KC Jazz Orchestra announces new season of big band, old Hollywood, video games and more
The artist and songwriter Romare Bearden once wrote, “The rhythms, the personal involvement, all of this is part of the jazz experience.”
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is calling its newly announced 2024-2025 season “Experiences,” and it’s an apt title. The season encompasses more than just some of the best big-band music around, but also stories of jazz artists old and new, a beloved Christmas TV special, the geekiness of video games and the razzle-dazzle of Tinseltown.
“One of the most common things I hear from people who don’t get out to listen to a lot of jazz is that when you experience jazz in person, it is such a different experience than any other kind of music,” said Clint Ashlock, artistic director of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. “In jazz, there are so many little personal connections and communications that happen. When you see that happen, it’s truly an experience.”
The first experience happens Oct. 11 at Helzberg Hall with Sachal Vasandani, a singer with a superb jazz pedigree. Vasandani has worked with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, as well as Jon Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin and many other greats.
“We were looking for a singer to kick off the season, and do a contemporary crooner kind of thing,” Ashlock said. “Around 2013, a musician turned me on to Sachal’s album called ‘Hi-Fly.’ I thought he had such a unique sensitivity, especially on the jazz standard ‘The Very Thought of You.’ It was so contemporary but rooted and soulful. I was just blown away by that.”
The orchestra pays tribute to the legendary jazz guitarist Pat Metheny with “Bright Size Life” Nov. 16 at the Folly. The concert will highlight the orchestra’s guitarist, Rod Fleeman.
“Pat was a wunderkind here when he was growing up in Lee’s Summit, and then he left Kansas City to become this massive figure in music,” Ashlock said. “As a jazz composer, Pat Metheny stands in rarefied air. His songs are brilliant, and his compositions lend themselves really well to big-band arrangements. So we’re going to try to do a Kansas City big-band interpretation of Pat’s music.”
Last year, the orchestra had a certifiable hit on its hands with the sold-out “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The show returns Dec. 10 at Helzberg Hall. The annual television show is a holiday classic not only because of the beloved “Peanuts” characters but also Vince Guaraldi’s jazz score, which captures those characters brilliantly.
“It’s endearing music, but since it’s jazz, we’re not going to come back and do the exact same show,” Ashlock said. “Again, we want to provide a new ‘experience.’ We’re working with Hallmark to maybe bring the characters more to life and make the show more of an experiential event for audiences of all ages.”
One of the great things about the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is the way it honors jazz from every era. On March 1, “Always and Forever” celebrates boogie-woogie with barrelhouse pianist Bram Wijnands and his daughter, vocalist Lucy Wijnands.
“Bram is one of the most deft practitioners of swing and stride piano in the world,” Ashlock said. “He’s from the Netherlands, but is a longtime Kansas City resident. He’s phenomenal, and he captures Kansas City jazz music so well. His daughter lives in New York now and is on the precipice of becoming a huge star. She’s a brilliant singer of contemporary sensibilities who swings her tail off.”
April 5, it’s on like Donkey Kong. “Level Up!” brings video game music from your parents’ basement to Helzberg Hall. Music for video games has been gaining in reputation and respect. There’s even a group in Los Angeles called the 8-Bit Big Band devoted to it.
“I’m 43, and I grew up humming video game music, Mario Bros. and all of that stuff,” Ashlock said. “It started out as beeps and bops but has turned into giant orchestral things. I thought it might be cool to dive into them and find out what a Kansas City big band sounds like playing this music. We’re working on making it a multimedia event.”
The season will conclude in grand style with the “Glamour of Old Hollywood Jazz Gala” May 30 at the Folly. The concert stars Kansas City native Brenna Whitaker.
“She’s a super talented vocalist who lives in L.A. now,” Ashlock said. “I just asked her what she was interested in doing, and she said maybe we could play old Hollywood music, and we took that and ran with it. For the Friday concert, we’re going to try make it a red carpet event with a literal red carpet. And then we’ll do this concert of classic, beautiful songs from Hollywood and turn the Folly into Grauman’s Theatre. Yet another experience.”
Here’s the season:
7 p.m. Oct. 11. “Unforgettable.” Sachal Vasandani, vocals. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
7 p.m. Nov. 16. “Bright Size Life.” Rod Fleeman, guitar. Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St.
7 p.m. Dec. 10. “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Helzberg Hall.
7 p.m. March 1. “Always and Forever.” Bram Wijnands, piano, and Lucy Wijnands, vocals. Folly Theater.
7 p.m. April 5. “Level Up!” Helzberg Hall.
6 p.m. May 30. “Glamour of Old Hollywood Jazz Gala.” Folly Theater.
Ensemble Iberica — ‘La Fuente del Flamenco’
Flamenco seems especially potent in the heat of summer. The passionate dance form, which grew out of the culture of the Romani people of Spain, also known as gitanos, is highly rhythmic, sexy and sweaty.
Ensemble Iberica will be joined by dancer Sachiko “La Chayí” for “La Fuente del Flamenco” July 3 at Musical Theater Heritage. Born in Japan and now based in the Twin Cities area, Sachiko studied flamenco for several years in Kansas City’s sister city, Seville, Spain. Her teachers included some of Spain’s greatest flamenco masters. For aficionados and for those who are flamenco-curious, this is a don’t-miss concert.
7 p.m. July 3. Musical Theater Heritage, Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd. Suite 301. $45-$50. 816-304-7067 or ensembleiberica.org.
You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.
