The orchestra embarked on its first international tour in May 2018, performing at the Swinging Hannover festival in Germany and other concerts in Poland. Since spring of 2013 the orchestra is directed by Clint Ashlock, who succeeded Kerry Strayer. As of 2018, the concert season is held at the large Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. They had played at Unity Temple on the Kansas City Plaza for most of their concerts, but after 5 years they grew to the Folly Theater as well. They connected with audiences through their tributes to Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Woody Herman, and even Kansas City jazz great Count Basie. īy 2008, the orchestra was an 18-piece band. The recording is very good, portraying the scale of the very large space required to accommodate such a vast number of musicians. To that end, the orchestra incorporated youth outreach and education into their strategy, an initiative entitled JazzWorks! They co-sponsored the third annual Kansas City Kansas Community College Jazz Camp and held clinics at Kansas City schools. "Our vision for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is to be on the same cultural plane as the symphony, the ballet, and the Lyric opera", said Mair when elaborating on a strategy to grow the orchestra and attract young audiences and musicians. In the beginning of the orchestra's performing schedule, they regularly drew audiences of up to 1,000 people. They began with theme-based concerts and a two-concert subscription season. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra had their debut performance was in 2003. Mary Mair took the helm as the first executive director. Jim's wife, Mary Mair, was also integral in getting the orchestra started. The museum preserves the history of American jazz music, with exhibits on. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra was founded by Jim Mair and Gene Hall in Kansas City in May 2003 after being inspired by similar jazz orchestras across the United States, though it was primarily modeled after the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. jazz museum in the historic 18th and Vine district of Kansas City, Missouri. This is finely crafted music that is a joy to listen to.The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra (KCJO) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) big band jazz orchestra based in the Kansas City metropolitan area and part of the Kansas City jazz music scene. John Sims is just right in allowing the friends tell their well-worn stories. Steve Cardenas is well-known as the guitarist for Kandace Springs and others, and for his long-time collaboration with bassist Ben Allison. Iconic Chicago jazz writer Neil Tesser says in the liner notes, "Million doesn't rely on fireworks or flash the impact of his work comes in the steady accretion of ideas over the course of an improvisation and the gorgeous details of his interaction with the rhythm section." Drummer Ron Vincent spent several years with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. Steve Million moved to Chicago in the 1990s. An honesty that gets inside your head and says, "listen again, pal". From that aspect, this is music that happens to be jazz, rather than jazz that must be taken as serious music. Having heard these friends perform on several occasions, in various settings, the good memories flood my head, in as many ways as there are songs on the disc. Clean-lined and airy it makes you want to roll down the windows and turn up the volume so that the wind whips by you as cruse on out of town. This music sounds Midwestern like the music of Pat Metheny or drummer Matt Wilson. With songwriting this good the sound is fresh and cohesive. This album is a comfortable set of beautifully crafted songs, performed by veteran recording artists. The trio has remained connected off stage all these years. The songs on "What I Meant to Say" have been written throughout Steve Million's life. The November 2019 recording session in Paramus, NJ seems more like a reunion for 3 friends who have walked divergent musical paths, than an effort to make some lofty musical statement. The new Origin release, "What I Meant to Say" is a testament to Steve Million's talent as a songwriter. Guitarist Steve Cardenas and pianist Steve Million were half of the Ida McBeth band of the era, along with drummer Jon Cushion and bassist Forrest Stewart. In the 1980s, Pianist Steve Million lived in a modest neighborhood that is now home to the beautiful Kauffman Gardens in Kansas City.
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