As I got started brooding on the subject of my best of 2007 list, I came across an oversight. I neglected to point TNLD readers to my last bit of musico-journalism at KCUR, namely an interview with guitarist Charles Gatschet. The interview was produced by Alex Smith and Sylvia Maria Gross (while I was busy filling cardboard boxes) and aired on KC Currents the week after I blew town for Chicago.You can still listen to it on KCUR's website: Charles Gatschet - Step LightlyGatschet is a Kansas City native whose classical training is more than apparent in both his playing and in his compositions. Step Lightly is definitely be one of my top local jazz albums of 2007, but that distinction deserves a footnote.
Gatschet currently splits his time between KC and Denver. On top of that, the musicians backing him on Step Lightly are all Denver-ites. All of which points to the growing clout of that mile-high metropolis, with its light-rail line and its jazz radio station. All of which should serve as nervous-making news for fans of jazz in old Kaycee.
Fortunately, it's not a zero-sum game.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to believe that the healthy status of the scenes in Denver and St. Louis are a good thing for KC.
Incidentally, www.plasticsax.com mentioned your Gatschet piece in October 24, 2007, post.