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Free jazz.
The MO Jazz Music Festival, which alights upon Rose Park next weekend, doesn’t necessarily offer free jazz of the adventurous, Ornette Coleman variety. But the one-day outdoor affair celebrates jazz, and surveys its various states, by drawing listeners into a free show.
The Sept. 9 lineup, which melds national, regional and local talents, is a thoughtful entry into the sound, stacked with acts who major in accessibility but also cherish their minor digressions. Here’s a look at this year’s roster.
Considering Lao Tizer 15 years ago, AllMusic’s Alex Henderson assigned the keyboardist/bandleader a class with jazz artists such as Grover Washington Jr. — separate from the Kenny Gs of the world — affirming the Colorado native descends from the “masters of tasteful commercialism.”
Catching up with what Tizer’s done since, Henderson seems on the money. An album like 2018’s “Songs from the Swinghouse” effortlessly passes through genre; you hear how the language of 1970s rock a la Chicago, easy listening, radio-friendly pop and, of course, jazz expands and contracts together. This is the very definition of crowd-pleasing.
When Tizer, whose band can stretch from a tight ensemble to a 15-piece, headlines this year’s festival, he’ll call on key contributors including saxophonist Marienthal, a seasoned sideman who was a friend and co-worker to the likes of the late Chick Corea and Al Hirt.
On the more adventurous — yet still fusion-minded — side of the dial is steel pan player Jonathan Scales and his cohort. The San Francisco-born artist has played with nearly everyone in Bela Fleck’s Flecktone galaxy and acquits himself as a whipsmart bandleader.
As it’s led by a percussionist, Scales’ band majors in serious, rocksteady cohesion — varied drums twine with killer basslines — but never sacrifices a bit of melody or harmony. His records combine modal, artful instincts with strong beatcraft that ties jazz’s destiny to hip-hop, funk and more.
The St. Louis-based trumpeter and vocalist owns wide tastes and well-tuned ears, swooping and swinging through the post-World War II jazz idiom. Weber always meets listeners where they are by leaning into classic melodies, and mingling touches of pop and funk into the musical fabric.
A homegrown talent, further cultivated at the revered Berklee College of Music, Fierke brings the classic cool of a Madeleine Peyroux or Diana Krall vocal jazz set, but goes significantly deeper and gets significantly weirder — in all the best ways. The sky isn’t merely the limit for Fierke, but a place to play as the singer rearranges the stars within these exquisite songs.
Connecting jazz to cousin sounds like R&B, this beloved Columbia trio has more than earned its reputation for high-octane, crowd-pleasing rock ‘n’ roll that lines up behind the sound’s earliest purveyors. Expect charming hooks, fevered guitar riffs and an airtight rhythm section.
Doors for Saturday’s fest open at noon, with the show to follow at 1 p.m. Visit https://rosemusichall.com/ for more details.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.
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