JAM: October/November 2003 Issue: Folly Jazz News

by Doug Tatum

A New Season Begins

In a celebration of the roots of jazz, the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band will open the 2003-2004 Folly Jazz Series on Saturday, October 4. The historic Preservation Hall, located in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, was built as a residence about 1750 and later served as a tavern during the War of 1812. In 1952, when the Hall was being used as an art gallery, the owner, a New Orleans jazz buff, invited the musicians who helped create this sound early in the century to play for his friends. The art gallery soon moved next door to make way for what had become a New Orleans musical institution. Today, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band continues this great tradition at home and on tour with their joyous performances of authentic New Orleans jazz. (www.preservationhall.com)

On Saturday, November 1, the Folly will present flutist and soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett and The Spirits of Havana. I am very confident that this concert will prove to be one of the highlights of the season. Many years before Cuban jazz was "rediscovered" through the phenomenon of The Buena Vista Social Club, Jane Bunnett was way ahead of the pack. A native of Canada, Bunnett first visited Cuba in 1984 (for a cheap vacation) and was immediately struck by the extraordinary diversity and vibrancy of the Cuban musical scene. Jane has been a champion of Cuban music and musicians ever since, making nearly 50 return trips over the years. She was so attracted to Cuba because of the quality of the musicians she encountered there and also because of the wealth of the country's traditions, which, ironically, have been shielded from pop influences. In an interview in The New York Times on March 5, 1998, Bunnett says that what makes so much Cuban music so notable is the curious aspect of Cuban jazz being largely frozen in time and cut off from a lot of what has happened in jazz in the sixties and seventies. Since her 1992 CD, Spirits of Havana, Jane has brought more than 40 Cuban musicians on tour with her in Canada and the U.S. and she frequently performs with contemporary groups from all over Cuba. Her 2002 CD, Cuban Odyssey (Blue Note) was nominated for a Grammy and recently received the Jazz Journalists Association Award for "Best Latin-Jazz Album of the Year." (www.janebunnett.com)

For more information about the Folly Jazz Series or to request a flier, please call the Folly Theater at 816-474-4444. And don't forget, members of the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors receive special discounts.

Will YOU Support the Folly Jazz Series?

In case you are not aware, the Folly Theater is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. (In dealing with the considerable expenses of caring for the 103-year-old historic theater, sometimes I tell people that we are a very non-profit organization.) This season, the Folly Jazz Series is faced with what seems to be a whole new level of challenges, not the least of which is the reality that we simply must increase ticket sales from those that we experienced last season.

"Book the right artists" some might say. OK, that's good advice, but I must admit to be very concerned when veteran jazz musicians such as Phil Woods or James Moody fall far short of projected ticket sales. If these individuals are not among "the right artists" and I cannot consider booking such jazz masters for fear of losing money, then I think all jazz fans in Kansas City should be concerned.

Thus, I appeal to the readers of this magazine to get out and support live jazz in general, and the concerts of the Folly Jazz Series in particular. It is only through each person's individual choices and actions that we can make a difference collectively for the jazz scene in Kansas City. After all, if those of us who have the greatest interest in this music are not willing to get out and support it, then who in the heck do we think is going to do so?

Doug Tatum is the Executive Director of the Folly Theater.