JAM: December 2002/January 2003 Issue: The Best of Q & A

THE BEST OF Q & A
Over the years one of JAM's most popular features has been the Q&A-style interview, a format inspired by a misspent youth reading Playboy (true) while having little interest in its photos (not true).

...Which reminds me of an unrealized desire to start including a centerfold in JAM. (Diana Krall has been a perennial first choice; various local TV news reporters have been deserving contenders as well.) But, that's another story for another time.

What follows are excerpts from the 50-plus Q&As that have appeared in this magazine since 1993. (Go to www.jazzkc.org for the complete versions.) What a pleasure it has been to talk with so many different people connected to the world of music -- of both local and international stature -- who were gracious enough to share their time, thoughts and stories, and who, by doing so, have helped make JAM a more interesting publication. Each were excellent interview subjects, and one -- Doc Severinsen -- even volunteered to be that first centerfold.

However, Doc had one clearly expressed condition:
"Just be careful where you put the staple."
We assured him that we would.
-- Mike Metheny

William McGlaughlin

WILLIAM MCGLAUGHLIN
Music Director, Kansas City Symphony; radio host ("St. Paul Sunday") December 1993/January 1994
JAM: We first met at Milton's (Tap Room) a few years ago and I remember being somewhat surprised that a symphony conductor would be hanging out in such a funky little place. Why the perception that the worlds of jazz and classical are so far apart?

WM: ...I think it's a very "Eurocentric" thing, and rooted in those PC-like complaints about any music that isn't written by "dead, white European males." Which is mostly what's played in classical music. But another way to look at it is this: we (in the classical world) play some of the most extraordinarily beautiful, inspired creations of humankind. But, some of the people who play, prepare and teach those kinds of things are white European males who've died even though they're still walking around on the planet! (laughs)

...But, you see, I know from my own meager attempts at playing jazz how complicated it is. They (classical and jazz) are both infinitely complicated and infinitely deep. And I know very few people who are equally adept at both. Not because the two are incompatible, but just that you'd need two lifetimes! To be a really great jazz player you've got to be on top of eight jillion tunes, you have to be on top of so many styles, you have to be a master of your instrument, and on and on.

CAROL COMER
Singer, pianist, educator, Women's Jazz Festival co-founder
August/September 1994
JAM: Because you've worked a lot with school kids, let me ask a related question. Usually when school budgets are cut, one of the first things that goes is music and the arts. Any general comments on that?

CC: My general comment is: without the arts, we wouldn't be a civilized country! Arts and education should go hand in hand! Knowledge without sensitivity means very little in a civilized world. Even in a practical sense, you have to have the arts. ...There would be no new designs for cars every year were it not for artists. No new kinds of homes, or appliances, or boulevards, or genetic engineering. It's all based on trying to find a new way to do something... which is fundamentally improvisational! So no, I don't think you can separate the arts from education. Or living.

VINCE BILARDO
Drummer, KC bandleader, recording artist
April/May 1995
JAM: As a prominent member of the Kansas City jazz scene for over 35 years, what changes have you observed?

VB: I was thinking about that the other day. You know, things seem to come and go in cycles. There was a period when we had a lot of jazz going on and some great players here, and then we had a dearth of jazz, and then we'd get some more clubs and everybody would say "hopefully this is gonna be it" ...and it wouldn't be. It just wouldn't last, just didn't seem have the support. But I'd say that in the jazz scene now, we have these younger players who are so versatile and so technically adept that I think they surpass what we had in the earlier years. You don't see a lot of big bands in town anymore; but there are a lot of small groups -- good small groups -- and it seems to have switched over to that.

STAN KESSLER
Trumpeter, KC bandleader, recording artist
June/July 1995
JAM: How did Sons of Brasil come about?

SK: In the late '80s I started getting bored with music. Bored with jazz. Bored with the same old thing. What got me (out of that) first was salsa music. And that led to Brazilian music and then the samba. Up to that point I only really had heard samba played by Americans, which is an entirely different animal. But the first time I heard this music played by Brazilians, I thought, "Jeez!... this is the s**t!" It was so compelling that I just fell in love with it. The guys in the (first) band -- Doug (Auwarter), Danny (Embrey) and Greg (Whitfield) -- all had great backgrounds for that music. Danny had played with Sergio (Mendes) for seven years; and Doug and Greg would find these great Brazilian recordings and turn me on to them. To this very day, it's remained a constant search for new material and knowledge because Brazilian music is so diverse and from such a diverse country with so many things still coming out. It's a constantly evolving music; there are still so many new things to discover.

Pat Metheny

PAT METHENY
Guitarist, composer, bandleader, recording artist August/September 1995
JAM: Do you think the heyday of Kansas City jazz can ever be recaptured, and if so, what would it take to do that?

PM: Unfortunately, no. It's 1995 and the cultural landscape is now very different. My choice is to look at the possibilities that present themselves now and that are unique to this time rather than to cry about a time that has passed. To me, this is more of a "jazz" way of going through life. Nostalgia is a dangerous thing that usually results in a passive and often unrealistic reaction to actual change. "Jazz" -- and I think of the word as more of a "process" than a "thing" -- is at its essence about action... and especially about being in the moment that you are in while you are in it. Not to say we shouldn't all hold high the standards of life and music as defined by the great musicians and people who have preceded us. But the same way those guys had barriers and difficulties that they had to transcend that were very particular to their time, so do we have now. The trick is to accurately identify things that are true, musically and otherwise, in the middle of the confusion, and hopefully manifest them into ideas and sounds that will inspire and enlighten people.

DEBRA JOHNSON
Host of KCUR's "The Jazz Place"
October/November 1995
JAM: You can duck this one if you'd like, but what you do think of what some people refer to as "smooth jazz" or "contemporary" jazz?

DJ: It's an alternative. It's nice. I like it. Sometimes. But, having interviewed so many jazz musicians over the years, people like Jackie McLean for example, I also recognize that there are those who are adamant, who will say "it's not jazz!" A lot of Kansas City jazz musicians, the ones who gave the world so much of this music, would be critical, I think. "We shouldn't let anybody dilute this music," they might say. There are lots of different arguments. But I respect (the format), especially anytime you find a Pat Metheny (there) who's doing what he's doing. He's found his niche and people love it. I respect that. For me personally, when I think of the word "jazz," I have a very definite sound in mind. But there are also a lot of other recordings I appreciate for their beauty, and for the artistry, the interpretation, and the feel, that I don't necessarily think of as "jazz." Thankfully there are enough people on the planet to support all different kinds of music.

KIM PARK
Saxophonist, educator, recording artist
December 1995/January 1996
JAM: What were your impressions of Stan Kenton?

KP: Stan Kenton was a very charismatic man. And a mix of seemingly conflicting backgrounds and personalities. First of all, he was a country boy -- from Kansas (Wichita) -- and yet, he developed a sophistication on his own through listening and playing the piano. Stan was a big fan of Wagner and I think he entertained concert pianist aspirations at one point. He eventually transferred that big sound he had in his head in the orchestrations for his band.

Stan was, at the same time, very much a warm, fatherly figure; but, by the nature of his being a bandleader, he also had to be a disciplinarian. Things could get out of hand on the bus, and Stan would be like the "angry school teacher chastising the students in the class." Things would go from some kind of absurd hilarity (laughs) to sudden silence on the bus... then after a couple of minutes, somebody would snicker... and somebody would say something... and somebody would laugh... and then the whole bus would break into laughter and Stan would go (imitating a gruff, half-serious Kenton) "...Why can't I get you guys to take me seriously!" And there'd be more laughter.

BILL CRAIN & MICHAEL MCGRAW
Leaders, Trilogy & Boulevard Big Bands
February/March 1996
JAM: How would each of you respond to the cliché "big bands are dead?"

BC: Hmmm... (pause) I think the people who say that are talking about the '40s-type big bands, the dance bands, that sort of thing. And yes, as a viable, commercial thing these days, they are dead. That music is reserved for country clubs, for special events. So, compared to what they were in the '40s, they're dead. However, the modern jazz big band is far from dead. Are they commercially successful? Absolutely not. But those bands and that music are the basis for the instruction of jazz in most colleges. Having taught college for six years, I know that's true. One of the reasons it is a basis is that it involves many more people than, say, a combo does. And it also involves people who aren't necessarily talented as soloists, but who can learn jazz styles and enjoy that part of it. So no, big bands are not dead as far as jazz big bands are concerned. There is a call for this music. As a matter of fact, the Trilogy band already has two concerts booked for next fall.

JAM: Are big bands dead, Michael?

MM: I see the sticker that says "Big Bands Are Back" as much as I see the one that says they are dead. And I'm not sure I believe either one of them. Bill's right... the dance bands are dead, I suppose. But these (Boulevard, Trilogy) aren't dance bands. They're far from dance bands. The sad thing is that more people aren't aware that they're different from the Glenn Miller band...

BC: Yeah, that's true...

MM: ...that this is not dance band music! Every once in a while someone will wander in to the Drum Room on a Monday night who's never heard a big band, and you should see their faces! Maybe I'm just an old fart, but I'm sure that there are a lot of young people out there who would go nuts if they heard this music for the first time.

ERIC MARIENTHAL
Saxophonist, bandleader, recording artist
February/March 1996
JAM: ...There are those jazz purists who, let's just say, aren't crazy about the "smooth jazz" formats that are popping up on different radio stations around the country. As someone who gets significant support from those formats, how would you address that issue?

EM: Delicately (laughs). ...I think for someone to listen to a record and judge it because it's a particular kind of music is not really the fairest thing. Just because it's a type of music a person may not particularly like, it shouldn't reflect on the quality of the record. I remember the first record I made with Chick Corea (Light Years). For Chick, I have to say, it was definitely a "commercial" or "contemporary" kind of record. That record got one star in Down Beat. They panned it. But it's a great record! With some really great music. And not that much of a compromise at all! But because it wasn't Chick Corea playing acoustic piano and playing "hip" music, a lot of people just didn't care for it. That's a good example of not liking something because of what your expectations are.

Rev. Emanuel Cleaver

REV. EMANUEL CLEAVER
Kansas City Mayor
June/July 1996
JAM: Why is it so important that (18th and Vine) be restored?

EC: The history in and around 18th and Vine is so deep and rich that is almost has an aroma. You can almost smell the history when you walk up and down that area. And like most historic districts in this country, 18th and Vine was ignored for the better part of three decades. I think with the writing of the book Roots by Alex Haley, and the subsequent motion picture, African-Americans all over the country began to look back at the places and the roots from which they came. An inextricable part of Kansas City's backward glance is 18th and Vine. It was the local Mecca for music, culture, economics, religion... and to some degree, it was the headquarters for the African-American intelligentsia. On Sundays, for example, debates were held at the Centennial United Methodist Church at 18th and Woodland, and the old-timers tell us that it was standing room only. Remember, the people who were down there then were people like Roy Wilkins -- who headed the NAACP and then was an editor with The Call (newspaper) -- Joe Louis, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Eartha Kitt and Ella Fitzgerald. It was a rich area! And we are now bringing that era back so that our generation can develop an appreciation for it.

MARILYN MAYE
Singer, bandleader, recording artist
August/September 1996
JAM: What makes "the Kansas City sound" so special?

MM: "Kansas City jazz" has always been a distinctive kind of music. And the more I travel, and the more I hear other musicians, the more I realize how unique it is.JAM: In what way?

MM: There is a light, "easy" swing to it... a "swing-happy" jazz feeling. It isn't so "important," so "intense." Everybody has fun with it!

JAM: ...You mentioned Ella Fitzgerald -- arguably the greatest female jazz singer ever -- who just passed away. How did that loss affect you personally?

MM: Ella was a very dear friend and a great supporter of mine. I appreciated her kind words, the things she said many, many times. She once called me "the best white singer around..." (laughs). Someone (once) said (to her), "Who do you listen to?" and she said, "I listen to Carmen (McRae), I listen to Sassy (Sarah Vaughan), and I listen to Marilyn Maye!" We later became really good friends; we worked together on a national singing commercial I used to do for Lincoln-Mercury. I did that for several years, and by the third year they said, OK, now we're gonna have you "host" some guest artists. One of the first was Ella. We stood on opposite sides of the mike and sang... It was so much fun.

Robert Altman

ROBERT ALTMAN
Filmmaker, director of "Kansas City"
August/September 1996
JAM: We don't want to date you, but do you have any first-hand recollections of 18th and Vine in its heyday?

RA: Sure. But they're vague. When this film ("Kansas City") was set -- in 1934 -- I was only nine years old. But from when I was 14 -- from 1939 on -- I used to go to all those places in the film.

JAM: Film buffs will know that this isn't the first movie you've made in Kansas City. There was also "The Delinquents" in the mid-1950s. Two questions: how has Kansas City changed since then, and how has the movie business changed?

RA: The movie business has changed a lot, and Kansas City hasn't very much at all. At least physically. The look of the city does seem empty (though). I guess that's because everybody keeps moving south and west.

JAM: How about the movie business?

RA: Well, it's changed in a very bad way because there are only two companies left: the Warner group and the Disney group. That's really about it. The independents are becoming less independent all the time; in fact they aren't even independent anymore. So... (pause) Expect more "Forest Gump." Or worse, expect more "Mission: Impossible.

"WARREN DURRETT
Longtime KC big band leader, jazz philanthropist
October/November 1996
JAM: Let's go back a little. How did your first band begin?

WD: In early 1945 a booking agent named Johnny Coon called and asked me to put together a ten piece band to open for Saturday night dinner-dances at the Sky-Hy Roof on the 14th floor of the Continental Hotel, 11th and Baltimore. At the time it had the best view available of downtown Kansas City. It later became the Playboy Club.

JAM: Ironically, that period of time is generally thought of as the end of the big band era. How were you able to keep a band going for the next 41 years?

WD: When I started the band in 1945, at age 26, I remember having a long-term goal as a bandleader of ten years. But the next thing you know, I'm lost in the excitement and challenge of building a ten piece library into one for a 23 piece band... and 41 years goes by! Fortunately, the book was commercial enough to keep us going and to attract many long-term key players.

JAM: Do you keep up with current big bands here in Kansas City?

WD: Very much. (My wife) Jan and I always attend the big band concerts at UMKC, KU, the Folly Theater and the Kansas City Jazz Workshop series. We've also spent many evenings in recent years listening to the Trilogy and Boulevard big bands.

MARVIN STAMM
Trumpeter, bandleader, clinician, recording artist
December 1996/January 1997
JAM: Obviously the studio scene has undergone some big changes over the years. Some would say it's really dried up because of synths and other people-replacing machines. What's your take on all the new technology?

MS: The technology is wonderful, and it opens up so many possibilities for writing new and different things, especially when combined with acoustic instruments. This is even more true when the machines are played by or written for fine musicians. Unfortunately, the machines being what they are, they allow for a lot of amateurs to get involved and that makes for a lot that is pure mediocrity in the music business. It's not the machines that take away the work, but public taste dictated by record producers, advertising agencies and film producers who will always use music only for making money. That's the way of the world, isn't it? Nothing wrong with that except that they never give anything back. To them, music is almost never an art form, but only a commercial enterprise. They never perceive music on a higher plane. There are so many things that one can take issue with in the music business, but space won't allow that here. It is not the machines that have so changed the business, but the business itself that has done so much to bring about these changes. But then, change is inevitable.

PETE EYE
Pianist, KC bandleader, recording artist
February/March 1997
JAM: As one of Kansas City's most in-demand piano tuners, you must have had some memorable "celebrity" encounters...

PE: ...There was the time I tuned for George Winston. For one performance, he wanted four tunings. He'd played the night before in Lawrence and came straight to the hall in Kansas City at about midnight where he practiced until 5:00 a.m. I had to tune the piano before and after that, and then at curtain call and again at intermission. During the first set I noticed that, as people were clapping, he was making notes -- "could you do this, could you do that" -- notes that he gave me at intermission! When I only had 20 minutes to tune again! He was very picky, and practically had me reshape the piano just for him; but he sent me a nice note afterward, which was definitely something for the scrapbook.

And then there was another time when I was tuning the piano in the Presidential Suite at the Ritz-Carlton. I was thinking, "Boy, I wonder who's staying here?!" Finally, this guy came in, real friendly and articulate, with a British accent; as I was leaving, I thought, "Gee, I wonder what he does?" Well, as I walked out, I noticed the security guards and all these teenagers trying to peek around the corner. The kids were saying, "Did you see him? Did you see him?" "See who?" I said. "Sting! Sting!" they said. "Who's that?" I said. "Oh, give me a break..." they moaned. (laughs)

DICK WRIGHT
Host of KANU's "The Jazz Scene"
April/May 1997
JAM: As you know so well, jazz is an ever-evolving music. Where do you see it going in the new century now that it's almost upon us?

DW: I think about that a lot. I remember in the '80s -- and I'll probably have some people throw bricks at me for saying this -- I wasn't very happy with the way I thought jazz was going. It seemed like it was getting more and more away from jazz. Then, with the coming of the Marsalis brothers, and others like Mark Whitfield -- a fine young guitar player -- it seemed like some of the younger players were returning to the acoustic side of jazz. So I thought, hey, maybe things are looking better. Now there are piles of CDs coming out -- and I don't know if anyone's buying them -- that feature a great variety of straightahead and acoustic jazz. So, I'll just say that I hope it continues to go that way. And I hope that there continues to be room enough for all of it. Because, you know, one man's passion is another man's poison! Most of all, though, I just hope that jazz will continue to develop and that we will not forget the great traditions from the past. I once had a student say, "Who wants to listen to Lester Young and Charlie Parker and all that old stuff?" That really hurt! I think you really need to know the roots and then go in whatever direction you wish... but you can't ignore the greats of the past, what they did, how they paved the way.

CALVIN WILSON
Jazz writer, The Kansas City Star
August/September 1997
JAM: Let's talk about the actual craft of being a jazz critic, or a jazz writer. What are the qualifications?

CW: For one thing you have to know something about the music. That's self-evident. And sometimes I get a little depressed by how some people who like to run around crowing about jazz really don't know much about the music. I think that's a little bit of an insult. In other areas of the arts, people wouldn't dare do that!

JAM: Are you talking about other critics?

CW: No. I'm talking about how if you say you're a classical music aficionado, that implies you've done your homework and you know something about that field of music. What I mean (as it applies to jazz) is that often times I've met people who talk about how they're jazz fans and then I'll mention something that ought to be bedrock knowledge... and they don't know what I'm talking about! One time, when Joshua Redman was coming to town, I was at a local club talking to someone who wanted me to think they were some kind of big jazz fan. I mentioned that Joshua Redman was getting ready to come to Kansas City and they didn't know who I was talking about! Joshua Redman is hardly obscure if you're really serious about the music.

DOUG TATUM
Executive Director, KC's Folly Theater
October/November 1997
JAM: Why, in your opinion, does (jazz) reach such an esoteric audience?

DT: Jazz is an art form. And it's also been a popular music throughout much of its history. In its early years, jazz was the popular music of the day, especially during the swing era. But with the advent of bebop, and the styles that came after that, jazz began to separate itself from the popular mainstream of American culture. And now, even though it still remains a part of that popular mainstream, the audience has grown smaller. So, in answer to your question, I look at jazz as an art form and as a music that is aesthetically driven, versus pop music which is commercially driven.

I also look at the larger scheme of things and how that affects the mission of what we try to do at the Folly in presenting jazz, which is to offer balance to the cultural mix. Yes, what we do is largely aesthetically driven; we know that jazz doesn't appeal to the masses like rock music does. And that's OK. Jazz has a select audience, and we try to satisfy that audience while making sincere efforts for audience development, to build the audience for jazz. But I don't think anybody would believe that jazz is ever going to reach the masses like, say, the Rolling Stones.

But again, that's OK. There's nothing wrong with music that's commercially driven. It's just in balance to that, what we're all about is that we want to serve jazz as an art form and the original part of American culture that it is.

Allene Mahogany & Beverly Rehkop

ALLENE MAHOGANY & BEVERLY REHKOP
KC jazz photographers
December 1997/January 1998
JAM: ...In terms of jazz musicians as subjects, what is it that makes them so "photogenic?"

AM: The music they play. And how they react, how they interact. Jazz musicians are very emotional. It's sort of like in rock 'n roll, where you've got people jumping around, screaming and hollering. Except in jazz, the emotions are more internal. More subtle. Even though they can be just as intense. And that can be seen visually, the musicians' relationship to the music. You just have to try and capture that.

BR: Jazz is soulfood for me. It has been since high school. And I'm totally in awe of someone who can make that music, even though I can't. I'm a sponge around jazz musicians; I draw from what they do. And I try to capture their energy on film and share it with other people. It's definitely an emotional thing, even on the other side of the camera.

FRED HERSCH
Pianist, bandleader, recording artist
December 1997/January 1998
JAM: In your sideman days, you worked with a "who's who" of modern jazz legends. Let's do a little name association. What were your impressions of Joe Henderson?

FH: Playing with Joe Henderson is like trying to catch up with a moving freight train (laughs). He's so resourceful and quick. I played with Joe on and off for about ten years and I learned so much from him. It was like going to graduate school.

JAM: Art Farmer.

FH: Playing with Art really gave me my first big exposure as a bandmember. Art was very supportive; he encouraged me to write my first tunes, and to learn how to arrange things, which I do quite a bit now with my trio. So, one of things I learned from Art was how to put together a repertoire that's a little more personal.

JAM: Toots Thielemans.

FH: Playing with Toots is like playing with the hippest singer in the world. He's so melodic, and plays with so much emotion... And because of the instrument he plays and his knowledge of harmony, the way he plays on chord changes is very unique. He also has a great sense of humor, and a lot of warmth.

RAMSEY LEWIS
Pianist, bandleader, recording artist
June/July 1998
(interviewed by Jeff Charney)
JC: You played for President Clinton recently. And you gave him one of your CDs. Did he like it?

RL: (laughs) You know, I haven't talked to him since he was here. (My wife) Jan and I were in the receiving line; I had played for him a couple of years ago and he remembered me. He said he was just back from Africa and one of the CDs he'd taken along had several of my songs on it. Well, that was like a cue. I said, "Mr. President, it just so happens... My latest CD hasn't even been released yet..." -- this was a few weeks ago -- "...but I brought one for you; it's out in the car. I didn't know if I should give it to one of the Secret Service people or to one of your assistants." He said, "Are you kidding? Go get it and bring it to me right now!" So I went out and brought it to him. He said that he was going to enjoy it. I hope he did.

Doc Severinsen

DOC SEVERINSEN
Trumpeter, recording artist, former "Tonight Show" bandleader
August/September 1998
JAM: ...The general public knows of you mostly from your years (1962-92) with the Tonight Show, but you had a lengthy career before that as a busy studio musician and staff trumpeter at NBC. What were the requirements of a working studio trumpet player in those days?

DS: Well, at the time that I started out, basically you had to be able to play everything. I mean, you had to be able to sit in a symphony orchestra -- and I don't mean something like a symphony orchestra, but an actual symphony orchestra. You had to be able to play a little jazz, you had to be able to play in a big band set up or do backgrounds for vocals, you had to be able to transpose parts... It was pretty extensive. I mean, you had to really be a totally comprehensive player; all the basic fundamentals had to be there. And the reason for that was because those were the standards everyone had then, and you if you didn't have that, the best you could hope for was a little something you might pick up here or there. Those were the requirements just for being what you would call a studio musician.

JAM: From a trumpet-playing standpoint, how have you managed to maintain such top physical condition for so many years? Do you have a special regimen to stay in shape?

DS: I think the first part of the regimen is having good genes. You know, if your family is predisposed to good health and long life, then that's got to be a help. But, I've always felt that part of being a trumpet player, for me, is being an athlete. I try to stay in shape by riding a bike in the gym, lifting weights and doing certain aerobic things. The older I get, the more important that all is as a part of what I do.

GEORGE BENSON
Guitarist, singer, bandleader, recording artist
August/September 1998
(interviewed by Jeff Charney)
JC: What's your take on the condition of the music industry today?

GB: I can only speak from one point of view. What I see now is a transition. And I don't think anybody knows where it will end up. We constantly get contributions from people who come into the music world like a flash of light from out of nowhere -- with any point of view -- even from the country world, like Garth Brooks. You remember what Prince did to the music industry? And now we've got people coming out of Ireland... So we keep getting these contributions that keep having effects on the whole music business. You have to stay loose in order not to get caught up in a particular tide that might be up now but might disappear in a very short time. So, we try to borrow from the strengths of the good things that are happening.

DR. MIKE PETTENGELL
Host of KCUR's "Take Five"
October/November 1998
JAM: What do you think the role or purpose of jazz radio should be?

MP: Probably the number one purpose is to keep the music alive. And to allow people who haven't heard this sort of music in a while to re-experience it. And to allow people who've never heard it to get into it for the first time. I didn't have jazz radio when I was growing up, so I had to rely on just luck to push me in certain directions. But (in Kansas City), if you listen to my show you'll get a pretty good overview, from the very beginnings of jazz up through today. I wish I'd had that in my little town in Arkansas. But it just wasn't there. So, in a way, I think I'm sort of providing a public service. On one hand, I think this music is just so fantastic it has to be played on the radio. And I also think the jazz players themselves like to hear this music on the radio. Maybe they haven't heard it all yet, or maybe they will be inspired by something they hear.

ANGELA HAGENBACH
Singer, KC bandleader, recording artist
December 1998/January 1999
JAM: Is it a hopeful sign for jazz when the U.S. government actually gets behind something like this (a five week tour of Africa as a part of the U.S. Information Agency's Jazz Ambassador Touring Program)?

AH: Absolutely! When our government stands behind the arts and its artists and sends them out into developing nations -- or any nation for that matter -- to be ambassadors of the arts, that sends out the message to all that the United States government believes in the power of cultural and educational exchange, that music is a universal language, and most importantly that jazz is a national treasure and legacy most worthy of sharing with the world.

LYLE MAYS
Pianist, composer, recording artist
December 1998/January 1999
JAM: There are some legendary stories about the Pat Metheny Group's early days on the road. ...No roadies, huge distances between gigs, four guys in a van driving through all kinds of weather, gigs in funky bars. Do you have anything to add to the folklore?

LM: I'm saving the stories for my Barbara Walters interview. But seriously... The "legendary" stories I've heard are all true. Like: the "van trip from Seattle to Texas to Quebec in four days" story...

JAM: In the 21 years of the group's existence, what are some of the strangest things that have happened either on or off stage?

LM: The strangest thing for me is that I'm still in the group and still interested in where it's going. The next strangest thing is that in this age of cable TV and the internet, people are still buying the records and coming to the concerts. Touring Russia before the fall of the Iron Curtain was strange, I guess. Playing a concert in Yugoslavia four days before all hell broke loose felt strange. But I really can't think of many "tabloid" moments. There was that time that Pat and I unloaded the baggage compartment of a jumbo jet during a strike at London's Heathrow airport so we could get our gear that we needed to record "As Falls Wichita"...

JAM: We've heard rumors that, in the early days, you had a water pistol hidden at the piano and would squirt people in front who weren't paying attention. True?

LM: It seemed like a good idea at the time. It was during my "angry young man" period.

STEVE IRWIN, JO BOEHR & JOHN JESSUP
Kansas City Jazz International
June/July 1999
JAM: There are those who think there might be too many summertime jazz events in Kansas City. True? Not true?

JB: For the actual number of real jazz fans in Kansas City, that could very well be true. Even one festival could be too many for the amount of real jazz fans here. But the real deal is this: we don't have too many events if we all get together and get the city and everyone in the community -- whether they're jazz fans or not -- to get behind good music and behind one of the main things that represents Kansas City. It's about community-driven activities and regional marketing as much as anything else. And (it's) about being proud of our jazz heritage! It's about getting people out of their loungers and away from their computers, being active in their community and being proud of these festivals and the city's jazz heritage.

SI: You know, people in Kansas City have frequently supported arts organizations and cultural events even though they may not be true fans of what they've supported. For instance, I'm sure the Lyric Opera, the Kansas City Symphony and the Missouri Rep get a lot of support from people who perceive those things as being important to the life breath of the city. Which they are! I just don't think jazz has made that transition yet. And I think KCJI needs to do a very good job of pointing out how that affects the city by producing quality events that people are proud to talk about. Jo once said that if jazz is to really get up and going here, we need not only a vibrant club scene, but multiple festivals and events that are marketable through the Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. I mean, a good example is Broadway in New York. Broadway works, not because there's only one play that's sold out all the time, but because there are multiple shows that encompass all kind of tastes. We need to do that here when it comes to jazz. And if we do, people will come to Kansas City to seek it out -- just like those tourists seek out Broadway shows and theater in New York.

Diana Krall

DIANA KRALL
Singer, pianist, bandleader, recording artist
August/September 1999
JAM: ...There's the old debate about whether or not jazz can be taught in a formal educational setting as opposed to learning the ropes on the bandstand. You know, "there wasn't a Berklee for Charlie Parker," that kind of thing.

DK: That's silly. First of all, Charlie Parker didn't have that opportunity. When I went to Berklee, all of the sudden I was surrounded by other students who were into the same kind of music that I was. In Nanaimo, British Columbia, there were only a few of us; like (trumpeter) Ingrid Jensen -- we both grew up in the same wonderful band program. So when I went to Berklee, it wasn't about going to classes and taking down notes, it was about going to the museums (in Boston), the pizza was different, it was a big city, I saw my first van Gogh... and I met students who inspired me. I wasn't the big fish in the small pond anymore, I was a small fish in a big pond! And I moved on from there. And I still have friends from Berklee. But (about Charlie Parker), I don't think you can compare things like that. It was a different time, and a different place. Talk to Ray Brown about that. Every day they were doing something that was completely new! So, I can't speak for that, or make that comparison. I just know that I was taught and inspired (at Berklee), I was, and still am, curious about this music, and I've always wanted to play it and learn more about it. And I'm still being taught! I was with John Clayton just this morning -- learning. It's a constant learning process.

ANNE MANSON
Music Director, Kansas City Symphony
August/September 1999
JAM: As you may know, your predecessor, William McGlaughlin, was, and still is, closely tied to the Kansas City jazz community. Not to draw irrelevant comparisons, but what role has jazz played in your career as a musician?

AM: I've had the opportunity of performing with a few outstanding musicians outside the classical mainstream including Lena Willemark, a great creative talent on the Swedish folk music scene, and Chick Corea, with whom I've performed in Kansas City and will be performing in London when he plays the British premiere of his own piano concerto.

JAM: Who are some of your favorite jazz artists of yesterday and today?AM: Ella, Sarah Vaughan, the "Duke," Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Thelonious Monk, and, of course, Chick Corea.

GIL GOLDSTEIN
Pianist, arranger, accordionist, recording artist
October/November 1999
JAM: Regarding Gil Evans, you were very much involved in dusting off many of his arrangements for the 1991 Montreux concert with Miles Davis shortly before Davis died. Talk a little about that experience. It must have been pretty intense.

GG: Anita Evans, Gil's widow, recommended me to Quincy Jones and he asked me to reconstruct those arrangements. I worked from piano sketches Gil did, listened to the records, changed some things and decided on orchestration. I think I did a good job, and the gig came off miraculously well. It's hard music. We only rehearsed one day and Miles was rusty. But he rose to the occasion. When he left that night, he said, "That was nice, let's do it again." Oh well, so it goes.

JAM: Do you have any specific recollections of Miles from that time?

GG: It was exciting for me to meet Miles like that. Not as a piano player but as an arranger. It was easy for him to remember my name because it was Gil and I had grey hair. He kind of made me Gil Evans in his head, I think. He'd walk over to me and say, "How do I sound, Gil?" I don't really remember how I responded, but I remember he punched me a couple of times, in a friendly way. The whole thing was thrilling, and funny, and tragic.

KEVIN MAHOGANY
Singer, bandleader, educator, recording artist
December 1999/January 2000
(interviewed by Jeff Charney)
JC: Have you found that some songs that go over well live don't necessarily go over well on a recording?

KM: Yes, and for different reasons. Usually, it's not because people don't like the way the song came out (on the recording), it's because the recording doesn't capture the magic of the live performance. When you do a tune live, it's right there in the moment, and you can change things and be more creative. Also, the moment itself can be inspired. But, unfortunately, it's not always captured like that in the recording studio.

JC: One of my favorite songs of yours is "Still Swinging," which is on your self-titled CD and your first for Warner Brothers. How did that one come about?

KM: That came about because I'd heard so many people dissing a lot of the younger musicians by saying, "Well, they're pretty good technically, but they don't swing." I remember thinking, "Man, I'm listening to the same thing they are and I think those guys are swinging like crazy!" So, that was my ode to those people who are saying that just because we're young we can't swing.

KURT ELLING
Singer, bandleader, recording artist
February/March 2000
JAM: Now that we've entered the 21st century, where does a young jazz artist like yourself see the music going in the coming years?

KE: (pause) I hope the culture of the United States will get over the ironic, over-the-shoulder look... you know, the re-digestion of everything with an ironic glint in your eye. We need to stop asking what we've been and what we are, and start asking what we might be. If that starts to happen, the artists are going to have a lot more say about how things go down. And the corporate element is not going to have quite as much to say. People want real answers to that kind of question. It's easy to play around with masks, and be cynical, and be too wry for our own good. But, if you're asking a question about the future you're asking a hopeful question... and musicians are people who are always searching for answers anyway in the musical realm.

It's never-ending; the quest goes on. "Where is the next new sound?..." And as that process happens, musicians are just going to keep doing what they've always done: looking for the answer to whatever their current musical preoccupation is. So, I think it will continue to be a step-by-step process. And I can only hope that the entire community of humans takes a look and sees what the artists are up to, because there's a lot of very valuable stuff being passed around! And not that many people are paying attention to it. ...But, I guess that's sorta par for the course.

BOB MCWILLIAMS
Host of KANU's "Jazz In the Night"
April/May 2000
JAM: Let's talk about jazz radio. What purpose does it serve?

BM: First and foremost, radio is entertainment and jazz radio is no
different. Or it should be no different. There is still far too much of the old, elitist, public radio attitude that "this is deadly serious, incredibly important, and you have to be an expert to even begin to appreciate this. So if you aren't, go away." Well, baloney! Jazz is fun, and jazz radio should be fun. Now, do I think jazz is an important, serious art form? Of course. Do I think jazz radio serves an educational function? Of course. Do I think jazz radio has a vital part to play in helping get the word out about happenings in the local jazz community? Of course. Do I think that jazz radio is vital in getting new music into people's ears? Very much so. But it all comes down to being entertaining; because without that, not many people will be listening. And then there won't be jazz radio at all.

Dr. Billy Taylor

DR. BILLY TAYLOR
Pianist, bandleader, historian,
radio host ("Jazz at the Kennedy Center"), recording artist
June/July 2000
JAM: It seems that jazz today tends to be a pretty esoteric art form that reaches a fairly limited number of people...

BT: (interrupts) But, that's not true. That is not true. I have spent my entire career fighting this (perception). Jazz is America's classical music. And it is America's classical music not because I said so, but because it takes all of the elements that are a part of our culture and puts them into a personalized musical statement that celebrates something we say we believe. And, if we really believed it, it would be even stronger! For a kid like Eldar Djangirov to hear this music on records in a remote area of the Soviet Union and then want to be able to do this sort of thing... that transcends esoterica. All around the world this music means something very special to people. It means "Americana." It means what we say we believe in. And people everywhere take it at face value. "America believes in personal freedom; that music speaks to that, too." But musically -- and not on that kind of cultural basis -- musically, you've got 40,000 jazz bands in this country alone. You have 550 or more festivals that go on in Europe in the summertime. You've got festivals in this country in almost all the major cities. So, we're not counting! We're not looking at what we've got!

DR. LESLIE E. BECKER
Longtime KC jazz fan & supporter
June/July 2000
JAM: As you look back over the last 42 years, how are things for jazz in Kansas City now?

LB: Very good. Very good. The talent is excellent. And the Blue Room, with its (Monday night) thing that allows young students to come and sit in is an excellent vehicle. We have good jazz programs at several of the high schools and at UMKC. But, commercially, from the point of view of attracting the average person, it's still a difficult thing. A person has to develop a taste for jazz.

JAM: How does that happen?

LB: I'll give you an example. At the Beaumont Club, where we have our Jazz Outreach event (in March), the people who work there are subjected to a steady diet of cowboy and country music. Whenever we come in there, they say, "God! This is interesting!" Now, surprisingly, they're starting to book some jazz in there. They're starting to see that there's a niche for jazz.

NORMAN BROWN
Guitarist, bandleader, recording artist
June/July 2000
(interviewed by Jeff Charney)
JC: You're coming home in July to play the Blues and Jazz Festival. Compared to other cities, do you get some extra satisfaction playing KC, simply because you grew up here?

NB: Yes. Definitely. It puts a little bit more on it for me. All the people I went to school with, and grew up with in the neighborhood, and played with in the clubs... All that stuff comes back to life. So, yes, it does put a lot more on it. And that's very cool.

JC: Is it also a chance to "show your stuff" to those who thought you weren't going to make it?

NB: There weren't too many people like that. When I was growing up in Kansas City, everybody was pretty supportive and saw that there was something special coming through me that the rest of the world was going to get a chance to experience.

BOBBY WATSON
Saxophonist, bandleader, educator, recording artist
August/September 2000
JAM: Now that you've been appointed to a prominent position on UMKC's Conservatory of Music staff, we will assume that you think jazz education is important...

BW: Jazz education is very important to me. It ties into the ancient tradition of apprenticeship, which, unfortunately, is becoming a dying tradition. Every master in the past served an apprenticeship with an older master. The classical masters as well as the great painters, dancers and so on. At UMKC, this will be part of my goal -- to serve as a mentor to gifted young musicians, and hopefully provide some guidance for them. It will also keep me current! Art Blakey used to keep young musicians around him, and it kept him young and fresh. I learned that from him.

BOB BROOKMEYER
Trombonist, composer, bandleader, educator, recording artist
December 2000/January 2001
JAM: ...Here's something you said about Wynton Marsalis that turned a few heads. "...It's very, very tough out there without a record company, a publicist, Lincoln Center and a few million bucks a year to allow one to stay in reverse with the foot on the pedal. The arrogance is biting and I, as a long-time associate of 'historical figures,' am finding fraudulent activity... irritating AND destructive, because -- regardless of what the opinions are -- the 'bar is being lowered' for what is an acceptable standard for 'greatness.'"
First, how do you REALLY feel about Wynton Marsalis?! And second, what jazz artists out there right now do you feel are actually worthy of being called "great"?

BB: Since opinions on almost everything are shaped by corporations, if Lincoln Center tells you Wynton is good, Wynton is good. Wynton is a good trumpet player, a lousy writer and appears to be an arrogant little shit. I, however, am a good writer and probably could be on the band stand playing jazz with Wynton and my band would certainly bury his alive. There are several other major frauds, not nearly as well endowed, but equally up my nose. I grew up when there were great musicians. Most of them died. Thank God we still have Lee Konitz.

CHUCK LAMB
Pianist, composer, bandleader, recording artist
December 2000/January 2001
JAM: How would you describe your music?

CL: Satan Death Rock with a Ragtime feel... Actually, that question has always been tricky, even since the Dry Jack days. Our music does a lot of shape shifting. The influences are musically historical and deeply spiritual. The labels that are put on music are always open to interpretation. "World Music" fits. But, it's all sound. You choose.

JON POSES
Jazz presenter ("We Always Swing")
February/March 2001
JAM: What is your assessment of the current health of jazz in general?

JP: If I had to use one word it would be "frustrating." Here is this great music played by mostly fantastic people, and, in relation to the entire marketplace, jazz lies somewhere between invisible and marginal. Or, worse yet, it is still treated like some sort of novelty item. There's plenty of great music out there, whatever your taste is. But, somehow we need to find better ways to expose people to this music. Television and video remain the biggest thorn. Jazz does not necessarily translate well on video, despite BET's best efforts, which at times are seriously corny and embarrassing.

ARTURO SANDOVAL
Trumpeter, pianist, bandleader, educator, recording artist
June/July 2001
JAM: Our trumpet-playing readers will also want to know about equipment. What kind of horn, what kind of mouthpiece...

AS: I play my own horn, which is a Sandoval LeBlanc. And I play a Bach 3C mouthpiece. All my life.

JAM: Never switched?

AS: No. No. I hate that. I don't want to switch, I don't want to experiment. I've got a good friend -- Doc Severinsen -- who has a lot of mouthpieces. We talk on the phone. He says, "Arturo, you're a lucky (bleeper bleeper), man. You've got just that 3C." He says, "What do you use to play the piccolo (trumpet)?" And I say, "the same one. I have only one mouthpiece." And he just laughs.

JAM: On another subject, did you watch the Ken Burns "Jazz" series?

AS: No, I didn't. I was on the road then. But, according to all my friends, I'm happy I didn't see it. My friends said to me, "Arturo, be happy you didn't watch it, because they left out so many, many, many of the greatest jazz musicians." ...But I did go to a bookstore to see the book. And I went to the index. And I didn't see my name there. And I said: F**K Ken Burns! (laughs)

GEORGE DUKE
Pianist, arranger, singer, recording artist
August/September 2001
JAM: Anytime we get to interview people like yourself who've had such illustrious past associations, it's always fun to do some name association. ...Frank Zappa.

GD: Frank was an amazing musician. And he really opened me up in terms of learning to like and enjoy playing and listening to all kinds of music. I mean, he opened me up all the way around... like in terms of playing synthesizers. I never wanted to do that; but he was the first one to introduce me to it. He was also the first one to get me seriously thinking about singing. He challenged me to become a comprehensive musician. He'd say, "Look man, classical music is great, but 1950s doo-wop music has validity, too." He made me feel silly after a while for having such a serious attitude about "serious" music.

JAM: Cannonball Adderley.

GD: Well, Cannon was like my daddy. Matter of fact, a lot of people say I look like him now (laughs). Cannon knew more about jazz history than anybody I'd ever met. I used to love to just hear him talk. You know, about Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald and Miles... All these guys who were my heroes, he'd talk about them like they were his next door neighbors. And then they'd come see him and I'd get the chance to meet them. It was a wonderful experience working with Cannon. Also, like Frank, he was very open musically, and liked to do all kinds of music. I love that.

WILL MATTHEWS
Guitarist (Count Basie band), KC bandleader, recording artist
August/September 2001
JAM: How does it feel sitting in the same seat once occupied by the legendary Freddie Green?

WM: Total elation. I've been blessed. I never envisioned myself sitting in Freddie Green's chair. But here I am! And I'm having big fun with it. It's been an opportunity to learn more about his style and also work on some other areas of my playing.

JAM: There is a long-standing tradition for that member of the Basie band to only comp. Does that get monotonous?

WM: Not at all. Playing rhythm is something that grew up with the guitar. And nobody did it like Freddie... moving those three-note voicings around, creating little melodies in his rhythm part, playing four-to-the-bar. That "chonk, chonk, chonk" is a big part of the groove. It keeps the rhythm section tight and swingin'.

DR. RONALD McCURDY
Jazz educator, IAJE President, trumpeter
October/November 2001
JAM: Has jazz education made the music too clinical and scientific? I'm sure you've heard different "old timers" talk about how "learning on the bandstand" is still the best way...

RM: There's no question about that. But I think we have to look at the current landscape again. How many bandstands are available? (pause) When I look at people like Roy Hargrove or Nicholas Payton or Terence Blanchard, these guys were all products of somebody's jazz program. And then they went on the road. In Terence Blanchard's case, he came from a great program in New Orleans; then he went to William Patterson. And from there he joined Art Blakey's band. He was already playing, and playing well, when he joined Blakey's band. Otherwise Art Blakey wouldn't have given him the chance.

REV. DUKE TUFTY
Minister, Unity Temple on the Plaza
December 2001/January 2002
JAM: What, in your opinion, is the connection between spirituality and jazz?

DT: In the base of spirituality you find the common principle that there is one presence in the universe, whatever we want to call that. Some call it "spirit," some call it "God," the scientists call it "the field of unified mass." But basically what they are saying is that we are all "one." We all come forth from one source. We all are the expression of one life, and we all have within us a spirit -- or an energy -- that is common. When we move into a concert-type setting, the entire audience becomes one listener, if you can imagine that. It's like: people have a deeper sense of appreciation and fulfillment when they are with other people in any kind of uplifting environment, whether it's at a football game -- where you are surrounded by thousands of Chiefs fans who are all with you as one audience -- or in a concert where you are listening to the music and it's taking everybody on one journey as one listener. When you go to some of the different bars and restaurants, you don't have that. The audience is splintered. Somebody might be talking on a cell phone, somebody else might be eating... There isn't that sense of "all of us together" with the musicians.

ROBERT BARRIENTOS
General Manager, KKFI-FM
April/May 2002
JAM: ...Are you saying that certain (radio) stations have had difficulty because of lack of diversity?

RB: No. What has been shocking for me is how so many listeners will say, "THAT isn't jazz, but THIS is." You can't do that anymore! Right now, it is very important for this community -- with all the different jazz-related institutions like the Folly Theater, 18th and Vine, and the radio stations, the clubs that have really supported local jazz musicians -- to start working together! There are more areas where we're alike than where we're different! I'll give you a good example of the cynicism that's been around for the last 20 years: Pat Metheny! I've heard people say: "That's not jazz! It's New Age music!" That kind of thinking is divisive. Like I said, we need to support such diversity. And we need to support community bricks and mortar institutions like the Folly (Theater) and 18th and Vine.

We also need to support the local bands. And the clubs that support them.

But back to diversity. There are too many people trying to say what jazz is and what it is not. And we can't do that anymore!

Juanita Moore

JUANITA MOORE
Executive Director, American Jazz Museum
June/July 2002
JAM: Over the last five years there has been a certain amount of skepticism, even criticism, expressed in the media about 18th and Vine. Has it been unfair, justifiable, or somewhere in between?

JM: The media coverage of 18th and Vine can cover several facets. There is the American Jazz Museum, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Gem Theater, the Blue Room, the development of businesses and restaurants, housing, and so on. So, I am sure there have been times when all entities were lumped into one big pot and painted with the 18th and Vine brush. Sometimes that was justifiable, and sometimes it has been unfair. Of course we want everyone to catch the vision, but realistically we know that does not always happen. Our focus is to make the American Jazz museum the premier jazz museum in the United States. A lot of things will go into making that happen, and if we keep our eye toward meeting that goal, I think we are likely to get mostly good press.

MARK PENDER
Trumpeter (Conan O'Brien's "Late Night"), bandleader,
recording artist
August/September 2002
JAM: How well have you gotten to know Conan?

MP: I've gotten to know him pretty well. He likes to hang out with us and is a closet guitar player, so I jam out on guitar with him. He loves to joke with us and usually comes to hide from people in our dressing room where he affectionately calls me" idiot." He also invited all of us to Seattle this year for his wedding. He's a great guy.

JAM: The most common complaint about talk show house bands over the years is that they don't get enough air time. How often is the Max Weinberg 7 given an actual feature?

MP: We've had several musical features in our nine years on the air and have been in countless sketches. We also seem to get a few more seconds coming in from commercials than the other shows. Recently, I charmed a cobra away from killing me with my horn. And a few months ago I got stuck playing one note circular breathing through a four minute sketch. Trumpet Jesus saved me in the end.

LYNN & JEFF JOHNSON
Band instrument repair team
October/November 2002
JAM: ...Just hypothetically now, let's say a local trumpet player who, also hypothetically, was the editor of an area jazz magazine accidentally backed over his gig bag with his car and flattened his horn... again, hypothetically. Would you be able to repair that instrument?

JJ: Hypothetically, yes. (laughs) Except if the valves were badly damaged, then it would depend on how much hypothetical money he would want to spend!

LJ: Jeff has performed some real miracles on a lot of horns. I mean, they come in looking like there is nothing anyone could do for them. Then they end up leaving the shop working perfectly again. It's really cool to see that happen!

LEON BRADY & CARROLL LEWIS
Veteran KC jazz educators
October/November 2002
JAM: ...As veteran educators, how you feel about the current state of education in general?

CL: I think we're dumbing things down. We need to return to a pursuit of excellence. We need to strive for that again.

LB: My philosophy has always been that the kids will do what you expect of them. If you expect a little, they will do a little. If you expect a lot, they will do a lot. One of the things I can't understand about public education today is how music is one of the first things that gets cut. Music builds strong self discipline and respect! And respect is one of the most important things that has been lost by this generation. Music breeds respect. That's why Carroll and I have always gotten along. He was over there, and I was over here, but we always had that mutual respect.