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 The Topeka Jazz Festival: Four Years of Happy Sounds Come Memorial Day weekend, May 26, 27 & 28, the fourth annual Topeka Jazz Festival will bring the best in straightahead sounds to the Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 SE 8th in downtown Topeka, Kansas. Festival founder Jim Monroe is especially excited about TJF 2001. We'll let him tell you why.
"This year we'll have three major headliners -- the groups of Monty Alexander, Ray Brown and Frank Capp -- plus Eldar Djangirov's trio. I think this is our finest lineup ever of world class musicians. It's a lineup that includes an array of wonderful players, some of whom have been here before, others who have not. "There are some names that people might not know, like Alan Barnes, a reed player from London and one of the most respected jazz musicians in the UK. We'll also have great players people will know. This year we're going to feature "The Three Tenors" with Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski and Bob Kindred on tenor saxophones. That'll be a lot of fun. "Many people won't know the name David Steinmeyer. When David was in the Air Force he led the Airmen of Note, one of the most prestigious jazz bands in the military. He is a magnificent trombone player, and when he leaves here, everyone will know of him very well! "And, of course, I'm so pleased Karrin Allyson will be back. I really do believe she is the number one jazz vocalist in the world." As in past years, the TJF will also feature many of KC's jazz elite. This year that lineup will include Joe Cartwright and Russ Long (piano), Bob Bowman and Gerald Spaits (bass), Tommy Ruskin and Todd Strait (drums), Danny Embrey (guitar), and joining Frank Capp's "Juggernaut," Kerry Strayer (bari sax), Jay Sollenberger (trumpet), Paul Roberts (piano) and Steve Dekker (trombone). "I can't say enough about the Kansas City players," Monroe adds. "They are all as good as you're going to get anywhere." Monroe also wants it known that those festival goers who will want to stay over should book their hotel rooms now. A nationally sanctioned auto race that same weekend is expected to bring an extra 150,000 people to the Topeka area and rooms will be scarce. For information about lodging, call the Capitol Plaza Hotel at 1-800-579-7937. And for more info about the 2001 Topeka Jazz Festival, call Jim Monroe at 785-267-1315. And Speaking of Jazz in Topeka... In one form or another the Topeka Jazz Workshop has been around since 1953. In 1962, "Topeka Jazz Workshop, Inc." was formed, and the first TJW concert series was launched in 1969. The rest, as they say, is jazz history. In 1985, Marcene Grimes, wife of the first TJW president, the late Jim Grimes, published a history of the series to date. Now comes a second installment: And the Beat Goes On... More History of Topeka's Jazz Workshop 1985-2000. "The information in this history is based on the scrapbooks that have been maintained over years, plus my own memory of the concerts," says Mrs. Grimes. Her comprehensive history is dedicated to husband Jim, as well as perennial emcee, the late Dick Wright, and current TJW president (and aforementioned TJF organizer) Jim Monroe. "The depth of his dedication and hard work to preserve and promote jazz is awesome," Grimes says about Monroe. Copies of the book are $10 each with proceeds going to the Jim Grimes Jazz Scholarship Fund. "My husband had lots of friends in the KC jazz world," Mrs. Grimes adds. "And I thought they would like to know about the existence of this book." Checks can be made out to: Topeka Community Foundation and mailed to: Marcene Grimes, 3668 SE Arrowhead Drive, Tecumseh, KS 66542. Essentially Ellington Wynton Marsalis may be taking some heat for his role in the Ken Burns "Jazz" series, but in a more low-profile kind of way, he has been doing plenty to bring America's music to the next generation of jazz musicians. For the last six years, Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center have been the forces behind the "Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival," a far-reaching and prestigious educational endeavor that, in May, will include an accomplished area jazz ensemble. As one of 2,250 school jazz bands who asked for and received free Duke Ellington scores from J@LC, the award-winning jazz band from Shawnee Mission East High School went on last winter to become one of 163 groups to enter the competition. On March 1, director Kim Harrison and company became one of only 15 finalists chosen to compete in the "Essentially Ellington" festival at New York's Avery Fisher Hall, May 17-19. Besides the kids and myself being dedicated to the music," Harrison told us recently, "I really want to give credit to some of the pros in KC who teach the students privately. Kim Park, Harold Steinhardt, Ray DeMarchi, Rod Fleeman and Wayne Hawkins are just a few of the students' teachers. And 100% of the ensemble studies privately. Another key is that we have two jazz bands in the curriculum. These classes meet everyday." The final round will begin on Thursday, May 17, when the winning bands arrive for workshops, an open Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra rehearsal, and a banquet dinner/combo showcase. Then in a two-part competition on Friday and Saturday, May 18-19, a panel of judges will rate each band's performance of three Ellington works, and will choose three groups for the final concert on the evening of the 19th. Cash awards to be presented (which will go toward enhancing the schools' jazz programs) are: $6,000 for first place, $5,000 for second, and $4,000 for third. Additionally, two bands will each receive $2,500 honorable mention awards, and the remaining 10 bands a $1,500 award. Special awards will be presented to outstanding soloists and sections. "Parents, students, band directors and principals all over the United States and Canada have been working together to send their kids to New York in the cause of swinging," said J@LC Artistic Director Marsalis. "15 bands have been chosen from over 160 tapes, and they represent the finest high school ensembles in North America. Our clinicians and judges are ready, and it's time to continue educating high school musicians in the most enjoyable and exciting way we know." Nice Going, Angela...
To keep an eye on the Gavin jazz charts, go to: www.gavin.com/formats/charts/jazz/chart.php ...and Bravo, Floyd California-based jazz writer Floyd Levin has been a regular JAM contributor almost from the beginning. (One of this issue's featured articles was supplied by Floyd, and countless book and CD reviews have appeared in these pages for the past ten years.) A prolific contributor to jazz periodicals around the world, Levin has also somehow managed to find the time to write an acclaimed book, Classic Jazz - A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians (University of California Press). The phrase "a personal view" could not be more appropriate; Levin has been on the front row for more than 50 years, is a true friend, fan and erudite aficionado of jazz, and has assembled a book that has elicited praise like this from the noted English journalist Peter Vacher of London's Jazzwise Magazine. "...Elegantly produced, flecked with fine pictures, this book is a pleasure-evoking account of one man's love affair with jazz and its practitioners." For more information about Classic Jazz, visit the web site at www.ucpress.edu. Discovering KC Jazz (An Update) In the December/January JAM, we noted the arrival of the Discovery Channel at the November 7 edition of "Tradin' Fours," a panel-performance-jam series at the Mutual Musicians Foundation featuring saxophonist/moderator Ahmad Alaadeen, drummer Terry Hughes, trumpeter Elmer Price, and saxophonists Ben Kynard and Eddie Saunders. Also onboard that night for the jam were Tyrone Clark (bass), Chris Clarke (piano), Mike Warren (drums), Logan Richardson (alto sax) and Philip Eagle (trombone), among others. The Discovery Channel's new cable station, Discovery Civilization, is now set to air the documentary series, "Ties That Bind," of which the KC segment is a part. Those interviewed will include Alaadeen, 18th & Vine's Al Fleming, music educator Clarence Smith and singer Myra Taylor. Air dates and times are as follows:
Early Detection The recent passing of guitarist Sonny Kenner brought to mind the fact that many musicians don't have adequate health insurance and, consequently, don't always address certain medical concerns early enough to avoid more serious health risks. KC Jazz Ambassadors Tom Alexios and Bob Shumate have identified several local health service organizations that might be of value when it comes to this important subject for area jazz and blues artists. "Health Midwest has a test program for colon cancer that can be done in the privacy of your own home," Alexios says. "The test is called the Fecal Occult Blood Test and is completely painless. A test kit can be received by calling 816-751-2929. They will mail it to you, you mail back the samples, and they will mail you the results. There is no charge, but they accept donations from those who can afford it." Alexios also reports that Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas is having a Health Fair on April 21. The cost will be $25 and includes a complete bloodwork breakdown, prostate check, lung capacity check, and exam for skin cancer. "There is also an excellent dental program at the Kansas City Dental College," Alexios adds. "And we believe that there might be other health service organizations that would be interested in this kind of thing. If so, I hope they will contact me at 785-748-0822. "I think this is a vitally important thing for our local musicians to know about. We are also working directly with the Mutual Musicians Foundation, the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz, and the KC Blues Society to get this information to their members." "Back to Basie" ...is the theme of a special American Jazz Museum concert set for the Gem Theater, 18th & Vine, on Sunday, April 1. Featured will be the "Metro Jazz Bands and Combos" under the direction renowned jazz educator and Jazz Institute Director Leon Brady. The bands and combos will be comprised of middle and high school students from numerous area schools including Paseo, Harmon, Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Schlagle, Olathe North, Sumner, St. Elizabeth, O'Hara, Grandview, Raymore Peculiar, Turner, Kansas City Academy, Bishop Miege and Raytown South. Things start to swing at 4:00 p.m., and the concert is free and open to the public. Call 816-474-8463 for more. Foster Returns... Since his KU days in the late '50s and early '60s, saxophonist, multi-woodwind specialist, and Leavenworth native Gary Foster (who has been based in Los Angeles the last 40 years) has made a point to keep in touch with his musical (and midwestern) roots with occasional residencies, recordings and concert dates. In April, this highly regarded studio musician (he's worked with everyone from Sinatra and Streisand to Clooney and Krall) will have a full plate of musical activity in the area. First up are two days on the KU campus, April 5-6, as guest soloist with the university's wind ensemble. Then comes a special appearance with Dr. Billy Taylor on Saturday, April 7 at Johnson County Community College's Yardley Hall when Dr. Taylor brings his "Jazz at the Kennedy Center" to JCCC with Foster as his guest. Showtime is at 8:00 p.m. Next is a special Blue Room appearance on Monday, April 9, 7:00 - 11:00 p.m., when Foster will join the Kerry Strayer Septet for a rare KC club date. Strayer's group will include the leader on bari and soprano saxes, Barry Springer (trumpet), Early Braggs (returning from Michigan) on trombone, Frank Mantooth (piano), Bob Bowman (bass), Todd Strait (drums), and Foster on alto and tenor saxes, clarinet and flute. (This particular ensemble will also cut an album at Soundtrek Studios while Foster is in town.) And last but not least, Foster will be in concert on Thursday, April 12 with the Johnson County Community College jazz ensemble directed by Ron Stinson. Showtime at the JCCC Theater is 7:30 p.m. and the Kerry Strayer Quintet -- with Joe Cartwright (piano), Gerald Spaits (bass), Tommy Ruskin (drums), Strayer and Foster -- will open. For tickets and additional info about April 7 at JCCC, call 913-469-4445, April 9 at the Blue Room, call 816-474-8463, and April 12 at JCCC, call 913-469-8500 (ext. 3275). ... and Hawkins Scores In recent years, KC pianist, band leader, recording artist and composer Wayne Hawkins has been working more and more in local filmmaking and TV circles. First was his contribution to the score for "Ninth Street," released in 1998 (see the June/July '98 JAM online) starring Martin Sheen, and there have also been numerous scores for local television commercials. And that's not to mention Hawkins' collaborations with everyone from the Kansas City Symphony to the Doug Talley Quartet, Ida McBeth and the Sons of Brasil. Now comes a new score for the Warner Home Video, full-length documentary "Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey," to be released in August. "I am a lifelong student of the martial arts," Hawkins says. "So I was thrilled to be able to score this film about the legendary action hero." The documentary includes rare footage from a previously unfinished film about Lee who died in 1973. The other good news here is that you don't have to wait until late summer to see this flick and hear Hawkins' music. "Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey" will be shown as part of the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee in April, with a special screening on April 6 at the Tivoli, 4050 Pennsylvania in Westport. Showtime is 7:00 p.m., admission will be $5. More Jazz at JCCC...
There will also be a "Youth Workshop" at JCCC conducted by the great jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath, 9:00 a.m. to noon, on Saturday, April 7. Heath's appearance is in conjunction with the American Jazz Museum's annual Charlie Parker Symposium. Call the AJM at 816-474-8463 for additional information. ... and at KCKCC Since his return to KC from the College of Southern Idaho, saxophonist and educator Jim Mair has settled into the jazz gig at Kansas City Kansas Community College and is keeping his students busy. Here are some noteworthy dates to add to your April-May jazz calendar.
Live, From KKFI! Pat Morrissey
The night before his passing, Pat Morrissey made what was to be his final appearance. And as fate would have it, it was at the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill, a favorite haunt for most of the last decade. On the job that night was house pianist and longtime colleague Tim Whitmer, and as Whitmer said the day after Morrissey's death, it was a memorable, and ultimately momentous evening. "I had the honor of playing with Pat on his last gig. We played, laughed, made music and ate dinner together that night at the Phoenix. Pat sang 'I'm Old Fashioned' and we performed our signature song, 'My Funny Valentine.' "Pat was a good friend. And he will be missed." CORRECTION In the February/March JAM we mentioned (not once, but twice) that there was live jazz six nights a week at the Majestic Steak House. For years it has been seven nights a week, and we regret the goof. Just to set the record straight, here is the weekly jazz lineup at the Majestic. Our apologies to pianist Billy Meynier and bassist Wes Knowles. -- MM Monday -- Billy Meynier/Wes Knowles Tuesday/Wednesday -- Joe Cartwright Thursday -- Julie Turner/Tommy Ruskin Friday/Saturday -- Bram Wijnands Sunday -- Julie Turner/Tommy Ruskin
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