JAM Magazine: August/September 1997 Issue: News & Notes

A Star-Studded 1997-98
The Kansas City Jazz Workshop has announced its 1997-98 season and area jazz fans are bound to be delighted by the quality and diversity of the lineup. On Tuesday, September 9, vocalist Sue Raney, trumpeter Carl Saunders, and pianist Alan Broadbent will be joined by KC's Danny Embrey (guitar), Bob Bowman (bass) and Tommy Ruskin (drums). Monday, October 20, trombonist Bill Watrous and tenor saxophonist Bob Kindred will be backed by Paul Smith (piano), Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin. Monday, November 24 the spotlight will be on the Sherrie Maricle Sextet, fronted by the drummer/leader of "Diva: No Man's Band." Tuesday, February 10, look for vocalist Rebecca Parris in concert along with Danny Embrey, Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin. And on Monday, March 9, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi and saxophonist Cercie Miller will come to KC to be backed by Danny Embrey, Paul Smith, Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin.

All concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. at UMKC's Pierson Hall; season tickets are available and are a bargain. Call either 436-0318 or 737-3627 for more information.

And Speaking of the KCJW...
The Kansas City Jazz Workshop will hold a sale of new and used jazz records Sunday, August 24, noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Mall in Raytown. It is a sale intended to raise money for the organization's two ongoing projects: providing scholarship funds for jazz students at the UMKC Conservatory of Music, and to assure the continuance of the annual KCJW series of jazz concerts.

The KCJW needs donations of playable jazz records from any source. Donations are tax deductible, as are any contributions to charitable, educational or other non-profit organizations.
"Most jazz record owners," says Mike Ning, KCJW president, "have some LPs or CDs that are duplicates, or that they know they won't be playing again. This is a chance to clear some shelf space and help jazz at the same time."

Ning also says that initial donations indicate that there will be some great bargains on August 24. "One donor gave us a four-LP boxed set of Duke Ellington's classic 1940-42 recordings, 'The Blanton-Webster Band.' There's a Lennie Tristano CD that had been a gift to one donor that he already had. We've got 'Gene Ammons in Sweden' on LP, 'Frank Morgan: Bebop Lives' on CD, 'Glenn Zottola: Christmas in Jazztime' on LP, and many others."

If you have jazz records to donate to this worthy cause and would like to arrange a dropoff or pickup, call Mike or Sherry Ning at 436-0318, Bill Fogarty at 649-7791 or 341-4241, or Ginney Coleman at 737-3627.

Jazz In The Park
Santa Fe Commons in Overland Park (81st and Santa Fe) is one of the more enjoyable spots to hear music in the summer. All sorts of good sounds can be heard as part of the "Music in the Park" series, and in the month of August several area jazz groups will be featured. The Wayne Hawkins Trio (with vocalist Coleen Cassidy) is set for Sunday, August 3; The Red Onion Jazz Babies will appear Sunday, August 10; and Karrin Allyson is scheduled for Sunday, August 31. (Bluegrass fans will want to drop by the bandstand on Sunday, August 17 for the music of Spontaneous Combustion, and on Sunday the 24th, the harmonies of various barbershop quartets will fill the commons.)

All concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. Call 895-6350 for more information.

Plaza III Takes Up The Slack...
With the demise of the Drum Room, KC has become a less frequent stop for out-of-town talent. Take away the Folly Theater and the Kansas City Jazz Workshop and there just aren't that many opportunities for established names in the world of jazz to perform here while on the road. The Club at Plaza III, and Club 427 (see below) are trying to take up the slack. And the jazz community is much the better for it.

Fans of "smooth jazz" will want to check out singer-songwriter Slim Man at The Club, 4749 Pennsylvania, on Friday, August 8. Slim Man (a.k.a. Tim Camp) has had a circuitous musical career beginning with his tenure as a songwriter for Motown (his "Summer Days" was on Angela Bofill's debut album). He eventually settled into the "laid-back, jazz pop style" he's now known for and has released three CDs on the GES label: End of the Rainbow (1995), Closer to Paradise ('96) and 1997's Secret Rendezvous. There will be two shows on the 8th, 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Call The Club (753-0000) or Ticketmaster (931-3330) for more info.

What can be said about trumpeter Wallace Roney that hasn't already been said? His electrifying Drum Room appearance a couple of years ago made it clear this was a jazz artist to be reckoned with, as have recent recordings, Misterios and The Wallace Roney Quintet, both on Warners. Catch Roney at The Club at Plaza III on Tuesday, September 9 (one show only at 7:30 p.m.) where he will be joined by Geri Allen (piano), Buster Williams (bass), brother Antoine Roney (saxes) and Lenny White (drums). Says Jazz Times, "...what these musicians are doing is clearly advancing and embellishing the Milesian muse in this generation."

...As Does Club 427
If you attended the Kenny Garrett show in May, you'll be fully aware of the great potential Club 427 has for being an important performance venue for visiting jazz artists. Two more established musicians soon to appear at 427 are alto flutist Ali Ryerson and guitarist Joe Beck, appearing in a duo setting on Friday, August 15, and Saturday, August 16, 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Ryerson has done it all. She's worked the studios of New York, appeared with Art Farmer, Stephane Grappelli, Frank Foster and Bill Watrous, and has recorded with Red Rodney, Kenny Barron, Roy Haynes, Kenny Werner and Danny Gottlieb. Her most recent CD, Brasil: Quiet Devotion (Concord Picante) follows the critically acclaimed In Her Own Sweet Way (Concord Jazz), and a duo album with Beck on the DMP label is slated for release this fall. And speaking of Mr. Beck, we are indeed talking about the same guitarist who has worked with everyone from Miles Davis, Gil Evans and Duke Ellington to Stan Getz, Steely Dan and Blood, Sweat & Tears. This will be a night for those who want to come and listen. All others, check and see if the Royals are in town. Call 421-CLUB (2582) for reservations.

Hope and Good Jazz
On Saturday, August 16, the 8th Annual "Hope and All That Jazz" gala dinner and auction will be held at the Adam's Mark Hotel at 6:00 p.m. The event will feature both silent and live auctions as well as the music of organist Everette DeVan with guest vocalists Lisa Henry, Diane "Mama" Ray and Sharon James. Proceeds from the auction and dinner will fund the many programs and services offered by Hope House in Independence including case management, individual therapy, support groups, comprehensive children's programs, court advocacy, transitional living units, life skills and substance abuse counseling. Hope House has provided a safe haven for women and children in eastern Jackson County since 1983, and its new facility, open for two years, is a comprehensive shelter for battered women providing Missouri's first "campus" setting for shelter.

Like to know more about the gala on the 16th and how you can offer your support to Hope House? Call 461-4188.

A Soulful Sax...
Saxman George Howard is no stranger to the world of jazz. Years of dues have been paid, and at last, popular acclaim has been received. Howard is scheduled to appear at the Grand Emporium on Thursday, August 21 for two shows, 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Get your tickets at any Ticketmaster outlet (931-3330) or at the Grand Emporium (phone 531-7557), 3832 Main.

... And a Smooth Starlight
One of the more successful hornmen on the Smooth Jazz circuit these days is saxophonist Boney James (a headliner at Blues & Jazz Fest '95). James is returning to KC along with two other stellar instrumentalists: guitarist Earl Klugh and keyboardist David Benoit. Catch their show at Starlight Theater on Friday, August 22, 8:00 p.m. And call 576-7900 or 800-771-3666 for information about advance tickets.

Topeka Will Be Swinging
This just off the jazz news wire: the Topeka Jazz Festival '98 is now set for Memorial Day weekend, 1998, May 23-25. Some 18 national jazz artists plus 12 from the Kansas City area are scheduled to perform. To be included in and/or invited to what will easily add up to over 30 hours of great jazz are: Bobby Shew, Bob Kindred, Gary Foster, Jay Leonhart, Bucky Pizzarelli, Warren Vache, John Allred, Monty Alexander, Karrin Allyson and many others. Although there will be much more about this event in future JAMs, festival organizer Jim Monroe is encouraging those who plan to attend to make their hotel reservations soon. "Due to a nationally sanctioned hotrod race in Topeka (at Heartland Park), hotel rooms will be gone in the not too distant future. So we urge you to make your reservations now; and be sure to ask for the Jazz Festival rates." The two nearby headquarters hotels will be the Ramada Inn at 913-234-5400, and the Holiday Inn City Centre at 913-232-7721. Like to know more? Call Jim Monroe at 913-267-1315.

Saluting Mulligan
KC bari saxophonist Kerry Strayer has an exciting project in the works. Earlier this year he traveled to New York to record an album saluting a major influence, the late Gerry Mulligan. "I wanted to do a tribute," says Strayer, "and I wanted to use some of Mulligan's alums. I knew that (drummer and former Kansas Citian) Ron Vincent had played with him the last four or five years before his death, so I called Ron about the project. He put together the actual rhythm section Mulligan played with right up until the end." Joining Strayer and Vincent for the session were Ted Rosenthal (piano) and Dean Johnson (bass). And because Strayer's book is written and arranged for septet, three more horns were needed. Randy Brecker (trumpet), Ted Nash (tenor/flute) and John Mosca (bone), three of NY's finest, got the call. "It turned out really good," Strayer says of the album now in the can and being shopped. "There are ten cuts, done live to two-track. And I'm especially happy that the actual band from the recording session will be able to join me at the International Jazz Festival on September 19th." (See page ??.) "It was a thrill to work with them last spring; it'll be great to be able to feature these players at Starlight."

Coming Home
If you've been around long enough to remember the Playboy Club, the River Quay, and when keyboard men Everette DeVan and Greg Meise played the Top of the Crown at Crown Center, you'll also remember vocalist Sharon James. Sharon has actually been back in town for a while (you may have caught her at the KCJA's "Ladies Sing the Blues" in March), and is now gigging frequently in the jazz clubs of KC. "I want the people who come to see me to leave a little lighter in the heart and escaping from reality, if only for a few hours," says the singer. Check "Club Scene" on page 42 for a listing of some of the venues in which James can be heard.

Franz Bruce
1916-1997
Another living link to the heyday of KC jazz in the 1930s and '40s is gone. Saxophonist Franz Bruce, a founding member of the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz, died on July 7 at the age of 81. During his lengthy career, all of which was spent in Kansas City, Bruce played with everyone from Julia Lee to Jay McShann. In recent years he could be heard with The Scamps and the Jazz Brokers Orchestra. Add one more spirit to the ranks of those smiling down on the New 18th & Vine. R.I.P.

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 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1997 MAIN INDEX

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






	Search our site:		A Star-Studded 1997-98 The Kansas City Jazz Workshop has announced its 1997-98 season and area jazz fans are bound to be delighted by the quality and diversity of the lineup. On Tuesday, September 9, vocalist Sue Raney, trumpeter Carl Saunders, and pianist Alan Broadbent will be joined by KC's Danny Embrey (guitar), Bob Bowman (bass) and Tommy Ruskin (drums). Monday, October 20, trombonist Bill Watrous and tenor saxophonist Bob Kindred will be backed by Paul Smith (piano), Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin. Monday, November 24 the spotlight will be on the Sherrie Maricle Sextet, fronted by the drummer/leader of "Diva: No Man's Band." Tuesday, February 10, look for vocalist Rebecca Parris in concert along with Danny Embrey, Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin. And on Monday, March 9, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi and saxophonist Cercie Miller will come to KC to be backed by Danny Embrey, Paul Smith, Bob Bowman and Tommy Ruskin. All concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. at UMKC's Pierson Hall; season tickets are available and are a bargain. Call either 436-0318 or 737-3627 for more information. And Speaking of the KCJW... The Kansas City Jazz Workshop will hold a sale of new and used jazz records Sunday, August 24, noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Mall in Raytown. It is a sale intended to raise money for the organization's two ongoing projects: providing scholarship funds for jazz students at the UMKC Conservatory of Music, and to assure the continuance of the annual KCJW series of jazz concerts. The KCJW needs donations of playable jazz records from any source. Donations are tax deductible, as are any contributions to charitable, educational or other non-profit organizations. "Most jazz record owners," says Mike Ning, KCJW president, "have some LPs or CDs that are duplicates, or that they know they won't be playing again. This is a chance to clear some shelf space and help jazz at the same time." Ning also says that initial donations indicate that there will be some great bargains on August 24. "One donor gave us a four-LP boxed set of Duke Ellington's classic 1940-42 recordings, 'The Blanton-Webster Band.' There's a Lennie Tristano CD that had been a gift to one donor that he already had. We've got 'Gene Ammons in Sweden' on LP, 'Frank Morgan: Bebop Lives' on CD, 'Glenn Zottola: Christmas in Jazztime' on LP, and many others." If you have jazz records to donate to this worthy cause and would like to arrange a dropoff or pickup, call Mike or Sherry Ning at 436-0318, Bill Fogarty at 649-7791 or 341-4241, or Ginney Coleman at 737-3627. Jazz In The Park Santa Fe Commons in Overland Park (81st and Santa Fe) is one of the more enjoyable spots to hear music in the summer. All sorts of good sounds can be heard as part of the "Music in the Park" series, and in the month of August several area jazz groups will be featured. The Wayne Hawkins Trio (with vocalist Coleen Cassidy) is set for Sunday, August 3; The Red Onion Jazz Babies will appear Sunday, August 10; and Karrin Allyson is scheduled for Sunday, August 31. (Bluegrass fans will want to drop by the bandstand on Sunday, August 17 for the music of Spontaneous Combustion, and on Sunday the 24th, the harmonies of various barbershop quartets will fill the commons.) All concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. Call 895-6350 for more information. Plaza III Takes Up The Slack... With the demise of the Drum Room, KC has become a less frequent stop for out-of-town talent. Take away the Folly Theater and the Kansas City Jazz Workshop and there just aren't that many opportunities for established names in the world of jazz to perform here while on the road. The Club at Plaza III, and Club 427 (see below) are trying to take up the slack. And the jazz community is much the better for it. Fans of "smooth jazz" will want to check out singer-songwriter Slim Man at The Club, 4749 Pennsylvania, on Friday, August 8. Slim Man (a.k.a. Tim Camp) has had a circuitous musical career beginning with his tenure as a songwriter for Motown (his "Summer Days" was on Angela Bofill's debut album). He eventually settled into the "laid-back, jazz pop style" he's now known for and has released three CDs on the GES label: End of the Rainbow (1995), Closer to Paradise ('96) and 1997's Secret Rendezvous. There will be two shows on the 8th, 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Call The Club (753-0000) or Ticketmaster (931-3330) for more info. What can be said about trumpeter Wallace Roney that hasn't already been said? His electrifying Drum Room appearance a couple of years ago made it clear this was a jazz artist to be reckoned with, as have recent recordings, Misterios and The Wallace Roney Quintet, both on Warners. Catch Roney at The Club at Plaza III on Tuesday, September 9 (one show only at 7:30 p.m.) where he will be joined by Geri Allen (piano), Buster Williams (bass), brother Antoine Roney (saxes) and Lenny White (drums). Says Jazz Times, "...what these musicians are doing is clearly advancing and embellishing the Milesian muse in this generation." ...As Does Club 427 If you attended the Kenny Garrett show in May, you'll be fully aware of the great potential Club 427 has for being an important performance venue for visiting jazz artists. Two more established musicians soon to appear at 427 are alto flutist Ali Ryerson and guitarist Joe Beck, appearing in a duo setting on Friday, August 15, and Saturday, August 16, 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Ryerson has done it all. She's worked the studios of New York, appeared with Art Farmer, Stephane Grappelli, Frank Foster and Bill Watrous, and has recorded with Red Rodney, Kenny Barron, Roy Haynes, Kenny Werner and Danny Gottlieb. Her most recent CD, Brasil: Quiet Devotion (Concord Picante) follows the critically acclaimed In Her Own Sweet Way (Concord Jazz), and a duo album with Beck on the DMP label is slated for release this fall. And speaking of Mr. Beck, we are indeed talking about the same guitarist who has worked with everyone from Miles Davis, Gil Evans and Duke Ellington to Stan Getz, Steely Dan and Blood, Sweat & Tears. This will be a night for those who want to come and listen. All others, check and see if the Royals are in town. Call 421-CLUB (2582) for reservations. Hope and Good Jazz On Saturday, August 16, the 8th Annual "Hope and All That Jazz" gala dinner and auction will be held at the Adam's Mark Hotel at 6:00 p.m. The event will feature both silent and live auctions as well as the music of organist Everette DeVan with guest vocalists Lisa Henry, Diane "Mama" Ray and Sharon James. Proceeds from the auction and dinner will fund the many programs and services offered by Hope House in Independence including case management, individual therapy, support groups, comprehensive children's programs, court advocacy, transitional living units, life skills and substance abuse counseling. Hope House has provided a safe haven for women and children in eastern Jackson County since 1983, and its new facility, open for two years, is a comprehensive shelter for battered women providing Missouri's first "campus" setting for shelter. Like to know more about the gala on the 16th and how you can offer your support to Hope House? Call 461-4188. A Soulful Sax... Saxman George Howard is no stranger to the world of jazz. Years of dues have been paid, and at last, popular acclaim has been received. Howard is scheduled to appear at the Grand Emporium on Thursday, August 21 for two shows, 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Get your tickets at any Ticketmaster outlet (931-3330) or at the Grand Emporium (phone 531-7557), 3832 Main. ... And a Smooth Starlight One of the more successful hornmen on the Smooth Jazz circuit these days is saxophonist Boney James (a headliner at Blues & Jazz Fest '95). James is returning to KC along with two other stellar instrumentalists: guitarist Earl Klugh and keyboardist David Benoit. Catch their show at Starlight Theater on Friday, August 22, 8:00 p.m. And call 576-7900 or 800-771-3666 for information about advance tickets. Topeka Will Be Swinging This just off the jazz news wire: the Topeka Jazz Festival '98 is now set for Memorial Day weekend, 1998, May 23-25. Some 18 national jazz artists plus 12 from the Kansas City area are scheduled to perform. To be included in and/or invited to what will easily add up to over 30 hours of great jazz are: Bobby Shew, Bob Kindred, Gary Foster, Jay Leonhart, Bucky Pizzarelli, Warren Vache, John Allred, Monty Alexander, Karrin Allyson and many others. Although there will be much more about this event in future JAMs, festival organizer Jim Monroe is encouraging those who plan to attend to make their hotel reservations soon. "Due to a nationally sanctioned hotrod race in Topeka (at Heartland Park), hotel rooms will be gone in the not too distant future. So we urge you to make your reservations now; and be sure to ask for the Jazz Festival rates." The two nearby headquarters hotels will be the Ramada Inn at 913-234-5400, and the Holiday Inn City Centre at 913-232-7721. Like to know more? Call Jim Monroe at 913-267-1315. Saluting Mulligan KC bari saxophonist Kerry Strayer has an exciting project in the works. Earlier this year he traveled to New York to record an album saluting a major influence, the late Gerry Mulligan. "I wanted to do a tribute," says Strayer, "and I wanted to use some of Mulligan's alums. I knew that (drummer and former Kansas Citian) Ron Vincent had played with him the last four or five years before his death, so I called Ron about the project. He put together the actual rhythm section Mulligan played with right up until the end." Joining Strayer and Vincent for the session were Ted Rosenthal (piano) and Dean Johnson (bass). And because Strayer's book is written and arranged for septet, three more horns were needed. Randy Brecker (trumpet), Ted Nash (tenor/flute) and John Mosca (bone), three of NY's finest, got the call. "It turned out really good," Strayer says of the album now in the can and being shopped. "There are ten cuts, done live to two-track. And I'm especially happy that the actual band from the recording session will be able to join me at the International Jazz Festival on September 19th." (See page ??.) "It was a thrill to work with them last spring; it'll be great to be able to feature these players at Starlight." Coming Home If you've been around long enough to remember the Playboy Club, the River Quay, and when keyboard men Everette DeVan and Greg Meise played the Top of the Crown at Crown Center, you'll also remember vocalist Sharon James. Sharon has actually been back in town for a while (you may have caught her at the KCJA's "Ladies Sing the Blues" in March), and is now gigging frequently in the jazz clubs of KC. "I want the people who come to see me to leave a little lighter in the heart and escaping from reality, if only for a few hours," says the singer. Check "Club Scene" on page 42 for a listing of some of the venues in which James can be heard. Franz Bruce 1916-1997 Another living link to the heyday of KC jazz in the 1930s and '40s is gone. Saxophonist Franz Bruce, a founding member of the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz, died on July 7 at the age of 81. During his lengthy career, all of which was spent in Kansas City, Bruce played with everyone from Julia Lee to Jay McShann. In recent years he could be heard with The Scamps and the Jazz Brokers Orchestra. Add one more spirit to the ranks of those smiling down on the New 18th & Vine. R.I.P. 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 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1997 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.