![]() It’s expected that you’ll stick around for the night to enjoy the three-course prix fixe meal ($85), which includes one drink. This is not the place to just stop in and grab a drink there is no bar seating. Throughout his performance, you can expect to learn about the rich history of the Kansas City jazz scene in an intimate listening room. While McFadden is a stellar trumpet player, vocalist and tap dancer, he is also a storyteller. The photos that line the walls pay tribute to Kansas City musicians from the swing era, including Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams, Charlie Parker, and even “Pops” McFadden and his tap dancing group. Much of the music embodies the distinct, local style from the prewar years, but it also ventures beyond that in fusion-style tunes. Head down the steps of the historic Ambassador Hotel and you will enter a quaint, elegantly decorated speakeasy, with McFadden and his bandstand before a backdrop of red velvet curtains. McFadden has been playing since the seventies, continuing the legacy of his father, Jimmy “Pops” McFadden, who was also a sensational performer on the scene nearly a century ago. While Lonnie’s Reno Club may be the city’s newest jazz club, owner and beloved jazz musician Lonnie McFadden is no stranger to the scene. Here’s where to immerse yourself in Kansas City’s rich musical heritage right now. Check out the comprehensive calendar of local jazz at, and you’ll see that this town still swings every night of the week, from divey spots serving beer in red plastic cups to swanky spots where you’ll feel underdressed without a fresh shoe shine. Kansas City has historically been home to innovators.īut Kansas City’s jazz scene is not a museum piece. ![]() It was during Kansas City’s Jazz Age when Charlie Parker cut his teeth improvising, Count Basie swang, Mary Lou Williams crafted killer big band arrangements and Lester Young developed his cool, melodic solos. Kansas City jazz, a distinct style heavily rooted in the blues tradition, as well as ragtime, contributed greatly to the development and prosperity of old “Kaycee” during the Jazz Age. Much like barbecue and speakeasies, jazz is deeply ingrained in the city’s identity. Contact us.For the past century, Kansas City has been home to one of the country’s most vibrant jazz scenes. We hope to make it available as soon as possible. If you have more information about this item than what is given here, we want to know! Please note that changes made as a result of your submission will not be immediately visible to the public due to an ongoing migration to a new platform. ![]() Please contact LaBudde Special Collections for more information. Permission must be received for subsequent use and/or distribution in print or electronically. LaBudde Special Collections.ġ photograph : black and white print 13 x 18 cmĪll collection images may be freely searched and displayed. MMF 10/24/99.ĭigitizing agency: University of Missouri-Kansas City. ![]() Mutual Musicians Foundation (Kansas City, Mo.)Įlder Statesmen of KC Jazz Oliver Todd-Keys. Portrait photographs line the wood-paneled walls of other performers. A row of empty seats and tables are in front of the band. Then Elmer Price, wearing a ball cap, blowing into a trumpet in the same line of chairs as Ben and Henry at the Mutual Musicians Foundation. Then Marcellus Lee seated at the drum set by a wood-paneled wall with a glass block window just above his head. Behind Henry is Wes Knowles checking the music on a stand with the bass propped up behind him. Elder Statesmen of KC Jazz at the Mutual Musicians FoundationĮlder Statesmen of KC Jazz including Oliver Todd sitting at the piano on the far left of the photograph, then Ben Kynard blowing into a saxophone seated in front of the piano, then Henry Hoard looking down at a saxophone he holds behind a music stand.
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