JAM: February/March 2007 Issue: Hampton's Hot Licks

What a way to start 2007!
When I was offered tickets to attend Karrin Allyson's New Year's Eve concert at the KC Repertory Theater, I turned them down. It was not because I didn't want to go. Our usual New Year's Eve consists of an early dinner at one of our favorite haunts, then home and safely tucked in the house for the night. Sounds very boring, doesn't it. For someone like me who goes out a lot during the whole year, it fits. And Sue lives in an eight-hour party at work (Harrah's) every day so, again, it fits. We are quite happy to let those who seldom go out take our place on what we have come to call “amateur night.”

There was another motive to spending New Year's Eve at home this year. When I was offered those tickets, I knew that NPR would be broadcasting the concert live. I could stay home, listen live, and record it. I thought, “Ya can't beat this: a live Karrin Allyson concert in fantastic stereo, the most comfortable chair in the house, a well-stocked bar and a great bartender (me), the cheapest drinks in town, and no cover or minimum.”

It got even better! That is, when I found out that NPR and their affiliate station, WBGO out of Newark, NJ, was coming to KC to host the whole NYE “Toast of the Nation” show and that they would be featuring Kansas City jazz from time to time until the wee hours of the morning. They ended sometime shortly after the Pacific time zone people rang in the new year. All from the American Jazz Museum , they made remote stops in New York , Boston , Chicago , Kansas City (at the Rep), and Los Angeles . They played some Jay McShann, a lot of Bobby Watson, Lisa Henry, and did the Allyson concert.

The evening for me was everything I expected and more. I think they should do this every year!

Jazz Community Working Together...
While I was working on Web site banners to promote the NPR New Year's Eve broadcast and the Rep concert, I ran into what seemed like some timing flaws. They turned out not to be flaws at all. They were mostly just time zone conflicts. In the process, I had the good fortune to work with the show's producer, NPR's Becca Pulliam, and the show's host for the evening, Rhonda Hamilton from WBGO. I knew they would be arriving in KC a couple days in advance of the show and that they may have a little time to experience the KC jazz scene. I also knew that they would be leaving very early on New Year's day, so there would be no opportunity to meet with them after the show.

Being a good KC Jazz Ambassador, this called for action and there was little time to get it going. The object was to make sure that by air time, both of our guests needed to know that Kansas City is a happening jazz town. It was just a few days before Christmas and everybody was busy with their own holiday plans and parties. That added to the drama of getting a memorable experience planned for our guests.

Another part of the plan was to help them understand that there are a multitude of jazz support groups here and they can work together for the good of the whole jazz scene. Rhonda and Becca told us they could meet us for the evening on Friday, December 30. We planned to meet in late afternoon at the Mutual Musician's Foundation. Several organizations participated. A gift package was assembled for each of our guests. Donating to it were: KC Jazz Ambassadors, Coda Jazz Fund, UMKC Jazz Friends, Mutual Musician's Foundation, American Jazz Museum , and KKFI. Rhonda and Becca went home with a number of KC jazz t-shirts, KC jazz artist's CDs, and many other goodies.

They loved experiencing the Foundation and hearing some of the stories behind the stories. Ms. Pulliam wrote us, “Besides the wonderful jazz and museum people who made us feel so important, I had the joy of walking into the Mutual Musicians' Foundation hall and experiencing the spirits, the photographs, the real people who are responsible for the continued vitality of that space. And KCUR, including the wonderful Program Director Bill Anderson, provided us with members of the broadcast team, workspace, food, friendship, good humor. They made an investment in our program. We couldn't have visited Kansas City without KCUR.”

For the evening, Ed Fenner (KC Jazz Voice) escorted our guests to several clubs for live jazz in Private Pub Crawl fashion. Ms. Hamilton does a weekday jazz show on WBGO for several hours. (Check out www.wbgo.org for times in your area.) She also does Sirius Satellite broadcasts. She wrote to Ed about her experience, “It was such a pleasure to meet you and all of the great jazz people in Kansas City . We can't thank you enough for taking the time to show us around and give us a taste of KC culture. I've been talking about the great time we had quite a bit on the air. The broadcast went very well and the experiences we had with you allowed us to add a little extra color to the show.”

Thanks KC jazz organizations: mission accomplished!

Then, there was another joint effort during the holidays. Coda Jazz Fund, along with the American Jazz Museum, have started the practice of delivering Christmas baskets to some of our home-bound and less fortunate jazz musicians and dignitaries. This year, there were quite a few baskets and not enough people with time to deliver them. Since Coda does not have a volunteer wing, it only fit for the KC Jazz Ambassadors to assist with deliveries in this wonderful project for the less fortunate part of our jazz family. Next Christmas, we will plan on doing this again. Watch for the invite to help in a KCJA events email.

More Projects...
Behind the scenes is where a number of KCJA projects take place. One who is on top of such efforts is KCJA Jazz Education Board member, Tom Alexios . His enthusiasm for helping our jazzy youth is always in high gear. He may be seen taking a group of students back stage to visit with national artists. He may take a group of jazz kids to the IAJE Convention. Or it may be in supplying drumsticks/pads and/or harmonicas to a hospital or special school for music therapy. One of Tom's latest efforts involves a signed print of Jay McShann. This is worthy of a full Hot Licks story in JAM. Watch for it in the next issue.