area schools had the priceless educational opportunity to interact with these great players. The winter session of this "Kansas City Institute for Jazz Performance and History" will get under way with a workshop by guitarist Kenny Burrell on Friday, February 21. ("Burrell is the epitome of intelligent composing whose solos are always thoughtful, well-conceived, and executed with impeccable technique" says Down Beat.) Following Burrell will be pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi (March 5), saxophonist Jimmy Heath (April 11), and trumpeter Clark Terry, (May 12). The site for each of these residencies is the Kansas City Middle School of the Arts/Paseo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, 4848 Woodland. Like to know more? Call 831-4396. Jazz From The North It's no secret here in KC that Minneapolis-St. Paul has a vibrant jazz scene; witness The Dakota, one of the hippest jazz rooms in the Midwest, as well as one of St. Paul's current exports, pianist Laura Caviani, a regular visitor to Kansas City jazz clubs. The Motion Poets (once known as the Little Big Band) is another up and coming Minneapolis-based jazz group enjoying national press ("...the members are not only promising soloists, but also composers of striking merit..." says Jazz Times). With one CD out (Truth and Consequence) and a new one due out March 11 (Standard of Living, both on the IGMOD label), the Motion Poets are now in the midst of a two month tour that will bring them to KC. Catch their 6:30 p.m. show on Tuesday, February 25, at Club 427 and find out why the noted jazz writer Neil Tesser was impressed with "compositional and textural concerns of a greater range and stature than what you'd expect from a simple hard-blowing jazz sextet." Phone Club 427 at 421-CLUB (2582) for more. Waters and Jarvis: KC Bound As you've already gathered from "First Take," two of the jazz world's most enduring performers are coming to the area. Catch saxophonist Benny Waters and pianist Jane Jarvis at Station Casino where they are tentatively scheduled to appear on Friday, March 7. And read more about their fascinating lives on page ??. For updated information about this one-night appearance, call the Jazz Hotline (753- JASS) prior to the engagement. A Rare KC Appearance It's always seemed ironic -- and a little sobering -- that Jay McShann, one of the great treasures in the history of jazz, makes his home in the Kansas City area, yet, with a handful of exceptions, performs almost everywhere else on the planet except here. (Jay's last KC appearance was at September's poorly attended Kansas City International Jazz Festival at Starlight.) On Sunday, March 9, Mr. McShann will make a rare nightclub date when he performs, in concert, at The Club at Plaza III. Reservations are recommended for what will surely be a memorable evening. Call 753-0000 for the details. KCJW Adds One The Kansas City Jazz Workshop has added one more concert to its 1996-97 season. And it will feature none other than one of KC's most popular big bands, the Mo-Kan River City Jazz Orchestra lead by saxophonist Dean Stringer. This "Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Concert" will take place on Monday, May 19, 7:00 p.m. at UMKC's Pierson Hall; season ticket holders will be admitted free, walk-ups will be charged $12 at the door. The remaining KCJW schedules looks like this: Monday, March 3, 7:00 p.m. -- Toshiko Akiyoshi & Gary Foster with Danny Embrey (guitar), Bob Bowman (bass), Tommy Ruskin (drums) Sunday, April 6, 7:00 p.m. -- North Texas State Jazz Singers Monday, May 19, 7:00 p.m. -- The Mo-Kan River City Jazz Orchestra All concerts are held at UMKC's Pierson Hall. For KCJW ticket information, call either 436-0318 or 737-3627. Pete Eye Jams at Station Casino Why should the KC jazz community pay special attention to all the hoopla surrounding the opening of the new Station Casino? Three reasons: a) internationally established jazz musicians are already scheduled to appear there; b) a second Phoenix jazz club is showcasing many of Kansas City's fine jazz musicians; and c) pianist Pete Eye and his trio are hosting an "invitation only" jazz jam every Saturday at the new Phoenix from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bummed out about the demise of the Drum Room and live jazz at The Point? Maybe Station Casino will save the day. Studying with the Pros At a January 14 press conference at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, it was announced that five deserving high school music students would be receiving free instruction for the next nine months from members of the Foundation and the Elder Statesmen of KC Jazz via the Youth Component of the Outreach to Neighborhood and Community Organizations. The lucky students (from ROCA -- Resources of Cultural Artists -- and Paseo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts) are Frederick Strother, Justin Freeland, Seth Lee, Harold O'Neal and Logan Richardson. Numerous arts-related organizations have pitched in to make this educational opportunity possible, including the Missouri African American Cultural Initiative (a project of the Missouri Arts Foundation), the Missouri Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the KCMO Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Goin' To Kansas City/Jazz Legends Commemorated, the Elder Statesmen of KC Jazz, the Mutual Musicians Foundation, and Resources of Cultural Artists. If ever there was a good example of many different entities working together on behalf of the next generation of jazz musicians, this is it. Jazz at JCCC Redux Drummer/educator Ray DeMarchi has received so much interest in his big band program at Johnson County Community College that he wants to start a third band at JCCC, 12345 College Boulevard in Overland Park. The new ensemble will meet on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. at the college. High school students are especially encouraged to join, and might even be able to earn college credit via the Quick Start Program. Interested? Give Ray a call at 363-3892. Got News? Got Notes? Please send to: Editor/JAM, P.O. Box 36181, Kansas City, MO 64171-6181. Deadline for all submissions is the 15th of each odd numbered month. RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.