JAM: August/September 2002 Issue: Club Profile

The Piano Room
8410 Wornall
816-363-8722

The Piano Room (formerly Inge's Lounge) is the perfect place to enjoy the vocal and keyboard stylings of KC jazz legend (and JAM cover feature) Luqman Hamza. The veteran soloist and recording artist appears every Wednesday evening, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and from 9:30 to 11:30 Luqman is joined by another local jazz luminary, bassist Lucky Wesley, a longtime member of The Scamps.

Nestled in a small mall on the northwest corner of 85th and Wornall, The Piano Room offers a satisfying blend of listening room ambiance, jazz club vibe, and festive neighborhood lounge. No one is a stranger in this cozy nightspot. Most of all, though, The Piano Room features some of the area's most popular singer-pianists in an intimate, jazz-friendly setting.

"For years and years, when it was still Inge's Lounge, you'd see more of a piano-bar, sing-along, cabaret-style variety show here," says club owner Dean Weiss. "Of course, my first love has always been jazz, so after some experimenting with the weekly lineup, we started mixing it up with various artists. As we all know, this town is full of great jazz musicians; and because the room is fairly small, we are able to provide a good opportunity for people to enjoy some of Kansas City's jazz legends in a much more personal way."

In addition to Hamza and Wesley on Wednesdays, look for the more commercial offerings of Wes Winters on Thursdays (many in Winters' following like to get up and burst into song on their own, sometimes with surprising results), Russ Long on Fridays (Long is also a bona fide KC jazz statesman with a distinguished career spanning 40 years), and on Saturdays the talented Kathleen Holeman, who continues to garner well-deserved praise in KC jazz circles. Drummer Mike Shanks lays down the grooves for Long and Holeman on Fridays and Saturdays.

There is no cover charge at The Piano Room, dress is casual, parking is good, and bar selection is plentiful. There are also several eating spots nearby for either before or after an enjoyable stop at this relatively new venue on the KC jazz club landscape, a venue whose owner is passionate about live music.

"Without trying to sound negative," Weiss says, "it's certainly okay to stay at home and enjoy jazz recordings. But I really do think the best way to appreciate jazz is to experience it live. And whatever any of us can do to urge people to get out and support live jazz, I think we should."
A good place to begin (or continue) that support is The Piano Room at 85th and Wornall. It's well worth the trip.

-- Mike Metheny

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		The Piano Room 8410 Wornall 816-363-8722 The Piano Room (formerly Inge's Lounge) is the perfect place to enjoy the vocal and keyboard stylings of KC jazz legend (and JAM cover feature) Luqman Hamza. The veteran soloist and recording artist appears every Wednesday evening, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and from 9:30 to 11:30 Luqman is joined by another local jazz luminary, bassist Lucky Wesley, a longtime member of The Scamps. Nestled in a small mall on the northwest corner of 85th and Wornall, The Piano Room offers a satisfying blend of listening room ambiance, jazz club vibe, and festive neighborhood lounge. No one is a stranger in this cozy nightspot. Most of all, though, The Piano Room features some of the area's most popular singer-pianists in an intimate, jazz-friendly setting. "For years and years, when it was still Inge's Lounge, you'd see more of a piano-bar, sing-along, cabaret-style variety show here," says club owner Dean Weiss. "Of course, my first love has always been jazz, so after some experimenting with the weekly lineup, we started mixing it up with various artists. As we all know, this town is full of great jazz musicians; and because the room is fairly small, we are able to provide a good opportunity for people to enjoy some of Kansas City's jazz legends in a much more personal way." In addition to Hamza and Wesley on Wednesdays, look for the more commercial offerings of Wes Winters on Thursdays (many in Winters' following like to get up and burst into song on their own, sometimes with surprising results), Russ Long on Fridays (Long is also a bona fide KC jazz statesman with a distinguished career spanning 40 years), and on Saturdays the talented Kathleen Holeman, who continues to garner well-deserved praise in KC jazz circles. Drummer Mike Shanks lays down the grooves for Long and Holeman on Fridays and Saturdays. There is no cover charge at The Piano Room, dress is casual, parking is good, and bar selection is plentiful. There are also several eating spots nearby for either before or after an enjoyable stop at this relatively new venue on the KC jazz club landscape, a venue whose owner is passionate about live music. "Without trying to sound negative," Weiss says, "it's certainly okay to stay at home and enjoy jazz recordings. But I really do think the best way to appreciate jazz is to experience it live. And whatever any of us can do to urge people to get out and support live jazz, I think we should." A good place to begin (or continue) that support is The Piano Room at 85th and Wornall. It's well worth the trip. -- Mike Metheny RETURN TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2002 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.