JAM Magazine: October/November 1999 Issue: News & Notes

Jazz at UMKC
How apropos that, for this jazz ed issue of JAM, "News & Notes" leads with a schedule of upcoming jazz events at the University of Missouri/Kansas City. Jazz studies director, Hal Melia, now in his second year at the helm, recently attached his fall calendar to a message inviting JAM readers and all KC jazz fans to a variety of performances at UMKC. Here are the highlights.

Friday, Oct. 1 -- Happy Hour, PAC 326, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free.
Monday, Oct. 4 -- Combo #2 Nooner, Student Center, 12:00 p.m. Free.
Friday, Oct. 8 -- Jazz Ensemble Concert, White Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 12 -- Combos #3 & 4 in Concert, Grant Hall, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Wednesday, Oct. 13 -- Combos #1 & 2 in Concert, site TBA, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Friday, Nov. 5 -- Happy Hour, PAC 326, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free.
Saturday, Nov. 6 -- Residency Activity (ten.), PAC 128, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 7 -- Jazztet Concert, site TBA, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Free.
Wednesday, Nov. 10 -- Combos #1 & 2 in Concert, site TBA, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Thursday, Nov. 11 -- Combos #3 & 4 in Concert, Grant Hall, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Monday, Nov. 15 -- Combo #3 Nooner, Student Center, 12:00 p.m. Free.
Sunday, Dec. 5 -- American Family Christmas, White Hall, 2:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9 -- Jazz Ensemble Concert, Pierson Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Jammin' at the Gem
One of the most talent-laden series of jazz concerts in the KC area is the Gem Theater's "Jammin' at the Gem." As we reported last issue, the 1999-2000 season is just about to get started. Call 474-VINE for additional information about this and other happenings at 18th & Vine.

October 2 -- The McCoy Tyner Trio.
October 30 -- The Sun Ra Arkestra
November 26 -- The Terence Blanchard Quintet.
January 15 -- The Lionel Hampton Orchestra.
February 12 -- The Gloria Lynne Trio.
March 25 -- Dee Dee Bridgewater.
April 27 -- The Art Ensemble of Chicago.
May 14 -- Marian McPartland/Trudy Pitts.

The KCJW Continues
The concert series for the 1999-2000 Kansas City Jazz Workshop is now underway will be presenting the following guest artists in the months ahead. Here's a synopsis of what we listed in the August/September JAM. Call 436-0318 or 737-3627 for more info; season tickets are still available.

October 4 -- Weslia Whitfield, vocalist/Mike Greensill, piano.
November 8 -- Holly Hofmann, flute/Bill Cunliff, piano.
February 7 -- Pete Christlieb/Rickey Woodard, tenor saxophones.
March 6 -- Giacomo Gates, vocalist.
April 23 -- Marvin Stamm/Mike Metheny, trumpets.

Jazz at JCCC
As long as we're running down schedules for upcoming jazz series, we should mention the fall lineup at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. Area jazz musicians will be featured on both "Jazz Tuesdays at Noon" and the "Ruel Joyce Series" on Wednesdays, which also has a 12 noon start. Call 469-3886 for more.

October 5 -- The Russ Long Trio
October 6 -- Charles Gatschet, guitar
October 12 -- The Danny Embrey Trio
October 19 -- The Al Pearson Quartet
October 26 -- The Charles Perkins Trio
November 2 -- Gerald Spaits/Bob Bowman
November 10 -- Carole Brown, bass

(Note: the concerts on Oct. 6 and Nov. 10 are part of the Ruel Joyce Series and will feature the classical sides of guitarist Gatschet and bassist Brown.)

Five Years of ESS Jazz
On Sunday, October 3, Episcopal Social Services will be hosting "ESS & Jazz V," 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Folly Theater. This event is the annual fundraiser presented by Episcopal Social Services featuring selected KC jazz artists in support of the various programs of ESS. This year the performers will be Dean Stringer's River City Jazz Orchestra, vocalist Julie Turner, and drummer Tommy Ruskin. Good music for a worthy cause. Call 561-8920 for tickets and additional information.

New Talent Showcase #3
For the third year, the Gem Theater at 18 & Vine will be the site of the annual New Talent Jazz Showcase, Saturday, October 9. There will be a silent auction and complimentary cocktail party at 6:00 p.m., and the showcase will begin at 7:00. In the spotlight this year will be several up and coming groups specially selected by area jazz clubs. Among the featured bands will be Bukeka Shoals and Jerome Johnson, Connect, the James Ward Ensemble, the Paseo Academy Jazz Ensemble, and 12 year old pianist-prodigy Eldar Djangirov. Olivia Dorsey of KMBC Channel 9 and Michelle Chase of 106.5 The City will host.

In addition to timely exposure for rising jazz talent, another reason for this event is to raise money for Community LINC as well as the Blue Room at 18th & Vine. "LINC's transitional housing program is a 90-180 day residential program created to provide homeless families with shelter, comprehensive case management services and follow-up services," says Jan Justice, Community LINC's executive director. "We are located at 40th and Troost, right in KC's urban core."

Like to know more about this worthwhile event? Call 531-3727.

Encore!
If you attended the 1997 KC Blues & Jazz Festival, chances are you caught the uplifting sounds of a Louisiana gospel troupe called The Crown Seekers. The KC Star's Timothy Finn did, and he was impressed. "When great music meets devout faith," Finn wrote in The Star, "the consequences are unforgettable." The group plans to return to KC for another evening of joyous music on Saturday, October 9 at the Unity Temple on the Plaza, 47th & Jefferson. Showtime is at 7:00 p.m., all ages are welcome, and tickets are on sale at Unity Temple, Barnes & Noble and 7th Heaven. Call 561-1627 or 931-6645 for additional information.

All Aboard the Jazz Train
The Gem Theater, the Lied Center in Lawrence, and the State Ballet of Missouri have teamed up with choreographer Donald Byrd and composers Max Roach, Geri Allen and Vernon Reid to present an ongoing project called "The Jazz Train," an ambitious series of residency activities that began in August and will culminate with a performance of Byrd's "Jazz Train" at the Lied Center April 7-8, 2000. An initial highlight of the series continues to be the "Nuts & Bolts of Jazz" lectures presented by KU Professor Emeritus/KANU radio host, Dick Wright and KU prof/jazz critic Chuck Berg. The weekly sessions have alternated between the American Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine and the Lied Center on the KU campus and will run through October 13-14. Also, in the ensuing months look for a variety of roundtables, discussion groups, film festivals and musical performances including a Gem Theater concert by Roach on April 1. Like to know more? Call the Lied Center at 785-864-ARTS for additional details. And stay tuned to these pages for continuing coverage.

Putting the Soul Back in the City
New talent and established bands will perform together at the second annual Soul of the City jazz concert, a benefit for the Kansas City Church Community Organization (CCO). Soul of the City 1999 is scheduled for Saturday, October 16, 8:00 p.m. in the historic Gem Theater and will feature two veteran groups, The Scamps and Claude "Fiddler" Williams, as well as two up and coming acts, pianist Eldar Djangirov and the Paseo Academy Jazz Ensemble. Soul of the City raises funds for CCO's initiative to rebuild parent and community involvement in Kansas City's public schools. So, the 16th will be an evening of great jazz for a good cause. Contact numbers for additional information are 842-9922 (x 26) and/or 346-1361.

Blues News You Can Use...
Our pal over at the KC Blues Society, Connie "Crash" Humiston, is so excited about an upcoming event, that she wanted us to blurb it in JAM, which, of course, we are glad to do. "Blues Masters at the Crossroads II" is the highly anticipated sequel to the event's debut in September of '98, a grand evening of blues that was held to mark the opening of Blue Heaven Studios, home of APO Records. The concert was dedicated to the late Jimmy Rogers (father of Jimmy D. Lane), APO's first recording artist and first to perform at the studio. This year's showcase will again feature some of the best in national and local talent, including Jimmy D. Lane, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Hubert Sumlin, Detroit Jr. and Henry Townsend. Performances will be on Friday and Saturday, October 15-16, 7:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., at Blue Heaven Studios, 201 S. 8th Street in Salina, KS. Call 800-716-3553 for ticket information, and visit the studio's web site at www.acousticsounds.com.

...and a "Blue Monday" Not Too Miss
Monday nights at 18th & Vine's Blue Room have become a traditional highlight of the week for KC jazz lovers. But on Monday, October 18, a true jazz world vet will take the stage for two special shows. Saxophonist Sadao Watanabe has enjoyed prominence since first appearing with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1953, and he has since recorded numerous albums as a leader (his latest is a straight-ahead date called Remembrance) as well as other sides with such notables as Chick Corea. Showtimes on the 18th are 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. Call 474-6262 for more.

Exposure Op
A Harvest Festival on October 23, a Native American Indian Day on November 20, and a Winter Festival on December 11 are seasonal celebrations scheduled at the Troost Community Market in the coming months. Each event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Located at the northeast corner of Linwood and Troost, the market offers customers the chance to shop for gifts, buy food for holiday meals and enjoy performances by local musicians.

These events also offer an exposure opportunity for area artists including jazz musicians. "The focus of the Market is to bring people together through community participation, and to celebrate Kansas City's diversity," says Market manager Claire Kucinic. The Market is a project of the Troost Corridor Community Association, an outgrowth of the City's FOCUS planning process.

Like to get involved? Call 931-8800 to learn more.

Special Sundays
It's hard to believe that Kansas City drummer Tommy Ruskin has been a vital force in the local jazz community for the last four decades. (And he's still a young pup to boot!) But it's true. And true to his prolific performance schedule in and around KC, Ruskin has added a monthly concert series at one of his regular haunts. In addition to the weekly Wednesday jam he and wife Julie Turner host at Charlie's Lodge, 7953 State Line, there is now a monthly Sunday showcase at Charlie's, 4:30-7:30 p.m., featuring a different guest performer along with a Ruskin-led rhythm section. Upcoming featured artists will be singer Karrin Allyson on October 24 and trumpeter Mike Bennett (formerly of this area, now based in Tulsa) on November 21. There's no cover, but plenty of food and drink. Call 333-6363 for more info.

Wanna See Something Really Scary?
KC knows its club crawls, no doubt about it, and now the folks at the KC Blues & Jazz Festival are ready to launch the first annual "Creature Crawl," Thursday, October 28. The Halloween-themed pub crawl will include 12 local clubs featuring area blues and jazz musicians. Buses start to roll at 8:00 p.m. "Ghosts, goblins and Blues Brothers are invited to dress up in costume for prizes to be awarded at each club," says Connie "Crash" Humiston, Operations Manager of the Blues & Jazz Fest. (A free one-year subscription to JAM goes to the best headless Kenny G costume...) Like to know more? Call 753-3378.

Boko Signs
FunPro Productions tells us that it is pleased to announce the signing of the KC-based band, Boko Maru. The group's first album, Dreamland, is set for a mid-October release. Founder Gary Cavanah began FunPro in 1998, and as a musician himself, it has been his life-long goal "to create a business that would promote Kansas City's original music and musicians from concept and recording to marketing and promotion, using Kansas City-based organizations where feasible."

Dreamland marks the first full-length recording project for Boko Maru. And they will give the release a proper launch on Thursday, November 11, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. at Fedora's Cafe, 210 W. 47th. The release party is open to the public and CDs will be available for purchase.

Good Sounds in Liberty
When you start entering concert dates into your new 2000 calendar, February 26 should be one of the first. On that Saturday, the Music Lovers February Festival will be held at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre, 1600 S. Withers Road in Liberty. Singer and two-time Grammy nominee Kurt Elling is scheduled to appear as are saxophonist Kim Park, singer/bandleader David Basse, and the young pianist Eldar Djangirov. The event is still taking shape; look for additional details in future issues of JAM and/or call (816) 792-6130 for current information.

Bravo Floyd
Chalk up another award for longtime JAM contributor and California correspondent Floyd Levin. In the August issue of Mississippi Rag, Levin was voted "Number One Jazz Journalist" by the magazine's readers. Also honored in this category were Whitney Balliett, Tex Wyndham, Dan Morgenstern and George Buck. Floyd is in good company there. Also, keep an eye out for Floyd's new book, Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians. As we go to press it's still at the publisher (University of California Press) but it should be available soon.

Barry Gould
1941-1999
Drummer and longtime member of the Kansas City jazz scene Barry Gould died on July 30 at the age of 57. A respected and highly regarded colleague of numerous KC jazz artists (including Mike Ning and Julie Turner), Gould's passing was noted with sadness by fellow KC drummers Brooks Wright (now living in the Boston area), and Tommy Ruskin. Said KC pianist Warren Bowman, another frequent musical partner, "Barry Gould was a kind, gentle and upbeat guy. He will be missed." R.I.P.

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.






	Search our site:		Jazz at UMKC How apropos that, for this jazz ed issue of JAM, "News & Notes" leads with a schedule of upcoming jazz events at the University of Missouri/Kansas City. Jazz studies director, Hal Melia, now in his second year at the helm, recently attached his fall calendar to a message inviting JAM readers and all KC jazz fans to a variety of performances at UMKC. Here are the highlights. Friday, Oct. 1 -- Happy Hour, PAC 326, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Monday, Oct. 4 -- Combo #2 Nooner, Student Center, 12:00 p.m. Free. Friday, Oct. 8 -- Jazz Ensemble Concert, White Hall, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12 -- Combos #3 & 4 in Concert, Grant Hall, 7:30 p.m. Free. Wednesday, Oct. 13 -- Combos #1 & 2 in Concert, site TBA, 7:30 p.m. Free. Friday, Nov. 5 -- Happy Hour, PAC 326, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Saturday, Nov. 6 -- Residency Activity (ten.), PAC 128, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7 -- Jazztet Concert, site TBA, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Free. Wednesday, Nov. 10 -- Combos #1 & 2 in Concert, site TBA, 7:30 p.m. Free. Thursday, Nov. 11 -- Combos #3 & 4 in Concert, Grant Hall, 7:30 p.m. Free. Monday, Nov. 15 -- Combo #3 Nooner, Student Center, 12:00 p.m. Free. Sunday, Dec. 5 -- American Family Christmas, White Hall, 2:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9 -- Jazz Ensemble Concert, Pierson Hall, 7:30 p.m. Jammin' at the Gem One of the most talent-laden series of jazz concerts in the KC area is the Gem Theater's "Jammin' at the Gem." As we reported last issue, the 1999-2000 season is just about to get started. Call 474-VINE for additional information about this and other happenings at 18th & Vine. October 2 -- The McCoy Tyner Trio. October 30 -- The Sun Ra Arkestra November 26 -- The Terence Blanchard Quintet. January 15 -- The Lionel Hampton Orchestra. February 12 -- The Gloria Lynne Trio. March 25 -- Dee Dee Bridgewater. April 27 -- The Art Ensemble of Chicago. May 14 -- Marian McPartland/Trudy Pitts. The KCJW Continues The concert series for the 1999-2000 Kansas City Jazz Workshop is now underway will be presenting the following guest artists in the months ahead. Here's a synopsis of what we listed in the August/September JAM. Call 436-0318 or 737-3627 for more info; season tickets are still available. October 4 -- Weslia Whitfield, vocalist/Mike Greensill, piano. November 8 -- Holly Hofmann, flute/Bill Cunliff, piano. February 7 -- Pete Christlieb/Rickey Woodard, tenor saxophones. March 6 -- Giacomo Gates, vocalist. April 23 -- Marvin Stamm/Mike Metheny, trumpets. Jazz at JCCC As long as we're running down schedules for upcoming jazz series, we should mention the fall lineup at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. Area jazz musicians will be featured on both "Jazz Tuesdays at Noon" and the "Ruel Joyce Series" on Wednesdays, which also has a 12 noon start. Call 469-3886 for more. October 5 -- The Russ Long Trio October 6 -- Charles Gatschet, guitar October 12 -- The Danny Embrey Trio October 19 -- The Al Pearson Quartet October 26 -- The Charles Perkins Trio November 2 -- Gerald Spaits/Bob Bowman November 10 -- Carole Brown, bass (Note: the concerts on Oct. 6 and Nov. 10 are part of the Ruel Joyce Series and will feature the classical sides of guitarist Gatschet and bassist Brown.) Five Years of ESS Jazz On Sunday, October 3, Episcopal Social Services will be hosting "ESS & Jazz V," 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Folly Theater. This event is the annual fundraiser presented by Episcopal Social Services featuring selected KC jazz artists in support of the various programs of ESS. This year the performers will be Dean Stringer's River City Jazz Orchestra, vocalist Julie Turner, and drummer Tommy Ruskin. Good music for a worthy cause. Call 561-8920 for tickets and additional information. New Talent Showcase #3 For the third year, the Gem Theater at 18 & Vine will be the site of the annual New Talent Jazz Showcase, Saturday, October 9. There will be a silent auction and complimentary cocktail party at 6:00 p.m., and the showcase will begin at 7:00. In the spotlight this year will be several up and coming groups specially selected by area jazz clubs. Among the featured bands will be Bukeka Shoals and Jerome Johnson, Connect, the James Ward Ensemble, the Paseo Academy Jazz Ensemble, and 12 year old pianist-prodigy Eldar Djangirov. Olivia Dorsey of KMBC Channel 9 and Michelle Chase of 106.5 The City will host. In addition to timely exposure for rising jazz talent, another reason for this event is to raise money for Community LINC as well as the Blue Room at 18th & Vine. "LINC's transitional housing program is a 90-180 day residential program created to provide homeless families with shelter, comprehensive case management services and follow-up services," says Jan Justice, Community LINC's executive director. "We are located at 40th and Troost, right in KC's urban core." Like to know more about this worthwhile event? Call 531-3727. Encore! If you attended the 1997 KC Blues & Jazz Festival, chances are you caught the uplifting sounds of a Louisiana gospel troupe called The Crown Seekers. The KC Star's Timothy Finn did, and he was impressed. "When great music meets devout faith," Finn wrote in The Star, "the consequences are unforgettable." The group plans to return to KC for another evening of joyous music on Saturday, October 9 at the Unity Temple on the Plaza, 47th & Jefferson. Showtime is at 7:00 p.m., all ages are welcome, and tickets are on sale at Unity Temple, Barnes & Noble and 7th Heaven. Call 561-1627 or 931-6645 for additional information. All Aboard the Jazz Train The Gem Theater, the Lied Center in Lawrence, and the State Ballet of Missouri have teamed up with choreographer Donald Byrd and composers Max Roach, Geri Allen and Vernon Reid to present an ongoing project called "The Jazz Train," an ambitious series of residency activities that began in August and will culminate with a performance of Byrd's "Jazz Train" at the Lied Center April 7-8, 2000. An initial highlight of the series continues to be the "Nuts & Bolts of Jazz" lectures presented by KU Professor Emeritus/KANU radio host, Dick Wright and KU prof/jazz critic Chuck Berg. The weekly sessions have alternated between the American Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine and the Lied Center on the KU campus and will run through October 13-14. Also, in the ensuing months look for a variety of roundtables, discussion groups, film festivals and musical performances including a Gem Theater concert by Roach on April 1. Like to know more? Call the Lied Center at 785-864-ARTS for additional details. And stay tuned to these pages for continuing coverage. Putting the Soul Back in the City New talent and established bands will perform together at the second annual Soul of the City jazz concert, a benefit for the Kansas City Church Community Organization (CCO). Soul of the City 1999 is scheduled for Saturday, October 16, 8:00 p.m. in the historic Gem Theater and will feature two veteran groups, The Scamps and Claude "Fiddler" Williams, as well as two up and coming acts, pianist Eldar Djangirov and the Paseo Academy Jazz Ensemble. Soul of the City raises funds for CCO's initiative to rebuild parent and community involvement in Kansas City's public schools. So, the 16th will be an evening of great jazz for a good cause. Contact numbers for additional information are 842-9922 (x 26) and/or 346-1361. Blues News You Can Use... Our pal over at the KC Blues Society, Connie "Crash" Humiston, is so excited about an upcoming event, that she wanted us to blurb it in JAM, which, of course, we are glad to do. "Blues Masters at the Crossroads II" is the highly anticipated sequel to the event's debut in September of '98, a grand evening of blues that was held to mark the opening of Blue Heaven Studios, home of APO Records. The concert was dedicated to the late Jimmy Rogers (father of Jimmy D. Lane), APO's first recording artist and first to perform at the studio. This year's showcase will again feature some of the best in national and local talent, including Jimmy D. Lane, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Hubert Sumlin, Detroit Jr. and Henry Townsend. Performances will be on Friday and Saturday, October 15-16, 7:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., at Blue Heaven Studios, 201 S. 8th Street in Salina, KS. Call 800-716-3553 for ticket information, and visit the studio's web site at www.acousticsounds.com. ...and a "Blue Monday" Not Too Miss Monday nights at 18th & Vine's Blue Room have become a traditional highlight of the week for KC jazz lovers. But on Monday, October 18, a true jazz world vet will take the stage for two special shows. Saxophonist Sadao Watanabe has enjoyed prominence since first appearing with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1953, and he has since recorded numerous albums as a leader (his latest is a straight-ahead date called Remembrance) as well as other sides with such notables as Chick Corea. Showtimes on the 18th are 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. Call 474-6262 for more. Exposure Op A Harvest Festival on October 23, a Native American Indian Day on November 20, and a Winter Festival on December 11 are seasonal celebrations scheduled at the Troost Community Market in the coming months. Each event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Located at the northeast corner of Linwood and Troost, the market offers customers the chance to shop for gifts, buy food for holiday meals and enjoy performances by local musicians. These events also offer an exposure opportunity for area artists including jazz musicians. "The focus of the Market is to bring people together through community participation, and to celebrate Kansas City's diversity," says Market manager Claire Kucinic. The Market is a project of the Troost Corridor Community Association, an outgrowth of the City's FOCUS planning process. Like to get involved? Call 931-8800 to learn more. Special Sundays It's hard to believe that Kansas City drummer Tommy Ruskin has been a vital force in the local jazz community for the last four decades. (And he's still a young pup to boot!) But it's true. And true to his prolific performance schedule in and around KC, Ruskin has added a monthly concert series at one of his regular haunts. In addition to the weekly Wednesday jam he and wife Julie Turner host at Charlie's Lodge, 7953 State Line, there is now a monthly Sunday showcase at Charlie's, 4:30-7:30 p.m., featuring a different guest performer along with a Ruskin-led rhythm section. Upcoming featured artists will be singer Karrin Allyson on October 24 and trumpeter Mike Bennett (formerly of this area, now based in Tulsa) on November 21. There's no cover, but plenty of food and drink. Call 333-6363 for more info. Wanna See Something Really Scary? KC knows its club crawls, no doubt about it, and now the folks at the KC Blues & Jazz Festival are ready to launch the first annual "Creature Crawl," Thursday, October 28. The Halloween-themed pub crawl will include 12 local clubs featuring area blues and jazz musicians. Buses start to roll at 8:00 p.m. "Ghosts, goblins and Blues Brothers are invited to dress up in costume for prizes to be awarded at each club," says Connie "Crash" Humiston, Operations Manager of the Blues & Jazz Fest. (A free one-year subscription to JAM goes to the best headless Kenny G costume...) Like to know more? Call 753-3378. Boko Signs FunPro Productions tells us that it is pleased to announce the signing of the KC-based band, Boko Maru. The group's first album, Dreamland, is set for a mid-October release. Founder Gary Cavanah began FunPro in 1998, and as a musician himself, it has been his life-long goal "to create a business that would promote Kansas City's original music and musicians from concept and recording to marketing and promotion, using Kansas City-based organizations where feasible." Dreamland marks the first full-length recording project for Boko Maru. And they will give the release a proper launch on Thursday, November 11, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. at Fedora's Cafe, 210 W. 47th. The release party is open to the public and CDs will be available for purchase. Good Sounds in Liberty When you start entering concert dates into your new 2000 calendar, February 26 should be one of the first. On that Saturday, the Music Lovers February Festival will be held at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre, 1600 S. Withers Road in Liberty. Singer and two-time Grammy nominee Kurt Elling is scheduled to appear as are saxophonist Kim Park, singer/bandleader David Basse, and the young pianist Eldar Djangirov. The event is still taking shape; look for additional details in future issues of JAM and/or call (816) 792-6130 for current information. Bravo Floyd Chalk up another award for longtime JAM contributor and California correspondent Floyd Levin. In the August issue of Mississippi Rag, Levin was voted "Number One Jazz Journalist" by the magazine's readers. Also honored in this category were Whitney Balliett, Tex Wyndham, Dan Morgenstern and George Buck. Floyd is in good company there. Also, keep an eye out for Floyd's new book, Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians. As we go to press it's still at the publisher (University of California Press) but it should be available soon. Barry Gould 1941-1999 Drummer and longtime member of the Kansas City jazz scene Barry Gould died on July 30 at the age of 57. A respected and highly regarded colleague of numerous KC jazz artists (including Mike Ning and Julie Turner), Gould's passing was noted with sadness by fellow KC drummers Brooks Wright (now living in the Boston area), and Tommy Ruskin. Said KC pianist Warren Bowman, another frequent musical partner, "Barry Gould was a kind, gentle and upbeat guy. He will be missed." R.I.P. 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 OCTOBER 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.