Mike Dillon: A man on the go-go in KC

If he’s not burning the candle at both ends, Mike Dillon is at least stirring a bounty of pots or dining from a very full plate.

He says he’s mainly involved in two music projects these days — the Dead Kenny G’s and Garage a Trois. But his resume is much longer and replete with well-known musicians and side projects: Les Claypool, Ani DiFranco, Critters Buggin, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Hairy Apes BMX.

Recently he spoke to The Star from New Orleans, where he lives most of the time. He also has a home in Texas.

“I moved here in 2006, after Katrina,” he said. “There are so many great musicians in this town. Living here is part of my continuing education process.”

He explains the difference between his two primary bands and, in so doing, segues into this week’s residency in Kansas City, his former hometown.

“With Garage a Trois, I do mostly the vibes and percussion thing,” he said. “Since Marco Benevento (keyboards) took over for Charlie Hunter (guitar), we’ve become more about writing cool, instrumental rock music.

“With the Dead Kenny G’s, I do drums and percussion. We’re more into the punk rock/punk jazz sound, like what I started with the Malachy Papers.”

The Malachy Papers thrived in Kansas City over the first five years of the millennium. The band comprised Dillon on percussion and vibes, Mark Southerland on horns and his eight-track scratching machine, Johnny Hamil on bass and Brad Houser on bass and sax. Here is the band’s entry at www.JamBase.com:

“Drawing on every possible source and influence — from jazz standards to grooves to outright cliches — the group will unabashedly pay tribute to the standards and roots of jazz, screaming out of control moments later into pure cacophony, obliterating everything sacred, but still paying homage to the larger tradition of pure improv. While standards inform much of the music, most compositions are originals, and more than half of any performance is pure improv.”

Dillon and the Malachys will play Aug. 12 at Davey’s Uptown, 3402 Main St. Alaturka is also on the bill.

“Both bands will jam at the end,” Southerland said. “Mike Dillon and Brandon Draper (Alaturka percussionist): Together at last!”

That’s one of several gigs Dillon has on his Kansas City agenda. The first one is Saturday at the Brick, 1727 McGee St., where he’ll perform with his jazz/funk ensemble the Go-Go Jungle, which includes Go-Go Ray and J.J. Richards, who go back to Dillon’s days with Billy Goat.

“It’s a continuation of my days with Billy Goat,” Dillon said, “Go-Go is a great drummer. It’s always mind-blowing to play with him.”

Also on that bill is Snuff Jazz, led by Dillon’s long-time friend and collaborator Southerland, who is making sure Dillon stays busy in Kansas City.

“Mark has lined up a bunch of gigs,” he said. “We’ll be doing something at the Tap Room (Lawrence) and at Grunauer’s (restaurant) with Mark and Jeff Harshbarger.

“Mark is one of the most creative musicians I’ve ever worked with. I’m really excited about these gigs. At the same time, it’s not like a high school reunion. Every time I play with Mark and Johnny and Bill McKemy and Harshbarger, it’s fun but it is really challenging.”

He is especially anticipating playing with the Malachy Papers, a band he called the “springboard to my post-Billy Goat work. I’ve always said that would be the band I’ll still be playing with when I’m 65 or 70.”

And even at that age, it will be just one of several projects on the plate of a musician with a voracious appetite for creation, invention and live performance.

Also this weekend

Speaking of avant-garde music, the People’s Liberation Big Band will help Harshbarger celebrate the third anniversary of his alternative jazz series starting at 8 p.m. Sunday at RecordBar, 1020 Westport Road.

The “year in review” of Year 3 will include performances by Patrick Alonzo Conway, Brad Cox, Hunter Long, Bill McKemy, Matt Otto, Jeffrey Ruckman and Russell Thorpe and guest vocalists Nathan Granner and Shay Estes. Showtime is 8 p.m.

Local music fest: The Pitch’s annual Music Showcase is tonight in Westport. The event is a live showcase for nominees in the weekly’s annual music award/poll. Bands will perform at six stages in five locales, including the Riot Room, McCoy’s, the Foundry and RecordBar. For a list of performers, visit www.pitch.com. Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the gate.

 

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dillon in kc 

Saturday: Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle performs at the Brick, 1727 McGee St. Snuff Jazz and Matt Skates. Show time is 10 p.m.

Sunday: Solo on the Bee Stage at Birdie’s, 116 W. 18th St. Show time is 7 p.m.

Wednesday: With Snuff Jazz at Grunauer, 101 W. 22nd St.

Aug. 11: As part of a duo with Southerland at the Eighth Street Tap Room, 19 E. Eighth St. in Lawrence. Show time is 10 p.m.

Aug. 12: The Malachy Papers headline a show at Davey’s Uptown, 3402 Main St. Alaturka opens. Show time is 9 p.m.

 

Comments

[got grump]

oh yeah, that picture alone makes me wanna run out and buy tickets to see this grumpy fk.

[live music fan]

Who cares about pictures? That man is a demon on his vibraphone, and once you hear him you can't get enough.

[pendletonheights]

Ridiculous comment, got grump. Why don't you check out what he sounds like? The Malachy Papers are amazing, and Dillon is one of the most interesting musicians I've ever seen play in KC--world class.

[KC Jones]

dude kicks ass. that is all there is to it. he is a high-caliber musician that could have easily been in Frank Zappa's backup band tour after tour.

[Arnold]

"That man is a demon on his vibraphone"
"most interesting musicians"
gimme a fkn break.

Oh yeah, so scary, look at the tough guy, who plays xylophone player. Are you fking kidding me?

Does he get his pouty posing lessons from emeine?

Fk these spoiled brats who play "music" (if you want to call it that)(maybe in a nursey it is) for a living and they pout? fk them.

[Corona]

"I dont always play xylophone,
but when I do,
I play xylophone in the most
interesting way in the world"

"Stay lame my friends."

[KC Jones]

some of you guys really need to get a freakin' hobby.

[Sam]

Isnt it funny to see Kasey's panties get all bound in her azz? She sure is an uptight one and oh so concerned about others, like a gossiping hen. cluck cluck cluck.

[cheap christian louboutin]

Let's do our best to do ourself ! Believe yourself ! You are the best!

[live music fan]

"Fk these spoiled brats who play "music" (if you want to call it that)(maybe in a nursey it is) for a living and they pout? fk them."
Posted by: Arnold

Really? You're gonna base your entire opinion of a musician on a single picture? And it's just a serious look, not a "pout" in any way. Also, anyone who judges a musician by his instrument without hearing him (and it's a vibraphone, not a xylophone) doesn't have any credibility.

[Troll alert]

Grump/Arnold/Corona/Sam=dump troll

[Keith]

""Does he get his pouty posing lessons from emeine?""

HaHa. He does look all mad. Trying to look like eminem? maybe. It is funny how all these guys pose looking all pissed off and pouty.

[BigSteve]

emeine?