In Lieu of 1000 Words: Trumpet Summit at The Blue Room

The show started at 8:30. That's when I walked in, give or take a few minutes. I was about to hand over the $10 cover charge when the ticket seller warned me, “It’s standing room only.” I thought a moment then gave her my money, adding, “Good. I’m glad that room is packed.” The ticket seller laughed (then she found me an open seat on the floor. It pays to be a regular and make the ticket seller laugh).

The Blue Room remained standing room only through the second set last Saturday night. Because Kansas City still knows a great jazz show when we hear one.

Trumpet Summit is a spectacular mix of KC jazz veterans and youth. With a front line of Mike Metheny, Stan Kessler and Hermon Mehari, you start with three of the best trumpet (and flugelhorn and EVI) players anywhere. Add a rhythm section of Gerald Spaits on bass, T.J. Martley on piano and Brian Steever on drums, and you have one of the most talented jazz ensembles anywhere.

Hearing the ensemble’s take on compositions ranging from Gil Evans to Thad Jones, and from originals to the blues (with an especially wild version of The Chicken Shack), it’s easy to understand why the audience stayed.  Between magnificent solos and the masterfully arranged blending of two and three horns (which, as Stan noted, isn’t easy; you don’t want it sounding like the Tijuana Brass), this Trumpet Summit is brass at its best.

If you missed the group, you can catch them at their CD release party in September at Take Five. And you can see below a sampling of how Saturday night looked (as always, clicking on a photo should open a larger version of it).

Trumpet Summit. Left to right: T.J. Martley , Stan Kessler, Gerald Spaits, Brian Steever, Hermon Mehari, Mike Metheny

Stan Kessler on trumpet while Hermon Mehari listens

Mike Metheny

Hermon Mehari on trumpet while Mike listens

The rhythm section: T.J. Martley, Gerald Spaits and Brian Steever

Gerald Spaits on bass

T.J. Martley on piano

Brian Steever on drums

The front line: Stan Kessler, Hermon Mehari and Mike Metheny

Stan Kessler

Hermon watches while Mike solos on EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument)

Hermon Mehari

T.J. takes a solo

Stan and Hermon

In Lieu of 1000 Words: Rich Wheeler Quartet at Take Five

This is one of Kansas City jazz’s best kept secrets.

Not among musicians. Musicians in town know all about Rich Wheeler. He’s in Alaturka, in the People’s Liberation Big Band, in Mark Southerland’s groups, in Brandon Draper’s groups. Musicians know Rich is one KC’s best on tenor sax.

But because he’s mostly played as a sideman, the public is less aware of his name. Many in an audience just ask, so who was that fantastic tenor player in the group tonight?

That’s why when Rich Wheeler fronts his own group – especially when it’s in Take Five Coffee + Bar, one of this area’s most delightful jazz spaces – I’ll be there. And when backing Rich up in that group is T.J. Martley on piano, Bill McKemy on bass, and Brain Steever on drums, I know I’m hearing a quartet culled from Kansas City’s top jazz musicians.

Last Saturday night, May 12th, at Take Five, they did not disappoint. Rich fronts this group with natural ease and remarkable talent. His full tenor sound filled the room with solos as exciting as they are imaginative. T.J., Bill and Brian played perfect support or spread-your-wings solos which consistently ended to wild applause. It’s been especially wonderful to hear Brian develop over the last couple of years into a drummer who leaves audience members whispering to each other about what they just heard (Saturday, I saw that more than once).

Let’s also recognize Take Five, which is bringing jazz to the suburbs several nights each week, in one of the most comfortable, most welcoming, and most acoustically solid spaces to hear the music, city or fringe.

If you missed it, here’s how the night looked. As always, clicking on a photo should open a larger version.

Rich Wheeler Quartet. Left to right: T.J. Martley on keyboard, Brian Steever on drums, Rich Wheeler on tenor sax, Bill McKemy on bass

Rich Wheeler

Enjoying the quartet in Take Five

Pianist T.J. Martley

Rich, Brian and Bill

Bassist Bill McKemy

The Rich Wheeler Quartet performing

Rich and drummer Brian Steever

Framed by Billie on one side and Louis on the other, the Rich Wheeler Quartet in Take Five Coffee + Bar

Matt Otto Quartet at Jazz Winterlude

I came to an infatuation with jazz through Basie. And I’ll be the first to admit I was dragged to contemporary jazz by the nose hairs. Some of it remains too extreme for my tastes, and I’m convinced some is transitory. But some of the best jazz being produced today is, indeed, contemporary. And none is better than the music of the Matt Otto Quartet supplemented by voice and piano.

I spent most of a couple weekends back at Johnson County Community College’s Jazz Winterlude. Club-sized crowds enjoyed some of the best jazz in Kansas City today, a mix of traditional and modern music. But of every group I heard, Matt’s stood out as the most extraordinary.

Matt Otto and Gerald Dunn, either of whom could play sax for anyone (Matt on tenor, Gerald on alto), here are at once complementary and competitive, each clearly admiring the other’s solos. Backed by Jeff Harshbarger on bass and Michael Warren’s drums, the base quartet presents Matt’s complex compositions as both supremely engaging and completely accessible. Now add T.J. Martley’s smart and inventive piano. Then layer on Shay Estes’ remarkable vocals. She isn’t singing songs. This is the voice as an instrument, but unlike any instrument played by manipulating keys.

I’m groping for words to explain the wonder which filled the theater. Simply, I have not heard another group like this.

I wrote about and photographed the Matt Otto Quartet last year, here. But I’m so taken by their music, here they are again, from their Jazz Winterlude performance on January 21st. As always. clicking on a photo should open a larger version of it.

The Matt Otto Quartet. Left to right: Gerald Dunn, Matt Otto, Jeff Harshbarger, and Michael Warren

Matt Otto on tenor sax

Gerald Dunn on alto sax

The front line with Gerald Dunn on alto, Matt Otto on tenor and Shay Estes vocalizing

Michael Warren on drums

Jeff Harshbarger on bass

The Matt Otto Quartet plus two. Left to right: T.J. Martley, Gerald Dunn, Matt Otto, Shay Estes, Jeff Harshbarger, Michael Warren

Shay Estes, vocals

T.J. Martley on piano

Jeff solos as Shay admires

The saxes: Gerald and Matt

Shay Estes vocalizing. Behind her, Jeff Harshbarger.

In Lieu of 1000 Words: Crosscurrent at The Blue Room

They’re one of the best jazz groups in town. Somebody give these guys a gig.

Crosscurrent is drummer Sam Wisman’s collection of top KC talent playing the music of Lennie Tristano. T.J. Martley claims Tristano’s piano seat, plus Matt Otto on tenor and other reeds, Zach Beeson on bass and Sam on drums. And this night they were joined by equally superb sax-man (but, I hear, soon to leave KC, alas) Steve Lambert.

They assembled for the group’s second public performance last month at The Blue Room. Sharp and precise playing complex Tristano compositions, the talent of each shines through on imaginatively conceived and thoroughly enlightening solos. They’re as good as you’ll find in Kansas City – or damn near any city.

On Mondays at The Blue Room, a single set is followed by a jam session. But one set of this group is not nearly enough. I want to hear more. So somebody, do me a favor and book these guys. I’ll be there.

(And when that happens, everyone else: You should be there, too.)

Here’s how it looked that June night. As always, clicking on a photo should open a larger version of it.

Crosscurrent. Left to right: T.J. Martley, piano, Steve Lambert, tenor sax, Zach Beeson, bass, Matt Otto, reeds, Sam Wisman, drums

Steve Lambert and Matt Otto

T.J. Martley on piano

Matt Otto on tenor

Sam Wisman on drums

Steve Lambert on tenor

Zach Beeson on bass

 

Matt Otto and Sam Wisman