Mike Ning Blues for Y.P. Ning and His Wife A Dedication by Mike Ning Ning Dynasty 1982

Mike Ning Blues for Y.P. Ning and His Wife A Dedication by Mike Ning Ning Dynasty 1982 CAT #001

Just recently, Mike Ning's daughter commented on a record her father was featured on here. I've since asked what other albums and work her father has done, but have yet to hear back. Reason being, I think I have several LPs featuring his work, most of which are sitting in my vinyl inbox waiting to be cleaned and listened to. I knew I had this one, so I felt obligated to pull it out.

The best part about this LP is how personal it is. All tracks are completely original and Ning gives background stories to all 5 featured on his ablum. The title track was a song he wrote in honor of his mother and father and the rest coincide with travel as a jazz musician and lover of the art form. Reading through the short stories, it appears Ning is originally from New Mexico, but at the time of this LP and apparently to this today, he was and is an active member of the KC Jazz scene.

Backside caricature drawing

He also put a drawing of his mother and father on the front cover, which I hope his parents liked, because it's there forever now. My favorite part now that his daughter has left a comment, is the caricature drawing of the Ning family on the backside showing that 1981, that was only good for one thing, Sesame Street songs, never mind a blues in D minor that the guy apparently wrote as a teenager, 'C is for Cookie' ruled the house.

The tracks were recorded with a trio and Ning leads on his piano. It doesn't sound dated or drenched in the 80's. It's enjoyable and well-done. Nothing gets too out of hand and it's pretty easy going throughout. Although, guitarist Danny Embry can go down some paths that get exciting, Overall, it's chill and easy to listen to. It also features a second version of 'Grable's Able (Milt's Abel)' which was featured on the previously mentioned KC Jazz Spectrum LP.

Sherry Jones Mike Ning Quintet Blame it on the Music Ning Dynasty 1988

Sherry Jones Mike Ning Quintet Blame it on the Music Ning Dynasty 1988 CAT # 003

This LP is more of the 80's KC jazz scene players trying to bring back a legitimate KC jazz scene instead of trying to hang onto a memory. There's a number of these LPs floating around all featuring a combination of many of the same players featured here.

Pulling this one out just recently, what struck me is that the longtime KU professor, Chuck Berg, played tenor on it. Berg just passed recently at the end of July, but he was a well known/loved film and music professor at KU. A good friend of mine took a Jazz in Cinema course from Berg. During one of the classes, Berg mentioned how he was once in a rock n' roll band to which my friend asked the name and was told Spider and the Traps. Constantly digging, my friend then asked if there were any Spider and the Traps records released, to which Berg advised him there were not. Undeterred, my buddy tracked down a 7" by Spider and the Traps (there were at least two released) and confronted him with it. Berg still held that he wasn't on it as he was unaware the band released anything. Maybe he wasn't on it, but, maybe he just didn't want to admit to recording with a juvenile frat rock band.

He never mentioned this record to my friend. He was a jazz snob, maybe he would've proudly proclaimed this LP as something he was part of. It's decent, although the Quintet's name, Sherry Jones Mike Ning Quintet, is a bit fractured. For 80's jazz, these players never sounded too 80's. It's still pretty slick, but it's not smothered by smooth jazz and quiet storm sounds, they try to keep a bit more traditional.