Original image by Plastic Sax. *Queen Bey, once a prominent Kansas City based vocalist, has died. *Green Lady Lounge recently initiated a series of lunchtime performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The venue’s May calendar lists offerings from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays prior to Rod Fleeman’s long-standing Saturday residency that begins at 2:30 p.m. *Here’s a second way to listen to the KCUR audio feature about the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society. *The American Jazz Museum is featured in a National Endowment of the Arts ..read more

(Original image of an entry line at a 2018 festival in the Jazz District by Plastic Sax.) Not once in the past four decades have I had trouble finding a convenient parking spot in Kansas City’s Jazz District. Even amid the busiest festivals I’ve never been compelled to park more than a five-minute walk from the intersection of 18th Street and Paseo Boulevard. Yet according to a television news report, Kansas City, Missouri, recently allocated $20 million to build a multi-level parking garage in the area. The piece suggests the impetus for the construction is based on future projections rather ..read more

Will Matthews headlines the Blue Room on Friday, April 26. The guitarist is featured in an interpretation of Glenn Jones’ 2018 song “You & Me” at the Blue Room in the embedded video ..read more

Original image by Plastic Sax. *From a press release: Parkville, Missouri will host their first annual Juneteenth Jazz and Blues Festival from 3pm to 9:30pm on Saturday, June 8, at English Landing Park. This free and open to the public event will raise funds for the Banneker School Restoration Foundation Project… The Banneker School Foundation and Historic Site in Parkville, Missouri, is restoring a one-room schoolhouse where African American children were educated from 1885 to 1905… Four bands will perform at the Saturday, June 8, Juneteenth Jazz and Blues Festival. The times and groups are ..read more

Christopher Burnett is a paragon of taste. His new album Originals is characterized by sprightly melodies and amiable swing. The stately jazz is ideally suited for background music at an elegant dinner party or as the center of attention in a ritzy supper club. The saxophonist is joined by prominent Kansas City musicians including vibraphonist Greg Carroll, bassist Gerald Spaits, guitarist Will Matthews and pianist Roger Wilder. The funky guitar effect on the alternate take of “Yesteryears” closing the album is the only deviation from the immaculately polite tone. One last thing: Burnett is t ..read more

Vocalist Jenna Bauer presents The Young Person's Guide to Live Music at Greenwood Social Hall on Sunday, April 21. She’ll be joined by several of Kansas City’s most accomplished musicians at the child-friendly show ..read more

Original image by Plastic Sax. *Mark Edelman was named a 2024 Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association. *Calvin Keys, a guitarist who once lived in Kansas City, has died. *A television news outlet took note of a recent “life-threatening” shooting in the Jazz District ..read more

Original image of Seth Andrew Davis, Kelley Gant and Aaron Osborne at 7th Heaven by Plastic Sax. Plastic Sax diligently attempts to track the activities of representatives of the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society. The multitude of recordings and performances is both thrilling and exhausting. That’s one reason the author of this site was pleased to examine the collective from a different perspective. The audio feature he created for KCUR streams here ..read more

The legendary drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses will perform with members of the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society at Charlotte Street Foundation on Wednesday, April 17. Details are available here ..read more

Original image by Plastic Sax. *Joe Dimino shared footage of Matthew Whitaker’s concert at the Folly Theater. *Proponents of the Jazz District decry the failed April 2 tax initiative that might have brought a baseball stadium downtown in a KCUR report ..read more