Pick a Series

KC may have lost its jazz festival, but it more than makes up for it this year with several impressive jazz series.

Folly Jazz Series

Marian McPartland

The beautiful downtown Folly Theater at 12 th & Broadway has been hosting its own jazz series for years. This year the Folly showcases seven concerts:

October 2 --The Latin Jazz All-Stars
October 30 – Gary Burton “Generations” Quartet
December 10 – Benny Golson
January 22 -- Marian McPartland
February 26 – Ann Hampton Callaway
March 12 – Dr. John
April 15 – Russell Malone Quartet

The concerts begin at 8 pm with a “jazztalk” session with the artist at 7 pm. Subscriptions range from $70 to $180 per person, depending on number of shows and seat location. Jazz Ambassadors receive $5-$7 per seat discounts. For more information, call 816-474-4444.

Jammin' At the Gem

Herbie Hancock

The Jammin' at the Gem series takes place at 18 th & Vine in the historic Gem Theater. This year's series includes:

September 18 – Roy Haynes Quartet
October 9 – Eddie Palmieri
January 26 – Randy Weston
February 19 – Wayne Henderson & the Jazz Crusaders
March 2 – Herbie Hancock
March 26 – Heath Brothers and Barry Harris

The concerts begin at 8 pm. Subscriptions range from $130 to $160 per person, depending on age. For more information, call 816-474-8463.

The Kansas City Jazz Workshop

Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill

The Kansas City Jazz Workshop offers its concert series in an intimate club setting at the Downtown Marriott's 12 th Street Rag Room, 12 th & Central. Usually held on Mondays, their series includes:

September 13 – Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill
October 10 – Bud Shank and David Friesenn
November 22 – Joanne Brackeen
January 10 – Bob Kindred
March 21 – Red Holloway
April 17 – Jim Mair Quintet

Subscription to the series is $85 per person and includes a discounted membership to the Jazz Ambassador organization. For more information, call 816-587-1894.

Lawrence Arts Center Jazz Series

Kevin Mahogany

New to the scene is Jazz at the Arts Center in Lawrence at 940 New Hampshire . “We realized there was no venue in Lawrence that presented jazz,” said executive director Ann Evans. With the help of KU jazz professor Dan Gailey, KPR's Bob McWilliams, and jazz writer Chuck Berg, the following line-up emerged:

September 24 – Kevin Mahogany Trio
November 18 – Dave Pietro Banda Brazil
February 3 – Cyrus Chestnut & Wycliffe Gordon
March 3 – Jane Ira Bloom Quartet
April 30 – Phil Woods w/ the Lawrence Arts Center Big Band

Subscription tickets are $135 per person. The concerts include local artists performing in the lobby plus a nice Exhibition Gallery to visit during intermission. For more information, call 785-843-ARTS.

Paris on the Plains Exhibit

If the library doesn't sound jazzy enough for you, think again. The new Central Library, 14 th W. 10 th St. , is featuring the photo exhibit Paris of the Plains: The Jazz Age in Kansas City, 1920-1940. The exhibit continues to September 27.

An Omaha World-Harold journalist compared Kansas City to Paris shortly after the turn of the last century. He wrote: "If you want some sin, forget about Paris and go to Kansas City ." The exhibit follows Kansas City 's hey day. It was created by UMKC's Miller Nichols Library. A film series complements the exhibit.

On August 22, the Folly Theater revisits the Jazz Age at 2 pm at the library.
During the 20s and 30s the Folly Theater was host to countless entertainers. Folly Theater staff members recount Kansas City 's jazz era and share stories, historic photographs and promotional posters for the famous - and not so famous. A reception follows the presentation.

Jammin' on the Square

Pack a picnic lunch and head for the shade at Northtown's Saturday in the Square Jazz Jam. Pianist Mike Ning and his wife, vocalist Sherry Jones host the 11 am jam at the Town Square in North Kansas City at 321 Armour Rd.

“We're getting a good response from musicians this year,” reports Jones.

Ning and Jones began hosting the summer jams three years ago.

“It's been fun,” says Ning. “We've been very lucky with the weather.”

The square has park benches, picnic tables, shady vegetation, a fountain and usually a nice breeze blowing through.

Saturday in the Square complements the Friday in the Park music concerts at Macken Park in North Kansas City .

First Fridays at the Crossroads Offers Jazz Tributes

The First Fridays at the Crossroads usually attracts hoards of arts fans. In August, it might have good reason to attract the jazz crowd as well.

Tribute to Claude Fiddler Williams

On August 6, blues and jazz artists are coming together at the Bohemian Gallery, as part of the First Friday in the Crossroads, to honor local musicians. The Gallery will block off the street from 5 pm to 10 pm at 19th Terrace and Central where the Blues Notions will play. Inside, local and national musicians will be honored with photo, oil and watercolor art and poster art. While primarily Blues in genre, it will include a tribute to Claude Fiddler Williams and other musical greats who have passed in recent years.

Tribute to Sun Ra

The Sun Ra Tribute Band, Celestrial Truth Arkestra, will be playing at the Brick,1727 McGee, on Friday, August 6, at 10 pm. The band features Matthew Brown (former member of the Sun Ra Arkestra) on percussion plus a dozen local musicians, including Bill McKemy, Arnie Young, and Mark Sutherland.

“This promises to be one the most unique evenings of music to be presented in Kansas City this year,” says McKemy. “Sun Ra and his style--and people who were influenced by him--are underrepresented in KC although his influence is felt. This evening will feature the best improvisers and electronic music artists on the KC free improv scene. And it's really fun.”

Diana Krall in KC

Jazz sensation Diana Krall will perform at the Midland Theatre, 1228 Main St. , on Friday, August 13, at 7:30 pm. The vocalist is promoting her recent recording, “The Girl in the Other Room,” which has just gone Golden. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 816-931-3330. (You can also catch Krall singing in the movie “De-Lovely.”)

Straight from the Conan O'Brien Show-- Mark Pender

He can be quite a cut-up on the Conan O'Brian Show, but trumpeter Mark Pender will get down and serious at the Blue Room, 18 th & Vine, Saturday, August 14, at 8 pm. Pender, who makes this annual trek to his hometown, will perform with his own band and special Kansas City guests, including his brother guitarist Tom Pender. (See interview in this issue.)

James Carter Joins Battle of the Saxes

World renowned saxophonist James Carter joins Kansas City 's own Bobby Watson and Logan Richardson for the Jazz Ambassadors' Battle of the Saxes, Thursday, August 19, at 8pm, at the Blue Room, 18 th & Vine. For the first time, the concert will showcase an outsider as well as three different musicians at different points in their careers.

James Carter

Detroit saxophonist James Carter hit the national jazz scene in 1985 at the age of 16 when he played with Wynton Marsalis. He had been playing the sax for five years. Later he joined trumpeter Lester Bowie's band in New York . He made his first recording in 1991 with Bowie 's Band and since 1994 has release six solo recordings. He has the distinction of having topped the Baritone Saxophone category in Downbeat's Critics Poll for the past four years. Carter also appeared in Robert Altman's movie Kansas City .

Kansas City 's most coveted sax performer, Bobby Watson, started his career here before moving to the University of Miami in 1971. He began to play with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, eventually becoming musical arranger for the group. In the 80s he joined the 29 th Street Saxophone Quartet and later formed Horizon with Victor Lewis. His discography includes hundreds of recordings. In 2000, he became Professor of Jazz Studies at UMKC.

Logan Richardson was a student of Watson's at UMKC after attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston and before moving to New York to attend the New School . His playing has been highly regarded around the Kansas City area.

Tickets for the show are $20 ($15 for Jazz Ambassadors at the door) or through Ticketmaster, 816-931-3330. The event benefits the Jazz Ambassadors educational and scholarship fund. For more information, call 913-967-6767.

Count Basie Tribute

In honor of Count Basie's 100 th Birthday, the American Jazz Museum is hosting a Tribute to the Count on Saturday, August 21, at 7:30 pm at the Gem Theater, 18 th & Vine. The line-up includes James Carter, Jay McShann, Clark Terry and the Kansas City 18 th & Vine Big Band, directed by Bobby Watson. Musician and actor Avery Brooks, best known for his role as Cpt. Benjamin Sisko in the movie Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , will host the event. Tickets are $25and can be purchased through the Jazz Museum at 816-474-8463.

Grandview Jazz Festival

For the first time, Grandview is having its own jazz festival. And it promises to be a good one. The festival takes place outdoors at Truman Corner, Hwy 71 & Blue Ridge Blvd. on Friday, September 10th beginning at 5 pm. The line-up includes:

5:45 pm Wailea
7:15 pm Oscar Polk Band
8:45 pm Mike Metheny
10:15 pm Ida McBeth

The event is free. Bring a lawn chair, but keep the coolers at home.

Northeast Fall Festival includes Jazz

Millie Edwards

The ninth annual Historic Northeast Fall Festival is planned for September 10, 11 and 12 at Concourse Park , Benton Boulevard & St. John and includes free performances by a number of Kansas City jazz artists. Included, among several other styles of music, on September 11 are 12th Street Revue at 3 pm and Johnny Chappell at 5:45 pm On Sunday, September 12, the music includes Millie Edwards & Friends at 3 pm and Jim Snyder's KC Blue Hawks Jazz Octet at 5 pm. The festival includes carnival rides, games, food booths and a variety of entertainment.

Whitfield/Greensill at KCJW

The Kansas City Jazz Workshop opens their season with Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill on Monday, September 13, at the Downtown Marriott's 12 th Street Rag Room. Gerald Spaits fills out the trio. The show starts at 7 pm.

Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill have been performing together for years. Vocalist Whitfield combines her mastery of the American Songbook while Greensill provides his jazz expertise on the piano. Together they have recorded 15 albums. While both live in San Francisco , Whitfield can often be found performing at the Algonquin and other jazz clubs in New York . Greensill is a resident pianist for the weekly radio show, West Coast Live .

Tickets are $25; $20 for Jazz Ambassadors. For more information, call 816-587-1894.

Roy Haynes at Gem

Opening the Jammin' at the Gem series is drummer Roy Haynes on September 18, 8 pm, at the Gem Theater in the 18 th & Vine Jazz District.

In 60 years, Haynes, age 78, has appeared on over 600 recordings and has performed with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Miles Davis, Ray Charles and more. Pat Metheny regards him as the “father of modern drumming.”

Tickets are $25. For more information, call 816-474-8463.

Kevin Mahogany at Arts Center

Kansas City native Kevin Mahogany will kick off the new jazz series at the Lawrence Arts Center , 940 New Hampshire , on September 24 at 7:30 pm.

Haled as “one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to emerge in years,” by the Los Angeles Times , Mahogany is a favorite among the Kansas City audience.

Tickets are $30. For more information, call 785-843-ARTS.

Whitmer Hosts Soul of the City

Bobby Watson

Tim Whitmer will once again host the Soul of the City benefit for the Kansas City Church Community Organization (CCO) on Thursday, September 30, at Drexel Hall, 3300 Baltimore . The music starts at 7:30 pm and is preceded by a reception and dinner at 5:30.

Whitmer will appear with his band the KC Express and bring in other performers. Last year those included Bobby Watson, Millie Edwards and Rusty Tucker.

CCO, which consists of 25 different congregations, is nondenominational and seeks to benefit the community through various projects. Tickets to the event are $50. Call 816-444-5585 for more information.

Roundtree Makes the Rounds

Guitarist Tucker Roundtree might be in his 20s, but he's old enough to know how to make himself known: play.

The Austin , TX , jazz musician has booked nine dates in Kansas City to introduce the city to his trio. From September 25 through October 3, they will perform at Red Vine, The Epicurean, Plaza III, Jardines, and Jazz – A Louisiana Kitchen restaurants.