Entering their 22nd season, The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra kicks things off with renowned vocalist Sachal Vasandani. A consummate performer, bandleader, lyricist, composer, and educator, Sachal is one of the foremost contemporary interpreters of the American Songbook. Through his innovative arrangements and his own individualistic attachment to the music, Sachal brings a refreshing delivery of songs that have been sung for generations to the stage. Like legends such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, he has a deep, creative, and nuanced approach to improvising his way across lyric, melody, and form; shaping and molding song in such a subtle and personal way that is saturated with a craft only the greatest artists attain.
Along with performing live and teaching, Sachal is a highly sought after recording artist, and has released seven full length albums. Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s Artistic Director Clint Ashlock discusses one of Sachal’s albums, “Hi-Fly,” released in 2013. “My first Sachal record, and one I listened to daily. His 7/4 contemporary interpretation of the gorgeous standard ‘The Very Thought of You‘ deeply influenced my idea of what a jazz standard could become through an artist’s connection to it, and their own imagination. To me, Sachal shows how limitless music can be. The band is ridiculously great, too, with Kendrick Scott, John Ellis, and Ambrose Akinmusire sounding unbelievable.” Sachal is set to release his eighth album sometime in early 2025.
We talk about “standards” all the time in the jazz world, but what really makes a song a standard? A song has defining characteristics such as lyric, story, melody, mood, harmonies, and so on. After a particularly special song’s original release, jazz musicians over every generation have found one or more of those characteristics worth repeated exploration, and revisit it often in practice and performance. A sort of snowball effect occurs, where more and more musicians fall in love with the tune, and it becomes a commonly played tune (a “standard”) for musicians all over the world. As an example, Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” had a chord progression that was interesting and conducive to creative melodies and riffs. That song is now a standard known to anyone who has studied or listened to jazz.
Vocalists also contributed to the standardization of tunes. Singers of renown would record songs and provide a connection between the music and lyrics to the general audience. Artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Frank Sinatra would give an interpretation of a song that endeared itself to the listener’s memory. These personal interpretations allow the listener’s imagination to take hold, asking “Is this the way the singer feels? Is this the way I feel? Is this the way someone else I know feels?”. The brilliance of an everlasting song lies in its character and can remain over time even through different interpretations.
KCJO’s Experiences season kickoff will be an Unforgettable night. The sounds of Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and original music will fill the beautiful Helzberg Hall. Come see well-known jazz standards with a new modern twist featuring Sachal’s contemporary vocal stylings and your Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.
Your experience won’t have to end after that! We have a full season ahead of us. Bright Size Life featuring renowned Kansas City guitarist, Rod Fleeman, and the tunes of Pat Matheny. A jazzy rendition of Vince Guaraldi’s music and the television show Charlie Brown at our Charlie Brown Christmas special. Kansas Citians Bram and Lucy Wijnands family duo take the stage at Always and Forever. Level Up! your experience with swinging arrangements of classic and contemporary video game music. Walk down the red carpet with Glamour of Old Hollywood featuring Brenna Whitaker. Tickets to this incredible season can be found on our website. We hope to see you there!
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Presents The Root
The origin of jazz lies in another great Black American art form: the blues. But the relationship that Kansas City jazz has with the blues is unique, maintaining a strong association throughout the past century.…
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