JAM: December 2004/January 2005 Issue: Off The Vine

by Juanita Moore

Swing in the Holidays at the American Jazz Museum

Music is one of the crown jewels of the holidays. And jazz is the leitmotif of this and all festive times of the year. After all, Ella Fitzgerald's rendition of Sleigh Ride , Duke Ellington's distinctive spin on Jingle Bells , and the ever-divine Dinah Washington's winsome take on Silent Night , to name but a few, speak volumes on how jazz is always appropriate.

Therefore, we will trumpet the glories of jazz and the spirit of 18 th & Vine throughout the American Jazz Museum 's programming in December and January. At the forefront of our efforts will be some sparkling performances in the Blue Room. We will ring in the season with talents who will delight even the most “bah humbug” of grinches. Among those scheduled to dazzle us are Ida McBeth on December 11 and 17;; the KC/NY Connection, featuring Michael Carvin and Life Force with Bobby Watson on December 18 ($20 admission); Westport Art Ensemble on December 23; Lisa Henry on January 7; Alaadeen & Group 21 on January 15; Ulysses & Grupo Muralla on January 27; and Luqman Hamza Quartet on January 28.

On New Year's Eve, the Blue Room will feature a delectable buffet, party favors, prizes, a champagne toast and – best of all – Ruby Wilson, the undisputed Queen of Memphis's Beale Street . More often than not, Ruby can be seen at B.B. King's nightclub in the Bluff City . However, she has traveled the world sharing her unforgettable voice with thousands of enthusiastic fans who cannot get enough of Ruby's take on the Delta blues. Admission is $50 per person. Tables for four at stage level are $220. Call the American Jazz Museum at 816-474-8463, extension 213, for reservations and additional information. You will not want to miss this splendid opportunity to welcome 2005 on one of the most fabled thoroughfares of American music–18 th & Vine.

Jazz Storytelling will continue in December and January, but the highlight will be a special Christmas session in the museum's Atrium at 10 am on Saturday, December 18 th . Young and old alike will enjoy a seasonal tale and yummy treats. Who knows? Maybe Santa Claus will stop by to jam with Brother John, Lisa Henry and some of Kansas City 's best jazz musicians! Admission is free, but space is limited, so please call 816-474-8463, extension 241.

On January 29 th , pianist Randy Weston – one of the world's foremost pianists and composers – will appear on our Jammin' at the Gem series. According to jazz critic Stanley Crouch, “Weston has the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk.” But he pushes the proverbial envelope by peppering his work with the idiosyncratic rhythms of African melodies. His fusion of different musical currents gives birth to a glorious sound that has resulted in his being awarded the Jazz Master Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, the French Order of Arts and Letters, the Composer of the Year distinction three times by Downbeat Magazine , and special tributes by New York University, Harvard University, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Call the Gem Theater Box Office at 816-474-6262 for details.

Art: My Window to the World , featuring the work of painter Dean Mitchell, will be on display in the museum's Changing Gallery throughout the month of December. Dean has been acclaimed by The New York Times as a “modern-day Vermeer,” and Artnews magazine has dubbed him one of the “best bets” in art today. Of particular interest to Jam readers are Dean's wonderful portraits of jazz musicians. His subjects do not bask in the limelight; rather, their stages are the streets of America 's urban corridors. Although they depend on the nickels and dimes passersby toss their way, these humble images resonate with an unimpeachable strength and power.

Finally, January through April will be a showcase in the Changing Gallery for the 22 artists of The Light in the Other Room – Kansas City 's only African-American artist collective. They will convey their impressions of 18 th & Vine's rich heritage through a variety of media and materials. Among those planning to participate in the exhibition include Dean Mitchell, Lonnie Powell, president of The Light in the Other Room, Bonnye Brown, Henry Dixon, Anthony High, Sherry Whetstone McCall, Ben Mercer, Robert Allen Powell, and Victoria Sublett. In addition to jazz and its infinite variations, the collective will explore such subjects as Negro Leagues Baseball, the Call Newspaper ; African-American religious life, and tantalizing cuisine, which was – and remains – a staple “on the Vine.”

As we count our many blessings during this period of “good will toward men,” we thank you for being such supportive friends of the American Jazz Museum . Your continuing interest in the sights and sounds of jazz has energized this institution for seven years. We simply could not maintain our commitment to quality programming without you. Therefore, on behalf of the board and the staff, let me take this opportunity to wish you and yours only the good things life can offer as we embrace the promise of the New Year.

Happy Holidays!






	Search our site:		by Juanita Moore Swing in the Holidays at the American Jazz Museum Music is one of the crown jewels of the holidays. And jazz is the leitmotif of this and all festive times of the year. After all, Ella Fitzgerald's rendition of Sleigh Ride , Duke Ellington's distinctive spin on Jingle Bells , and the ever-divine Dinah Washington's winsome take on Silent Night , to name but a few, speak volumes on how jazz is always appropriate. Therefore, we will trumpet the glories of jazz and the spirit of 18 th & Vine throughout the American Jazz Museum 's programming in December and January. At the forefront of our efforts will be some sparkling performances in the Blue Room. We will ring in the season with talents who will delight even the most “bah humbug” of grinches. Among those scheduled to dazzle us are Ida McBeth on December 11 and 17;; the KC/NY Connection, featuring Michael Carvin and Life Force with Bobby Watson on December 18 ($20 admission); Westport Art Ensemble on December 23; Lisa Henry on January 7; Alaadeen & Group 21 on January 15; Ulysses & Grupo Muralla on January 27; and Luqman Hamza Quartet on January 28. On New Year's Eve, the Blue Room will feature a delectable buffet, party favors, prizes, a champagne toast and – best of all – Ruby Wilson, the undisputed Queen of Memphis's Beale Street . More often than not, Ruby can be seen at B.B. King's nightclub in the Bluff City . However, she has traveled the world sharing her unforgettable voice with thousands of enthusiastic fans who cannot get enough of Ruby's take on the Delta blues. Admission is $50 per person. Tables for four at stage level are $220. Call the American Jazz Museum at 816-474-8463, extension 213, for reservations and additional information. You will not want to miss this splendid opportunity to welcome 2005 on one of the most fabled thoroughfares of American music–18 th & Vine. Jazz Storytelling will continue in December and January, but the highlight will be a special Christmas session in the museum's Atrium at 10 am on Saturday, December 18 th . Young and old alike will enjoy a seasonal tale and yummy treats. Who knows? Maybe Santa Claus will stop by to jam with Brother John, Lisa Henry and some of Kansas City 's best jazz musicians! Admission is free, but space is limited, so please call 816-474-8463, extension 241. On January 29 th , pianist Randy Weston – one of the world's foremost pianists and composers – will appear on our Jammin' at the Gem series. According to jazz critic Stanley Crouch, “Weston has the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk.” But he pushes the proverbial envelope by peppering his work with the idiosyncratic rhythms of African melodies. His fusion of different musical currents gives birth to a glorious sound that has resulted in his being awarded the Jazz Master Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, the French Order of Arts and Letters, the Composer of the Year distinction three times by Downbeat Magazine , and special tributes by New York University, Harvard University, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Call the Gem Theater Box Office at 816-474-6262 for details. Art: My Window to the World , featuring the work of painter Dean Mitchell, will be on display in the museum's Changing Gallery throughout the month of December. Dean has been acclaimed by The New York Times as a “modern-day Vermeer,” and Artnews magazine has dubbed him one of the “best bets” in art today. Of particular interest to Jam readers are Dean's wonderful portraits of jazz musicians. His subjects do not bask in the limelight; rather, their stages are the streets of America 's urban corridors. Although they depend on the nickels and dimes passersby toss their way, these humble images resonate with an unimpeachable strength and power. Finally, January through April will be a showcase in the Changing Gallery for the 22 artists of The Light in the Other Room – Kansas City 's only African-American artist collective. They will convey their impressions of 18 th & Vine's rich heritage through a variety of media and materials. Among those planning to participate in the exhibition include Dean Mitchell, Lonnie Powell, president of The Light in the Other Room, Bonnye Brown, Henry Dixon, Anthony High, Sherry Whetstone McCall, Ben Mercer, Robert Allen Powell, and Victoria Sublett. In addition to jazz and its infinite variations, the collective will explore such subjects as Negro Leagues Baseball, the Call Newspaper ; African-American religious life, and tantalizing cuisine, which was – and remains – a staple “on the Vine.” As we count our many blessings during this period of “good will toward men,” we thank you for being such supportive friends of the American Jazz Museum . Your continuing interest in the sights and sounds of jazz has energized this institution for seven years. We simply could not maintain our commitment to quality programming without you. Therefore, on behalf of the board and the staff, let me take this opportunity to wish you and yours only the good things life can offer as we embrace the promise of the New Year. Happy Holidays! RETURN TO DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2004. All rights reserved.