JAM: February/March 2004 Issue: Off The Vine

by Juanita Moore

18 th &Vine Offers a Utopia for Jazz Lovers
Greetings from the Historic 18 th & Vine Jazz District, where the American Jazz Museum 's live performance schedule offers a virtual utopia for jazz lovers throughout February and March.

The 2003-2004 Jammin' at the Gem concert series continues with the Newport Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour on Sunday, February 29 at 6 pm in the Gem Theater, 1615 E. 18 St. In 1954, the first Newport Jazz Festival was held and it changed the world of jazz forever. This historic weekend marked the very first time outdoor music festival dedicated entirely to jazz. Today, the Newport Jazz Festival is universally acknowledged as the "grandfather of jazz festivals" and has achieved legendary stature. The American Jazz Museum is the exclusive Missouri venue for this extraordinary performance featuring James Moody, Randy Brecker, Cedar Walton, James Carter, Howard Alden, Lewis Nash, and Peter Washington.

Charles McPherson

Tom Harrell

This year's Jammin' at the Gem series concludes with the annual Charlie Parker Memorial Concert with Charles McPherson and Tom Harrell on Saturday, March 27 at 8 pm . Two of the premier instrumentalists in jazz today, saxophonist Charles McPherson and trumpeter Tom Harrell will pay tribute to Charlie "Bird" Parker, the bebop pioneer who honed his chops at 18 th & Vine and whose legacy is a powerful current running through jazz today. McPherson may be best known to the general public as the featured alto saxophonist in Clint Eastwood's film Bird, but he has also toured and recorded extensively, performing with such jazz greats as Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Nat Adderly and Kansas City's own Jay McShann. Tom Harrell, a past winner of the Downbeat Magazine Readers and Critics polls, is a veteran of the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton bands.

This is an especially exciting time in the Blue Room. To our regular Blue Room patrons: we have heard you! Recent renovations allow for a clear view of the stage from anywhere in the club. The display cases that previously obstructed the view from the upper level of the Blue Room have been removed and the exhibits will be installed elsewhere in the club in the near future.

2004 Grammy Award nominee Joey DeFrancesco , "the world's baddest jazz organist," will appear at the Blue Room on Monday, February 16 and Tango Lorca heats things up at Latin Jazz/Salsa Night on Thursday, February 26 . And you'll hit all the right notes this Valentine's Day with our very special lineup featuring Lester "Duck" Warner, Luqman Hamza, Lonnie McFadden and David Basse .

A special Blue Monday jam session led by Millie Edwards kicks off our annual week-long celebration of Women in Jazz on March 15 . The Wild Women of Kansas City featuring Myra Taylor, Geneva Price, Millie Edwards and Mary Moore keep it going on Thursday, March 18 and Ida McBeth takes the stage Friday, March 19 . The finale to a week of sensational performances by fabulous women will be an all-star, all-women's band on Saturday, March 20.

The following week we honor Charlie "Bird" Parker with a great Blue Room lineup and the Charlie Parker Memorial Concert at the Gem Theater. The Blue Room lineup includes a New York/Kansas City Connection performance by the Mickey Bass Powerhouse Quintet with Bobby Watson on Thursday, March 25 and the Greg Tardy Quartet on Friday, March 26 . After the Charlie Parker Memorial Concert on Saturday night, catch four great Kansas City saxophonists of today as Ahmad Alaadeen, Bobby Watson, Jim Mair and Logan Richardson take the stage at the Blue Room in the culminating performance of this year's tribute to "Bird."

Juanita Moore

Thank you to JAM magazine for the opportunity to share with you all the exciting jazz news from the American Jazz Museum . I look forward to seeing all of you " on the Vine !"

For more information about Jammin' at the Gem or Blue Room performances, call the American Jazz Museum box office at 816-474-6262 or check out our website www.americanjazzmuseum.com.