Various Artists Atlantic Jazz Kansas City Atlantic 1986

Various Artists Atlantic Jazz Kansas City Atlantic 1986 CAT# 81701-1

There are numerous KC Jazz comps out there all of which are good, but this one does a tremendous job showcasing Kansas City as a pioneering city in music. The back liner notes do a much better job than me, but it takes all the artists featured here and connects the dots. From Buster Smith showing up from Texas, Basie from Ohio, and McShann coming from Oklahoma, they all met and played together in Kansas City. They also crossed paths with Charlie Parker. And just as soon as they hit upon a Kansas City sound, they took it nationwide.

What you have hear is the Atlantic Records story of Kansas City. The swing that would transform jazz. The same artists who featured a young Charlie Parker before he revolutionized the genre. And the jump blues performed by Big Joe Turner that would eventually lead others to rock n' roll and be heard in soul records. It's not the complete story, but the selections here are all amazing and tell some of the best parts to it.

Jay McShann Jumpin' At the Woodside

Ida McBeth Now, Here It Is Me Muzik Unknown Year

Ida did her best to make this a one of kind item,
but Glenda is a bitch and gave this to Goodwill.

Ida McBeth Now, Here It Is Me Muzik Unknown Year CAT #St-10042

This album, based on cover and back sleeve photos, came out in the mid-80s. Looking at a lot of big hair and Miami Vice fashion on the backside. The music is drenched in slick 80's production as well, but, it's surprisingly in touch with KC jazz roots.

Rather than be corny and cliche, the covered songs are rework themselves into a classic jump blues style with a few torch numbers to showcase Ida's softer side. Her voice is strong and can fill a room with ease. The blues numbers are the albums strong point as their nod to history is surprising as based on the cover, you'd expect some sort of slick, 80's female pop-soul LP.

The production is credited to Ida McBeth. She exposed herself to the music scene at an early age moving to Los Angeles and singing in clubs. Apparently there's a 70's album she recorded, but there's no indication on her website that it was ever released. Either way, competent performances from all players and Ida's voice makes it a worthwhile listen. Nothing mind blowing, but strong for a local release. Today, she can still be found recording and performing locally.

Performing recently on the Plaza

The Original Boogie Woogie Piano Giants Original Recordings 1938-1941 Columbia 1974

The Original Boogie Woogie Piano Giants Original Recordings 1938-1941 Columbia 1974 CAT #KC 32708

This is compilation featuring Chicago pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, but it's full of Kansas City's Pete Johnson.  It was released by Columbia as part of a John Hammond blues reissue series. Pretty solid to be thrown up with those names and shows that KC was a big deal. And, to have John Hammond credit Johnson is appropriate as he led the blues revival scene back in the day with his love of the blues.

The compilation has 9 tracks that feature Johnson on the piano. He dominates the LP. A number of tracks feature Big Joe Turner, but Johnson is found here working with the other mentioned names as well as solo on the defining track, "Boogie Woogie." He's clearly defined as one of the primary influences and inventors of the boogie woogie style.

The compilation took the original tracks, possibly from old 78s as you tend to hear surface noise throughout most tracks that sounds as if it was recorded in and original masters if they available. All tracks are presented in original mono and it appears the only hard work came in the transfer. There doesn't seem to be remastering job, just an attempt to get these as close to the original issues as possible. Solid pick up on the cheap due to the quality of the tracks, both Johnson's and others.

Pete Johnson Boogie Woogie