JAM: December 2003/January 2004 Issue: Q&A with Steve Kraske

STEVE KRASKE

JAM talks with The Kansas City Star's political correspondent (and member in good standing of the KC Jazz Ambassadors) about politics and jazz, 18th & Vine... and a saxophonist named Bill Clinton.

JAM: Kansas City Star readers who know you best from your political reporting might be surprised to learn that you are also a jazz fan. For how long, and what got you started?

SK: I took a "Jazz 101" course at Stanford in 1992 taught by Grover Sales that really hooked me. He was funny and outrageous and he played some of the most amazing music I had ever heard. He was a friend of Miles' and made a point of regularly imitating Davis' coarse use of the English language.

JAM: Have you ever played a musical instrument?

SK: I played the trumpet from the fifth through ninth grades and simply never got over the hump. I enjoyed it though. I was ten, and I was crazy about Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, not to mention that famous "whipped cream" LP cover that JAM spoofed so effectively a few months ago. I bought all of the Brass' records and songbooks and tried in vain to play along. Although I never was very good, I developed an enormous respect for those who are.

JAM: What's on your CD player these days?

SK: Since that Stanford class, I listen to jazz about 97 percent of the
time. Yeah, it's probably not normal! Stacked next to my player right now are: Keith Jarrett's "Up for It;" Jarrett's 1994 "At the Blue
Note" boxed set; Sonny Clark's "Trio;" Gerry Mulligan's "Pleyel
Concert;" Charles Lloyd's "Lift Every Voice;" Clark Terry and Max Roach's "Friendship," Dave Holland's "Extended Play, Live at Birdland," Miles' "Live at the Blackhawk;" Gerry Mulligan and Paul
Desmond's "Quartet;" and Stan Getz's "West Coast Jazz." I'll listen to two or three discs a night as I prepare for the next day's radio show ("Up to Date" on KCUR). And I listen a lot to KANU's "Jazz in the Night" hosted by Bob McWilliams. I think he's terrific.

JAM: Do politics and jazz have anything in common?

SK: The easy answer is no, and that's what I like about jazz. It's a
total escape, a complete departure from Democrats and Republicans and campaign expenditures. But if you want to get artsy about it, the
cacophony of voices I listen to at work every day can resemble Eric Dolphy in full flight.

JAM: What did you think of Bill Clinton's saxophone playing?

SK: Not bad for a guy who you know hadn't played in a while and was just picking the thing up and letting it fly. And I liked the fact that he brought jazz and blues artists back to the White House again.

JAM: Speaking of Clinton, during the '92 campaign he was known to sing the praises of both Kenny G and John Coltrane. How is that possible?

"My big concern... remains the music itself and whether it's appealing enough to draw a critical mass large enough to support several clubs and draw the national artists to Kansas City when they are on the road. I simply don't see it right now. And I say that as a die-hard fan."

SK: Now there's a politician for you! The only way you can make that
work is if you're running for president, you're trailing George Bush I and Ross Perot in the polls, and you've got to appeal to the broadest swath of people possible -- the squares to the hipsters.

JAM: After Clinton's turbulent tenure in the White House, the question now seems to be: Will a musician ever again reach such a pinnacle of power? What prominent jazz artist do you think would make a good president and why?

SK: If you could dip into the past, I'd go with Duke Ellington for
taking such a large and diverse group and melding it together so well for so many years. Now there's an interesting combination! Ellington and the White House. If I could step back to a single night in history, I'd go to the White House that night in 1969 when Richard Nixon -- of all people -- honored the Duke with the Medal of Freedom. One of the great jam sessions of all time occurred in the East Room that night, and the evening was caught on tape and released on CD last year. It's one of the most joyous hours of music I've heard.

JAM: As someone attuned to Kansas City's civic scene, how do you feel about progress in the Jazz District at 18th and Vine?

SK: Well, it's been slow. Too slow. But the good news is the district
continues to progress. The Peach Tree is a great addition. More restaurants are coming. The Blue Room is a terrific venue. I can only conclude that one of the main problems is the music itself. People have drifted away from it, as record sales indicate. So that makes me wonder how successful the district can ultimately be.

JAM: What then do you think is needed to make 18th and Vine a long-term success now that the commitment has been made?

SK: Promotion. More restaurants. A blues club. But as I said, I'm
concerned about the district's long-term viability because of the drawing power of the music. The district is isolated enough from the commercial core of the city that you've got to make a special trip over there. Don't get me wrong; I really enjoy 18th and Vine. Few things make me happier than sitting in the Blue Room on a Saturday night, listening to some good music and watching The Star's delivery trucks loaded with the big Sunday paper driving past.

JAM: We'll assume that, in addition to the Blue Room, you've spent time in other top KC jazz clubs and concert halls. What are some of the most inspiring live jazz shows you've attended in recent years?

SK: I always enjoy the Dunn/Freeman Mix. They're consistent and strong. I'm also an Al Pearson fan. The Sonny Rollins concert at the Folly Theater back in 1997 was the greatest concert I've ever attended. A musically transcendent experience. Dave Holland at the Folly in 2001 came close. He's taken the music to a new place, which is a tremendous feat, and I find his shows exhilarating. Roy Haynes, again at the Folly, worked for me. Greg Osby at the Blue Room in 2000 was a big highlight. So was Roy Hargrove at the old Drum Room in 1996. Man, I could have reached out and shook his hand, I was so close. That was the beauty of that place.

JAM: KC continues to think of itself as a "jazz town" even though clubs, festivals and radio formats keep going away. a) What are we doing wrong, especially when it comes to the big festivals? And b) what can Kansas City do to keep its jazz scene reasonably healthy?

SK: Now there's a pair of tough questions. And asking them is a lot
easier... (pause) I think the most realistic answer is that the marketplace will support what the marketplace can support. A lot of good people have put a lot of good energy into making jazz a thing again in Kansas City. But I just don't see it happening. The list of disappointments far outweighs the advances for jazz here. I'm not sure anybody is doing anything wrong. My big concern, as I've said, remains the music itself and whether it's appealing enough to draw a critical mass large enough to support several clubs and draw the national artists to Kansas City when they are on the road. I simply don't see it right now. And I say that as a die-hard fan.

JAM: "The music itself"...?

SK: I like some edge in the music. But at the same time, so many artists are going so far out that they give less-engaged fans little to nothing to hang onto. By that I mean, enough melody to keep them plugged into a song. The quickest example is Coltrane's "My Favorite Things." It was so successful I think because he kept returning to the central melody throughout the 20-minute piece. As for Kansas City, we need to promote the music better and at least make jazz a more viable entertainment option. We need to give more people a chance to reconnect with it. We're known for few things here, and one of them is jazz. And yet the city really doesn't push that. So in a word: promotion. Lots of it.

JAM: At this point in the interview we usually like to put our Q&A
subjects on the mythical Desert Island. But because you have a regular radio interview program, let's do it this way: What five jazz artists, past or present, would you like to have as guests on your show and why?

SK: 1) Duke Ellington for all the obvious reasons. What an elegant man. I've long been fascinated by him, and talking to him for an hour would be a delight. 2) Miles... if he was having a good day. He pushed the music in so many directions, and that took guts. 3) John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. A thoughtful guy. He'd have a lot to say. 4) Bill Evans, if he'd talk. Anyone that introspective would make for a good hour. 5) Dizzy. I think we'd laugh a lot.

JAM: Finally, would you care to offer any predictions for the 2004
election? There are those who think the sounds of a saxophone may return to the White House, this time played by "The First Gentleman"...

SK: That's not going to happen. As we speak, Howard Dean is closing
in on the nomination fast with Gephardt on his tail. And they don't play horns, do they? I'm not confident about the Democrats' prospects next year. I'd bet on W returning for four more. Then again, there are so many variables out there: Iraq, the economy, North Korea, the potential for more terrorism. So who knows?

How's that for a political waffle?

* * *

Steve Kraske's weekly column in The Kansas City Star runs in the Metro section on Sunday. His radio show "Up to Date" airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on KCUR, 89.3 FM.






	Search our site:		STEVE KRASKE JAM talks with The Kansas City Star's political correspondent (and member in good standing of the KC Jazz Ambassadors) about politics and jazz, 18th & Vine... and a saxophonist named Bill Clinton. JAM: Kansas City Star readers who know you best from your political reporting might be surprised to learn that you are also a jazz fan. For how long, and what got you started? SK: I took a "Jazz 101" course at Stanford in 1992 taught by Grover Sales that really hooked me. He was funny and outrageous and he played some of the most amazing music I had ever heard. He was a friend of Miles' and made a point of regularly imitating Davis' coarse use of the English language. JAM: Have you ever played a musical instrument? SK: I played the trumpet from the fifth through ninth grades and simply never got over the hump. I enjoyed it though. I was ten, and I was crazy about Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, not to mention that famous "whipped cream" LP cover that JAM spoofed so effectively a few months ago. I bought all of the Brass' records and songbooks and tried in vain to play along. Although I never was very good, I developed an enormous respect for those who are. JAM: What's on your CD player these days? SK: Since that Stanford class, I listen to jazz about 97 percent of the time. Yeah, it's probably not normal! Stacked next to my player right now are: Keith Jarrett's "Up for It;" Jarrett's 1994 "At the Blue Note" boxed set; Sonny Clark's "Trio;" Gerry Mulligan's "Pleyel Concert;" Charles Lloyd's "Lift Every Voice;" Clark Terry and Max Roach's "Friendship," Dave Holland's "Extended Play, Live at Birdland," Miles' "Live at the Blackhawk;" Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond's "Quartet;" and Stan Getz's "West Coast Jazz." I'll listen to two or three discs a night as I prepare for the next day's radio show ("Up to Date" on KCUR). And I listen a lot to KANU's "Jazz in the Night" hosted by Bob McWilliams. I think he's terrific. JAM: Do politics and jazz have anything in common? SK: The easy answer is no, and that's what I like about jazz. It's a total escape, a complete departure from Democrats and Republicans and campaign expenditures. But if you want to get artsy about it, the cacophony of voices I listen to at work every day can resemble Eric Dolphy in full flight. JAM: What did you think of Bill Clinton's saxophone playing? SK: Not bad for a guy who you know hadn't played in a while and was just picking the thing up and letting it fly. And I liked the fact that he brought jazz and blues artists back to the White House again. JAM: Speaking of Clinton, during the '92 campaign he was known to sing the praises of both Kenny G and John Coltrane. How is that possible? "My big concern... remains the music itself and whether it's appealing enough to draw a critical mass large enough to support several clubs and draw the national artists to Kansas City when they are on the road. I simply don't see it right now. And I say that as a die-hard fan." SK: Now there's a politician for you! The only way you can make that work is if you're running for president, you're trailing George Bush I and Ross Perot in the polls, and you've got to appeal to the broadest swath of people possible -- the squares to the hipsters. JAM: After Clinton's turbulent tenure in the White House, the question now seems to be: Will a musician ever again reach such a pinnacle of power? What prominent jazz artist do you think would make a good president and why? SK: If you could dip into the past, I'd go with Duke Ellington for taking such a large and diverse group and melding it together so well for so many years. Now there's an interesting combination! Ellington and the White House. If I could step back to a single night in history, I'd go to the White House that night in 1969 when Richard Nixon -- of all people -- honored the Duke with the Medal of Freedom. One of the great jam sessions of all time occurred in the East Room that night, and the evening was caught on tape and released on CD last year. It's one of the most joyous hours of music I've heard. JAM: As someone attuned to Kansas City's civic scene, how do you feel about progress in the Jazz District at 18th and Vine? SK: Well, it's been slow. Too slow. But the good news is the district continues to progress. The Peach Tree is a great addition. More restaurants are coming. The Blue Room is a terrific venue. I can only conclude that one of the main problems is the music itself. People have drifted away from it, as record sales indicate. So that makes me wonder how successful the district can ultimately be. JAM: What then do you think is needed to make 18th and Vine a long-term success now that the commitment has been made? SK: Promotion. More restaurants. A blues club. But as I said, I'm concerned about the district's long-term viability because of the drawing power of the music. The district is isolated enough from the commercial core of the city that you've got to make a special trip over there. Don't get me wrong; I really enjoy 18th and Vine. Few things make me happier than sitting in the Blue Room on a Saturday night, listening to some good music and watching The Star's delivery trucks loaded with the big Sunday paper driving past. JAM: We'll assume that, in addition to the Blue Room, you've spent time in other top KC jazz clubs and concert halls. What are some of the most inspiring live jazz shows you've attended in recent years? SK: I always enjoy the Dunn/Freeman Mix. They're consistent and strong. I'm also an Al Pearson fan. The Sonny Rollins concert at the Folly Theater back in 1997 was the greatest concert I've ever attended. A musically transcendent experience. Dave Holland at the Folly in 2001 came close. He's taken the music to a new place, which is a tremendous feat, and I find his shows exhilarating. Roy Haynes, again at the Folly, worked for me. Greg Osby at the Blue Room in 2000 was a big highlight. So was Roy Hargrove at the old Drum Room in 1996. Man, I could have reached out and shook his hand, I was so close. That was the beauty of that place. JAM: KC continues to think of itself as a "jazz town" even though clubs, festivals and radio formats keep going away. a) What are we doing wrong, especially when it comes to the big festivals? And b) what can Kansas City do to keep its jazz scene reasonably healthy? SK: Now there's a pair of tough questions. And asking them is a lot easier... (pause) I think the most realistic answer is that the marketplace will support what the marketplace can support. A lot of good people have put a lot of good energy into making jazz a thing again in Kansas City. But I just don't see it happening. The list of disappointments far outweighs the advances for jazz here. I'm not sure anybody is doing anything wrong. My big concern, as I've said, remains the music itself and whether it's appealing enough to draw a critical mass large enough to support several clubs and draw the national artists to Kansas City when they are on the road. I simply don't see it right now. And I say that as a die-hard fan. JAM: "The music itself"...? SK: I like some edge in the music. But at the same time, so many artists are going so far out that they give less-engaged fans little to nothing to hang onto. By that I mean, enough melody to keep them plugged into a song. The quickest example is Coltrane's "My Favorite Things." It was so successful I think because he kept returning to the central melody throughout the 20-minute piece. As for Kansas City, we need to promote the music better and at least make jazz a more viable entertainment option. We need to give more people a chance to reconnect with it. We're known for few things here, and one of them is jazz. And yet the city really doesn't push that. So in a word: promotion. Lots of it. JAM: At this point in the interview we usually like to put our Q&A subjects on the mythical Desert Island. But because you have a regular radio interview program, let's do it this way: What five jazz artists, past or present, would you like to have as guests on your show and why? SK: 1) Duke Ellington for all the obvious reasons. What an elegant man. I've long been fascinated by him, and talking to him for an hour would be a delight. 2) Miles... if he was having a good day. He pushed the music in so many directions, and that took guts. 3) John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. A thoughtful guy. He'd have a lot to say. 4) Bill Evans, if he'd talk. Anyone that introspective would make for a good hour. 5) Dizzy. I think we'd laugh a lot. JAM: Finally, would you care to offer any predictions for the 2004 election? There are those who think the sounds of a saxophone may return to the White House, this time played by "The First Gentleman"... SK: That's not going to happen. As we speak, Howard Dean is closing in on the nomination fast with Gephardt on his tail. And they don't play horns, do they? I'm not confident about the Democrats' prospects next year. I'd bet on W returning for four more. Then again, there are so many variables out there: Iraq, the economy, North Korea, the potential for more terrorism. So who knows? How's that for a political waffle? * * * Steve Kraske's weekly column in The Kansas City Star runs in the Metro section on Sunday. His radio show "Up to Date" airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on KCUR, 89.3 FM. RETURN TO DECEMBER 2003/JANUARY 2004 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2003. All rights reserved.