The American Jazz Museum & KC Jazz Music -Say What!?

[Blue Brown]

Is The American Jazz Museum at Kansas City doing enough to research KC's Local Jazz History & tell the stories of the Great KC Native Musicians who have gone on to present their KC Jazz Sound to the world after Charlie Parker? -Blue Brown!

[Chris Burnett]

I don't know much about the inner workings of the American Jazz Museum, but have visited quite a few times since returning home to the KC area. The tour has a presentation that talks about the history and mentions some noteworthy artists with ties to the scene here. I also understand that there was an entirely different concept originally planned, than what exists now. But, I have not been that intertested in that side of the politics of the scene here to look into the conceptual history that got the AJM started. I do know that the guy booking their jazz club, The Blue Room, has done a great job brining in world-class talent, along with showcasing some of the local cats too. So, objectively speaking, I think that they do a good job of honoring the legacy in most all regards. From my perspective, overall it seems to be a pretty cool place. Have you been?
Also, check out the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors because they do the type of thing that you mention in your post...

Peace, Cb

[Blue Brown]

Glad to Hear it, Chris -Thanks! I'd previously heard there was some disappointment with the museum's interest in KC's influence on -& continuing contribution to Jazz. There are musicians from Kansas City who hit the scene after Charlie Parker & made very large contributions to the Post-Bop Jazz Scene. I have never visited The American Jazz Museum, but would like to hear more about what they are doing to shine the light on Their Own! I believe that The American Jazz Museum should be in the best position to Explore that Important, Continuing Legacy & to Promote the Vtality of the Local Scene as well! What I'm talkin' about is Free Workshops, Jam Sessions, Brown Bags, Rehersal Bands -maybe More Festivals... & Plenty of Creative New Jazz Music- (not just the Jazz that's come before!) That's the Kansas City I feel it was & should be- & The AJM could have a lot to do with it! Anyone Else!? Best Wishes -Blue Brown!

[TIMKAT Entertainment, Inc]

Hey Blue,

I would agree with you in terms of marketing and promotion of the Museum. It's a fabulous place to visit, as it does have the Blue Room club right there, plus lots of history plaques, listening stations, and great lore about this incredible art, and I think that they could do a little more to encourage some tourism to visit the establishment.

From what I remember, it concentrates fairly heavily on Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Louis Armstrong, and probably could have gone into a little more detail about the local KC musicians of the day; however, I believe it's still worth it to explore it because it's the only major museum of its kind in the US, plus it's centered in the very same buildings that housed the clubs at 18th and Vine, so history literally oozes from the walls. It's not a large museum, however, and at $6, can feel a little pricey. The best deal is if you plan the spend the afternoon there, visit not only the Jazz Museum, but also its brother museum for the "American Negro Baseball Leagues", which is located in the same building and can be included in a combo ticket for a couple of bucks more.

I wanted to share a story about that neighborhood that I heard last year that I thought you all might find interesting, if I could derail the topic for just a moment ...? :)

I am friends with and was mentored for a time by Denver trumpeter Hugh Ragin, and he told a fantastic story once about trying to visit the Jazz Museum there. First of all, on that same weekend, it was a weird coincidence by which he and I were in KC at the same time and on the same block, but never ran into each other (and we were both out there from Denver on different kinds of business!) ... Tell me there wasn't something cosmically wild going on on THAT block, that day!?

Anyway, he told me a great story once about trying to visit the Museum on that Monday in June and found it closed (which is true, it is) ... but instead found a passerby that told him that he might want to check out the local chapter of the Musician's Union, around the corner and down the stairs.

Once inside the Union, he noted that he could literally 'feel' the vibe, the history, the ghosts of the past in the place, and wondered if there wasn't more to sense in the front hallway of the Union than had he headed into the Museum proper. According to Hugh, there was a custodian who stopped him and asked if he could help him in some way, and after Hugh introduced himself as a jazz musician, the custodian brightened and asked him to come on in and have some coffee and sit a bit with him.

The custodian (whose name escapes me, shame on me), an older man had been there since the 1950s had literally known all of the musicians, including Bird, who had stepped through that neighborhood and into the Union halls. Hugh and he struck up an incredible series of conversations and when Hugh left, felt that he had learned more jazz history from this gentleman than he was likely to have experienced anywhere else, such as that his advice to me was: 'Skip the museum --- go to the UNION!!', because the past was embedded into the structure of that building and still very much alive and breathing. Next time I visit KC and 18th and Vine, I will likely take his advice, because I believe Hugh was right. Having grown up in Kansas City, I am a firm believer that the walls not only have memories, but somehow do find a way to talk. It's a part of what makes KC so special to me.

Best wishes,
Kathryn @ TK

[Chris Burnett]

The "UNION" you are talking about is likely, the former black musicians union, correct? If so, that is still there at 18th & Highland and known as the Mutual Musicians Foundation (or, "The Foundation"). Late night jams, etc. still go on there. I rehearse there with my group, as do others. Yes, the MMF has a "vibe" about it that is genuine because all of those heavy ladies and gentlemen (Jay McShann, Basie, Bird, etc.) were actually in that building...

[TIMKAT Entertainment, Inc]

Hi Chris,

It absolutely is, and even though I live in Denver, I've been there to jam with musicians twice on my trips to KC since I posted. I've met Ray there and I assume he's the gentleman in Hugh's story above. What's amazing is that he remembered me the second time I was there, and a good 3 months had passed since I had been there!

It's an incredible "living museum", if one can call it that, and one of the few places where, when I looked at my watch and found it to be 5 AM, I left feeling so exhilarated!

Yours,
Kathryn