Interview with Jeff Glixman, Kansas producer

Q: What has been your history with the band?

A: My history as producer of Kansas is that I used to play with the guys way back when. Growing up I lived right across the street from Washburn on MacVicar, so we have a long history together.

Q: What big things do you have planned for this upcoming concert and DVD?

A: This is going to be a very special event as the band returns to the place we all started. I remember playing on stage there at White with Phil and Rich back in the early 70s when we were kids, so it has a lot of meaning to us that way. This is a fabulous production. On the 7th of February 2009, if you’re anywhere in the area, this is the place to be, White Concert Hall. I’ve done lots of recording, I’ve produced many, many projects. I’ve filmed many projects. I’ve done surround sound on Bob Marly recording, Allman Brothers’ “At Fillmore East” and this is going to be, hopefully, the best one yet. It’s really set up to be an event that everybody who’s there will participate in. We’ll be shooting camera work from the rear of the hall forward and everyone will be engaged in the performance itself, so it should be quite an event.

Q: What has it been like being involved with Kansas all these years?

A: Well, you got to remember that these are my friends that I spent part of my life growing up with. Obviously we’ve gone separate ways as well. Phil and I have continued to work together pretty continuously through the years; there was just a period of time in the 80s where we didn’t do much together, but starting again in 1992 we did a video with Kansas, “Live at the Whiskey.” We have never documented the band with a symphony. This is the first chance to do that, which is very exciting. You know, it’s like you wonder where the time went. We still feel like the kids going down MacVicar from my house to Bobo’s to grab some burgers. It just doesn’t seem that long ago.