David Basse
STRIKE WHEN YOUR IRON IS HOT
City Light Entertainment
6 07325 00022 9

Personnel: David Basse, vocals; Mike Melvoin, piano; John Heard, bass; John Guerin, drums; Larry Bunker, vibes; Herman Riley, tenor saxophone

Tracks: Strike When Your Iron Is Hot; The Best Thing; I'm Just a Lucky So and So; Invitation to the Blues; The Eagle Flies on Friday; House of Should'a, Could'a, Would'a Been; New York State of Mind; Sugar; The Light of Our Love; Gauloise Blue (Smokin' the Night Away); Soft and Furry; The Big Comeback

Recorded at Westlake Audio, Hollywood, CA; Hank Cicalo, engineer.

Strike When Your Iron Is Hot represents an exciting new chapter for David Basse. He has moved forward and is now out front (metaphorically as well as literally) as a vocalist and leader, no longer singing from behind his drums at the back of the bandstand. It is an evolved sound, and one that bears much more of the Basse stamp.

Perhaps because he has spent much of the last decade in Los Angeles, or perhaps because here he has used LA musicians and recorded in a Hollywood studio, this new CD has fewer tunes associated with Kansas City and less of the old-time, good-time KC sound than his five prior albums. The product is pure foot-pattin' Basse to be sure, with trademark rhythms and the guttural charm of that raspy, oak bark voice, but several of the songs have a sharper edge than before -- closing-the-bar music, when the last bottle is empty and the last ashtray full. It's LA noir meets KC swing. And it works beautifully.

Basse may bring to mind a character in a black and white film as he peers from the CD cover through a haze of fog and flame, his broad brim down and his coat collar up. But his tunes on this recording are wide-screen and technicolor, with a large and varied sound from this small ensemble.

On most of the songs Basse is backed by a trio, while three cuts add vibes and three others a tenor sax. One selection, "The Big Comeback" is Basse alone with Mike Melvoin's barrelhouse piano, but it evokes the power of Big Joe Turner singing from the street.

As with many of Basse's prior recordings, the songs here have pithy lyrics and offer world-weary advice (typically lessons learned about dames), accompanied by tuneful and sometimes haunting melodies. It's a wonderful selection of compositions by a group of musicians who know each other well and perform together seamlessly.

There are some jazz numbers (Duke Ellington's "I'm Just a Lucky So and So," and Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar,") some bittersweet blues ("Gauloise Blue [Smokin' the Night Away]" and Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind"), and -- the best of all - that uniquely Classic (and classy) Basse Sound, with elements of honky-tonk and R&B, easy swing and swagger. The latter category includes "Strike When Your Iron is Hot," "The Best Thing," "The Eagle Flies on Friday," and the very clever "House of Should'a, Could'a, Would'a Been." All are by Basse's pianist, Mike Melvoin, with lyrics by Milo Adamo, both of whom are clearly on Basse's wave length.

While Basse's treatment of the Melvoin-Adamo compositions is perhaps the sound that most generally defines this recording, other numbers also bear special mention. The group's renditions of Tom Waits' "Invitation to the Blues" and Jon Pointer's "Gauloise Blue (Smokin' the Night Away)" will generate goosebumps, if not tears. And these cuts add the wailing tenor sax of Herman Riley to Basse and the trio; the result is as smoky as a nightclub at 2 a.m.

Not only are the songs on this recording well selected, but the musicians are among the finest in Los Angeles. Between them, pianist Melvoin, bassist John Heard and drummer John Guerin have worked with a "who's who" of the music world (Tom Waits, the Fifth Dimension, Frank Sinatra, Thelonious Monk and Frank Zappa make up a very short list). Vibist Larry Bunker has appeared or recorded (on vibraphone, percussion or drums) with people like Chet Baker, Diana Krall and Christina Aguilera (!) And tenor saxophonist Riley has worked and recorded with the likes of Earth Wind & Fire, Etta James, Count Basie, and Ray Charles. So, obviously, the musicians on this album are incredibly gifted, versatile and well respected. David Basse chose well.

A final note. In addition to being a "first" for Basse in so many other ways, this is also his first recording to enjoy national marketing and play. It is available on amazon.com and cdnow.com, and is receiving air time on about 100 radio stations.

I highly recommend this CD and urge Kansas City music fans to buy it. I also urge everyone to enjoy every possible opportunity to hear David Basse live for as long as he's in the area.

-- Gregg Ottinger


Angela Hagenbach
WEAVER OF DREAMS
Amazon Records
ARCD-3344

Personnel: Angela Hagenbach, vocals, percussion; Danny Embrey, electric & acoustic guitars; Joe Cartwright, piano; Bow Bowman, acoustic bass; Steve Rigazzi, electric bass; Greg Carroll, vibes; Gary Helm, percussion; Todd Strait, drums; Doug Auwarter, drums & percussion

Tracks: You Turned the Tables On Me; Simone; Autumn's Flame; You Do Something To Me; Return to Paradise; Altos de Chavon; Street of Dreams; Now's the Time; Sometimes I'm Happy; It Had Better Be Tonight; Angel Eyes; Caravan

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

The margin that separates many artists who work KC's clubs from the success of those who headline at Lincoln Center can be slim -- often as slim as a major record deal.

Not that Angela Hagenbach isn't on a record label; she owns one. But if she hasn't yet earned a gold record nationwide, then maybe Kansas City can be a bit covetous and keep her as a jazzy secret.

Weaver of Dreams, Hagenbach's third solo release, lands on the 10-year mark of her return to music. And from its very first track, the album is an eclectic mix that doesn't risk getting tossed into any one jazz pigeonhole.

The straightahead "You Turned the Tables On Me" starts things off moderately in tempo while not overreaching in any way. But what could have been a bland standard turns into a swinging melodic playground for Hagenbach's characteristic low-register voice. On this and other tracks, the trombonist-turned-model-turned-vocalist explores her range with style and well-earned confidence. Hers is a voice that has the flexibility to sound percussive and instrumental, as on "Simone" or, at other times, emotional, as on "Angel Eyes."

The additional musicians on the album contribute greatly to its diversity and class, as with Danny Embrey's funky guitar groove on "Return to Paradise." This album, and "Return to Paradise" in particular, allow Hagenbach to proclaim her fearless desire to publicly examine her own range and capabilities. Her soulful diction on Eddie Jefferson's lyrics to "Now's the Time" is both fun and musical, and her vocalese and scat never seem forced or square.

The only spot where Hagenbach leads her musical expedition into rocky territory is on Embrey's "Altos de Chavon." This romping interlude of pleasant sightseeing exudes a little altitude sickness as the vocalese is laid a bit thick on top of otherwise cool Latin changes.

A treasure beheld by Kansas City, or a gift to the world of jazz, Angela Hagenbach and Weaver of Dreams can sit comfortably amidst the heavyweights in anyone's collection.

--Brendan O'Bryhim


Kevin Mahogany
PORTRAIT OF KEVIN MAHOGANY
Warner Brothers 9 47364-2

Personnel: Kevin Mahogany, vocals; Kirk Whalum, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, tenor saxophone; Bob James, James Weidman, Cyrus Chestnut, Brad Mehldau, piano; Rick Jackson, keyboards; Larry Goldings, Hammond organ; Peter Bernstein, Dave Stryker, Larry Carlton, guitar; Rodney Whitaker, Charles Fambrough, Ben Wolfe, Mike Manson, Larry Grenadier, bass; Greg Hutchinson, Billy Kilson, Clarence Penn, drums; Bashiri Johnson, percussion; with various strings and winds

Tracks: I'm Walkin'; Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight; Yesterday I Had the Blues; Teach Me Tonight; I Can't Make You Love Me; Nature Boy; Goodbye Porkpie Hat; I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know; Wild Honey; (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay; Laura

Previously released material except for "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay."

Kevin Mahogany's latest CD is a collection of eleven tracks, all but one of which have been previously released. The result is a portrait of Kevin in a variety of settings ranging from ballads to soul classics. The versatility of this top male vocalist is quite impressive.

The CD opens with "I'm Walkin'," a KC-styled rocker from Mahogany's self-titled (and first) Warner Brothers album. Kurt Whalum's tenor sax and Larry Goldings' B-3 set the mood with a tenor/organ groove that Kevin finishes off with some outstanding scat.

The Kevin Mahogany CD is also represented by Gamble and Huff's "Yesterday I Had the Blues," "I Can't Make You Love Me," and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know." Again the tenor/organ groove dominates the sound on each of these soulful tracks and Kevin and Kurt really shout on "...Blues." The latter two tracks are ballads, and guitarist Peter Bernstein's backing on "I Love You More..." is right out of the Melvin Sparks school.

A trio of ballads from My Romance displays Mahogany's tender side. "Teach Me Tonight" begins with Bob James' bluesy intro, and Kurt Whalum's tenor is again the featured horn. The other two tracks from this set are from the pens of James Taylor and Van Morrison, and to these ears are among the album highlights. Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" sounds great in this jazz setting, and strings were added for "Wild Honey." Each fit in with the standard-heavy My Romance CD, and both work just as well with the more contemporary fare on this compilation.

"Nature Boy," from Another Time Another Place, is taken at a quicker pace than we usually hear. The guitar of Dave Stryker is featured. Mingus' "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat" is another CD highlight; Joe Lovano's tenor is added to complete this Lester Young tribute.

Otis Redding's soul classic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" gets an updated treatment here. Previously unreleased and recorded at Montreux in 1999, it loses some of the tenderness of the original due to Billy Kilson's somewhat heavy-handed drums. And yes, there is even a whistled final chorus.

A striking arrangement of "Laura," featuring flutes and strings, completes the CD on a high note. This track was originally released on the "Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil" soundtrack. Kevin is at his most gentle here while making the most of the cello-like timbre that has become his trademark on ballads. There's never a strained note throughout his wide range, and the vibrato and enunciation are vocal perfection. Michael Brecker adds a fine tenor solo.

Put it all together and what do we have? Another fine album by this Kansas City favorite.

-- Roger Atkinson


Will Matthews
SOLO
WMS 001

Personnel: Will Matthews, electric guitar

Tracks: Little Joe's Blues; Lil' Darling; Lush Life; Stompin' At the Savoy; Gershwin Medley: They Can't Take That Away From Me/How Long Has This Been Going On?/But Not For Me; Night and Day; Willow Weep For Me; Lotus Blossom

Recorded 1998-99 by Will-C Productions; final editing by Mark Hood, Echo Park Studios.

Everybody knows that Will Matthews owns the coveted Freddie Green Chair in the Basie Band. But, the more I listened to this CD, the more it occurred to me how unfortunate it is that Will's Basie gig is primarily to play rhythm. Solo demonstrates a high sense of style, grace, and intuition rarely captured on disc.

On "Little Joe's Blues," and "Willow Weep for Me," Matthews shows a special mastery of marrying chord melody and bass line. And there's a fresh take on Neil Hefti's "Lil' Darlin," where Will's technique is nearly flawless and his use of seamless modulation is so smooth you barely notice.

Will gets full props for just playing the Strayhorn classic, "Lush Life" (and playing it beautifully). It's a tune most people won't even mess with, while others will bail out just before the bridge.

On "Stompin' At the Savoy," Matthews' pedal tone technique is used to great effect as he shifts gears and takes the listener/passenger on a rush-filled ride through the Black Forest in a red Porsche.

During the Gershwin Medley ("They Can't Take that Away From Me," "How Long Has This Been Going On?" "But Not For Me") Will cleverly reharmonizes each tune, while simultaneously weaving the three pieces together to form an impressive montage. On this track Matthews shows the mark of a true craftsman.

Cole Porter's "Night and Day" is served up as a bossa, with a swing shift on the bridge. It's a most striking track, and one that displays numerous chord cycles and swirling bass lines, with the melody sailing right up the middle. And on "Lotus Blossom," Matthews' arranging skills make for a beautiful bookend for this outstanding CD.

As you will hear on Solo, Matthews is a bona fide member of the elite guitar vanguard. He is also quite arguably the best guitarist to sit in the Green chair since the Man himself.

-- Wayne Goins

Dr. Wayne Goins is a professional jazz guitarist and the Director of Jazz Studies at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS


Marilyn Maye
RAPPORT: MARILYN MAYE & MARK FRANKLIN COMMUNICATE

Personnel: Marilyn Maye, vocals; Mark Franklin, piano, vocal ("Together Again"); unnamed bass and drums ("New York, New York Medley" and "Together Again")

Tracks: I'm Getting Sentimental Over You; Spring Is Here; More Than You Know; Why Did I Choose You; Everything Happens To Me; Something Cool; Lush Life; Everytime; My Romance; Mean To Me; New York, New York Medley; Together Again; It Only Takes a Moment; My Buddy/What'll I Do; That's All

Recorded at Soundtrek Studio, Kansas City, MO; Ron Ubel, engineer.

A jewel has been left on our doorstep.

Marilyn Maye, one of the finest singers ever with Kansas City roots, has released a new CD, and it is a delight.

Rapport: Marilyn Maye and Mark Franklin Communicate was recorded in the early '80s under the watchful ear of Ron Ubel at Kansas City's Soundtrek Studios. And, although it is a shame we have not been able to hear it until now, it is exciting to report its release.

With the exception of two tracks (on which an unidentified drummer and bass player appear), all songs are ballads, and contain just the singer and pianist Mark Franklin. Franklin is Ms. Maye's accompanist on this recording, but he is much more. He demonstrates the communication and the sharing of music that is the highlight of this album. Maye defines the CD title in the liner notes: "Rapport - connection, ESP, harmonious or sympathetic relationship; a mutual trust or bond." Accordingly, the vast majority of this effort is a perfect example of how connected two musicians can become.

Marilyn Maye's work here is some of the best she has committed to recording. Her treatment of standards such as "Everything Happens To Me," "Lush Life" and "Something Cool" contains an amazing freshness and craft, as much or even more than is expected from such a consummate artist.

We are also granted an aural look into the musical process on this recording, as most of the tracks are first takes. Marilyn and Mark simply trusted their musical intuitiveness and "winged it," with effect the same as one would feel listening to two literary masters converse about deeply loved subjects. It is rare to find a track on Rapport that doesn't cause spine chills and perhaps a misty eye.

Mark Franklin died when he was only 39. How fortunate we are then to be able to once again hear the wonderful rapport these two artists shared.

And what a joy it is to hear Marilyn Maye in such a setting! Her control of the material is flawless, her ear amazing, and the feel and swing of each selection infectious.

Enjoy this CD. It spotlights the best singer you may ever hear.

-- John Leisenring

Dr. John Leisenring is a recently retired professor of trombone and jazz studies at the University of Missouri/Kansas City.


Pat Metheny
TRIO -> LIVE
Warner Bros. 9 47907-2

Personnel: Pat Metheny, guitars; Larry Grenadier, acoustic bass; Bill Stewart, drums

Tracks: (Disc One) Bright Size Life; Question and Answer; Giant Steps; Into the Dream; So May It Secretly Begin; The Bat; All the Things You Are; (Disc Two) James; Unity Village; Soul Cowboy; Night Turns Into Day; Faith Healer; Counting Texas

Recorded live, 1999-2000, on tour in Europe, Japan and the United States by David Oakes, mixed by Rob Eaton.

Trio->Live is a 120 minute double CD, recorded during the most recent tour of the Pat Metheny Trio in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. It documents the territory that has been explored by these three musicians since the release of the studio CD Trio->99-00, territory that includes the jazz standard, bebop, midwestern impressionism, and the tao of noise. The material spans the length of Metheny's career from early tunes to current compositions.

"Bright Size Life" and "Unity Village" are both from the 1975 collaboration with Jaco Pastorius and Bob Moses. They sound new but familiar. The original feeling is there, but the tunes have evolved. Bill Stewart's aggressive drumming and Larry Grenadier's deep-sounding bass combine with guitarist Metheny's chromatic lyricism to suggest a new direction.

Likewise "The Bat" is an older tune. It was recorded on Offramp with the Pat Metheny Group and 80/81 with Dewey Redman and Michael Brecker. Pared down to basics, this version begins with a statement of the melody by solo guitar, followed by sparse accompaniment. The rhythmic pulse is intensified in an understated way. The performance is introspective and yet energized.

Originally recorded with Roy Haynes and Dave Holland, "Question and Answer" is taken to another level in this 20 minute version. Metheny starts off with a blues-inflected solo, followed by creative solos from Grenadier and Stewart. After a restatement of the melody, the piece concludes with an exciting ten minute improvisation on the coda, driven by guitar synthesizer.

As on 99->00, John Coltrane’s "Giant Steps" is transformed into a samba. The intimidating harmonic sequence and Metheny's modern-sounding lines are blended with Brazilian rhythms and feel in a wonderful contradiction. Bassist Grenadier contributes a very melodic solo over the disjunct chord changes.

"Into The Dream" comes from the PMG repertoire, and is also on the duet CD with Jim Hall. It is played here as a solo piece on the 42 string Picasso guitar, dissolving into "So May It Secretly Begin," another tune well known to PMG fans.

Metheny has recorded the jazz standard "All The Things You Are" twice before. Like Paul Bley and Keith Jarrett, he has given another definitive performance, full of rhythmic deconstruction, over-the-barline phrasing, octave displacement, shifts in time feel, and a modulation to the tonality of A Lydian. Stewart's in-your-face drum solo is a great one.

"James" is a popular Metheny tune which has appeared on "Offramp" with the PMG and "Te Vous" with Roy Haynes. This performance is pure fun. The catchy melody is complemented by a solo filled with humor and playfulness.

The recording ends with four new tunes by Metheny. In "Soul Cowboy," a blues that debuted on Trio->99-00, he reveals his roots. The tune is reminiscent of Ornette Coleman blues heads like "Turnaround" and "Broadway Blues," angular and soulful at the same time. "Night Turns Into Day" is thoughtful and poetic, played on acoustic guitar and backed by Stewart's subtle brushes.

"Faith Healer" is the most unusual piece here, and will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows. A sincere and unapologetic exploration of sound, "Faith Healer" is an 18 minute statement of distortion, electronic effects, space, dissonance and noise, in the tradition of John Cage and Sonny Sharrock. Like "Zero Tolerance For Silence," there is beauty in its density and weight.

The closer of this double CD package is "Counting Texas." Written for 12-string fretless guitar, the tune might be described as avant-garde country, played by a science fiction dobro. And it works.

There is a lot to listen to here. As with any music, only time will determine the significance and impact of Trio->Live, but if you want to know where jazz has been and where it's going, there are some answers here. Check it out.

--Tim Cross

Tim Cross is a professional jazz guitarist and an adjunct instructor at Johnson County Community College and Baker University.


The New Vintage Big Band
Directed by Jack M. Taylor, Jr.
ALWAYS AND FOREVER
New Vintage Records
2000-1

Personnel: Phil Brenner, Carl Bender, Marlin Cooper, Bill Crain, Nick Crane, Marshall DeMuynck, Jamie Greene, Don Hatfield, Jim Neiburger, Paul Nolen, Josh Sclar, Doug Talley, Rich Wheeler, Bryan Wood, Randy Woy, woodwinds (soprano/alto/tenor/baritone saxophones, flute, clarinet); Brad Burchstead, Glenn Carpenter, Rob Claggett, Jeff Hamer, Wes Strowig, trombones; Brian Bass, Phil Burger, Bob Harvey, Chris Leopold, Brian MacDonald, Wes Margeson, Fred Mulholland, Danny O'Brien, Al Pearson, Jeff Smith, Jay Sollenberger, Jack Taylor, trumpets; Rob Whitsitt, guitar; Dave Baker, piano, electric piano, synthesizer; Craig Akin, acoustic and electric bass; Kelly White, drums and percussion.

Tracks: Mira, Mira; Without a Song; Always and Forever; Best Coast; Autumn Leaves; (It's Just) Talk; Old Devil Moon; M.O.T.; The "Bluest" Blues; Pavane; Summertime; Irrelevant, Incompetent and Immaterial; Young and Foolish; Break the Ice

Recorded November 1998-June 2000 at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO; Bill Crain, engineer.

Big band music is alive and well. And the New Vintage Big Band release Always and Forever is a contemporary big band session that showcases some of Kansas City's strongest jazz talent.

Although the big band idiom is often stigmatized, it is one that continues to develop, even into the new millennium. In the past three decades, jazz education has progressed to the point where most college music programs have a large jazz ensemble of some sort, and countless former jazz academics have, no doubt, played many of these arrangements (I confess, myself included). Academic institutions have also produced many of the better examples of contemporary big recordings in the past twenty years, and all of the tracks on this CD emote the same youthful exuberance present in those recordings. (Keep an eye on young saxophonist Josh Sclar. He keeps up well with the big dogs here.)

In addition to the nostalgic kick I got from Always and Forever, it is impressive to hear such an interesting mix of high caliber musicians from the Kansas City area. High points include solo stints from veterans like trumpeters Al Pearson and Jay Sollenberger, as well as saxophonist Bill Crain. In addition to being a monster tenor player, Crain operates one of the top recording studios in Kansas City. Many of KC's top musicians choose his BRC studios when recording locally. This recording is one of his best to date as an engineer.

Leader/trumpeter Jack Taylor has put together an impressive array of talent for this undertaking. It is inspiring, especially in the context of our modern music culture, to think that this many outstanding players will commit their time to a substantial project such as this.

Always and Forever is also a tribute to the passion of Jack Taylor, and to his father to whom Taylor has dedicated the CD. The music is solidly in the tradition and style of the best in modern contemporary big band jazz, and it showcases some of the finest jazz musicians in the Midwest.

-- Joe Christopher Athon

---

A Poignant Tribute
When pianist and composer Don Grolnick died in 1996 of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the music world lost an underrated, yet important and prolific voice. In a 20+ year career, Grolnick had worked with everyone from the Brecker Brothers, Steps Ahead, John Scofield and Bob Mintzer, to James Taylor, Steely Dan, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt. And that's not to mention first rate playing on such solo projects as 1989's Weaver of Dreams (Blue Note).

On what turned out to be a final jazz tour in early 1995, Grolnick fronted a band made up of Michael and Randy Brecker (tenor sax and trumpet), Marty Ehrlich (alto sax and bass clarinet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Washington (bass), Don Alias (percussion) and longtime friend Peter Erskine (drums). One of the performances from that tour has now been released on Erskine's Fuzzy Music label, with proceeds going directly to the Cure For Lymphoma Foundation.

"The London Concert was recorded live by the BBC at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall," says Erskine, "and it captures Don's writing and playing at its best. It was a memorable night of music, and now it can help a good cause in Don's name and memory."

And yes, as you can imagine, the playing from everyone on this recording is superb.

For more information about this and other CDs in the Fuzzy Music catalogue, visit www.fuzzymusic.com on the 'net or call 310-399-1727.

-- Mike Metheny



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