Kansas City's free concert-in-the-parks series had an indelible impact on my musical upbringing. Seeing a handful of national jazz acts every summer made an enormous impression on me.
Alas, budget cuts, combined with the diminished relevance of jazz, killed the concept. My strong sense of nostalgia insured that I wouldn't miss the evening segment of Saturday's city-sponsored Party In the Park at Swope Park.
The night's best performer was Irv Da Phenom, (above) who offered a clever combination of R&B, hip hop and dance music similar to the highly-anticipated new Krizz Kaliko album.
Incidentally, Irv also vlogs. I recommend his reporting from Taste of Troost, the excellent blowout I raved about at There Stands the Glass on July 6.
The unaccountably meager crowd of about 700 wasn't feeling Jae Casino. His flossing about flashy clothes (that's him in the dark shirt above.) didn't sit well with the unassuming crowd that was battling the stifling heat. For what it's worth, I liked his set.
I didn't care for Fidelity (above). They embody everything I don't like about contemporary R&B. I give them credit, however, for opening their show with a fine Michael Jackson tribute.
(Original images by There Stands the Glass.)
1 comment:
Best show I ever saw at Swope Park -- even including Starlight -- was the city's free, mid-70s presentation of Charles Mingus ... those were the days!
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