Great Jazz Happens at the Fairmont

“It's the hotel where anything can happen,” says Will Gregory, Director of Public Relations for the Fairmont on the Plaza. “The Governor can walk by any minute now. Or it could be Oprah, Sting, or Hillary Clinton. You never know.”

Pianist Joe Cartwright performs at the Oak Room lounge with trumpeter Stan Kessler, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Ray DeMarchi

As I stand in the Oak Room lounge, I can't help but feel electricity in the air. Yes, it does feel like anything could happen. Perhaps I'm just affected by the quiet elegancy of the hotel combined with the hustle bustle of tourists. The traditional rich oak wood décor mixed with splashes of colorful contemporary art and fixtures. Or the lure of the Plaza peeking through the windows and only a stone bridge away.

As we sit in one of the many antique-style sofas, a lonely waiter delivers some coffee on a silver tray. Gregory begins to explain how things are about to happen at nights at the Oak Room lounge.

Only a couple of years ago, pianist Joe Cartwright performed here two nights a week. Last year, that was expanded to three. This spring, the Fairmont added the Angela Hagenbach Quartet three nights.

“It's only natural to add one more talent,” he says. “And that talent would be David Basse.”

“Right now, we have jazz six nights. We're headed toward seven so that any night you can find jazz at the hotel,” he says.

I have to admit, I love listening to jazz at the Fairmont . It is one of my favorite rooms. It is open and well lit. Inviting love seats, sofas and overstuffed chairs are juxtaposed for conversation. The ambience of the room is ritzy, but fun and also romantic.

Most of all it is a venue you can count on for consistently excellent jazz. Joe Cartwright is well known around town for his spellbinding talent on the keyboards. (I only imagine Joe isn't in New York right now because he doesn't want to be there.) I have known few people—jazz lovers or not—who haven't walked away in total awe of Cartwright's performance.

On top of that, Cartwright brings in outside talent to match his own. On Thursday nights, Joe presents his popular series, the Best of Kansas City Jazz and features a guest artist who is truly on top of his (or her) game. This has included Bobby Watson, Will Matthews, Kim Park, Sharon Thompson, and so forth. On Friday nights he performs with drummer Ray DeMarchi, guitarist Jimmy Dykes and later trumpeter Gary Helm. On Saturdays, it's with bassist Gerald Spaits, DeMarchi and trumpeter Stan Kessler.

The sophisticated Angela Hagenbach, a former model, seems to have been born to perform at the Fairmont . Considered a celebrity in her own right, Hagenbach proves she is more than just a pretty face the minute she begins to sing. Her rich alto voice captivates an audience, whether singing a quiet samba or belting out the blues. Currently the Angela Hagenbach Quartet, featuring Roger Wilder on piano, Steve Rigazzi on bass and Doug Arwater on drums, performs Monday through Wednesday.

I must say that I do like the idea of adding to the mix. I happened to be at the Fairmont with my wild friend Esther when vocalist David Basse and his trio filled in for Cartwright. The place was swinging. Everybody was having a good time, which often happens when Basse is in the room. But Basse is pretty serious about presenting an authentic Kansas City bluesy style of jazz. He does a good job of it. And what's more, he just looks the part.

There are other things enticing about the Oak Room lounge at the Fairmont : the $1 sushi, the 600 martini varieties, the exquisite food from the Oak Room delivered straight to your coffee table, and of course the camaraderie (you can't help but meet the person you are sitting next to).

At the time of this writing, it was uncertain just what the new schedule will look like. But, after all, this is the hotel where anything can happen.

--Kathy Feist Vescovi