Yearly Archives: 2011
Edelman: Time for Disgruntled Musicians to Lay Down Arms & Return to Jardine’s
Remember when you were embarrassed to ask for something from, say, your old and sickly grandmother who barely had the energy to raise her hand and pat you on the head?
"I wish for world peace, Grammy," you’d respond, and leave it at that. I mean, the old gal couldn’t afford to get you a present. She was buying more drugs than Amy Winehouse on a tour of the Balkans.
Hanging out at Jardine’s Saturday night, I thought how nice a slice of that peace would be– peace between jazz musicians and club owners. It seems somebody told somebody something, and the next thing we jazz fans knew, part of the band at Jardine’s didn’t show up. The guys who did play worked their hands off; and Beena put a brave face on it.
But this was Saturday night at the best jazz club in town. We all deserved better (even without a cover).
This boycott Beena business is a dead end.
Leftridge: Gift Giving Ideas for Just About Anyone
With Christmas only a stone’s throw away, I’ve decided to take the guess work out of gift-giving.
Nobody really knows what Grandpa wants and Dad has enough "executive" golf-themed items for his desk (exceptionally funny because Dad doesn’t work at a desk– he’s a ‘slicer’ on the hog-slaughtering assembly line… Get real).
Surprise them with a gift for the ages!
Have them talking for weeks afterwords! Whatever… Just buy one of these goddamned things and call it a day.
Glazer: Chiefs Threaten Scribe’s Big Bet & Romeo May be Kansas City’s Juliette
Well, it happened…
The Chiefs made some big news for once, for the first time in years. They beat the undefeated Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead. Huge upset. One the Packers may not recover from. Their defense has been poor all season, Aaron Rodgers looked terrible and the Pack looked very beatable.
Reminded me of New England towards the end of their unbeaten run – they were just worn out.
The Chiefs defense showed up big. They had a good running game and quarterback Kyle Orton played mistake free football. They executed the perfect game plan. And Romeo Crennel may have won the Head Coaching job for next season.
Leftridge: TV Time — The Walking Dead —
The first thing you need to know about The Walking Dead is that it’s a show about love.
We’ll let that sink in for a moment.
Are you adequately recovered from my claim? Good.
So yeah, it’s a show about love, first and foremost. It’s about love, and human nature, and the evil that men do, and familial relationships and sociological interactions. It’s basically a primetime soap opera about a group of people, and the way they treat life, and the way life treats them. It’s a soap opera about people thrust together unwittingly into less than desirable circumstances. And zombies.
Yes, zombies.
And to many, that’s what this show is, or what it means. It’s a tale of a bunch of people banded together by fate, shooting the shit out of zombies in order to procure themselves a better tomorrow.
And though the zombie brains may splatter, and their rotten faces be exploded under the cool blast of a 12 gauge, this show is still about the humans behind the gun, a poetic testament to those forced into a life of murderous indifference.
Glazer: Scribe Lays Down This Week’s Picks as Chiefs Prepare for the Worst
Well sports fans, your humble scribe wants to let you know nothing has changed at Arrowhead…
The Packers – like I told you the Jets would do – will dance on the Chiefs Sunday. They will cover the 13 1/2 point spread. And that’s the VEGAS SPREAD (betvegasvic.com), not 14.
I see this as a 38 to 13 game with the Packers winning. That Chiefs Defense only works well on bad teams or wounded teams. The Pack lost one good receiver, other than that, say good night. Packers.
There are some low level college bowl games Saturday and one NFL game.
Oddly and I can’t remember the last time there were no college bowl games on New Year’s Day. Everything’s moved to January 2nd, Monday because of the NFL. Odd, huh?
Pro Football: Here it goes….
Today: Bourdain Does Stroud’s & Savoy, Pletz Death Update & ‘Toon Shop’ Redux
There’s a ton going on so let’s get going….
For starters chef, author, television host and culinary wild man Anthony Bourdain has been in town for much of the week, ahead of his perfromance tonight at the Midland by AMC. Earlier this week, roving KC Confidential comments catalyst Chuck Lowe caught Bourdain in the act, film crew in tow, at B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ. Lowe says Bourdain was swilling beer and swallowing KC ‘Q for an April edition of his Travel Channel show "No Reservations."
Wait, there’s more…
"B.B.’s manager Mike Shannon told me Bourdain was going to Stroud’s yesterday and the Savoy today," Lowe says. "So he’s making a week of it here in Kansas City."
Concert biz insiders may want to note that Bourdain’s show at the Midland tonight is being promoted by Jam out of Chicago with former KU SUA concert king Steve Traxler (who’ll be in town for the show) spearheading the promotion.
Glazer: A Black Eye for the NFL & Black NFL Players / The Drug Bust
NFL players – and especially NFL players of color – took a knockout blow yesterday…
On Wednesday, Chicago Bears wide out Sam Hurd was busted by the DEA for buying one kilogram( 2.2 pounds) of cocaine. On top of that, Hurd had ordered 1,000 pounds of weed and up to 10 KIlograms of coke per week. That’s a wholesale value of just under a million bucks a week. Meaning this guy is a major supplier to dealers. Many of the dealers we are told are current and past NFL players.
In the double digits according to the Feds.
I heard about it first on 610 Sports with Nick Wright (and by the way, we made up). Nick made two important comments. ONE: a guy buying this much ain’t selling a bag of weed to his pals. This is serious weight – Scar Face weight. SECOND: many other players will be named, this could be the worst criminal event ever for the NFL – way worse than the Michael Vick scandal.
This is a HUGE DRUG RING.
Sounds Good: Katlyn Conroy@RecordBar, Drakkar Sauna@Jackpot & Beena@ Jardine’s
All of the shows I’m recommending this week are at Jardine’s because, well, Beena threatened to stab me in the heart with a trident if I crossed her (again).
You guys all know how she can be, right?
I heard that one time she caught an employee taking a non-approved bathroom break and so to make an example, she murdered their whole family on stage in front of everyone.
Yeah.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she locked the doors and made all the remaining employees listen to jazz for, like, an hour and a half…with no booze!!
Just be careful out there guys, you’ve been warned…
Star Search: Star Sends ‘Thirsty’ Reporter to Jardine’s to Tell the Rest of the Story
Can I get a drumroll?
After two weeks of watching from the sidelines, the Kansas City Star is poised to enter the finger-pointing, media circus and soap opera surrounding embattled Plaza area jazz club Jardine’s.
Unlike Fox 4‘s fox hunt, count on the Star story being balanced. In other words, rather than just loading up on pissed off servers and a single musician who’s check got caught in a bank account freeze, the Star will weigh in with both sides of the story.
That being said, this is going to be a delicate tightrope walk for Star music man Tim Finn.
Leftridge: Calling All Coaches- Who’d Like to Come to Kansas City?
So Todd Haley is gone, and though it’s only been a few days—that he’s undoubtedly spent sitting on his couch in basketball shorts, scratching the scruff on his neck and wondering where it all went wrong—we’re already picking over the corpse of his career and making wild assumptions and wish-lists concerning who might be next in line. The life of a head football coach is probably not a fun one, and it provides all of the safety and job-security of a one-legged lobsterman on a rickety fishing boat.
But shed not a tear for the plight of the oft-embattled NFL coach; the average 2010 salary was a cool $3.25 million. And yeah, it’s a year-round job, despite its seasonal nature, and it consumes you. Your family life probably suffers, you have no free-time and your insides are just one giant ulcer of second-guesses and game film. That said, I mean, come on… $3.25 million.
Jack Goes Confidential: ‘SHERLOCK HOMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’-Game On!
The teaming of Robert Downey, Jr. with Jude Law and director Guy Ritchie worked extremely well in 2009’s SHERLOCK HOLMES.
The question being, could they repeat the magic two years later? The answer being, damn right.
Downey, Jr. as Sherlock reprises his role as the world’s most famous detective and Law returns as his formidable colleague, Dr. Watson.
And you guessed it, this 1891 cat and mouse game sports a new antagonist. He’s criminal mastermind at large Professor Moriarty, played devilishly by Jared (Mad Men) Harris who may prove to be Holme’s equal—or possibly even better!
Today: Fox 4 Falls for Phoney Picket Photo Op While Musicians Boycott Plaza Jazz Club
The most sensational scandal in the modern Kansas City Jazz history is unfolding before our eyes…
If you thought jazz was dead in this town, think again. Granted, lip service from the usual suspects and the undying passion of ardent aficiondos aside, jazz isn’t exactly a popular art form these days.
Far from it.
Don’t get me wrong though. There’s a ton of quality live jazz around town spearheaded by artists like Mark Lowrey, Brandon Draper, Megan Birdsall, Danny Embrey, Lonnie McFadden, Shay Estes, Hermon Mehari and Mark Southerland. It just doesn’t get much media attention, and outside of venues like the Folly, Mutual Musicians Foundation and Jardine’s, not a lot of foot traffic.
Speaking of foot traffic…
A pair of former Jardine’s servers and a handful of their friends layed down a small town news style photo op for Fox 4 tonight around 7:30 p.m. The servers and scab friends picketed Jardine’s for Channel 4’s 9 and 10 p.m. news. Is it actually that easy to get on local television news these days?
I thought you had to actually be murdered or die in a fire or car crash.
Glazer: Nepotism, The NFl, Carl Peterson; Down & Out in Kansas City
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It’s called nepotism…
You move up the ladder because a family member or good pal says so. Simple as that. Sure, some people have genuine talent, like Clint Eastwood and they slowly move up. But most Hollywood executives move up because of Uncle Bill or Aunt Jane. Same thing in the NFL.
"My son will make a great offensive coordinator."
"Sure thing, Marty."
Hey, sometimes it works, but usually it doesn’t.
Today: Anthony Bourdain Descends on B.B.’s Lawnside & the Ghost of L.C.’s Past
What in the world was foodie Anthony Bourdain doing today chowing down at one of KC’s ‘s lessor BBQ joints?
Making the rounds of local dining establishments ahead of his performance Friday at the Midland by AMC, that’s what. KCC reader and comments dude Chuck Lowe stumbled onto Bourdain at lunchtime today at B.B.’s lawnside BBQ in South Kansas City.
"I think he was having burnt ends when I saw him," Lowe says. "The place was packed and everybody was standing around looking at him and he had a crew filming it. But I couldn’t get near him because (owner) Lindsay Shannon was guarding him."
Like Lowe, my experience with B.B.’s cuisine has been mediocre at best. That said, the place has a kickass roadhouse feel and features some of KC’s best blues bands like Trampled Under Foot, John Paul’s Flying Circus and Samantha Fish.
Now back to B.B.’s and the nail biting that may be going as to how Bourdain will rate B.B.’s on his Travel Channel show "No Reservations" come next April.
New Jack City: It’s Time To Celebrate the TIME in Overland Park
THIS JUST IN!
Fellow Overland Parkers. Your pain, suffering and seemingly eternal shame is finally at an end. Your voice has been heard. You asked for it, you demanded it. You wanted to stay on time and keep up with the rest of the metroplex. And guess what?
Santa has brought the greatest gift ever—albeit a little early —to downtown O.P.
The world famous Overland Park clock tower has been transformed and is actually keeping time again. Kansas City time, no less.
Hearne: Jardine’s Wants to Pay Off Former Staff Today & Move On
Olly Olly in come free…
In the interest of fairplay – in a local soap opera of historic, tabloid TV news proportion – I bring you the following message from the jazz club known as Jardine’s just off the Country Club Plaza:
Come and get it!
That’s right, as reported here last week, Jardine’s owner Beena Raja has her checkbook at the ready and wants to settle up with members of her now-former wait staff. Including the pair that were fired, the manager who resigned and the dozen or so others who vanished into thin air.
"I want to pay all of the employees," Raja says. "I went back through my records and I want to pay them today."
Just one problem…
Hearne: Blockbusted – State Line Blockbuster Bites the Dust & Romantics Flashback
Just like that, the Blockbuster near 77th and State line is no more…
The one Steve Rose and I go to. That is, whenever Rose’s family is in town for the holidays and my kids are hosting an overnight hang with friends. It was kind of like a Mission Hills / Prairie Village / Waldo neighborhood institution. Albeit an institution on the brink of extinction.
When other Blockbusters and area video stores were dropping like flies the last couple of years, the manager there assured me his would be one of the last to go because it was some sort of regional headquarters or something.
Yet suddenly, last Tuesday employees got word from upon high and they were out-of-there in a flash.
New Jack City: It’s Time to Lay Off the Bogus Hyatt Criticism
I hadn’t paid much attention to the many stories about Hyatt’s refusal to financially involve itself in the proposed SKYWALKS MEMORIAL…
That all changed Sunday when I came across an absurd letter to the STAR.
Under the heading of "Hyatt Moral Debt" an Olathe woman wrote, "I am disgusted to learn that Hyatt Hotels Corp. will not be contributing to the Skywalk Memorial. They took money from Kansas Citians for 30 years, but when it came time to remember the 114 people killed and countless others injured or affected, they skip town."
Hold it right there.
Glazer: The Rise & Fall of Todd Haley and The Long, Sad Road Ahead
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Well, by now you have all heard Chiefs coach Todd Haley is toast in KC…
Maybe that’s a good thing for Mr. Haley. Change was needed. There’s no need to dwell on the why, other than a couple points. Losing, hatred (which I told you back in September) between Todd and general manager Scott Pioli and no overall success.
One thing I have written about and talked about on radio is this: last year was not really much of a success. By year’s end the Chiefs were a bottom tier team – bottom 7 or 8 for sure. They had nothing other than a scat back named Jamaal Charles and a couple good-but-not great defenders in Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson. Oh yeah, and D-Bowe. Not enough to build a winner with.
No quarterback, no titles.
We all know Pioli deserves the same fate. He’s been pretty terrible. Just a few good picks and almost no good trades. You need talent to win and we have very little. I don’t think any coach could have done that much with this mess.
Starbeams: The Top 5 Accomplishments of Chiefs Coach Todd Haley
The TOP 5 ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY TODD HALEY:
#5. Almost grasped the ability to speak in complete sentences.
#4. Made several people laugh by reserving a table under the name C-Hunt.
#3. Taught us how to shake hands without getting germs.
