JAZZ IN KC: A Status Report

© 1996 Mike Metheny


Kansas City jazz. Did it peter out fifty years ago with the demise of Pendergast and the departure of 'Bird? Or are these "the good old days," what with numerous jazz clubs jumping, the airwaves swinging, and a new synthesis of past and present providing the jazz community with justifiable optimism?

For this 10th anniversary issue of JAM, we thought it best to go right to the source -- the musicians, the club owners, the jazz radio hosts, and of course, the fans -- in an attempt to put a finger to the pulse of jazz in Kansas City, circa 1996.

Yes, These Are The Good Old Days (Or Are They?)
Anyone who takes an interest in the health of Kansas City jazz would have difficulty stating that the scene right now is in a slump. Nearly 30 different venues feature live jazz at least occasionally if not regularly, nationally known talent can be heard at festivals, workshops and selected clubs, and area musicians are sometimes booked months in advance. The overall consensus among those with whom we spoke, therefore, was that jazz is enjoying a strong comeback in Kansas City right now.

"I haven't seen this many true jazz clubs in Kansas City since I can remember," says veteran pianist Pete Eye. "And all the players just keep getting better and better."

Fellow pianist Joe Cartwright agrees.

"The club scene is thriving right now. And the number of places that feature live jazz has increased threefold in the last 15 years."

From two KC jazz musicians who travel, there is another enlightening perspective. First, saxophonist Kim Park.

"I've said this before and I'll say it again: in my travels -- and with the one caveat of per capita -- Kansas City has as much live jazz as any place I've been."

Drummer/vocalist David Basse, who works steadily in both Los Angeles and Kansas City, has a similar point of view.

"My travels have made me appreciate just how good jazz in Kansas City really is. And I think people sometimes get complacent about that."

Ruth Rhoden, co-host of Saturday's "Just Jazz" on KCUR-FM, is another cheerleader for the current state of KC jazz. She, too, has been around long enough to see things from a broader perspective.

"I'm amazed at the renaissance of jazz in Kansas City. There are more restaurants and nightclubs that have live jazz right now than I've ever seen. I know it isn't L.A. or New York (here), but I can remember when you could only hear jazz at a few places; places like the Signboard Bar, or Yaadboids, or sometimes at Milton's. There has been great improvement in the local club scene in recent years."

So then, are these the "good old days" of Kansas City jazz? And are things as good as many people think? An everyday fan has mixed thoughts.

"The 'good old days of Kansas City jazz' were in the 1930s," says jazz buff and Hallmark employee, Stephen Glasscock. "And unfortunately they will never be recaptured... except maybe by Robert Altman! Those were truly epic times, very important historically and with quite a remarkable assemblage of gigantic talents. That said, these days around KC are sure as heck not bad. Definitely much better than 10 years ago."

Other jazz musicians we spoke with also had ambivalent feelings about this topic, and two in particular -- saxophonists Gerald Dunn and Horace Washington -- aren't necessarily seeing things in a purely positive light.

"The current state of live jazz (in KC) right now is pretty weak," says Dunn, "especially when it comes to local musicians doing a whole 'show.' The clubs are into the jam session mentality right now -- which is cool -- but it's becoming their main source of entertainment instead of providing a creative atmosphere for musicians and a place where people come to actually listen."

(More on the noise problem later.)

Horace Washington is even more concerned. Especially about the way jazz musicians are paid.
"Hey, things are going great right now! With all the gigs and all the clubs. But it's the economics of the whole thing that's really bad. The pay (for KC jazz musicians) is just horrible. How are we supposed to afford equipment, and CD projects, and distribution, and all the things that go with the trade, on 75 or 100 dollars a gig? We need to honor and reward the musicians. Kansas City has to decide if it's going to be a big league jazz city or not."

There were still others who, when asked about the current state of KC jazz, were more philosophical. And pragmatic.

"(The KC jazz scene) tends to run in five-year cycles," trumpeter Stan Kessler says. "And the latest cycle peaked out a couple of years ago. Things are now on a downward swing."

Cycles? A "downward swing?"

"It's difficult (now) to get a gig playing the music you really want to play, what your heart is asking you to play. At the peaks of the cycles, there's more opportunity for that kind of expression."

Organist/keyboardist Everette DeVan probably has the most forward-looking take on the current state of KC jazz. His is an approach that deals not only with the status of jazz in this historic town, but also makes a timely reference to occasional division in the jazz community -- a subject we will also attempt to tackle in this report.

"People need to stop talking about 'the good old days' and make these the good old days!" says DeVan. "And the way to do that is for everybody to have one goal in mind. To cooperate, to work together."

Says KC native and worldclass saxophonist Bobby Watson, "Everyday is 'the good old days!'"

When all is said and done, Watson's succinct credo may make the most sense of all.

A Labor of Love
Even though being a jazz musician isn't always the easiest way to make a living, most feel fortunate to just do what they love and get paid for it. And it sometimes takes club owners of a similar "labor of love" mentality to make employment opportunities possible in the first place. It is indeed a symbiotic relationship -- with club owners constantly living on the edge.

"It really is difficult to make money from a purely jazz format," says Todd Wilkinson of the Drum Room. "Jazz fans are a fairly intellectual crowd -- and pretty health and safety conscious -- so they don't drink all that much. They're not party animals... they're more into the art. From a business standpoint, that makes it more difficult."

Wilkinson seems to have a handle on what it takes to keep the ship afloat, however.

"Two things: consistency and variety. A consistently high quality of live music, and a variety of styles. To survive economically and draw upon as many niches as possible, you have to do it that way."

Leroy Rollins of the Epicurean Lounge has noticed a change in what "jazz" actually is.

"It's tough to maintain a live jazz policy now," he says, "because the market has changed. The times have changed. I grew up listening to jazz, but today the people who go to the clubs, they grew up listening to rock and R&B, with jazz maybe third or fourth down the line. The jazz they're listening to now is from people like Boney James, Gerald Albright, George Howard, George Benson and Norman Brown. What you would call the more 'traditional' jazz sounds don't seem to be as popular anymore."

(Or to quote Arthur Jackson of The Scamps, "A lot of what's being played now isn't like the 'old jazz' I grew up with. It's something else now... I don't even know what it is!")

Steve Pearce at The Point has just about given up on jazz altogether.

"First of all, people don't like to pay a cover charge. And there's not enough coverage of local acts, not enough support from The Star. The (local) musicians are not as appreciated as they should be."

The Point is now booking alternative rock bands.

On a more positive note, several club owners and musicians we talked to were encouraged by the upcoming release of "Kansas City," the new film by Robert Altman that aspires to showcase vintage KC jazz on a more global scale.

"(Local interest) in jazz is cyclical," says bassist Tim Brewer. "And with the movie 'Kansas City' about to open, jazz will be hot again. At least for a while."

Joe Wilcox of The Club at Plaza III agrees.

"The current state of the Kansas City jazz scene is good right now and getting better. Especially with the movie 'Kansas City' about to be released."

Nurturing new and younger jazz aficionados is another important factor, as Jon Murphy of The Elbow Room explains:

"Younger listeners are starting to be attracted to younger (jazz) players. And that kind of exposure is everything. It keeps the audience (for jazz) growing."

All in all, club owners and the jazz musicians they employ seem to share a cautious yet full-speed-ahead optimism about the resurgence of Kansas City jazz. As Ron Schoonover of The Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill sums it up:

"I think jazz in Kansas City right now is about as healthy as it can get."

Shhhhhh!!
"Kansas City audiences are notoriously noisy!" says bassist Bob Branstetter, a 30 year veteran of the KC jazz scene. And in our survey, we found similar unhappiness -- bordering on exasperation -- when it comes to chatty, insensitive club crowds.

In all fairness, it should be acknowledged that there are those (musicians and fans alike) who don't mind excessive crowd noise while the music is being played. Comes with the turf, they say. Adds to the excitement of the moment, say others. But there are many who find this to be one of the more unpleasant parts of live jazz in Kansas City. And as expected, club owners, musicians and hard core fans all have opinions that run the gamut.

"Yes, I do think, personally, that there is too much noise," says Alex Thomas of Club Mardi Gras. "But I don't know how we can control people when they socialize. We want them to come hear the music, but we might chase them away if we get too tough on the noise."

"How do you tell somebody not to have a good time?!" adds Greg Halstead of Jardine's.

Joe Wilcox of Plaza III believes that some of the responsibility rests with the musicians themselves. "We try to book acts that are compelling," he says, "acts that cause people to listen."

"There is also the social issue," says Ron Schoonover. "Kansas City is a social town, and people come (to the club) because of the music, but also to relax and socialize. If we took away the music, we'd be finished."

Noori Jones of the Boulevard Cafe, on the other hand, takes it all in stride.

"Sometimes the customers get too noisy. And there are times when I will tell them to please be quiet. But I think it's all a matter of 'good days' and 'bad days'... just like life itself."

OK. So we've heard the thoughts of several club owners. But how do the musicians feel? Here's a random sampling:

"People should realize that musicians are human," says bassist Ricky Anderson. "That we have emotions and feelings. That we're up there baring our souls. When we're ignored, we have the same reaction any professional would have to being treated disrespectfully."

"The crowds are just too loud," states singer Karrin Allyson. "The solution? I know what my solution has been; I try to work in places that have as much consideration for the musicians as they do their customers. And a cover charge is one way to achieve that. It assigns value to the music. People think 'hey, maybe this is something important we should listen to.' But then, unfortunately, sometimes people need to be told something is worth listening to! Because they can't figure it out for themselves (laughs)."

Todd Wilkinson of the Drum Room sees the issue as one to do more with sociology. And cultural conditioning.

"Kansas City jazz clubs are absolutely too noisy! It's true. But the real root of the problem is the whole American approach to commodity entertainment. You buy your fun and all that comes with it, and that includes talking in the clubs. Especially if you've paid your five bucks. Also, people have grown up watching TV. And when the TV is on in the house, it's OK to talk. The TV's never gonna say, 'hey! hold it down!' Most people don't see the difference -- live entertainment, recorded entertainment, it's all the same thing. People are products of that culture. That mentality."

Thus, the issue of noisy jazz clubs remains unresolved for the time being.

...As band bar tabs continue to soar.

Jazz Radio: Providing Invaluable Support
It's a foregone conclusion that without the support of jazz airplay, awareness of this esoteric art form tends to wane. Fortunately, Kansas City jazz fans have a good selection of stations from which to choose. And each have established DJs who share a passion for the music while offering support for many local musicians who release albums (a surprisingly high number if you've followed "For The Record" in this magazine over the past several years).

"The local recording scene is really good right now," says Ginney Coleman, co-host (along with Ruth Rhoden) of KCUR's "Just Jazz." "There are lots of CDs by local artists for us to play on the show."

KANU's Dick Wright shares Coleman's enthusiasm for local jazz releases.

"In terms of the output of Kansas City jazz musicians, things are fantastic right now. I can't get over how many local CDs have come out in the last five years."

This appreciation, of course, is a two-way street.

"Ginney and Ruth are very good," says drummer Ray DeMarchi. "And KANU in Lawrence is excellent. Both stations are very supportive of local jazz musicians."

Bassist James Albright adds, "Local jazz finds most of its support from public radio, but the new 'smooth jazz' station (KCIY 106.5) has really been helping out. Still, there can always be more."
So, what role does local jazz programming play in the overall health of Kansas City jazz? Says Dick Wright:

"There are two things we must do (as radio hosts): play honest jazz, and offer as much support to the local artists as possible."

Fans and musicians alike are lucky to have area radio stations that do both.

Print Media Coverage: The Vote is Out
Fair or unfair, there is the general perception within the Kansas City jazz community that support of local jazz by mainstream and alternative print journalism is sorely lacking. Says one musician who wished to remain anonymous, "When it comes to coverage of local jazz, The Star sucks. And it doesn't even suck very well!"

Although there were other negative assessments of similar intensity, it must also be said that several people were encouraged by the attention given to jazz in The Star by Calvin Wilson, the newspaper's jazz writer since 1993.

"It seems The Star has improved recently," says singer Julie Turner. "Prior to Calvin Wilson, there really wasn't enough coverage (of jazz)."

Bassist Gerald Spaits agrees. "The Star has been good; and Calvin Wilson has been very supportive of local jazz."

Still, because the topic of Star coverage seemed to touch so many nerves on so many sides of the issue, we felt it best to let Calvin Wilson speak for himself. Which he did quite eloquently.

"If you look at any area of coverage in the newspaper, it depends on how prominent the person is in their art. Look at the way Robert Trussell covers theater, the way Bob Butler covers movies, the way Scott Cantrell covers classical music... The coverage is going to depend upon how the artist is viewed within the artist's own community, and also by the public at large.

"If a person is on a national record label, if they're getting attention in the national press, if they're playing major jazz festivals, naturally they are going to get more coverage than someone who isn't doing any of those things.

"As far as local coverage is concerned, if you ask people like Karrin Allyson, Bob Bowman, Interstring, Angela Hagenbach, Matt Kane, Tim Perryman, Speedy Huggins, Gerald Spaits, Lisa Henry, Bryan Hicks, Ahmad Alaadeen and Kevin Mahogany, there's been quite a bit in The Star about those people. But, it's also important to remember: The Kansas City Star is not Down Beat! It isn't the Jazz Ambassador Magazine! It isn't specialized. It's a general interest newspaper, and we have to give space to things according to what we think the general public is going to be interested in. To tell you the truth, I've been doing the best I can to get more jazz into The Star.

"Up until a couple of years ago, there was no jazz coverage in The Star, period! So even if it looks like the out-of-town acts get more coverage (than local bands), I really think that helps to get more people interested in the music. And if more people are interested in the music, then maybe they will be more interested in what the local musicians are doing."

Wilson has some thoughts about local musicians keeping him informed about their activities. Timely input, apparently, is not always forthcoming.

"I have to damn near pull teeth to get information on what people are doing around town. So for people to complain about a lack of coverage... it mystifies me. Getting things done is a two-way street. If I don't know what street you're on, I'm not going to be able to give you a lift."

That said, there is still the question of who gets an occasional mention.

"To be honest, everyone isn't equally worthy of getting coverage. That's why there are better and worse things in life! Some things are more worthy of notice than others! But, if you're not covered, it doesn't necessarily have any bearing on your talent, or how much you deserve to be noticed. It's important to remember that."

What, then, is the best way to keep The Star informed of upcoming events and activities?

"As soon as you know you're going to be doing something, let me know about it. Don't wait until the day before the thing happens, or it absolutely won't get covered. I've had people call me on a Tuesday to tell me about something they were doing on Wednesday. That's too late. It's important to give us plenty of lead time, either by letter a month or so ahead, or by phone no later than two weeks ahead. I may not call you back in 15 minutes, or even that day or that week based on what's going on (here), but I'll do my best."

Regarding the dismay we found in the jazz community about lack of coverage in The Star, Wilson sums it up like this.

"It's important not to get an attitude just because what you want to have happen doesn't. While we would love to accommodate everyone, we simply don't have the space to do that. And like I said, general interest and worthiness will always be factors, too."

To contact Calvin Wilson, write to: The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108, or call Startouch at 889-7827 and enter #5410.

Can't We Just Get Along?
The Kansas City jazz community has a long (and some would say, unfortunate) history of division. Think of it: over the years there have been the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors, the Kansas City Jazz Commission, the Charlie Parker Foundation, the 18th & Vine Authority, the Mutual Musicians Foundation... on and on it goes. Can the jazz community afford to be so fractured? Are there ways for everyone to just get along?

There were numerous theories offered to us to achieve more "unity in the jazz community." And most were of such a diverse nature that, if voiced in a room simultaneously would probably cause more of the same strife this jazz town has known for much of the past ten years. There were three comments, however, that we will print here. Each have merit; and each provide food for thought.

"The best thing that could happen (to KC jazz) would be for the local union to get strong again," says pianist Greg Meise. "Twenty-five or 30 years ago, the union was much stronger and there seemed to be a much more cohesive atmosphere in the jazz community. The annual (Kansas City Jazz) Festival (of the 1960s), for example, was very much union-backed. The union was the unifying faction in those days."

Trumpeter Stan Kessler has more of a "United Nations" approach. With the musicians themselves having the floor.

"If we could get all the organizations and all the musicians together in the same room, lock the doors and let these people hear what the musicians have to say, I think they'd be in for a shock. There would have to be a gag rule for the bickering entities; make them listen to all the leaders of all the bands so they'd learn what's really going on. What it's really like being a musician! What we have to put up with, and what they can do to help."

Kim Park's assessment of it all, however, reveals that he is clearly one musician who intends to remain above the fray. For him, it's simply a matter of priorities.

"As far as I'm concerned, all the different groups can bicker and squabble all they want as long as the support for the musicians is there. I really don't care about such internal squabbles; all I care about is that (they) show up for the events and buy the albums of the local artists."
'Nuf said.

The Future is Now
"There are a lot of people," says trombonist and longtime KC jazz musician Arch Martin, "who are quick to say, 'Aw, jazz is dead in Kansas City; there's nothing going on... forget the Jazz Hall of Fame,' and all that. I think that's a terrible shame. When I first went on Woody Herman's band, simply because I was from Kansas City, I was somebody! Look at the talent this town has been responsible for! And is currently responsible for."

Currently, indeed. One person who was interviewed for this story -- and who also didn't want to be identified -- spoke of the current state of jazz in Kansas City in terms of, of all things, "a glut. There's too much of a good thing! Too many players. Too many clubs. Too many events!" There is some irony in that remark. After years of concern about the survival of jazz in KC, all of the sudden there are numerous venues competing for the same audience and, quite possibly, watering down an already scant market base and canceling each other out.

Still, as always, it comes back to that ultimate bottom line: the fans themselves. No jazz fans? No clubs, no concerts, no work. (And not much to write about in the Jazz Ambassador Magazine.)

What is it, then, that lights a fire in the soul of today's Kansas City jazz fan? Pat Jacobs-McDonald, coordinator of the 18th & Vine Heritage Jazz Festival, knows what she loves about Kansas City jazz.

"The best thing about hearing live jazz is the feeling of anticipation. What's going to happen next? I don't think there's anything like live jazz; whether it's played by a high-profile professional, or an after-work, weekend, semi-pro amateur. There will always be a place for this music."

We hope she's right.

(John Encell, Dean Hampton, Jerry Landsbaum, John Leisenring and Bart Swartz contributed to this story.)


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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.