JAM Magazine: December/January 1999 Issue: Hampton's Hot Licks

by Dean Hampton

The Year in Review...
and Looking Ahead
1998 was a JAM-packed year, in every possible way. We brought you 320 pages of hot KC jazz in the Jazz Ambassador Magazine, and there was more jazz activity in Kansas City than I've ever seen.

Nationally, jazz appears to be doing pretty well, but here we seem to be on a roll. We had more total days of festivals in '98 than ever before; the clubs (on the whole) are employing musicians for more hours than at any time in recent history; and, you would have to keep a pretty hot jazz schedule to make all of the concert dates that continue to occur in and around town.

In 1999, we can expect another great year. We are already getting inquiries about next year's festivals, concerts and pub crawls, all of last year's event planners are hard at work on their '99 seasons, and some already have their events in place.

We also expect to offer more programs and benefits for KC Jazz Ambassador members in 1999, and one of our priorities will be increased involvement in jazz education. While we have no desire to compete with current jazz education programs, we do feel that there are some gaps to be filled. And we plan to fill them.

For JAM in 1999, I have some goals in mind. And I will need your help. First, I'd like to know what you want from JAM. Which articles have you enjoyed? Which sections do you think we should dump? Would you like more pages per issue? Or would you prefer fewer pages but 12 issues a year instead of six? Would you like to see glossy color covers? If so, are you willing to help us pay for that additional cost? Who should be advertising in JAM that is not doing so now? What new things would you like to see on our website? Do you like the look and feel of JAM Online, or would you change it to something more (or less) high tech? Please write or e-mail us at info@jazzkc.org. We value your opinions.

Charlie "'Bird" Parker's Tomb at 18th & Vine
According to City Hall, the remains of Charlie Parker and his mother, Addie will be moved to the 18th & Vine area. The following is quoted from an October 19, 1998 press release:

"Mayor Introduces Sculptor Robert Graham;
Announces Site For Charlie Parker's Tomb
Kansas City, MO -- Mayor Emanuel Cleaver today announced that a site has been selected for Charlie Parker's Tomb. Created by artist Robert Graham, the tomb will be located on the southeast corner of 17th Terrace and The Paseo, with the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District as its backdrop.

Mr. Graham said the tomb will be bronze, approximately 17 feet tall, and will be located in a park-like setting facing The Paseo.

Mr. Graham is a well-known sculptor, whose civic monuments include the Duke Ellington Monument in New York City, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C., the Joe Louis Memorial in Detroit, and the Olympic Gateway at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In addition, he designed the National Medal of the Arts, the medallion given annually by the President of the United States.

Terry Dopson, Director of Parks and Recreation, said initial funding for the tomb came from the Blanche and Godfrey Jones Trust ($300,000). An endowment is expected to be established by the Oppenheimer family, with additional dollars being raised through private sources.

The dedication and unveiling of Parker's Tomb is scheduled for March 27, 1999. Dopson said site preparation would begin as soon as possible."

The KCJA Board of Directors has not taken a position for or against this move. We have not been asked to do so. If we were asked for such a vote, my guess is that we would decline to do so in favor of the wishes of the family. We have had discussions with the Mayor's office about the current gravestone and its engraved tenor saxophone. We have encouraged the Mayor to, at a minimum, replace that stone or support an effort by the KCJA to right this disgraceful error.

AFJS Hears About Poor Quality Jazz Education
As a member of the American Federation of Jazz Societies (AFJS) Board of Directors, I attended its quarterly meeting in St. Louis in October. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Gateway Jazz Festival, October 29 through November 1. One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation by veteran trumpeter and Stan Kenton alumnus, Mike Vax, who is also an AFJS Board member.

Vax gives approximately 130 jazz education clinics per year. He pointed out that "there are approximately 30,000 jazz ensembles in educational institutions today; and if there are 20 students in each, that's 600,000 students who are being exposed to jazz." Vax claims that while these students are learning to play the notes on a jazz chart, in many cases they are not being taught to improvise or how to listen to jazz. In his clinics, he polls the students to see how many jazz recordings they own. "Usually," Vax said, "very few own more than one or two. And fewer still have listened enough to choose favorite jazz players on the instruments they play."

It would appear then that today's students are not getting a total jazz experience. And that's where the KCJA and other jazz societies across America have the chance to help. There is an opportunity for jazz societies like ours to seek out the school programs and help them go beyond the classroom, to provide listening experiences, and to provide jam session environments in which tomorrow's musicians can learn about the complete art of jazz.

New Owners at the Phoenix
On October 29, ownership of the Phoenix at 8th and Central was transferred from Ron Schoonover to Tim Whitmer and Rich Denny. Whitmer says that he expects to have a Grand Opening after the first of the year, but until then, there won't be any major changes. "The Phoenix has been very successful, and we want to maintain that success, rather than try to reinvent the wheel," he said.

Tim also said that they plan to continue sponsoring the Jazz Hotline (753-JASS) and that he looks forward to working with the Jazz Ambassadors in his new dual role as owner and musician.

A personal note. Ron Schoonover has done wonderful things for jazz in Kansas City. The KCJA thanks him for that and wishes him much success in his new ventures. As Ron moves on to different things, I expect that Tim and Rich will inject their own brand of revitalization into the Phoenix. Tim is the master of entertainment and has the ability to make a dull audience come alive; Rich covers the food and beverage end of the business and also shares a love and understanding of the music. They should make a great team.

Good luck to these new partners in jazz. And thanks again, Ron.

An Excellent CD for the Holidays
It's time to go out and pick up those jazzy CD stocking stuffers. Some of the best have been reviewed right here in JAM over the past 12 months, but there's one that you may not know about. The Kansas City Holiday Album is one very special recording. If you are a pet lover or owner, it's an album you've really got to have. The Kansas City Holiday Album is a benefit CD for Wayside Waifs and is available just about anywhere you might find jazz CDs. It's not all jazz, but it is all jazzy! And that would include one track by Marcus Allen, Tim Grunhard and Kimble Anders (who just might want to keep their Sunday jobs!). Area musicians featured include Pat Morrissey, Tim Whitmer and the KC Express, Measure By Measure, Ida McBeth, and the Trilogy Big Band. Even KCMO's Marconi Award Winner, Mike Murphy reads "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Add this one to your shopping list along with the many fine CDs you've read about this year in JAM.

And, have a Merry Christmas... and a jazzy 1999!

"5 Questions"
with Angela Hagenbach
Singer Angela Hagenbach and pianist Joe Cartwright recently completed a five week tour of Africa as a part of the U.S. Information Agency's Jazz Ambassador Touring Program. We wanted to know how everything went.

-- MM

1) 27 duos auditioned for this tour and only seven were chosen. That must have been quite an honor.

AH: Actually, it was a nationwide search in which 27 finalists were chosen to audition live, and from there we were selected to be one of the seven duos. Yes, it was quite an honor. As a matter of fact, our tour was the most rigorous in that it was scheduled for five and one half weeks rather than three.

2) Which countries did you go to and how were you received?

AH: We went to Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. We conducted workshops and concerts for a variety of music lovers from working musicians and students to dignitaries and the general public. The reception was exceptional, complete with standing ovations and a continuous flow of follow up correspondence. They welcomed me back home as a daughter of Africa and asked us not to stay away so long next time. In a couple of countries, I was "renamed" with an African name.

3) How were your audiences in Africa different from (or similar to) those in America?

AH: The attitude of our audiences in these somewhat third world, developing countries was at first one of curiosity, later followed by pride. They were told that jazz has its roots in the African rhythms and that the art form has developed and evolved into its "living state" as a result of the African-American experience. They seemed to take pride in what we Americans had made of it. I believe this knowledge was the profound difference between our African and American audiences.

4) Is it a hopeful sign for jazz when the U.S. government actually gets behind something like this?

AH: Absolutely! When our government stands behind the arts and its artists and sends them out into developing nations -- or any nation for that matter -- to be ambassadors of the arts, that sends out the message to all that the United States government believes in the power of cultural and educational exchange, that music is a universal language, and most importantly that jazz is a national treasure and legacy most worthy of sharing with the world.

5) You were quoted before the trip as saying, "I eagerly await the moment when I can embrace the motherland." Was that moment as profound as you thought it would be?

AH: Yes it was. I've yet to learn of my true African roots and I continue to search for them, meanwhile it was a charge to return to the continent that's credited with peopling the world.

RETURN TO DECEMBER/JANUARY 1999 MAIN INDEX

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






	Search our site:		by Dean Hampton The Year in Review... and Looking Ahead 1998 was a JAM-packed year, in every possible way. We brought you 320 pages of hot KC jazz in the Jazz Ambassador Magazine, and there was more jazz activity in Kansas City than I've ever seen. Nationally, jazz appears to be doing pretty well, but here we seem to be on a roll. We had more total days of festivals in '98 than ever before; the clubs (on the whole) are employing musicians for more hours than at any time in recent history; and, you would have to keep a pretty hot jazz schedule to make all of the concert dates that continue to occur in and around town. In 1999, we can expect another great year. We are already getting inquiries about next year's festivals, concerts and pub crawls, all of last year's event planners are hard at work on their '99 seasons, and some already have their events in place. We also expect to offer more programs and benefits for KC Jazz Ambassador members in 1999, and one of our priorities will be increased involvement in jazz education. While we have no desire to compete with current jazz education programs, we do feel that there are some gaps to be filled. And we plan to fill them. For JAM in 1999, I have some goals in mind. And I will need your help. First, I'd like to know what you want from JAM. Which articles have you enjoyed? Which sections do you think we should dump? Would you like more pages per issue? Or would you prefer fewer pages but 12 issues a year instead of six? Would you like to see glossy color covers? If so, are you willing to help us pay for that additional cost? Who should be advertising in JAM that is not doing so now? What new things would you like to see on our website? Do you like the look and feel of JAM Online, or would you change it to something more (or less) high tech? Please write or e-mail us at info@jazzkc.org. We value your opinions. Charlie "'Bird" Parker's Tomb at 18th & Vine According to City Hall, the remains of Charlie Parker and his mother, Addie will be moved to the 18th & Vine area. The following is quoted from an October 19, 1998 press release: "Mayor Introduces Sculptor Robert Graham; Announces Site For Charlie Parker's Tomb Kansas City, MO -- Mayor Emanuel Cleaver today announced that a site has been selected for Charlie Parker's Tomb. Created by artist Robert Graham, the tomb will be located on the southeast corner of 17th Terrace and The Paseo, with the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District as its backdrop. Mr. Graham said the tomb will be bronze, approximately 17 feet tall, and will be located in a park-like setting facing The Paseo. Mr. Graham is a well-known sculptor, whose civic monuments include the Duke Ellington Monument in New York City, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C., the Joe Louis Memorial in Detroit, and the Olympic Gateway at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In addition, he designed the National Medal of the Arts, the medallion given annually by the President of the United States. Terry Dopson, Director of Parks and Recreation, said initial funding for the tomb came from the Blanche and Godfrey Jones Trust ($300,000). An endowment is expected to be established by the Oppenheimer family, with additional dollars being raised through private sources. The dedication and unveiling of Parker's Tomb is scheduled for March 27, 1999. Dopson said site preparation would begin as soon as possible." The KCJA Board of Directors has not taken a position for or against this move. We have not been asked to do so. If we were asked for such a vote, my guess is that we would decline to do so in favor of the wishes of the family. We have had discussions with the Mayor's office about the current gravestone and its engraved tenor saxophone. We have encouraged the Mayor to, at a minimum, replace that stone or support an effort by the KCJA to right this disgraceful error. AFJS Hears About Poor Quality Jazz Education As a member of the American Federation of Jazz Societies (AFJS) Board of Directors, I attended its quarterly meeting in St. Louis in October. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Gateway Jazz Festival, October 29 through November 1. One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation by veteran trumpeter and Stan Kenton alumnus, Mike Vax, who is also an AFJS Board member. Vax gives approximately 130 jazz education clinics per year. He pointed out that "there are approximately 30,000 jazz ensembles in educational institutions today; and if there are 20 students in each, that's 600,000 students who are being exposed to jazz." Vax claims that while these students are learning to play the notes on a jazz chart, in many cases they are not being taught to improvise or how to listen to jazz. In his clinics, he polls the students to see how many jazz recordings they own. "Usually," Vax said, "very few own more than one or two. And fewer still have listened enough to choose favorite jazz players on the instruments they play." It would appear then that today's students are not getting a total jazz experience. And that's where the KCJA and other jazz societies across America have the chance to help. There is an opportunity for jazz societies like ours to seek out the school programs and help them go beyond the classroom, to provide listening experiences, and to provide jam session environments in which tomorrow's musicians can learn about the complete art of jazz. New Owners at the Phoenix On October 29, ownership of the Phoenix at 8th and Central was transferred from Ron Schoonover to Tim Whitmer and Rich Denny. Whitmer says that he expects to have a Grand Opening after the first of the year, but until then, there won't be any major changes. "The Phoenix has been very successful, and we want to maintain that success, rather than try to reinvent the wheel," he said. Tim also said that they plan to continue sponsoring the Jazz Hotline (753-JASS) and that he looks forward to working with the Jazz Ambassadors in his new dual role as owner and musician. A personal note. Ron Schoonover has done wonderful things for jazz in Kansas City. The KCJA thanks him for that and wishes him much success in his new ventures. As Ron moves on to different things, I expect that Tim and Rich will inject their own brand of revitalization into the Phoenix. Tim is the master of entertainment and has the ability to make a dull audience come alive; Rich covers the food and beverage end of the business and also shares a love and understanding of the music. They should make a great team. Good luck to these new partners in jazz. And thanks again, Ron. An Excellent CD for the Holidays It's time to go out and pick up those jazzy CD stocking stuffers. Some of the best have been reviewed right here in JAM over the past 12 months, but there's one that you may not know about. The Kansas City Holiday Album is one very special recording. If you are a pet lover or owner, it's an album you've really got to have. The Kansas City Holiday Album is a benefit CD for Wayside Waifs and is available just about anywhere you might find jazz CDs. It's not all jazz, but it is all jazzy! And that would include one track by Marcus Allen, Tim Grunhard and Kimble Anders (who just might want to keep their Sunday jobs!). Area musicians featured include Pat Morrissey, Tim Whitmer and the KC Express, Measure By Measure, Ida McBeth, and the Trilogy Big Band. Even KCMO's Marconi Award Winner, Mike Murphy reads "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Add this one to your shopping list along with the many fine CDs you've read about this year in JAM. And, have a Merry Christmas... and a jazzy 1999! "5 Questions" with Angela Hagenbach Singer Angela Hagenbach and pianist Joe Cartwright recently completed a five week tour of Africa as a part of the U.S. Information Agency's Jazz Ambassador Touring Program. We wanted to know how everything went. -- MM 1) 27 duos auditioned for this tour and only seven were chosen. That must have been quite an honor. AH: Actually, it was a nationwide search in which 27 finalists were chosen to audition live, and from there we were selected to be one of the seven duos. Yes, it was quite an honor. As a matter of fact, our tour was the most rigorous in that it was scheduled for five and one half weeks rather than three. 2) Which countries did you go to and how were you received? AH: We went to Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. We conducted workshops and concerts for a variety of music lovers from working musicians and students to dignitaries and the general public. The reception was exceptional, complete with standing ovations and a continuous flow of follow up correspondence. They welcomed me back home as a daughter of Africa and asked us not to stay away so long next time. In a couple of countries, I was "renamed" with an African name. 3) How were your audiences in Africa different from (or similar to) those in America? AH: The attitude of our audiences in these somewhat third world, developing countries was at first one of curiosity, later followed by pride. They were told that jazz has its roots in the African rhythms and that the art form has developed and evolved into its "living state" as a result of the African-American experience. They seemed to take pride in what we Americans had made of it. I believe this knowledge was the profound difference between our African and American audiences. 4) Is it a hopeful sign for jazz when the U.S. government actually gets behind something like this? AH: Absolutely! When our government stands behind the arts and its artists and sends them out into developing nations -- or any nation for that matter -- to be ambassadors of the arts, that sends out the message to all that the United States government believes in the power of cultural and educational exchange, that music is a universal language, and most importantly that jazz is a national treasure and legacy most worthy of sharing with the world. 5) You were quoted before the trip as saying, "I eagerly await the moment when I can embrace the motherland." Was that moment as profound as you thought it would be? AH: Yes it was. I've yet to learn of my true African roots and I continue to search for them, meanwhile it was a charge to return to the continent that's credited with peopling the world. RETURN TO DECEMBER/JANUARY 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.