JAM: October/November 2004 Issue: Off The Vine

by Juanita Moore

Savor Autumn's Musical Bounty on 18^th & Vine

One of my favorite Billie Holiday recordings is “Autumn in New York.” As she flows through the eloquent Vernon Duke lyrics, her interpretation of this normally uplifting classic from the American songbook is somber—almost remorseful.

However, although “autumn in New York is often mingled with pain,” the American Jazz Museum is enthused and inspired by fall's arrival in Kansas City. For us, this season is anything but foreboding; rather, it is replete with exciting performance, educational, and artistic opportunities that will pervade the district with vibrant flashes of music and song.

The sights and sounds of salsa will engulf the 18^th & Vine corridor on October 2 as the American Jazz Museum, in partnership with the Full Employment Council, the Mattie Rhodes Center, the Urban League, and the Guadeloupe Center, stage the Raices Family Festival in the museum's Atrium and Jay McShann Pavilion. Many of you have seen the exhibition currently on view in our Changing Gallery through October 17 that spotlights the development of Latin music in New York City. This colorful montage of objects and materials from the Raices Museum in East Harlem, NY—the world's largest repository and archive pertaining to Latin jazz—has inspired our day-long family celebration of interactive storytelling, art projects, Brazilian martial arts, Afro-Cuban drumming, and, of course, salsa dancing. And, this fun-filled extravaganza is free of charge!

Speaking of music con salsa, pianist Eddie Palmieri, the unofficial ambassador of Latin jazz, will be performing at the Gem Theater on October 9 as our second entry on this season's Jammin' at the Gem series. The seven-time Grammy award winner will grab your heart as he and his renowned septet shake the rafters with their unique Afro-Caribbean sounds. It may be difficult to stay in your seat as Palmieri's syncopated Latin groove rocks the theater! Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster, or through the American Jazz Museum's box office at 816-474-8463, extension 213.

In November, the Gem Theater moves from the Latin beats of a rumba to an old-fashioned gospel stomp as we present our second annual Givin' Thanks: Gospel on the Vine on November 27. Kansas City's finest contemporary Christian artists will come together for a “joyful noise” that will not only delight the ear but nourish and enrich the spirit. Call the American Jazz Museum Box Office for tickets, and help us give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy as a community.

Jazz Storytelling, one of the museum's most beloved initiatives, will resume at 10 a.m. on October 8 in the museum's Atrium. The theme will be New York, New York. Taking their cue from the museum's Latin music focus throughout October, “Brother John” and some of Kansas City's most talented musicians will spotlight the fabled Palladium Ballroom where giants such as Tito Puente and Xavier Cugat performed during the 1940s and 1950s. Following a more mellow direction on October 5 and November 19, our storytelling team will present Mood Indigo, an exploration of the shapes, colors, and many seasons of jazz.

The Blue Room continues to sizzle in October and November with both local and national artists. Among the events scheduled are the Helen Sung Trio (October 7); Ida McBeth (October 8 and 22 and November 12 and 26); Rob Scheps/Zack Brock Quintet (October 16); Ulysses and Grupo Muralla (October 28 and November 25); Kansas City Jazz 5 (November 4); Joe Cartwright's CD Release Party (November 18); Dave Pietro (November 20) and Winard Harper Quintet (November 27).

Finally, Jazz Gems, a benefit for the museum's educational programs, will take place on October 22 at 8 pm in the Gem Theater. This tribute to the music of 18^th & Vine will feature the talents of both professional and amateur musicians in the Kansas City area. Some of the “gems” to be featured are Alvin Ailey's Tyrone Aiken, Ron Brown Trio, Al Pearson and Grupo Candela, Gerald Dunn, Luqman Hamza, Lisa Henry, and Geneva Price, as well as community leaders Julia Irene Kauffman, Reverend Emanuel Cleaver, Georgia Buchanan, Harry McCray, Wendy Powell, Laura Welch, and Mike White. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will be the evening's mistress of ceremonies. Tickets start at $50. For more information, please contact Paul Lerner at 816-474-8463, extension 205.

Juanita Moore

As you have seen, the fall season is bursting with energy at the American Jazz Museum. Even though Billie spoke about autumn as a time when “dreamers with empty hands may sigh for exotic lands,” our interpretation of the season is that it offers infinite possibilities that we can experience right now—concrete experiences that are not the stuff of illusion. Take advantage of the American Jazz Museum's rich musical bounty—come visit us “on the Vine.”

--Juanita Moore

Curator, American Jazz Museum