It's no small feat to cover a legend. When local MC Les Izmore sat down with trumpeter Hermon Mehari of the jazz ensemble Diverse, the two set out to cover one of the most revered hip-hop albums: Common's politically charged landmark Like Water for Chocolate. What resulted was a tribute rendered with sensitivity, creativity and respect — with a twist. Les Izmore brought his raspy flow to Common's socially conscious verses, and Hermon Mehari and his band framed Izmore's flow with funky, smooth instrumentations. The collaboration, which went down at Czar Bar March 19, didn't just pay tribute to an artist important to Izmore and Mehari. It also strengthened ties between young artists in Kansas City's jazz and hip-hop communities. Evidently, they had more in common than they thought.
