JAM: June/July 2002 Issue: News & Notes

A Grand Coda Kickoff
For the past ten years the Jazz Ambassadors' Musicians Emergency Assistance Fund (MEAF) has offered a helping hand to area musicians for everything from payment of medical bills and nursing home care to burial and funeral costs. Now comes a new initiative by way of The Kansas City Star and Star columnist Steve Penn.

On January 24, 2002 the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation acknowledged the establishment of The Coda Jazz Fund as a charitable fund to provide financial assistance for the funeral and burial expenses of deceased Kansas City jazz musicians. The Fund's mission statement reads like this:

"To provide financial assistance to pay for funeral home, crematorium or grave site costs associated with the burial of deceased career jazz musicians. The Coda Jazz Fund is administered by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation under the direction of an independent, non-partisan Advisory Committee consisting of community leaders and individuals that have a long-standing interest, commitment, and/or involvement with jazz in Kansas City."

Rev. Emanuel Cleaver

On May 17 at the Gem Theater, the Coda Jazz Fund got off to a good start when its First Annual Benefit Concert brought together a plethora of local and nationally known all-stars for a memorable evening of jazz. Appearing were headliners Marilyn Maye, Bobby Watson, Kevin Mahogany and Ida McBeth with special contributions by Ahmad Alaadeen, Vince Bilardo, Tyrone Clark, Chris Clarke, Gerald Dunn, Luqman Hamza, Stan Kessler, Hal Melia, Mike Metheny, Tommy Ruskin, Paul Smith, Gerald Spaits, Myra Taylor, Mike Warren, Pat Wilson, the American Jazz Museum All-Stars, the KC Jazz Sextet + 1, and the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz Big Band. Former Kansas City mayor, the Reverend Emanuel Cleaver was the emcee, and trumpeter Penn switched gears at the finish to lead everyone in a spirited encore rendition of "The Saints."

This is a significant development for the Kansas City jazz community, and it will also free up MEAF to do other important things. Donations to Coda are welcome. Make checks payable to: Coda Jazz Fund, P.O. Box 412116, Kansas City, MO 64141-2116.

Another Good Cause
On Sunday, June 2, the Downtown Marriott's Count Basie Ballroom will jump with the sounds of the Don McCoy Memorial Scholarship Benefit Jazz Jam. The late Dr. McCoy was once the historian for the Kansas City Jazz Workshop and an avid fan.

Performers scheduled to appear at the jam (which runs from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m.) include: Joe Cartwright, Everette DeVan, Russ Long, Mike Ning, Paul Smith, Bram Wijnands, Roger Wilder (piano); Craig Akin, James Albright, Bob Bowman, Tim Brewer, Gerald Spaits, Bram Wijnands (bass); Vince Bilardo, Ray DiMarchi, Kevin Frazee, Tommy Ruskin, Don Van Fleet, Jurgen Welge (drums); Ervin Brown, Rod Fleeman, Charles Gatschet, Brian Harman, Rob Whitsitt (guitar); Stan Kessler, Jim Mair, Arch Martin, Hal Melia, Mike Metheny, Bob Ousley, Kim Park, Rod Wilson (assorted horns); and David Basse, Luqman Hamza, Sherry Jones, Rob Richardson, Julie Turner, Nancy Van Fleet and Pat Wilson (vocals).

How often is a lineup like this assembled for a benefit jam? And for only a $15 donation? Call 816-737-3627 for additional info.

The IAJE Comes to KC
For the third consecutive year, The International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) is joining forces with MENC: the National Association for Music Education, and BET on Jazz: the Jazz Channel, to present an intensive two and a half day Teacher Training Institute at sites around the country, one of which is Kansas City. Designed for instrumental, vocal and general music teachers "who desire to increase their understanding and competency in jazz education," the institute is also open to music supervisors and administrators, college music education majors and string orchestra directors. Many topics are to be covered, including teaching jazz improv, jazz history, jazz in the general music curriculum, new vocal and big band music, and much more.

The Institute's site in KC will be the American Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine, Thursday-Saturday, June 20-22, and the staff will include Akosua Obuo Addo and Laura Ferguson (general music), Michele Weir and Darmon Meader (vocal), Clarence Acox and Clifford Gribble (instrumental), Don Braden (improvisation) and Martin Norgaard (strings). Said one satisfied music teacher last summer, "I returned this year to gain instrumental experience as I did the vocal track last year. I used the resource notebook from last year at least weekly for my program. The materials were the center for my jazz program. This was the best investment of time and money I have made for my career in a long time."

Like to know more about Teacher Training Institute 2002? Call the American Jazz Museum at 816-474-8463 or the IAJE at 785-776-8744, email info@iaje.org.

Ragtime Revelry
The 2002 Kansas City Ragtime Revelry season continues on Saturday, July 13 when pianist Brian Holland appears at the Community Christian Church, 4601 Main. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Holland, a three-time winner of "The Old-time Piano Playing Championship" held each year in Decatur, IL has been called a "veritable chameleon of Ragtime." Call 816-691-8781 or email dianecapps@juno.com for more information.

Jim Widner

Happy Jazz Campers
There are two noteworthy jazz camps scheduled to take place this summer in the KC area. First up is the Jazz Improv Camp at Kansas City Kansas Community College, June 10-14. Scheduled faculty includes KCKCC Jazz Studies Director Jim Mair (woodwinds), Mike Metheny (trumpet), Everette DeVan (keyboards), Scott Prebys (percussion) and Lisa Henry (vocals). For more info, contact Jim Mair at 913-288-7149 or email him at jmair@toto.net. "Ages 16 to 116 are invited."

Then the week of July 29-August 2 bassist and jazz educator Jim Widner, now in his 15th year of hosting jazz camps from coast to coast, will oversee classes and ensembles at Penn Valley Community College, under the auspices of the Metropolitan Community Colleges. As always, Jim will bring in an experienced staff that, this year, includes Kim Park (woodwinds), Mike Metheny (trumpet), Wayne Goins (guitar), Todd Strait (drums) and Joe Cartwright (piano). Like to know more about the Widner summer jazz camp? There's plenty of good info at www.JimWidnerBigBand.com, or you can call 816-220-6508.

Jazz for the Four Seasons
Annually rated as one of the "World's 50 Best Golf Resorts," The Lodge of the Four Seasons in the Lake of the Ozarks has been a favorite spot for vacationers and travelers since 1964. Add to the Lodge's championship golf courses, full-service resort spa (The "Spa Shiki") and other luxurious amenities, a brand new jazz club, giving future guests yet another good reason to settle in. Says the e-press we received: "The Lodge is currently celebrating the Grand Opening of the Blue Moon Jazz Club, where night-clubbers can enjoy a good cigar at the martini bar while listening to the sounds of Mike Vyrostec and his group. For evening jazz or late night dancing, the Blue Moon is the place to be."

Make your reservations now by calling 1-800-THE-LAKE.

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.