DJ E-Z Rock, 1968-2014

A framed copy of the 1988 album It Takes Two by  Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock has hung in my office for years. The well-designed art serves as an excellent conversation starter.  As far as I can tell, everybody loves the title track.  When I walked into my office a few months ago, I discovered that the frame had fallen from the wall and broken glass had gouged the cover.  DJ E-Z Rock, aka Rodney Bryce, died Sunday.


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Tim Finn wrote a comprehensive profile of Kristie Stremel.

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Accordionist Don Lipovac has died.

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Lee Dresser of the Krazy Kats has died.

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Here's footage of 17-year-old Akshay Dinaker sitting in with Roger Wilder's trio at Broadway Jazz Club.

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The eighth episode of the current season of the KC Cypher Series is unimpressive.

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The Kansas City Star provides an update on the Creepyface case.

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DJ Rashad has died.  He performed with Chance the Rapper at Liberty Hall in Lawrence last November.

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Habib Koité's Soô is very nice, but I can't completely connect with the Malian's new album.

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My infatuation with European jazz continues unabated.  Kasper Staub Trio's Havnepladen is RIYL: Tord Gustavsen, swing-free jazz, Tomasz Stanko.

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April isn't over and I've already listened to about 150 albums released in 2014.  I've skipped through many more that don't appeal to me.  My Top Albums of 2014 playlist at Spotify contains a single track from each of my 50 favorites.  St. Vincent and Kelis are currently battling for the top spot.  The rest of the playlist will almost certainly undergo dramatic transformations during the next eight months.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)