JAM: December 2004/January 2005 Issue: News & Notes

Cascone's Adds Guest Artists

Saxophonist Jim Mair and pianist Mike Ning have been performing at Cascone's every weekend for the past year. During the month of December, the two will treat diners to some added remarkable talent. The special guests are: Dec. 3 – Guitarist Charlie Gatschet Dec. 4 – Vocalist Sharon Thompson Dec. 10 – Guitarist Danny Embrey Dec. 11 – Vocalist Kathleen Holeman Dec. 17 – Jake Blanton Dec. 18 – Vocalist Sherry Jones Russell Malone/Benny Green in Columbia
Guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Benny Green will perform at Murry's in Columbia , Missouri , on December 5 , as part of the We Always Swing Jazz Series. Personal friends for many years, Russell Malone and Benny Green have learned a lot from the same teacher, master bassist and bandleader Ray Brown. The music of this duo reflects a lot of the Ray Brown school: flawless technique, tricky arrangements and a general swinging, happy feeling. For more information, call 573-449-3001 or visit www.wealwaysswing.org .

A Christmas Jazz Festival

The annual "Jazz Community Carol Fest " has pooled so much jazz talent that it might as well be haled a jazz festival with Christmas songs. Set for Sunday, December 5 , the concert will feature such KC all-stars as Tim Whitmer (piano), Rusty Tucker , Jurgen Welge (drums), James Albright (bass), Michael O'Shiver (harp) Everette DeVan (keyboards), Jim Mair and Kim Park (saxophones), Stan Kessler (trumpet), Rod Fleeman (guitar), Myra Taylor , Millie Edwards , Lori Tucker , Geneva Price , Diane "Mama" Ray and "Duck" Warner (vocals). The music begins at the Community Christian Church , 4601 Main , where tickets will be on sale prior to the show (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ). Call 816-561-6531 for additional information.

A Great Day in Kansas City

The Academy Award nominated documentary “ A Great Day in Harlem ” will be screened at the new midtown movie theater, Screenland , 1656 Washington, on Thursday, December 9, at 8 pm. Saxophonist Benny Golson , who performs at the Folly the following night, will also be on hand. “A Great Day in Harlem ” documents photographer Albert Kane's 1958 photograph of jazz musicians gathered at Harlem . It is the only photograph of its kind to capture so many jazz giants in one photo. (See photo this issue in the Folly Jazz column.) Golson, who appears in the photograph, will present a signed copy to the American Jazz Museum . A reception precedes the film at 7 pm . The event is free, but RSVPs are necessary. Call The Folly at 816-474-4444 for reservations.

Benny Golson at The Folly

Saxophonist Benny Golson will appear at the Folly Theater , 12 th & Central, on Friday, December 10, at 8 pm . Golson, who is also a composer, lyricist, producer, and arranger, performed with Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Art Blakey. (See the Folly Theater column in this issue.) Tickets range from $15 to $27 and can be purchased through the Folly Theater Box Office at 816-474-4444.

Kevin Mahogany at Jardine's

Vocalist Kevin Mahogany will appear at Jardine's , 4547 Main St. , for five nights, December 12 – 16. Mahogany, who continues to make the DownBeat Reader's Poll list under the Best Vocalist category, is originally from Kansas City . Mahogany, who has a deep Joe Turner-like voice and a talent for scatting, has a large fan base here. In 1992, with his rent money in his pocket, Mahogany traveled to New York and began knocking on doors. An hour or two before his flight home, a door opened and his life changed forever. Mahogany released his first international CD on the Enja label and two consecutive ones after that. As his popularity skyrocketed, Mahogany was picked up by Warner Brothers. Meanwhile, the local vocalist was being flown around the world, performing in festivals and clubs. Mahogany now lives in Florida where he has started his own record label. Tickets are $20 and reservations are necessary. Call Jardine's at 816-561-6480 for more information.

Midnight Jazz

Johnson County Community College 's Midnight Express Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Choir will perform in their annual Fall Jazz Night , Wednesday, December 15, 7:30 pm , at the Carlsen Center , 12345 College Boulevard . The concert, directed by Ron Stinson , associate professor of instrumental music at the college, will present works by Thad Jones, Stan Kenton, Chuck Mangione, and Lennie Niehaus along with original student compositions. Admission is free. Call 913-469-3886 for more information.

Jazz Ambassador Christmas Party and Silent Auction

The Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors will celebrate Christmas in style—jazz style, that is—at Hotel Phillips , 106 W. 12 St., on Thursday, December 16 beginning at 7 pm. The Mark Lowery Trio will perform, and free hors d'ouerves will be served. Silent auction prizes include gift certificates, jazz CDs and a variety of merchandise. For more information, call 913-967-6767.

A Jazzy New Years Eve, Family Style

The Great Wolf Lodge , known for its unique theme rooms and indoor waterpark, is featuring a jazzy New Years Eve party open to families. Jim Mair , Mike Ning , James Albright and Keith Kavanaugh will perform in the lobby of the hotel throughout the night. Karaoke, dj music, and special family activities will also generate excitement until the midnight hour. Hotel packages start at $334. Call 1-800-608-9653 for more information.

Big Blues at the Blue Room New Years Eve

Delta Blues vocalist Ruby Wilson will be the life of the party at the Blue Room's New Years Eve Celebration at 18 th & Vine. Known worldwide as the Queen of Beale Street, the vocalist is a regular at B.B. King's nightclub in Memphis . Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling 816-474-8463.

Spirituality Concerts Kick It Up A Notch

The 2005 schedule for Spirituality & All That Jazz will add a little punch to the local jazz scene. Gone are the single featured artists who performed with Tim Whitmer and the Consort Band at Unity Temple on the Plaza . Instead, the newer concerts offer multiple artists with a theme. “We decided to take the series up another notch,” says Whitmer, who founded the series 11 years ago. Whitmer says he designed the performances to be more like a concert series, similar to the Folly or Quality Hill Playhouse, with two seasons per year “We're real excited about it,” he says. The line-up includes: January 5 - Keys Extravaganza featuring Whitmer, Everette DeVan and Bram Wijnands . With the house Steinway piano, B-3 organ and electric keyboard playing together, “our jam will have a lot of varieties of different colors,” says Whitmer February 2 – Jazz Romance featuring The Wild Women of Kansas City . “With the Wild Women you may hear a song that you never even knew was a love song,” laughs Whitmer. March 2 – Sax Summit featuring Jim Mair , Terry Peffer and Dan Thomas . All three saxophonists studied under the same teacher, Scott Prybiss in Bismark, ND. April 6 – An Evening of Burt Bacharach featuring Whitmer and Millie Edwards . “We were inspired by what Marilyn Maye was doing at Jardine's,” say Whitmer. The revue showcases Burt Bacharach songs in a variety of different arrangements. “This is a show from top to bottom.” It is also a preview of what Whitmer and Edwards will be performing at the Quality Hill Playhouse. May 4 – Blue Devils Big Band under the direction of Jim Mair . This is Mair's Kansas City Kansas Community College jazz big band. (Not to be confused with the original Blue Devils or even Jim Mair's Kansas City Jazz Orchastra.) June 1 – Piano Perfection featuring Joe Cartwright in a special concert. “He's the only person in this concert who has his own show,” say Whitmer, who has always admired Cartwright's performances. The concerts take place the first Wednesday of the month at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47 St. Tickets are $6. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 816-444-6262.

Bob Kindred at Kansas City Jazz Workshop

Saxophonist Bob Kindred will be performing at the Kansas City Jazz Workshop on Monday, January 10, at 7 pm, at the Downtown Marriott Hotel , 12 th & Central. Critics have rated Kindred's performances with that of Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. The Philadelphia native has performed around the world with such greats as Charles Earland, Woody Herman's Thundering New Herd, and Ed Thigpen. The tenor saxophonist also provides clinics. Tickets for the concert are $25 ($20 for Jazz Ambassadors). For more information, call 816-587-1894.

Marian McPartland at the Folly

Anyone who listens to jazz on NPR is probably familiar with Marian McPartland . She has a weekly radio show in which she interviews fellow jazz pianists. On January 22 , her listeners can have the chance to interview her. McPartland will perform at 8 pm at the Folly , 12 th & Central. But at 7 pm, the Folly holds its regular Jazz Talk session with the artist. This gives concert goers a chance to get close up and personal. (To read more about McPartland—and to see her as a young woman in the famed “Great Day in Harlem” photo—see the Folly column in this issue.) Tickets range from $15 to 27. For more information, call 816-474-4444.

Randy Weston at Gem Series

Pianist Randy Weston will perform as part of the Jammin' at the Gem series on Saturday, January 29 , at 7 pm, at the Gem Theater on 18 th & Vine. Weston grew up in Brooklyn and didn't have to travel too far to hear the greats. He was greatly influenced by Theloneus Monk. In the 50s, he performed around New York with Cecil Payne and Kenneth Dorham. He recorded “Saucer Eyes,” “Pam's Waltz,” “Little Niles” and “Hy-Fly.” The latter was written as a result of being 6'8” tall. In the 60s, when most of his contemporaries moved to Europe, Weston moved to Africa and performed throughout the country. His music continues to have a heavy African influence. Tickets are $26. Call the Gem Theater Box Office at 816-474-6262 for details.

Harold Mabern/Eric Alexander at Columbia Jazz Series

Pianist Harold Mabern and saxophonist Eric Alexander will perform at Murry's in Columbia on January 30 . Mabern, originally from Memphis, has performed with Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer and J.J. Johnson as well as a who's who of jazz vocalists. Alexander, who was recently named Jazz Week's Artist of the Year, has performed on over 60 recordings. For more information, call 573-449-3001.

Trumpeter Nicholas Layton at UMKC Jazz Festival

Trumpeter Nicholas Layton will headline the DownBeat/ UMKC Jazz Festival on the UMKC campus on February 4 and 5 . The New Orleans trumpeter is known for his progressive style of jazz. He will give workshops for UMKC jazz students. For more information, call 816-235-6222.

Former Kansas Citian Jimmy Lovelace Dies

Jimmy Ross Lovelace , 64, one of the great jazz drummers, passed away on Friday morning October 29, 2004 in New York, New York.

Jimmy was born on February 6, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri, to James W. Ross and Ruth Walls Ross Lovelace. They both preceded him in death.

He was a graduate of Manual High School in 1958. Afterwards, he moved to California, then to New York City in 1964, where he continued to master his drumming skills.

Known affectionately as "The Ancient One", Jimmy has recordings with some of Jazz's greatest musicians, including George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Prince Lasha, Bobby Watson, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, and many, many more.

He leaves to mourn his sister Myra Lovelace, Kansas City, Missouri, and many nieces and nephews.






	Search our site:		Cascone's Adds Guest Artists Saxophonist Jim Mair and pianist Mike Ning have been performing at Cascone's every weekend for the past year. During the month of December, the two will treat diners to some added remarkable talent. The special guests are: Dec. 3 – Guitarist Charlie Gatschet Dec. 4 – Vocalist Sharon Thompson Dec. 10 – Guitarist Danny Embrey Dec. 11 – Vocalist Kathleen Holeman Dec. 17 – Jake Blanton Dec. 18 – Vocalist Sherry Jones Russell Malone/Benny Green in Columbia Guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Benny Green will perform at Murry's in Columbia , Missouri , on December 5 , as part of the We Always Swing Jazz Series. Personal friends for many years, Russell Malone and Benny Green have learned a lot from the same teacher, master bassist and bandleader Ray Brown. The music of this duo reflects a lot of the Ray Brown school: flawless technique, tricky arrangements and a general swinging, happy feeling. For more information, call 573-449-3001 or visit www.wealwaysswing.org . A Christmas Jazz Festival The annual "Jazz Community Carol Fest " has pooled so much jazz talent that it might as well be haled a jazz festival with Christmas songs. Set for Sunday, December 5 , the concert will feature such KC all-stars as Tim Whitmer (piano), Rusty Tucker , Jurgen Welge (drums), James Albright (bass), Michael O'Shiver (harp) Everette DeVan (keyboards), Jim Mair and Kim Park (saxophones), Stan Kessler (trumpet), Rod Fleeman (guitar), Myra Taylor , Millie Edwards , Lori Tucker , Geneva Price , Diane "Mama" Ray and "Duck" Warner (vocals). The music begins at the Community Christian Church , 4601 Main , where tickets will be on sale prior to the show (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ). Call 816-561-6531 for additional information. A Great Day in Kansas City The Academy Award nominated documentary “ A Great Day in Harlem ” will be screened at the new midtown movie theater, Screenland , 1656 Washington, on Thursday, December 9, at 8 pm. Saxophonist Benny Golson , who performs at the Folly the following night, will also be on hand. “A Great Day in Harlem ” documents photographer Albert Kane's 1958 photograph of jazz musicians gathered at Harlem . It is the only photograph of its kind to capture so many jazz giants in one photo. (See photo this issue in the Folly Jazz column.) Golson, who appears in the photograph, will present a signed copy to the American Jazz Museum . A reception precedes the film at 7 pm . The event is free, but RSVPs are necessary. Call The Folly at 816-474-4444 for reservations. Benny Golson at The Folly Saxophonist Benny Golson will appear at the Folly Theater , 12 th & Central, on Friday, December 10, at 8 pm . Golson, who is also a composer, lyricist, producer, and arranger, performed with Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Art Blakey. (See the Folly Theater column in this issue.) Tickets range from $15 to $27 and can be purchased through the Folly Theater Box Office at 816-474-4444. Kevin Mahogany at Jardine's Vocalist Kevin Mahogany will appear at Jardine's , 4547 Main St. , for five nights, December 12 – 16. Mahogany, who continues to make the DownBeat Reader's Poll list under the Best Vocalist category, is originally from Kansas City . Mahogany, who has a deep Joe Turner-like voice and a talent for scatting, has a large fan base here. In 1992, with his rent money in his pocket, Mahogany traveled to New York and began knocking on doors. An hour or two before his flight home, a door opened and his life changed forever. Mahogany released his first international CD on the Enja label and two consecutive ones after that. As his popularity skyrocketed, Mahogany was picked up by Warner Brothers. Meanwhile, the local vocalist was being flown around the world, performing in festivals and clubs. Mahogany now lives in Florida where he has started his own record label. Tickets are $20 and reservations are necessary. Call Jardine's at 816-561-6480 for more information. Midnight Jazz Johnson County Community College 's Midnight Express Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Choir will perform in their annual Fall Jazz Night , Wednesday, December 15, 7:30 pm , at the Carlsen Center , 12345 College Boulevard . The concert, directed by Ron Stinson , associate professor of instrumental music at the college, will present works by Thad Jones, Stan Kenton, Chuck Mangione, and Lennie Niehaus along with original student compositions. Admission is free. Call 913-469-3886 for more information. Jazz Ambassador Christmas Party and Silent Auction The Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors will celebrate Christmas in style—jazz style, that is—at Hotel Phillips , 106 W. 12 St., on Thursday, December 16 beginning at 7 pm. The Mark Lowery Trio will perform, and free hors d'ouerves will be served. Silent auction prizes include gift certificates, jazz CDs and a variety of merchandise. For more information, call 913-967-6767. A Jazzy New Years Eve, Family Style The Great Wolf Lodge , known for its unique theme rooms and indoor waterpark, is featuring a jazzy New Years Eve party open to families. Jim Mair , Mike Ning , James Albright and Keith Kavanaugh will perform in the lobby of the hotel throughout the night. Karaoke, dj music, and special family activities will also generate excitement until the midnight hour. Hotel packages start at $334. Call 1-800-608-9653 for more information. Big Blues at the Blue Room New Years Eve Delta Blues vocalist Ruby Wilson will be the life of the party at the Blue Room's New Years Eve Celebration at 18 th & Vine. Known worldwide as the Queen of Beale Street, the vocalist is a regular at B.B. King's nightclub in Memphis . Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling 816-474-8463. Spirituality Concerts Kick It Up A Notch The 2005 schedule for Spirituality & All That Jazz will add a little punch to the local jazz scene. Gone are the single featured artists who performed with Tim Whitmer and the Consort Band at Unity Temple on the Plaza . Instead, the newer concerts offer multiple artists with a theme. “We decided to take the series up another notch,” says Whitmer, who founded the series 11 years ago. Whitmer says he designed the performances to be more like a concert series, similar to the Folly or Quality Hill Playhouse, with two seasons per year “We're real excited about it,” he says. The line-up includes: January 5 - Keys Extravaganza featuring Whitmer, Everette DeVan and Bram Wijnands . With the house Steinway piano, B-3 organ and electric keyboard playing together, “our jam will have a lot of varieties of different colors,” says Whitmer February 2 – Jazz Romance featuring The Wild Women of Kansas City . “With the Wild Women you may hear a song that you never even knew was a love song,” laughs Whitmer. March 2 – Sax Summit featuring Jim Mair , Terry Peffer and Dan Thomas . All three saxophonists studied under the same teacher, Scott Prybiss in Bismark, ND. April 6 – An Evening of Burt Bacharach featuring Whitmer and Millie Edwards . “We were inspired by what Marilyn Maye was doing at Jardine's,” say Whitmer. The revue showcases Burt Bacharach songs in a variety of different arrangements. “This is a show from top to bottom.” It is also a preview of what Whitmer and Edwards will be performing at the Quality Hill Playhouse. May 4 – Blue Devils Big Band under the direction of Jim Mair . This is Mair's Kansas City Kansas Community College jazz big band. (Not to be confused with the original Blue Devils or even Jim Mair's Kansas City Jazz Orchastra.) June 1 – Piano Perfection featuring Joe Cartwright in a special concert. “He's the only person in this concert who has his own show,” say Whitmer, who has always admired Cartwright's performances. The concerts take place the first Wednesday of the month at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47 St. Tickets are $6. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 816-444-6262. Bob Kindred at Kansas City Jazz Workshop Saxophonist Bob Kindred will be performing at the Kansas City Jazz Workshop on Monday, January 10, at 7 pm, at the Downtown Marriott Hotel , 12 th & Central. Critics have rated Kindred's performances with that of Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. The Philadelphia native has performed around the world with such greats as Charles Earland, Woody Herman's Thundering New Herd, and Ed Thigpen. The tenor saxophonist also provides clinics. Tickets for the concert are $25 ($20 for Jazz Ambassadors). For more information, call 816-587-1894. Marian McPartland at the Folly Anyone who listens to jazz on NPR is probably familiar with Marian McPartland . She has a weekly radio show in which she interviews fellow jazz pianists. On January 22 , her listeners can have the chance to interview her. McPartland will perform at 8 pm at the Folly , 12 th & Central. But at 7 pm, the Folly holds its regular Jazz Talk session with the artist. This gives concert goers a chance to get close up and personal. (To read more about McPartland—and to see her as a young woman in the famed “Great Day in Harlem” photo—see the Folly column in this issue.) Tickets range from $15 to 27. For more information, call 816-474-4444. Randy Weston at Gem Series Pianist Randy Weston will perform as part of the Jammin' at the Gem series on Saturday, January 29 , at 7 pm, at the Gem Theater on 18 th & Vine. Weston grew up in Brooklyn and didn't have to travel too far to hear the greats. He was greatly influenced by Theloneus Monk. In the 50s, he performed around New York with Cecil Payne and Kenneth Dorham. He recorded “Saucer Eyes,” “Pam's Waltz,” “Little Niles” and “Hy-Fly.” The latter was written as a result of being 6'8” tall. In the 60s, when most of his contemporaries moved to Europe, Weston moved to Africa and performed throughout the country. His music continues to have a heavy African influence. Tickets are $26. Call the Gem Theater Box Office at 816-474-6262 for details. Harold Mabern/Eric Alexander at Columbia Jazz Series Pianist Harold Mabern and saxophonist Eric Alexander will perform at Murry's in Columbia on January 30 . Mabern, originally from Memphis, has performed with Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer and J.J. Johnson as well as a who's who of jazz vocalists. Alexander, who was recently named Jazz Week's Artist of the Year, has performed on over 60 recordings. For more information, call 573-449-3001. Trumpeter Nicholas Layton at UMKC Jazz Festival Trumpeter Nicholas Layton will headline the DownBeat/ UMKC Jazz Festival on the UMKC campus on February 4 and 5 . The New Orleans trumpeter is known for his progressive style of jazz. He will give workshops for UMKC jazz students. For more information, call 816-235-6222. Former Kansas Citian Jimmy Lovelace Dies Jimmy Ross Lovelace , 64, one of the great jazz drummers, passed away on Friday morning October 29, 2004 in New York, New York. Jimmy was born on February 6, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri, to James W. Ross and Ruth Walls Ross Lovelace. They both preceded him in death. He was a graduate of Manual High School in 1958. Afterwards, he moved to California, then to New York City in 1964, where he continued to master his drumming skills. Known affectionately as "The Ancient One", Jimmy has recordings with some of Jazz's greatest musicians, including George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Prince Lasha, Bobby Watson, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, and many, many more. He leaves to mourn his sister Myra Lovelace, Kansas City, Missouri, and many nieces and nephews. 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. RETURN TO DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2005. All rights reserved.