JAM: August/September 2002 Issue: News & Notes

Gentlemen: Start Your Saxes!
One of the most popular annual events sponsored by the KC Jazz Ambassadors is the Battle of the Saxes, a rip-roaring, always bopish, never-dull jam featuring a select lineup of KC all-stars. This year's trio of talented tenor (and alto) titans will be Gerald Dunn, Hal Melia and Bobby Watson, with an equally skilled backup band TBA. Showtime on Thursday, August 15, at the Grand Emporium, 3832 Main, is 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $8 for Jazz Ambassadors. Proceeds will benefit this magazine, which, like many jazz-related entities in town lately, has known better times. Call Ticketmaster at 816-931-3330 to reserve a seat.

KKFI Digs CTI
In August, KKFI 90.1 FM will begin a new initiative called "The CTI Project" highlighting the noted jazz record label of the 1960s and '70s. "CTI was one of the most popular jazz labels of the day," says KKFI general manager Robert Barrientos. "Our series will air for about six weeks and cover the history of the label, the artists and, of course, Creed Taylor himself, the label's legendary founder.

" KKFI's "Lunch & Brunch," which airs on Mondays from noon to 2:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from noon to 3:00, will kick off the series with opening hours each day dedicated to CTI. Then "Afternoon Jazz with KC," which airs on Wednesdays from noon to 3:00 and Thursdays from noon until 2:00, will continue the project.

"Each week," says Barrientos, "we will not only air the music of CTI, but we will offer historical insights as well, from CTI's beginnings up to where some of the artists are today. Also, in addition to the radio series, KKFI will schedule a monthly, or possibly bi-monthly jazz club meeting for listeners who grew up enjoying CTI recordings. Stay tuned to the station for information about when and where those meetings will be held."

Among those KKFI plans to interview for the CTI series are Hubert Laws and Freddie Hubbard. Keep your dial set at 90.1 for additional info.

Summit Fest '02
Despite the many festival soap operas of Summer 2002, a number of events are still standing tall. This year's Summit Fest, held every August in downtown Lee's Summit, is set for Friday, August 16, 6:30 to 11:00 p.m., and will feature the Sam Johnson Company, Knot Quite Tight, Big John & the 39th Street Blues Band and Mo Paul. A lively music showcase and street party, Summit Fest is free and open to the public. Call 816-969-7494 for additional information.

Two New CDs
Although deadlines precluded reviews in this issue (we'll get 'em next time, fer sure), we still wanted you to know about two new CDs that will officially come into the world in August and September.

On Tuesday, August 20, there will be a CD release party for Kim Liggett's Shadow of Your Smile at the New Point Grille, 917 W. 44th. Featured artists will include Liggett on vocals, Ken Peplowski (tenor sax/clarinet), Greg Cohen (bass), Ben Aranov (piano), and Rod Fleeman (guitar). For more info about the event, the CD, and the artist, visit www.kimliggett.com.

Then on Thursday, September 5, there will be a CD release party for Bill McKemy's A at the Blue Room, 18th & Vine. Featured performers (from the CD) include McKemy on bass, Jeffrey Ruckma (accordion, piano), Brian Baggett (guitar) and Ryan Bennett (drums). Call 816-474-8463 for additional information.

A Plurality Of Riches
Monday, September 9 will present KC jazz lovers with either a difficult choice or an excellent excuse to "club hop." We're going for the latter. As previously announced in the June/July JAM, the Kansas City Jazz Workshop opens its 2002-2003 season that night with The Four Freshmen, who will perform at 7:00 p.m. in the Downtown Marriott's 12th Street Rag room. It promises to be an excellent concert.

That same evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m., the University of Missouri at Kansas City will hold its kick-off event, "Jazz and Barbecue," for the newly formed Friends of Conservatory Jazz. There will be Gates BBQ, Boulevard beer and soft drinks for all ticket holders, plus live jazz for good listening. The UMKC Faculty Jazz Combo, featuring Rod Fleeman, Stan Kessler, Chris Clarke and Tommy Ruskin, will play from 6:00 until 7:00 while listeners munch on BBQ. Then at 7:30 the UMKC Concert Jazz Ensemble will feature Bobby Watson, Mike Metheny, Al Pearson and other members of the jazz faculty. Tickets, which include food, drink and music, are $25, of which $15 is tax deductible. Reservations are limited.

"It is possible to support both events," says KCJA prez and UMKC prof emeritus John Leisenring. "Be at UMKC a little before six, dine on BBQ and check out Watson and the Faculty Jazz Combo, then hop on over to the Marriott for The Four Freshmen. Kind of like the old days in KC. It'll also be fun to hit the Blue Room after the Jazz Workshop, just to see what's going on there. All in all, it should be a truly fun night of jazz in Kansas City."

The UMKC event will be held on campus at the Performing Arts Center. Further information may be obtained by calling 816-235-2731, or by email at BushnellG@umkc.edu.

Always a Good Cause
On Saturday, September 14, singer-pianist Candace Evans will be performing at the annual "Gatsby Gala" benefiting the Western Missouri/Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. The event will be held from 7:00 p.m. until midnight at Deer Creek Country Club, 7000 W. 133rd Street in Leawood. This year's Gala will consist of live music from Evans, dinner, dancing, and a live and silent auction. Guests will arrive in full Gatsby attire to celebrate the event's theme, and Evans will donate her services for the evening to the Arthritis Foundation. "I enjoy performing at various benefits and charities throughout Kansas City, especially this one," Evans says. "I'm donating my time so more money can be raised for arthritis research and education."

For information on how you can be a sponsor of the event or for tickets, call the Arthritis Foundation at 816-753-2220.

Ragtime Revelry Continues
The 2002 Kansas City Ragtime Revelry concert series continues on Saturday, September 21 when pianist/composer Scott Kirby appears at the Community Christian Church, 4601 Main. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. The current musical director of the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Kirby has recorded the complete rags of Joplin twice, and has appeared at festivals in Norway, Hungary, France and Belgium. Call 816-691-8781 or email dianecapps@juno.com for more information.

Marilyn Maye

Looking Ahead
On Sunday, October 6, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., the annual fundraiser for Episcopal Social Services will take place at the Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St. This year "Servin' Up Jazz" will serve up one of the finest jazz singers ever when Marilyn Maye and friends fill the Folly with the kind of music that got Ms. Maye invited to Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" a record 76 times. Proceeds from the event will go to various ESS concerns including Meals on Wheels, Operation Backpack, hospital aftercare, parenting/life skills, Turner House Community Center, "Missionpalooza" for teenage volunteers, and nursing home ministry. General admission tickets for "Servin' Up Jazz" are $30. Call 816-561-8920 for additional information. And look for more about this event in the October/November JAM.

Then on Saturday, October 12, the Liberty Performing Arts Theater, 1600 S. Withers Road in Liberty, will be the site of the second annual Music Lovers' Jazz Festival, this year featuring the Sons of Brasil, Boko Maru, Eldar Djangirov and Ida McBeth. Various area big bands from the schools will also be performing, including the UMKC Jazz Ensemble, JCCC's "Midnight Express," and the jazz band from Paseo Academy. Look for additional details in the October/November JAM, and reserve your tickets now by calling 816-792-6130.

Take Note
"To teach, promote and support the advancement of all forms of American music and its influences and to pass on the grand tradition of American-based roots" is the mission statement of the Americana Music Academy in Lawrence, KS. And yes, in addition to private lessons, and group and ensemble classes that focus on such genres as bluegrass, rock, blues, electronic music, R&B, and music therapy, jazz is also included in the curriculum of this new kid on the educational block.

"I started working on the idea of the academy about this time last year," says Executive Director Thom Alexander. "One of my current board members is the COO at Menninger's, and when I told him that I was thinking of starting an American roots music school because there wasn't anything like it in this area, he suggested we go nonprofit. That way we would be able to offer more services to the community at large and our work could be supported in part by donations."

The staff at Americana is diverse and well-qualified (Director Alexander is a widely-traveled guitarist) and applications are now being accepted for classes in the fall. Visit the web site at www.americanamusicacademy.org or call 785-830-9640 for more information.

The former KCJA President,
several haircuts ago.

Wilkinson Settles In at Washburn
Special to JAM by Melissa Eaden

Longtime KC saxophonist, bandleader and ex-KCJA president, Todd Wilkinson is moving on. Last year Wilkinson was an interim instructor at Washburn University in Topeka. This fall he returns to the college as the tenure-track Director of Jazz Studies where he will continue teaching saxophone, jazz ensembles and jazz history.

Wilkinson has been commuting from his home in Shawnee, but once the position at Washburn was officially his, he decided that "the drive was a little too much." He recently bought a house near Topeka, which will also put him fairly close to Lawrence. "I plan to resume work on a DMA in saxophone performance at KU," he says.

Other plans include working with the Topeka Youth Jazz Workshop "and with the Topeka jazz community in general."

Since his days in the mid '90s as owner of The Drum Room in Westport, Wilkinson has been the leader of Boko Maru, one of KC's most popular jazz-funk-blues bands. What will become of the group now?

"We're taking a break and just kind of chilling out," Todd says. "Our Saturday gig at Fedora recently ended. So, it's a good time to slow down and relax."

But not for long. There are upcoming area appearances for Boko Maru, including one at the Music Lovers' Jazz Festival in Liberty on Saturday, October 12. The band will take the stage at 7:00 p.m., right after Sons of Brasil and just before piano prodigy Eldar Djangirov.

As always, Wilkinson is very passionate about both jazz and teaching. He plans to continue bringing those dual passions to the job at Washburn, and to the city of Topeka.

"Jazz is communication at a high level. To understand jazz you have to immerse yourself in enough of it that you begin to catch the clichés as well as the subtleties of expression. It also takes some time to understand your (jazz) community. You have to catch the sessions and meet the people. Jazz is dependent upon society. It's a folk art. It's learned head to head."
To learn more about jazz, Wilkinson recommends that the listener find musicians he or she enjoys and then study the language they use to communicate.

"If you are learning French, you need to go to a place where they speak French. You can't have much perspective without a certain understanding of the vocabulary. But, I also don't expect every one to understand or enjoy jazz. It takes a lot of work. Be patient; it may take several years for things to click."

This fall, the language for Todd Wilkinson and his students in Topeka will be the language of jazz. And fortunately for Kansas City, it's not that long of a commute.

(Editor's note: Todd Wilkinson's move to Topeka also means the departure of longtime JAM ad rep and Todd's lovely wife, Patti Wilkinson. In "Hampton's Hot Licks," KCJA Director of Publications Dean Hampton speaks for all of us at JAM when he shares his thoughts about Patti's many invaluable contributions to this magazine over the past three and a half years. She will be missed.)

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.