JAM Magazine: October/November 1999 Issue: For the Record

Karrin Allyson
FROM PARIS TO RIO
Concord Records
CCD-4865-2

Personnel: Karrin Allyson, vocals, piano, percussion; Gil Goldstein, accordion, piano; Paul Smith, piano, synthesizer; Danny Embrey, acoustic guitar; Rod Fleeman, acoustic guitar; Bob Bowman, bass; Todd Strait, drums, percussion; Doug Auwarter, surdo, drums; Grigori Sandomirsky, Paul J. Hatton, violins; John Adams, viola; Steven Elisha, cello

Tracks: Sous Le Ciel De Paris (Under Paris Skies), Samba Saravah, Te Amo (I Love You), O Pato (The Duck), Ne Me Quitte Pas (If You Go Away), Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasure of Love), O Barquinho (My Little Boat), Coracao Vagabundo (My Vagabond Heart), Parisian Thoroughfare, Des Histoires, Inutil Paisagem (Useless Landscape), Catavento e Girasol (Windmill and Sunflower), Aria (from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5)/Belo Horizonte, That Day (Cinema Paradiso)

Recorded and mixed March 15-19 & 28, 1999 at Soundtrek Studio, Kansas City, MO; Ron Ubel, engineer.

From Paris to Rio finds jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson singing songs "outside the traditional borders" of jazz (her words), and she succeeds magnificently on this, her sixth release for Concord Records.

Most of the material comes from French and Brazilian writers (with Allyson singing these songs in both French and Portuguese), and though this listener is not fluent in either language, the expressive musical storytelling by all involved makes this program a joy to hear in any language.

As is her custom, Allyson is again joined by some of Kansas City's finest jazz musicians. The sensitive, poetic arrangements faithfully evoke the moods of French salons (is "Des Histoires" a tango?!) and Brazilian street dances. Kudos to all the players for their tasteful, unpretentious performances. It's just what this music calls for.

I first heard pianist Gil Goldstein on a wonderful Michael Franks album, 1995's Abandoned Garden, a project not unlike this one, with its emphasis on Brazilian music. Goldstein is Allyson's special guest here, playing both accordion and piano with great pathos, and contributing some beautiful music throughout.

The opening minor waltz (so reminiscent of Paris!) effectively sets the tone and mood of the sixty-seven minute album, a generous collection of fourteen tracks beautifully recorded by Ron Ubel and his superb crew at Soundtrek. Karrin really shines on this sort of material, and her consistently accurate intonation is a delight to hear.

While each track has its charms, special mention must be given to Bill McGlaughlin (formerly musical director of the Kansas City Symphony) who contributed -- and conducted -- two outstanding string quartet arrangements. The first, "Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasures Of Love)," is a 'classical' waltz which moves seamlessly into and out of a jazzy middle section: a duet played by guitarist Rod Fleeman and bassist Bob Bowman that actually sounds more Baroque than anything else. This is a notable example of 'chamber jazz' at its very best, and there are a couple others on the program as well.

My favorite track is actually a medley of two pieces, both of which feature Karrin's wordless vocalizing. Heitor Villa Lobos' "Aria," nicely arranged by McGlaughlin featuring Allyson singing over an accordion-bass-drums background, segues into a great original by Danny Embrey (who also contributes a guitar solo). Embrey's jazz samba "Bela Horizonte" fades both in and out over a wonderful Brazilian percussion rhythm, and concludes with Karrin scatting over the ending vamp.

The album's song sequence is superb, and helps the program be consistently relaxing while never boring. The album package is also very attractive, from the cover (a photo of Karrin as tourist, in France or Rio?) down to the liner notes (the singer's friendly text surrounded by travel stickers and postcards).

This, then, is that rare project, a collection of songs whose expert arrangements and performances deserve repeated listening -- not unlike Henry Mancini's best work. Subtleties abound, and each new listen reveals more of them.

What an aural treat -- music for grownups! From Paris to Rio is highly recommended.

-- Paul Hofmann

Boko Maru
DREAMLAND
FunPro Productions

Personnel: Todd Wilkinson, vocals, saxophones, percussion; Terry Swope, vocals, guitar; Joe Miquelon, keyboards, saxophone, vocal; James Albright, bass, vocals; Keith Mallory, drums, percussion; w/guests Brenda Allen, cello (12); Stan Kessler, trumpet/flugelhorn (9, 12); Xavier Granados, vocal (9)

Tracks: Can't Stop Thinking, Blue Grotto, Ain't It Fascinatin', Somebody in the Backroom, Here Lies..., Hungry for Your Love, My Grey Faith, Dreamland, Flesh-Colored Mazda, You Looked at Me, Somebody Shoot Me, Life in the Big City

Recorded February-April 1999 at Airborne Audio Productions, Lenexa, KS; Larry Gann, Don Miller engineers.

Good news: The long awaited Boku Maru CD has finally arrived, and it surpasses all expectations. Over the years, this band has made a lot of friends, none of whom will be disappointed with this release. The album, which has very high production values, has lost none of the character that has endeared the group to its fans. The band is made up of experienced, highly skilled musicians who navigate through a huge range of styles such as gospel, Latin, various kinds of rock, blues, and of course, jazz. It's a credit to the considerable skill of each of the members that nothing ever sounds out of place or strained. Every style is played with absolute authority.

Of course, comparisons to Steely Dan will abound. The music of both groups features sophisticated harmonies, quirky subject matter, and unusual yet tuneful melodies, sung in voices not found in more conventional pop groups. (Although when lush vocal harmonies are called for, they are delivered.) But it's just this unpredictability that produces music that endures, and hopefully will make a lot of new friends for Boko.

This project was a long time coming, but the fact that it was a labor of love is evident with every track. From the intro to "Can't Stop Thinking" (the opening cut) one is aware that this is something special. The sound is at times thick, but never excessive; at other times sparse, but never thin. Nothing ever sounds out of place.

Although this recording is firmly of the pop genre, most members of the group have supported themselves working in various jazz groups in Kansas City. This is readily apparent on "Here Lies..." during the intro and solo section. There is no posing going on here; everyone knows exactly what they're doing. Todd Wilkinson's sax solo is especially notable. Other highlights include Keith Mallory's funky drum vamp during "Hungry For Your Love;" the vast array of styles covered by Terry Swope's guitar throughout, as well as his thoughtful lyrics; solid, imaginative bass playing by James Albright, as well as his lyrical solo on "Dreamland;" and the elegant piano work of Joe Miquelon throughout. He sounds like a pianist, not just a keyboard player accessing another sound.

Whether the gods (or accountants) that rule the world of Pop/Rock will notice this release and suitably anoint its participants remains to be seen. This is a project born of love and integrity, and the band and all who know them may share in their pride of this fine offering.

-- Doug Auwarter

A CD release party hosted by Boko Maru is set for Thursday, Nov. 11, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. at Fedora's Cafe, 210 W. 47th. -- Ed.

Candace Evans
INTERPRETATIONS

Personnel: Candace Evans: vocals, piano; Wes Knowles, Ricky Anderson, bass; Mike Thompson, Gary Via, drums; Gary Helm, Mike Thompson, percussion; Billy Meynier: piano, electronic keyboards; Rod Fleeman, guitar; Bill Crain, flute.

Tracks: We Kiss In a Shadow, Fly Me To the Moon, Cry Me a River, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Bewitched, Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me, Since I Fell For You, Stompin at the Savoy, I've Got a Crush On You, Softly As In a Morning Sunrise/This Masquerade, How Do You Keep the Music Playing?, Norwegian Wood/Here There and Everywhere, It Never Entered My Mind

Recorded at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO; Bill Crain, engineer.

Candace Evans is an energetic pianist and vocalist whose music has become known to Kansas City audiences over the last decade through her engagements in some of this town's better hotels and restaurants. In the early nineties, she studied at Kansas University on a piano scholarship, and then began working in venues such as the Ritz-Carlton Lobby Bar playing renditions of show tunes and semi-classical fare with her refined touch, appealing phrasing and formidable technique. Her musicianship, professionalism and entertaining demeanor led to steady engagements as a single pianist.

Interpretations documents her recent evolution towards more of a jazz feel in her music. She has been studying improv and vocals with Carol Comer, the accomplished pianist, singer, educator and presenter of jazz, and she has moved beyond the hotel-lobby singles, now singing and playing in jazz venues such as Jardine's, leading duos and trios with veteran players such as bassist Ricky Anderson, and absorbing common jazz practices on the job.

Most of the songs on the disc are performed as vocals, with a pleasing variety of accompaniments arranged in collaboration with Comer, pianist Bill Meynier and Bill Crain (who also co-produced and engineered the project, and who gets high marks for the warmth and richness of the sound). Evans' singing suggests sincerity and vulnerability in ballads such as "Cry Me A River" and "It Never Entered My Mind" and imparts a spirit of imaginative playfulness in "We Kiss In a Shadow" and "Fly Me To the Moon."

With sympathetic accompaniment from the supporting musicians (including guitarist Rod Fleeman on four tracks), Evans makes some musical gestures of the kind that will likely continue to make her a stronger improviser: scatting on the opening two tracks, blues-ing it up on a 3/4 version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and working with some swing phraseology in her economical piano solos.

The contrasting treatments of the songs (by composers such as the Gershwins, Rogers and Hart and Hammerstein, Hank Williams, Andy Razaf, Michel Legrand, and Lennon and McCartney) work well.

It is pleasing to see someone with Candace Evans' background, who has proven she can hold down some of the best jobs in town playing music that is not exactly jazz, working to get more into the flow of the improvisation thing that is jazz. Interpretations is an impressive first effort that will please her following and add to it.

-- Rich Hill

Join Candace Evans for a CD release party at the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill, 8th & Central, on Wednesday, Oct. 20. -- Ed.

Malachy Papers
BONE & HORN

Personnel: Mark Southerland, tenor saxophone, flutophone; Bill McKemy, bass; Mike Dillon, percussion, traps, tabla, vibraphone; Ryan Bennett, drums (trks 2, 4); Un-ra Arnold Young, drums, cymbals, bamboo flute, miscellaneous percussion (5, 6); Jazzbo, trumpet (4); Chad Meise, dove trap, sample hold, voltage output (6, 7)

Tracks: Sump, Ratsody, The Dummy One, Blue Point Tango, Roughneck and Thug, Dovebelly, Riddle and Funk

Recorded live at Davey's Uptown, Kansas City, MO, October 1998; Chad Meise, engineer

Cannonball Adderley once said, "You have to be able to play 'in' before you can play 'out'." So, to limit debate among the Jazz Purists, Malachy Papers might want to consider releasing an album of standards just to set the record straight.

Except that would be putting a phony facade on this band's very clear and well-conceived identity.

So, forget the purists.

This is the kind of music that causes arguments. The It-Must-Swing-and-Have-Two-Fives-Before-It's-Jazz crowd will have a fit with it; the If-There's-Spontaneity-Honesty-and-Group-Empathy-Then-It's-OK crowd will receive it with an open mind.

rue, there's a dearth of many of the elements that constitute mainstream styles. But the conversational, visceral, sometimes raw musical statements found on this CD can be just as essential to an honest jazz performance as a straight-ahead version of "Cherokee."

Bone & Horn is demanding, for both performers and listeners. (Had Ornette Coleman's band been unavailable for the soundtrack on "Naked Lunch," the movie version of William Burroughs' hallucinogenic and disturbing tale, Malachy Papers could have pinch hit perfectly.) But most of all, it's a courageous reminder that the house of jazz has many valid and diverse rooms.

And just because one of those rooms has some rubber-padding on the walls doesn't mean it's a bad place to hang.

-- Mike Metheny

Larry van Loon
MIDNIGHT IN KC
Prime Cut Productions
PMCD-2

Personnel: Larry van Loon, vocals, piano, Hammond B-3; Randy Coleman, bass; Jerry McCoy, vocals, acoustic/electric guitars; Mike O'Neil, vocals, drums; w/guests: Tom "Trashmouth" Baker, vocals, harmonica; Tom Bark, Bonnie Bramlett, Dennis Gulley, Darlana Moffatt, Kim Morrison, vocals; Everette DeVan, organ; Mike Harvey, percussion; Rick Hendricks, guitar; Steve Herman, Pat Morrissey, trumpets; Randy Kohrs, dobro; Johnny Neel, vocals, keyboards; Jo-el Sonnier, Cajun accordion; Terry Swope, Ed Yokley, guitar; Dennis Taylor, Todd Wilkinson, saxophones; Jaisson Taylor, percussion, vocals

Tracks: Try Matty's, Midnight in KC, Shoppin' For Her Next Old Flame, Rita Don't Live Here No More, Misery Loves Company, Somebody Like You, This Time Let's Say It's For Good, Napoleon Blownaparte, What the Woman Knows, We Could Be Hip Next Week, Thinking About Going Home

Recorded at Straight-up Sound, Nashville, TN, Dennis Gulley, engineer; Westend Studios, Kansas City, KS, Dave Brock, engineer.

Larry van Loon's much anticipated Midnight in KC lives up to its expectations. Centered around the talents of the Kansas City ex-patriot (van Loon moved to Nashville four years ago), the recording brings much to the table and leads the listener through many different moods. There's a little bit of jazz, a bit of blues, some R&B and some rock, all of which is done with characteristic van Loon soul.

Listening to this recording is like stumbling into a KC bar where Larry van Loon is holding court with a superb house band. And where he keeps inviting his buddies up to sit-in. It's basically a reunion of Colt .45, the KC Blues Band and the KC Bottoms Band; and it's a project that reflects the many influences each of these musicians grew up with, including a nod to KC's Tom Pendergast era.

"Take a good look, the spirits are flowing free/Temperance ladies ain't going to rain on Tom's parade/Meantime downtown Big Joe's wailing/Something low-down, dirty and blue." Composer Tom Bark sings the CD's title song beautifully, organist Everette DeVan wails, and Pat Morrissey plays a muted, mood-setting trumpet.

Of eleven songs, eight were written by van Loon. Highlights are too numerous to list, but they include vocals by Tom "Trashmouth" Baker, Jaisson Taylor and van Loon on "Misery Loves Company" (check out Ed Yokley's poignant guitar solo on that track), as well as the band's lively rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Try Matty's."

Also notable is the acoustic guitar pickin' of Jerry McCoy throughout. And the vocals of Darlana Moffatt and Kim Morrison on van Loon's "Somebody Like You" are strong, as is Rick Hendrick's guitar solo on "This Time Let's Say It's For Good."

"Napoleon Blownaparte," another van Loon original, features Greg Camp and van Loon on vocals, and "Trashmouth" on harmonica. (Frank Zappa would have enjoyed this cut.)

"Rita Don't Live Here No More" is probably the most reflective track on the album and it features Bonnie Bramlett (of Delaney and Bonnie fame) as a soulful guest vocalist along with the previously mentioned Morrison.

And "We Could Be Hip Next Week" brings back the days of The Tuba on Southwest Boulevard, especially since the "guest artists" are saxophonist Todd Wilkinson, guitarist Terry Swope, and percussionist Mike Harvey who, along with van Loon, made up the old KC Bottoms Band.

Midnight in KC is not only a fine recording, but one that reminds us a) how much musical talent Kansas City has nurtured over the years, and b) how much we have missed Larry van Loon since his move to Nashville in 1995.

It's good to have him back.

-- Bill O'Connor

Larry van Loon and friends will host a CD release party on Monday, Oct. 11 at the Grand Emporium. -- Ed.

RETURN TO OCTOBER 1999 MAIN INDEX

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	Search our site:		Karrin Allyson FROM PARIS TO RIO Concord Records CCD-4865-2 Personnel: Karrin Allyson, vocals, piano, percussion; Gil Goldstein, accordion, piano; Paul Smith, piano, synthesizer; Danny Embrey, acoustic guitar; Rod Fleeman, acoustic guitar; Bob Bowman, bass; Todd Strait, drums, percussion; Doug Auwarter, surdo, drums; Grigori Sandomirsky, Paul J. Hatton, violins; John Adams, viola; Steven Elisha, cello Tracks: Sous Le Ciel De Paris (Under Paris Skies), Samba Saravah, Te Amo (I Love You), O Pato (The Duck), Ne Me Quitte Pas (If You Go Away), Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasure of Love), O Barquinho (My Little Boat), Coracao Vagabundo (My Vagabond Heart), Parisian Thoroughfare, Des Histoires, Inutil Paisagem (Useless Landscape), Catavento e Girasol (Windmill and Sunflower), Aria (from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5)/Belo Horizonte, That Day (Cinema Paradiso) Recorded and mixed March 15-19 & 28, 1999 at Soundtrek Studio, Kansas City, MO; Ron Ubel, engineer. From Paris to Rio finds jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson singing songs "outside the traditional borders" of jazz (her words), and she succeeds magnificently on this, her sixth release for Concord Records. Most of the material comes from French and Brazilian writers (with Allyson singing these songs in both French and Portuguese), and though this listener is not fluent in either language, the expressive musical storytelling by all involved makes this program a joy to hear in any language. As is her custom, Allyson is again joined by some of Kansas City's finest jazz musicians. The sensitive, poetic arrangements faithfully evoke the moods of French salons (is "Des Histoires" a tango?!) and Brazilian street dances. Kudos to all the players for their tasteful, unpretentious performances. It's just what this music calls for. I first heard pianist Gil Goldstein on a wonderful Michael Franks album, 1995's Abandoned Garden, a project not unlike this one, with its emphasis on Brazilian music. Goldstein is Allyson's special guest here, playing both accordion and piano with great pathos, and contributing some beautiful music throughout. The opening minor waltz (so reminiscent of Paris!) effectively sets the tone and mood of the sixty-seven minute album, a generous collection of fourteen tracks beautifully recorded by Ron Ubel and his superb crew at Soundtrek. Karrin really shines on this sort of material, and her consistently accurate intonation is a delight to hear. While each track has its charms, special mention must be given to Bill McGlaughlin (formerly musical director of the Kansas City Symphony) who contributed -- and conducted -- two outstanding string quartet arrangements. The first, "Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasures Of Love)," is a 'classical' waltz which moves seamlessly into and out of a jazzy middle section: a duet played by guitarist Rod Fleeman and bassist Bob Bowman that actually sounds more Baroque than anything else. This is a notable example of 'chamber jazz' at its very best, and there are a couple others on the program as well. My favorite track is actually a medley of two pieces, both of which feature Karrin's wordless vocalizing. Heitor Villa Lobos' "Aria," nicely arranged by McGlaughlin featuring Allyson singing over an accordion-bass-drums background, segues into a great original by Danny Embrey (who also contributes a guitar solo). Embrey's jazz samba "Bela Horizonte" fades both in and out over a wonderful Brazilian percussion rhythm, and concludes with Karrin scatting over the ending vamp. The album's song sequence is superb, and helps the program be consistently relaxing while never boring. The album package is also very attractive, from the cover (a photo of Karrin as tourist, in France or Rio?) down to the liner notes (the singer's friendly text surrounded by travel stickers and postcards). This, then, is that rare project, a collection of songs whose expert arrangements and performances deserve repeated listening -- not unlike Henry Mancini's best work. Subtleties abound, and each new listen reveals more of them. What an aural treat -- music for grownups! From Paris to Rio is highly recommended. -- Paul Hofmann Boko Maru DREAMLAND FunPro Productions Personnel: Todd Wilkinson, vocals, saxophones, percussion; Terry Swope, vocals, guitar; Joe Miquelon, keyboards, saxophone, vocal; James Albright, bass, vocals; Keith Mallory, drums, percussion; w/guests Brenda Allen, cello (12); Stan Kessler, trumpet/flugelhorn (9, 12); Xavier Granados, vocal (9) Tracks: Can't Stop Thinking, Blue Grotto, Ain't It Fascinatin', Somebody in the Backroom, Here Lies..., Hungry for Your Love, My Grey Faith, Dreamland, Flesh-Colored Mazda, You Looked at Me, Somebody Shoot Me, Life in the Big City Recorded February-April 1999 at Airborne Audio Productions, Lenexa, KS; Larry Gann, Don Miller engineers. Good news: The long awaited Boku Maru CD has finally arrived, and it surpasses all expectations. Over the years, this band has made a lot of friends, none of whom will be disappointed with this release. The album, which has very high production values, has lost none of the character that has endeared the group to its fans. The band is made up of experienced, highly skilled musicians who navigate through a huge range of styles such as gospel, Latin, various kinds of rock, blues, and of course, jazz. It's a credit to the considerable skill of each of the members that nothing ever sounds out of place or strained. Every style is played with absolute authority. Of course, comparisons to Steely Dan will abound. The music of both groups features sophisticated harmonies, quirky subject matter, and unusual yet tuneful melodies, sung in voices not found in more conventional pop groups. (Although when lush vocal harmonies are called for, they are delivered.) But it's just this unpredictability that produces music that endures, and hopefully will make a lot of new friends for Boko. This project was a long time coming, but the fact that it was a labor of love is evident with every track. From the intro to "Can't Stop Thinking" (the opening cut) one is aware that this is something special. The sound is at times thick, but never excessive; at other times sparse, but never thin. Nothing ever sounds out of place. Although this recording is firmly of the pop genre, most members of the group have supported themselves working in various jazz groups in Kansas City. This is readily apparent on "Here Lies..." during the intro and solo section. There is no posing going on here; everyone knows exactly what they're doing. Todd Wilkinson's sax solo is especially notable. Other highlights include Keith Mallory's funky drum vamp during "Hungry For Your Love;" the vast array of styles covered by Terry Swope's guitar throughout, as well as his thoughtful lyrics; solid, imaginative bass playing by James Albright, as well as his lyrical solo on "Dreamland;" and the elegant piano work of Joe Miquelon throughout. He sounds like a pianist, not just a keyboard player accessing another sound. Whether the gods (or accountants) that rule the world of Pop/Rock will notice this release and suitably anoint its participants remains to be seen. This is a project born of love and integrity, and the band and all who know them may share in their pride of this fine offering. -- Doug Auwarter A CD release party hosted by Boko Maru is set for Thursday, Nov. 11, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. at Fedora's Cafe, 210 W. 47th. -- Ed. Candace Evans INTERPRETATIONS Personnel: Candace Evans: vocals, piano; Wes Knowles, Ricky Anderson, bass; Mike Thompson, Gary Via, drums; Gary Helm, Mike Thompson, percussion; Billy Meynier: piano, electronic keyboards; Rod Fleeman, guitar; Bill Crain, flute. Tracks: We Kiss In a Shadow, Fly Me To the Moon, Cry Me a River, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Bewitched, Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me, Since I Fell For You, Stompin at the Savoy, I've Got a Crush On You, Softly As In a Morning Sunrise/This Masquerade, How Do You Keep the Music Playing?, Norwegian Wood/Here There and Everywhere, It Never Entered My Mind Recorded at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO; Bill Crain, engineer. Candace Evans is an energetic pianist and vocalist whose music has become known to Kansas City audiences over the last decade through her engagements in some of this town's better hotels and restaurants. In the early nineties, she studied at Kansas University on a piano scholarship, and then began working in venues such as the Ritz-Carlton Lobby Bar playing renditions of show tunes and semi-classical fare with her refined touch, appealing phrasing and formidable technique. Her musicianship, professionalism and entertaining demeanor led to steady engagements as a single pianist. Interpretations documents her recent evolution towards more of a jazz feel in her music. She has been studying improv and vocals with Carol Comer, the accomplished pianist, singer, educator and presenter of jazz, and she has moved beyond the hotel-lobby singles, now singing and playing in jazz venues such as Jardine's, leading duos and trios with veteran players such as bassist Ricky Anderson, and absorbing common jazz practices on the job. Most of the songs on the disc are performed as vocals, with a pleasing variety of accompaniments arranged in collaboration with Comer, pianist Bill Meynier and Bill Crain (who also co-produced and engineered the project, and who gets high marks for the warmth and richness of the sound). Evans' singing suggests sincerity and vulnerability in ballads such as "Cry Me A River" and "It Never Entered My Mind" and imparts a spirit of imaginative playfulness in "We Kiss In a Shadow" and "Fly Me To the Moon." With sympathetic accompaniment from the supporting musicians (including guitarist Rod Fleeman on four tracks), Evans makes some musical gestures of the kind that will likely continue to make her a stronger improviser: scatting on the opening two tracks, blues-ing it up on a 3/4 version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and working with some swing phraseology in her economical piano solos. The contrasting treatments of the songs (by composers such as the Gershwins, Rogers and Hart and Hammerstein, Hank Williams, Andy Razaf, Michel Legrand, and Lennon and McCartney) work well. It is pleasing to see someone with Candace Evans' background, who has proven she can hold down some of the best jobs in town playing music that is not exactly jazz, working to get more into the flow of the improvisation thing that is jazz. Interpretations is an impressive first effort that will please her following and add to it. -- Rich Hill Join Candace Evans for a CD release party at the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill, 8th & Central, on Wednesday, Oct. 20. -- Ed. Malachy Papers BONE & HORN Personnel: Mark Southerland, tenor saxophone, flutophone; Bill McKemy, bass; Mike Dillon, percussion, traps, tabla, vibraphone; Ryan Bennett, drums (trks 2, 4); Un-ra Arnold Young, drums, cymbals, bamboo flute, miscellaneous percussion (5, 6); Jazzbo, trumpet (4); Chad Meise, dove trap, sample hold, voltage output (6, 7) Tracks: Sump, Ratsody, The Dummy One, Blue Point Tango, Roughneck and Thug, Dovebelly, Riddle and Funk Recorded live at Davey's Uptown, Kansas City, MO, October 1998; Chad Meise, engineer Cannonball Adderley once said, "You have to be able to play 'in' before you can play 'out'." So, to limit debate among the Jazz Purists, Malachy Papers might want to consider releasing an album of standards just to set the record straight. Except that would be putting a phony facade on this band's very clear and well-conceived identity. So, forget the purists. This is the kind of music that causes arguments. The It-Must-Swing-and-Have-Two-Fives-Before-It's-Jazz crowd will have a fit with it; the If-There's-Spontaneity-Honesty-and-Group-Empathy-Then-It's-OK crowd will receive it with an open mind. rue, there's a dearth of many of the elements that constitute mainstream styles. But the conversational, visceral, sometimes raw musical statements found on this CD can be just as essential to an honest jazz performance as a straight-ahead version of "Cherokee." Bone & Horn is demanding, for both performers and listeners. (Had Ornette Coleman's band been unavailable for the soundtrack on "Naked Lunch," the movie version of William Burroughs' hallucinogenic and disturbing tale, Malachy Papers could have pinch hit perfectly.) But most of all, it's a courageous reminder that the house of jazz has many valid and diverse rooms. And just because one of those rooms has some rubber-padding on the walls doesn't mean it's a bad place to hang. -- Mike Metheny Larry van Loon MIDNIGHT IN KC Prime Cut Productions PMCD-2 Personnel: Larry van Loon, vocals, piano, Hammond B-3; Randy Coleman, bass; Jerry McCoy, vocals, acoustic/electric guitars; Mike O'Neil, vocals, drums; w/guests: Tom "Trashmouth" Baker, vocals, harmonica; Tom Bark, Bonnie Bramlett, Dennis Gulley, Darlana Moffatt, Kim Morrison, vocals; Everette DeVan, organ; Mike Harvey, percussion; Rick Hendricks, guitar; Steve Herman, Pat Morrissey, trumpets; Randy Kohrs, dobro; Johnny Neel, vocals, keyboards; Jo-el Sonnier, Cajun accordion; Terry Swope, Ed Yokley, guitar; Dennis Taylor, Todd Wilkinson, saxophones; Jaisson Taylor, percussion, vocals Tracks: Try Matty's, Midnight in KC, Shoppin' For Her Next Old Flame, Rita Don't Live Here No More, Misery Loves Company, Somebody Like You, This Time Let's Say It's For Good, Napoleon Blownaparte, What the Woman Knows, We Could Be Hip Next Week, Thinking About Going Home Recorded at Straight-up Sound, Nashville, TN, Dennis Gulley, engineer; Westend Studios, Kansas City, KS, Dave Brock, engineer. Larry van Loon's much anticipated Midnight in KC lives up to its expectations. Centered around the talents of the Kansas City ex-patriot (van Loon moved to Nashville four years ago), the recording brings much to the table and leads the listener through many different moods. There's a little bit of jazz, a bit of blues, some R&B and some rock, all of which is done with characteristic van Loon soul. Listening to this recording is like stumbling into a KC bar where Larry van Loon is holding court with a superb house band. And where he keeps inviting his buddies up to sit-in. It's basically a reunion of Colt .45, the KC Blues Band and the KC Bottoms Band; and it's a project that reflects the many influences each of these musicians grew up with, including a nod to KC's Tom Pendergast era. "Take a good look, the spirits are flowing free/Temperance ladies ain't going to rain on Tom's parade/Meantime downtown Big Joe's wailing/Something low-down, dirty and blue." Composer Tom Bark sings the CD's title song beautifully, organist Everette DeVan wails, and Pat Morrissey plays a muted, mood-setting trumpet. Of eleven songs, eight were written by van Loon. Highlights are too numerous to list, but they include vocals by Tom "Trashmouth" Baker, Jaisson Taylor and van Loon on "Misery Loves Company" (check out Ed Yokley's poignant guitar solo on that track), as well as the band's lively rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Try Matty's." Also notable is the acoustic guitar pickin' of Jerry McCoy throughout. And the vocals of Darlana Moffatt and Kim Morrison on van Loon's "Somebody Like You" are strong, as is Rick Hendrick's guitar solo on "This Time Let's Say It's For Good." "Napoleon Blownaparte," another van Loon original, features Greg Camp and van Loon on vocals, and "Trashmouth" on harmonica. (Frank Zappa would have enjoyed this cut.) "Rita Don't Live Here No More" is probably the most reflective track on the album and it features Bonnie Bramlett (of Delaney and Bonnie fame) as a soulful guest vocalist along with the previously mentioned Morrison. And "We Could Be Hip Next Week" brings back the days of The Tuba on Southwest Boulevard, especially since the "guest artists" are saxophonist Todd Wilkinson, guitarist Terry Swope, and percussionist Mike Harvey who, along with van Loon, made up the old KC Bottoms Band. Midnight in KC is not only a fine recording, but one that reminds us a) how much musical talent Kansas City has nurtured over the years, and b) how much we have missed Larry van Loon since his move to Nashville in 1995. It's good to have him back. -- Bill O'Connor Larry van Loon and friends will host a CD release party on Monday, Oct. 11 at the Grand Emporium. -- Ed. 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