• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Lost Prairie Press

Lost Prairie Press

Trending News from the Midwest - IA, IL, KS, MO, NE

  • Home
  • MIDWEST
  • ILLINOIS
  • IOWA
  • KANSAS
  • MISSOURI
  • NEBRASKA
  • About Us
    • Contact Us

A recent trip to New York reminded me just how much Kansas City jazz has to offer

a-recent-trip-to-new-york-reminded-me-just-how-much-kansas-city-jazz-has-to-offer
Photography by Caleb Condit & Rebecca Norden

“There’s a common myth that Kansas City jazz ended with World War II,” local jazz historian and author Chuck Haddix says.

While the narrative of the 1920s and ’30s in Kansas City is an exciting tale—that of a newly bustling, “wide-open” town rife with Tom Pendergast’s political regime and free-flowing liquor throughout Prohibition—it continues to permeate the image of Kansas City jazz nearly a century later. 

But Kansas City jazz is not a mere museum piece. It has been living, breathing, evolving and, most of all, thriving long past Pendergast’s reign or World War II. “We’ve always had a very vibrant scene, and we have one of the most lively scenes in the country today,” Haddix says. 

Despite being far smaller than the other major jazz cities, Kansas City has live jazz of a high caliber every single night. This can be said of few other cities in the country today.

During a recent trip to New York City, while exploring the clubs and strolling through the streets of Harlem and the Village, I kept finding parallels between the jazz scenes—not in style but in quantity and quality. And as much as I profoundly enjoyed the NY scene and my evening at the Village Vanguard, I went home appreciating KC even more. Our jazz scene is world class, but it’s often overlooked, even by locals.

More plainly, KC’s jazz scene is slept on.

While artists like Bobby Watson, a living legend who made his homecoming back to KC over twenty years ago now, are renowned all around the world, most Kansas Citians don’t even bat an eye at the name, unfamiliar with much of Kansas City jazz beyond Charlie Parker.

Where is the interest in the music being created now? 

From the early days of Bennie Moten and Mary Lou Williams to the eternally original Bobby Watson to the ultramodern yet irrefutably soulful Logan Richardson and every important figure in between, Kansas City has continually been home to innovators. Some of today’s trailblazers include, in addition to Watson and Richardson, Peter Schlamb, Eddie Moore, Adam Larson and Hermon Mehari. But no matter how “out of the box” the music of these luminaries may have seemed to some at the time, they remained deeply tied to the blues-heavy, unmistakable Kansas City style and tradition. 

“We have to recognize that today’s artists on the scene are all an extension of the tradition,” Haddix says. “We need to celebrate and honor musicians that are on the scene today, too.” 

THREE TO SEE

Three May shows that exemplify the cutting edge of KC jazz today

Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 with Julia Haile, Friday, May 6 at 9 pm, The Ship, 1221 Union Ave., KCMO

Eddie Moore, Sunday, May 8 at 6 pm, Corvino Supper Club, 1830 Walnut St., KCMO 

Riff Generation, Friday, May 20 at 7 pm, The Medallion Theater, 300 E. 39th St., KCMO

Nina Cherry

Nina Cherry

Nina Cherry is a local jazz historian, journalist, and vibraphonist. Her specific interest is in swing era women in jazz and the Kansas City jazz scene’s rich history. Nina resides in a former speakeasy from the Pendergast neighborhood with her dog, Daisy.

Subscribe to our newsletters

No spam, notifications only about new products, updates.

Filed Under: MIDWEST

Primary Sidebar

More to See

tedxkc-is-friday,-lineup-includes-an-exciting-mix-of-topics

TEDxKC is Friday, lineup includes an exciting mix of topics

At 6 p.m. this Friday at the Kauffman Center, TEDxKC will have a lineup of ten speakers whose expertise range from a sky full of stars to the key to happiness to a MacArthur Genius. The theme is … [Read More...] about TEDxKC is Friday, lineup includes an exciting mix of topics

tyler-shane’s-beautiful-bonbons-have-a-deeper-meaning

Tyler Shane’s beautiful bonbons have a deeper meaning

Mesoamericans called it food of the gods. From central Mexico down to Honduras, where the cacao tree grows native, ancient Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs would gather the oblong fruit and break open its … [Read More...] about Tyler Shane’s beautiful bonbons have a deeper meaning

review:-brookside-restaurants-brady-&-fox-and-earl’s-premier-bring-homestyle-cooking-from-opposite-sides-of-the-atlantic

Review: Brookside restaurants Brady & Fox and Earl’s Premier bring homestyle cooking from opposite sides of the Atlantic

The definition of “comfort food” tends to vary depending on who you ask. At two new Brookside restaurants, Brady & Fox and Earl’s Premier, the term applies both to time-honored Irish recipes and East … [Read More...] about Review: Brookside restaurants Brady & Fox and Earl’s Premier bring homestyle cooking from opposite sides of the Atlantic

the-king-of-cass-county’s-bold-vision-for-harrisonville-imploded.-can-anyone-revive-it?

The King of Cass County’s bold vision for Harrisonville imploded. Can anyone revive it?

The King of Cass County’s bold vision for Harrisonville imploded. Can anyone revive it? It’s 5 pm on a Monday night in downtown Harrisonville. Only one other car is parked in the square. … [Read More...] about The King of Cass County’s bold vision for Harrisonville imploded. Can anyone revive it?

melissa-etheridge-believes-in-kansas

Melissa Etheridge believes in Kansas

She says in her long life, the only constant is change, and she knows important changes are coming in Kansas. She’s faced battles/discrimination and stood up for LGBT+ rights throughout her life, and … [Read More...] about Melissa Etheridge believes in Kansas

Footer

WELCOME!

Thanks for visiting Lost Prairie Press!

We hope you’ll enjoy news and perspective from the Midwest – specifically, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri.

About/Contact

Privacy Policy

Recent

  • TEDxKC is Friday, lineup includes an exciting mix of topics
  • Review: Brookside restaurants Brady & Fox and Earl’s Premier bring homestyle cooking from opposite sides of the Atlantic
  • Tyler Shane’s beautiful bonbons have a deeper meaning

Search

Copyright © 2022 · Lost Prairie Press