May 22–25, 2026 · The Blue Room · 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City

A Memorial Day weekend at 18th & Vine — four Blue Room shows across three nights, with the rest of the district celebrating around them. The City cuts the ribbon Friday morning on two new pieces of the Jazz District. The Walk of Fame inducts Herbie Hancock at the Gem on Saturday. Inside the Blue Room, four working musicians take the stage.

This Week’s Lineup

Friday, May 22 — Indigo Hour 5:30 PM — Jazzy Jazz Miyagi (free)

Friday, May 22 — Headliner: Divas Night Out 8:30 PM & 10 PM — Delynia Jannell & Erin Jones

Saturday, May 23 — Headliner 8:30 PM & 10 PM — Darryl White

Monday, May 25 — Memorial Day Jam 7 PM — David Watson (free)

Friday Indigo Hour: Jazzy Jazz Miyagi

Born in Okinawa, Jazzy Jazz Miyagi came to the United States on a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music and continued her training at Berklee College of Music, studying flute under Lois Schafer — piccoloist for the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony under Seiji Ozawa. That classical foundation runs through everything she does, but what she builds on top of it is what makes her shows unforgettable.

She’s worked as a studio musician for motion picture soundtracks and shared stages with Miroslav Vitous (founding bassist of Weather Report), Herbie Mann, Chaka Khan, Joe Sample, and Mannheim Steamroller. Her instruments range from flute and classical guitar to alternative flutes and the Japanese koto. She was chosen as a soloist for the grand opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and has appeared at the Carmel Jazz Fest and Monterey Jazz Festival.

A truly global musician who calls KC home. Free admission and drink specials.

Get tickets →

Friday Headliner: Divas Night Out — Delynia Jannell & Erin Jones

Divas Night Out is one of the Blue Room’s most popular recurring series — a night where Kansas City’s best vocalists share the stage and trade songs, stories, and the kind of energy that only comes from friends who love what they do. This edition spotlights two powerful voices.

Delynia Jannell has been singing since she was two years old, starting on the church pews of Bethel Church of God in Christ in Kansas City, Kansas. A vocal music scholarship to Washburn University expanded her range from gospel into R&B, jazz, blues, neo-soul, and opera. She sang background for Shania Twain on the Kansas City tour, was featured soloist in “This Little Light of Mine” at Carnegie Hall, and has provided vocals for Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, Stevie Stone, and Kelley Hunt. She leads the Delynia Jannell Ensemble and holds residencies across the city.

Joining Delynia is Erin Jones, a Blue Room favorite whose soulful delivery and warm stage presence have made her a sought-after performer in Kansas City’s jazz scene. Together they deliver an evening of songs from the Great American Songbook, R&B classics, and modern standards.

Two sets.

Get tickets →

Saturday Headliner: Darryl White

Darryl White is a trumpeter whose career bridges the classroom and the bandstand. A native of Warren, Ohio, he’s been playing trumpet since the age of nine — a path that took him from a Bachelor of Music at Youngstown State University to a Master’s at Northwestern, and on to a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado.

Today Dr. White is an associate professor of trumpet at the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Before that, he taught at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, where he was Instructor of Trumpet and performed with the Aries Brass Quintet (in residence at Lamont) and the Faculty Jazz Quintet.

The Darryl White Quartet has become a Blue Room favorite, with multiple appearances since 2023. Whether playing the straight-ahead tradition or pushing into more modern territory, Dr. White brings the kind of tone, phrasing, and command that only comes from a lifetime dedicated to the trumpet. Two sets.

Get tickets →

Monday Memorial Day Jam: David Watson

The Blue Room is open on Memorial Day — and the music is on.

David Watson is a veteran Kansas City–based jazz singer and bandleader. Originally from Florida and raised in Philadelphia, he’s been in the music all his life. He started singing in elementary school and first fell in love with jazz as a child when he heard Ella Fitzgeraldscatting. That early influence never left him.

David is a singer, songwriter, and drummer; a composer and record-label founder; and the founder of the Sonoma Valley Jazz Society, a nonprofit supporting jazz education and performance. His 89th birthday lands the following Saturday — a quiet milestone for a working musician who’s been on the bandstand his whole life.

Monday Night Jam features a 45-minute featured set followed by an open jam — bring your instrument, come listen, or both. FREE admission.

Get tickets →

Also at 18th & Vine This Weekend

Friday, May 22 at 11 AM — the City of Kansas City cuts the ribbon on the Jazz District Parking Garage at 1819 Lydia Avenue. Come out and celebrate this new part of the neighborhood!

Saturday, May 23 — the American Jazz Walk of Fame inducts Herbie Hancock as its 2026 honoree at the Gem Theater, 1615 E 18th St. The induction ceremony begins at 6 PM, followed at 7 PM by a concert featuring Ruben Studdard and Kim Waters. Tickets at americanjazzwalkoffame.org. Darryl White takes the Blue Room stage right after at 8:30 PM — a full Saturday night on 18th Street.

See You at 18th & Vine

The Blue Room 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room

May 14–18, 2026 · The Blue Room · 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City

This Week’s Lineup

Thursday, May 14 — Jazz @ Noon 12 PM — Mikole E. Kaar (free)

Friday, May 15 — Indigo Hour 5:30 PM — Lady D (free)

Friday, May 15 — Headliner 8:30 PM & 10 PM — Chris Hazelton

Saturday, May 16 — Headliner 8:30 PM & 10 PM — Roger Wilder & Rob Scheps

Monday, May 18 — Monday Night Jam 7 PM — KCKCC Blue Devil Funk Band (free)

Thursday: Jazz @ Noon with Mikole E. Kaar

Mikole E. Kaar started on clarinet at nine years old, mentored by the great Clifford “Scotty” Scott. He grew up watching Junior Walker and King Curtis blow horns the way he wanted to. Today he plays tenor and soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, piano, and bassoon — and has spent decades touring the world with the music.

In 1985 he traveled to Europe and released Back to the Heart on Germany’s Heliocon Records. Back stateside, he’s played alongside The Temptations, The Drifters, The Coasters, The Platters, Joe Cocker, Bo Diddley, and Rita Moreno. His work has appeared on motion picture soundtracks.

Step away from the workday, get an hour of live music, head back into Thursday. Free admission.

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Friday Indigo Hour: Lady D

Lady D is a Kansas City fixture with a voice rooted in gospel, old-school R&B, and blues. She recognized her gift at age 8 in church choirs and gospel groups, recorded a gospel album in her teens, and has spent the years since opening for an honor roll of Black American music: Roger Troutman & Zapp, Brian McKnight, Najee, Peabo Bryson, Kool & the Gang, Howard Hewitt.

Her crowd interaction is legendary — audiences don’t just watch a Lady D show, they’re part of it. Free admission, drink specials, the right way to start a Friday night at 18th & Vine.

Get tickets →

Friday Headliner: Chris Hazelton

Chris Hazelton is one of today’s foremost Hammond B-3 organists, known for soulful groove, impeccable touch, and deep command of the soul-jazz tradition. A lifelong Kansas Citian, he studied under two giants of the instrument: local legend Everette DeVan and the iconic Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Beyond his own acclaimed groups — Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 chief among them — he’s a featured member of the soul collective The Freedom Affair and the British rhythm & blues outfit The James Hunter Six. His sound pulls from Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and a century of gospel-inflected organ tradition, always with a personal sense of melody that keeps people leaning in.

Chris teaches applied organ at Kansas City Kansas Community College, where he plays Everette DeVan’s personal Hammond B-3. He is also the music director at St. James United Methodist Church at 55th & Paseo. Two sets at the Blue Room.

Get tickets →

Saturday Headliner: Roger Wilder & Rob Scheps

Two of the most widely credited players to share a Blue Room stage pair up for a Saturday night at 18th & Vine.

Roger Wilder is a Kansas City-based pianist whose career took him from the University of Miami into South Florida sideman gigs backing Stanley Turrentine, Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, and Chris Potter — and eventually to Kansas City, where he’s become a pillar of the KC jazz scene. He has served as adjunct jazz professor at the UMKC Conservatoryfor over a decade, hosts “The Jazz Geek” on 90.1 FM KKFI, and appears on albums by Angela Hagenbach, Mike Metheny, Sons of Brasil, and Stan Kessler.

Rob Scheps is a tenor saxophonist and composer whose own entry in The Encyclopedia of Jazz captures the scope of his work: from the New England Conservatory to stages with Aretha Franklin, Buddy Rich, Gil Evans, and John Abercrombie. He served as Principal Saxophone with the Oregon Symphony for 13 years, has performed with the Gil Evans Orchestra and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, leads bands in New York, Seattle, Portland, Kansas City, and Honolulu, and in 2023 published Rob Scheps: 30 Original Compositions.

Two veterans, deep credits both ways, one stage. Two sets.

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Monday Night Jam: KCKCC Blue Devil Funk Band

The week closes with the Blue Room’s Monday Night Jam — and this week the featured set comes from the KCKCC Blue Devil Funk Band, one of the showcase ensembles from Kansas City Kansas Community College’s renowned Music Department.

The band has earned a DownBeat Student Music Award and has twice performed on the New Voices Stage at the Jazz Education Network Conference, with additional appearances at the Kansas Music Educators In-Service Workshop and festivals across the region.

The ensemble is directed by Dr. Justin Binek (Music Theory and Commercial Music), with Chris Hazelton — Friday’s headliner and KCKCC’s B-3 Organ and Jazz Improvisation faculty member — assisting. That depth of mentorship shows up in the music; these students aren’t just learning jazz, they’re playing it at a level that’s drawn national attention.

45-minute featured set at 7 PM, followed by the open jam. Bring your instrument, come listen, or both. FREE admission.

Get tickets →

See You at 18th & Vine

The Blue Room 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room

Thursday, May 7 – Monday, May 11

Five shows across the week at 18th & Vine. It starts Thursday at lunch — a free Jazz @ Noon set from one of Kansas City’s most respected bassists. Friday brings the return of an Indigo Hour favorite and an internationally celebrated KC vocalist on the headliner slot. Saturday night belongs to a group that’s been playing Brazilian jazz in Kansas City every week since 1991. And Monday’s free jam is led by a Berklee-trained saxophonist who came up under Bobby Watson.

The Lineup

Thursday, May 7
Jazz @ Noon: Bill McKemy — 12 pm (FREE)

Friday, May 8 Indigo Hour:
The Band Oasis — 5:30 pm (FREE)
Deborah Brown — 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, May 9
Sons of Brasil — 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, May 11
Monday Night Jam: Houston Smith — 7 pm (FREE)

Thursday Jazz @ Noon — Bill McKemy (12 pm)

Bill McKemy is a Kansas City upright bassist, bandleader, and composer whose playing anchors some of the city’s most respected groups. His resume reads like a who’s-who of the contemporary jazz scene — performances and recordings with Randy Brecker, Karrin Allyson, Maceo Parker, John Abercrombie, Benny Green, Gregory Hutchinson, and many more.

His three solo albums have been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, with Duendenamed to the Kansas City Star‘s Top Ten of 2002 and Om Nidrah winning Pitch Weekly’s Best Local Jazz CD of 2003. An hour of live music in one of Kansas City’s most storied rooms — step away from the workday and into 18th & Vine.

Get Jazz @ Noon Tickets (FREE)

Friday Indigo Hour — The Band Oasis (5:30 pm)

A Blue Room Indigo Hour favorite. The Band Oasis has built a devoted following across the 18th & Vine district, with regular appearances at Bayou on the Vine and the Blue Room — nine Blue Room sets and counting. Smooth jazz with soul and R&B influences, played by a tight ensemble that knows how to read a room. Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets (FREE)

Friday Headliner — Deborah Brown (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

When Deborah Brown takes the stage, you’re hearing one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of her generation — and she’s from right here in Kansas City. Deborah has spent decades performing on the world’s biggest stages. She lived in Europe for 12 years, appearing with orchestras in Russia, Denmark, Poland, and across the continent, and has been featured at international jazz festivals around the world.

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra tapped her for their “The Voice” concert series. She’s conducted masterclasses for students at her own alma mater. All About Jazz, The Pitch, and the Kansas City Star have placed her in the company of the greats.

What sets Deborah Brown apart isn’t just range or resume — it’s presence. Rich, bluesy, deeply personal. Whether she’s swinging through an uptempo standard or pulling you into a slow-burning ballad, she makes the room disappear. The Blue Room is exactly the kind of intimate setting where her artistry shines brightest. Two sets. Don’t miss either one.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Sons of Brasil (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

In Kansas City, there is a popular jazz group that has performed every week since their inception in 1991. This would not be so remarkable, as Kansas City is renowned for its tradition of great jazz since the days of Count Basie and Charlie Parker. What is remarkable is that this group of native Kansas Citians plays nothing but Brazilian jazz — with a flavor and passion one might think could only be found at a night club in Ipanema or Leblon.

Sons of Brasil draw from samba, bossa nova, and contemporary Brazilian jazz, delivered with musicianship honed over three decades of weekly performance. Their set list moves easily between classics of the Brazilian jazz canon and original compositions, always with the same warmth and rhythmic depth that has made them a beloved Kansas City institution.

The Sons of Brasil invite you to sample these sounds — which stem from their love and admiration of musica bem brasileira. Two sets at the Blue Room.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Houston Smith (7 pm)

Houston Smith started making music before he could read. At three he was studying drums under Leon Brady in Kansas City, Kansas. By six he held the drum chair at his local church. At ten he picked up the alto saxophone, joined Kansas City Youth Jazz, and by thirteen was performing professionally under the mentorship of Bobby Watson, Gerald Dunn, and Chris Burnett.

The stages came fast. Houston performed on Good Morning America, played the Kauffman Center’s opening festivities, and was selected as an inaugural member of the Grammy Music Revolution Project — all before heading to Berklee College of Music, where he studied under Terence Blanchard, Walter Beasley, Bill Pierce, and Tia Fuller. Back in Kansas City, Houston performs as both a bandleader and sideman while teaching the next generation through KC Area Youth Jazz and Bird Bootcamp.

A 45-minute featured set followed by the Blue Room’s open jam. Bring your instrument or come just to listen. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets (FREE)

Visit Us at 18th & Vine

The Blue Room — 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 The American Jazz Museum — 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

Thursday, April 30 – Monday, May 4

It’s a four-night week at 18th & Vine. Thursday closes out Jazz Appreciation Month with live music from the David Basse Band and a panel on the late Barney Lessing — a jazz fan whose love for the music left a lasting mark on Kansas City. Then the Blue Room weekend rolls in: Indigo Hour and a neo-soul Friday, James Ward leading his band on Saturday, and one of KC’s most adventurous drummers taking over the Monday jam.

The Lineup

Thursday, April 30 — at the Museum
Jazz Appreciation Month Evening Event — 5:30 pm – 7 pm (FREE, RSVP)

Friday, May 1 — at the Blue Room
Indigo Hour: Darron J & Go Hard Band — 5:30 pm (FREE)
Just A Taste A Jazz — 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, May 2 — at the Blue Room
James Ward Band — 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, May 4 — at the Blue Room
Monday Night Jam: Arnold Young and The Roughtet — 7 pm – 10:30 pm (FREE)

Thursday at the Museum — The Impact and Legacy of Jazz (5:30 pm – 7 pm)

A Jazz Appreciation Month evening to remember. We’re closing out JAM with a reception, a set from the David Basse Band, and a panel discussion on Barney Lessing’s memoir I Know ‘Cause I Was There: Reflections of a Jazz Fan — a book the music world described as “too bright for words to describe.”

Barney’s sons, David and Scott Lessing, will open the evening with personal reflections. Then Andy Haynes (AJM Board) moderates a panel with Millie Edwards Nottingham, and Max Levy — three Kansas City jazz figures sharing what Barney’s lifelong love of the music meant to the people who make it. Copies of the book will be available at the Swing Shopfor $10, with proceeds benefiting the American Jazz Museum.

Free admission. Reservations by phone: 816-842-1414, ext. 200.

The American Jazz Museum, 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108.

Friday Indigo Hour — Darron J & Go Hard Band (5:30 pm)

The Blue Room’s most frequent Indigo Hour performers are back. Darron J doesn’t just perform — he throws a party. As frontman of Darron J & Go Hard Band, he brings powerhouse vocals and a mix of R&B, soul, funk, hip-hop, and pop that gets entire rooms on their feet. The Go Hard Band locks into tight grooves that shift from smooth jazz to dance-floor anthems without missing a step. With over 20 Indigo Hour appearances and counting, every set is a celebration. Drink specials, free admission.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets (FREE)

Friday Headliner — Just A Taste A Jazz (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Just A Taste A Jazz is exactly what the name promises — an appetizing slice of Kansas City’s R&B and neo-soul scene, led by Bobby D Adams. Funky, contemporary, rooted in deep grooves and soulful melodies, the ensemble has built a loyal Blue Room following with infectious energy and tight musicianship. Original compositions, clever takes on classics, and the kind of house-party vibe that turns a Friday night out into something memorable. Two sets.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — James Ward Band (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

The James Ward Band — led by the incredible James Ward on bass — has become one of Kansas City’s most sought-after jazz ensembles. Smooth grooves, dynamic performances, and a deep bench of featured vocalists and instrumentalists. James is also a beloved educator and a co-founder of the annual Show & Shed jazz workshop at the American Jazz Museum, where he mentors the next generation of KC jazz musicians. His playing reflects that same generosity — a bassist who holds the center of the sound while letting every player around him shine. Two sets.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Arnold Young and The Roughtet (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

A drummer with a singular Kansas City resume. Arnold Young is a composer, educator, and the first drummer to play free jazz in Kansas City — with credits that include Sonny Simmons, Jaco Pastorius, Eddie Harris, Mike Dillon, and members of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band. In 2014 he formed The Roughtet, a KC-based avant-garde quintet playing what they call “rough jazz” — ambitious, searching, distinctly their own.

For this Monday Night Jam, Arnold and The Roughtet are joined by special guest Roger Wilder on piano — a longtime UMKC faculty member and KC jazz institution whose credits include Stanley Turrentine, Randy Brecker, and Chris Potter. (No, Roger doesn’t look like Thelonious Monk, who is in the picture above. But he is a snazzy dresser.) A 45-minute featured set followed by the Blue Room’s open jam. Bring your instrument or come just to listen. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets (FREE)

Visit Us at 18th & Vine

The American Jazz Museum — 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 The Blue Room — 1600 E 18th St, inside the museum

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

Some people listen to jazz. Others live inside it.

Barney Lessing was the second kind. For decades, he followed the music wherever it went — through New York, through Paris, through Philadelphia. He wasn’t a player. He wasn’t a critic. He was the kind of fan every musician counts on — one who paid attention, showed up, and remembered the names.

Near the end of his life, his two sons — David and Scott — did something for him that most of us will never think to do for our own fathers. They took him on a tour of the American Jazz Museum.

Not in person. Over the phone. On a video call from Kansas City, room by room, through the galleries, the Blue Room, and 18th & Vine. By every account, the smile on his face was too bright for words to describe. It was the last stop on a lifetime of jazz.

In the time since, his sons have carried their father’s story forward. The Lessing family has become part of the American Jazz Museum’s extended community — and on Thursday, April 30, David and Scott return to the museum in person for an evening honoring their dad’s lifelong love of jazz and the musicians who made it. A reception. A live set from the David Basse Band. A panel conversation with four of Kansas City’s jazz voices. And the story of one fan who was there.

The Evening

Thursday, April 30, 2026 · 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM · American Jazz Museum Atrium · FREE

The night unfolds in three movements.

Reception and live jazz. The evening opens with a reception in the Atrium, soundtracked by a set from the David Basse Band — led by longtime Kansas City bandleader, jazz vocalist, and radio host David Basse, whose catalog crosses decades of the city’s jazz tradition.

A family’s story. David and Scott Lessing then open the panel with highlights from their father’s memoir, along with personal anecdotes — the musicians Barney met in New York, Paris, and Philadelphia, and the small, specific moments that made a lifetime of listening into a story worth telling.

A Kansas City conversation. A panel of local musicians and educators takes up the thread. Moderated by AJM Board member and working Kansas City musician Andrew Haynes, the panel explores the impact and legacy of jazz through the lens of Barney’s life and the community he loved.

The Book

I Know ‘Cause I Was There: Reflections of a Jazz Fan gathers Barney Lessing’s life of listening into a single volume — the clubs, the musicians, the trips, the memories of a fan whose enthusiasm never dimmed. The book will be available exclusively in the museum’s Swing Shop for $10, with all proceeds donated to the American Jazz Museum.

“Barney Lessing’s deep passion for the music, along with his lifelong dedication to celebrating and preserving the art form, has left a lasting legacy. The American Jazz Museum is honored to help share his story and contributions with our audience during this special event.”

— Jill Johnson, Interim Executive Director, American Jazz Museum

The Panel

Andrew Haynes — Moderator

Known as the “Singing Benefits Lawyer,” Andy blends a career in benefits law with a deep love of music. A Missouri Bar leader — he’s chaired both the Employee Benefits Committee and the Department of Insurance Liaison Committee — he earned his law degree from Emory University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri–Columbia. He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Jazz Museum and plays actively in his church band and at local gigs around Kansas City.

Millie Edwards Nottingham — Panelist

Known affectionately as “the little woman with the big voice,” Millie is a Kansas City institution — a vocalist whose career has taken her across the KC jazz and blues circuit and onto national and international stages. Her musical journey began early: piano at age four, viola at age ten. Alongside her performing career she is an accomplished educator, serving as Reading Coordinator at Metropolitan Community College, where she received the Missouri Governor’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017. She holds a Master of Education.

Dan Thomas — Panelist

Dan serves as Director of Jazz Studies and a lead faculty member in the Department of Music at Ottawa University. He previously co-chaired the Jazz Studies Program at the University of Missouri–Kansas City alongside Bobby Watson, and he’s recognized for developing an innovative model for jazz education that has drawn national attention.

Max Levy — Panelist

Originally from southeastern North Carolina, bassist Max Levy earned his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance at East Carolina University under bassist Carroll Dashiell. He moved to Kansas City in 2016 to study at UMKC and has since become one of the most active young voices in the KC jazz community — serving on the UMKC Conservatory Alumni Board, teaching private lessons, working with the Kansas City Jazz Academy at 18th & Vine, subbing as a jazz DJ at KKFI, and co-hosting The Jazz Jam Podcast.

Attend

Reservations are available by phone only.

Call 816-842-1414 Ext. 200 to reserve your seat while they remain available.

Thursday, April 30, 2026 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM American Jazz Museum Atrium 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

About the American Jazz Museum

The American Jazz Museum preserves, celebrates, and continues the legacy of jazz at 18th & Vine — through the museum’s galleries, the Gem Theater, and the Blue Room. americanjazzmuseum.org

Barney Lessing loved this music his whole life. On April 30, we have the chance to hear one more chapter of his story — told by his sons, alongside the Kansas City musicians who carry the tradition forward at 18th & Vine.

Something worth paying attention to is happening at 18th & Vine this spring: young musicians are taking the stage — one weekend after another.

Last week, middle and high school jazz ensembles from across the region filled the American Jazz Museum campus for the 24th Annual 18th & Vine Student Jazz Festival. This Saturday, students of the Kansas City Jazz Academy perform a free showcase in the Blue Room. Two weeks later, the full Jazz Academy takes the museum’s atrium for the Spring Showcase Concert. And just around the corner are two summer programs — Show & Shed and the KC Jazz Academy Summer Camp — designed to keep young musicians learning, playing, and finding their voice at 18th & Vine.

Here’s what happened last week, what’s happening Saturday, and what’s coming up for young jazz in Kansas City.

Last Week: The 24th Annual Student Jazz Festival

For three days, April 15–17, the historic 18th & Vine district was full of young musicians. The Student Jazz Festival — now in its 24th year — brought middle and high school jazz ensembles from Kansas City, Blue Springs, Harrisonville, Chillicothe, Winnetonka, Oak Grove, and beyond to the American Jazz Museum campus. Dozens of student bands performed across the three days, with each ensemble playing for audiences of peers, educators, and family.

Alongside the student performances, a daily noon concert series brought professional Kansas City artists to the AJM Atrium — a living example of the tradition the students are studying. Wednesday’s noon concert featured JAZZ Spoken Here performing a tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Thursday brought the James Ward Band to the atrium stage. Friday closed the noon series with Horacescope. Dr. Mike Parkinson of the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors–Jamey Aebersold Clinic/Concert Series helped anchor the week, introducing audiences to the pro performers between student sets.

→ See the full 2026 festival photo gallery

Festival photography by Paul Duryee (Paul Duryee Images), Muriel Boyd, Dr. Mike Parkinson (KC Jazz Ambassadors), and Clarence Smith (KC Jazz Academy). Used with attribution.

This Saturday: Kansas City Jazz Academy Special Showcase

Saturday, April 25 · 3:30 PM · The Blue Room · FREE

The week after the festival, the next wave of young musicians takes the Blue Room stage. This Saturday afternoon, the Blue Room hosts a special Kansas City Jazz Academy showcase featuring two ensembles:

• Vocal Jazz, directed by Lisa Henry — a Thelonious Monk Competition first runner-up and Herbie Hancock Institute educator

• 18th Street Combo, directed by Stan Kessler — a Kansas Music Hall of Fame inductee and longtime jazz educator, leading the Academy’s advanced instrumental ensemble

Why the special date? Many of the students in the advanced combo are high school seniors, and their graduation ceremonies conflict with the Academy’s main Spring Showcase on May 10. This earlier showcase makes sure the seniors get the stage time they’ve earned — and audiences get one of the first looks at performers who will shape the future of Kansas City jazz.

Free admission.

The Blue Room · 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

Also Upcoming: Spring Showcase Concert

Sunday, May 10 · 1:30 PM · AJM Atrium · FREE

Two weeks after the Blue Room showcase, the Kansas City Jazz Academy’s instrumental ensembles and piano students take the stage in the American Jazz Museum Atrium for the Spring Showcase Concert. This is the program’s capstone performance, and it’s open to the public at no charge.

The Academy’s full roster of instrumental combos and piano students will perform — from beginner groups all the way to the most advanced:

• 12th Street Combo — directed by Aaron Linscheid

• J. Miq Combo — directed by MusicMan Thomas

• Vine Street Combo — directed by Max Levy

• Williams Combo — directed by Charles Williams

• 18th Street Combo — directed by Stan Kessler

• Piano Class — directed by Roger Wilder

American Jazz Museum · 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

For Young Musicians: Two Summer Programs at 18th & Vine

When the Spring Showcase wraps, the next stop on the calendar is summer. Two programs at 18th & Vine keep young musicians playing through June and July. Together, they offer a full spectrum — a single-day workshop for students who want to sample something new, and a week-long immersion for students ready to commit to the craft.

Show & Shed — Saturday, June 6

Produced by the Collaborative Arts Institute, Show & Shed is a one-day instrumental music workshop focused on jazz education, improvisation, and performance. The day runs from 8 AM registration through a culminating concert in the Blue Room at 5 PM — a full jazz day with real stage time as the payoff.

Instructors: James Ward, Jaylen Ward, Matt Baldwin, Jason Goudeou, Eddie Moore.

The workshop has been an annual tradition for nine years. After testing attendance patterns, organizers moved the 2026 edition from October to June 6 — the new date designed to make it easier for more students to attend.

• Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026

• Schedule: Registration at 8 AM, workshop 9 AM–5 PM, concluding concert 3–5 PM in the Blue Room

• Venue: American Jazz Museum, 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

• Focus: Jazz Education, Improvisation, and Performance

• Register: showandshed.com

2026 Summer Instrumental Combo Camp — July 13-17

The Kansas City Jazz Academy’s flagship summer program is a week-long immersion for middle and high school jazz musicians. Students work with professional artist-educators on style, history, theory, ear training, repertoire, and musicianship, with additional clinics and masterclasses from national and international jazz educators. The week closes with a performance showcase on Friday afternoon.

• Auditions: Sunday, July 12, 1–3 PM

• Camp: Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17, 9 AM–4 PM daily

• Showcase: Friday, July 17, 2:30–4 PM

• Venue: The Gem Theater, 1615 E 18th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108

• Who: High school and advanced middle school instrumentalists

• Cost: $220 early bird (through May 31) · $250 thereafter · Scholarships available on a first-come, first-served basis

• Contact: Clarence Smith, Manager · csmith@kcjazz.org

• Register: Eventbrite

The Teachers Behind the Music

Both Show & Shed and the Kansas City Jazz Academy are staffed by working Kansas City jazz artists — many of whom you’ll recognize from stages around 18th & Vine.

Show & Shed instructors: James Ward, Jaylen Ward, Matt Baldwin, Jason Goudeou, Eddie Moore.

Kansas City Jazz Academy faculty: Aaron Linscheid, MusicMan Thomas, Max Levy, Charles Williams, Stan Kessler, Lisa Henry, Roger Wilder.

These are active performers, bandleaders, and recording artists. Students learning from them aren’t just getting instruction — they’re joining the tradition.

Visit 18th & Vine

• The Blue Room · 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 · americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room

• American Jazz Museum · 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 · americanjazzmuseum.org

• The Gem Theater · 1615 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

• Kansas City Jazz Academy · americanjazzmuseum.org/jazz-academy

The music that started here a century ago is being passed forward right now — block by block, student by student. Come be part of it.

Friday, April 24 – Monday, April 27

A bassist who played on a Grammy-winning Thad Jones/Mel Lewis record and toured with Carmen McRae. A veteran Kansas City vocalist whose phrasing carries decades of the city’s jazz tradition. A 17-piece big band that captures the Basie-and-Ellington sound that put 18th & Vine on the map. And don’t forget Indigo Hour on Friday!

The Lineup

Friday, April 24
Encore -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm (FREE)
Lester “Duck” Warner -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, April 25
Bob Bowman & Bowdog -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, April 27
Louis Neal Big Band -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm (FREE)

Friday Indigo Hour — Encore (5:30 pm)

Kick off your weekend with live music and good vibes at the Blue Room’s signature happy hour. Encore takes the stage to set the tone for the night. Drink specials, free admission, and the warm energy that makes the Blue Room one of Kansas City’s most beloved live music spots.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets (FREE)

Friday Headliner — Lester “Duck” Warner (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Lester “Duck” Warner is a veteran Kansas City vocalist whose rich, soulful voice and decades of live performance have made him a respected presence on the city’s jazz scene. A regular at the Blue Room’s Jazz @ Noon series and a familiar face at 18th & Vine, Duck brings the warmth, phrasing, and musical wisdom that only come from a lifetime dedicated to the craft. His performances connect audiences to the deep vocal tradition that has always been central to Kansas City jazz. Two sets.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Bob Bowman & Bowdog (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Bob Bowman is a bassist whose career reads like a chapter from the American jazz songbook. A Kansas native, he picked up the bass at 12, earned a scholarship to the Stan Kenton Jazz Clinic as a high school freshman, and went on to study at North Texas State. In 1976 he joined the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, touring and recording several albums — including the Grammy Award-winning Live in Munich. He followed that by joining the Toshiko Akiyoshi–Lew Tabakin Big Band in Los Angeles and has toured and recorded with Carmen McRae, Freddie Hubbard, Bud Shank, and Karrin Allyson.

Since moving to Kansas City in 1988, Bob has been a pillar of the city’s jazz community, with faculty appointments at the University of Missouri and Ottawa University. With Bowdog, he brings jazz, funk, and groove together with the kind of musical depth that only comes from a lifetime of playing at the highest level. Two sets.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Louis Neal Big Band (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

A 17-piece big band in an intimate jazz club. The Louis Neal Big Band is Kansas City big band jazz done right — founded in the mid-1990s by bandleader, composer, and arranger Louis Neal, this hard-swinging ensemble captures the Basie-and-Ellington sound that put 18th & Vine on the map.

Five saxes. Four trumpets. Four trombones. A rhythm section. The band features some of Kansas City’s finest jazz musicians, playing traditional big band repertoire alongside Louis’s own compositions and arrangements. A 45-minute featured set followed by an open jam session. Bring your instrument or come feel the full power of a 17-piece ensemble up close. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets (FREE)

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The 18th & Vine Student Jazz Festival · April 15–17, 2026 · Gem Theater

Every April, more than 50 student jazz ensembles from across Missouri, Kansas, and the Midwest, load onto buses and drive to 18th & Vine. They walk into the Gem Theater — a real stage, a real sound system, a real audience — and they play. For many of them, it’s the first time playing on such a historic stage, on hallowed jazz ground.

This has been happening for 24 years. And for all 24 of those years, two people have made it happen: Clarence and Janet Smith.

Free Noon Concerts — Jazz Museum Atrium

Each day of the festival, the American Jazz Museum Atrium hosts a free noon concert open to the public. No ticket required — just walk in.

Wednesday, April 15 — JAZZ Spoken Here
A tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Two titans of the music, one afternoon in the Atrium.

Thursday, April 16 — Horacescope
Stan Kessler’s Kansas City jazz ensemble dedicated to the music of Horace Silver — the hard bop pianist and composer whose tunes are some of the most played in the jazz canon. Kessler, a veteran KC trumpeter and founding member of Sons of Brasil, has been keeping Silver’s funky, blues-drenched sound alive on local stages for years. He’s also one of the festival’s twelve clinicians, working directly with students between sets.

Friday, April 17 — James Ward Band
The James Ward Band has been part of the Blue Room since 1998 — just months after the 18th & Vine district’s revitalization launched. James Ward, Angela Ward, and their family are woven into the fabric of this building. There’s nobody better to close out the festival’s noon concert series.

Noon concerts are sponsored by Jamey Aebersold, with assistance from Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors.

The Smiths

Clarence Smith is a drummer, educator, and one of Kansas City’s most important jazz figures — even if he’d never describe himself that way. He coordinated the jazz program at Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley, has directed jazz ensembles across multiple MCC campuses, and manages the Kansas City Jazz Academy at the American Jazz Museum. Before all of that, he spent a decade directing the jazz program at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, where his students performed at the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian. In 2000, DownBeat Magazine named him Jazz Educator of the Year. As a professional drummer, he’s played alongside Mike Vax, Bill Watrous, Rich Matteson, Ahmad Aladeen, and Queen Bey. The festival is where it all comes together — Clarence built it from the ground up, and he’s been running it for all 24 years.

Janet Smith — Festival’s manager and Clarence’s better half — is the glue that holds the whole thing together. An incredible event coordinator, Janet has been running the logistics since the beginning: coordinating schools, managing the three-day schedule, liaising with the Gem Theater and the museum, and making sure hundreds of students, parents, and band directors know exactly where to be and when. Over 24 years, she’s built a deep bench of returning volunteers who come back every April because she asked them to — and because the festival is worth coming back for.

What Happens at the Festival

The festival runs all day Wednesday through Friday at the Gem Theater. Student ensembles perform in 30-minute slots starting at 8 AM, with afternoon performances running through 5:30 PM. After each performance, students participate in a 25-minute private clinic with one of 12 professional clinicians — working musicians who give direct, personal feedback to every group that plays.

Schools are traveling from as far as Springfield, Kirksville, Chillicothe, West Plains, and Hesston, Kansas — alongside Kansas City metro programs from Blue Springs, Raytown, Liberty, Belton, Grain Valley, and more.

This is not a competition. There are no first or second place rankings, though each band does receive a rating and a 30 minute session with an adjudicator. The point is the experience: performing on a professional stage, getting coached by a working jazz musician, and walking the same streets where Charlie Parker, Count Basie, and Big Joe Turner built a sound that changed American music.

The Clinicians

Twelve professional musicians serve as clinicians and adjudicators, working directly with students after every performance. The roster includes Marcus Lewis (UMKC Conservatory, artistic director of Future Jazz), Stan Kessler (Sons of Brazil), Dr. Louis Neal (Louis Neal Big Band), and Kenny Watson — names Blue Room audiences know well — alongside educators and performers from across the region.

See the full clinician roster at 18thvinejazzfest.com

24 Years

The 18th & Vine Student Jazz Festival is a partnership between the American Jazz Museum and Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley. Special acknowledgement goes to Tom Alexios and Edward Ellington II of the Duke Ellington Legacy for their continued support.

Twenty-four years is a long time to do anything. Clarence and Janet Smith have spent every one of those years working with educators to give young musicians a world-class jazz festival experience, putting them on a real stage, and connecting them to the living tradition of Kansas City jazz. The festival doesn’t just happen. It happens because they show up, year after year, so young musicians have a chance to play jazz on one of the biggest stages in jazz—the Gem Theater!

You are invited to come, enjoy the music, and support these great young musicians. Be sure to say hi to Janet and Clarence!

Details

Dates: Wednesday–Friday, April 15–17, 2026 Student Performances: Gem Theater, 1601 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO Noon Concerts: Jazz Museum Atrium (FREE, open to the public) Full Schedule & Info: 18thvinejazzfest.com

The American Jazz Museum is located at 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District.

Thursday, April 9 – Monday, April 13

A voice descended from Billboard royalty. The baddest Hammond B-3 in Kansas City with a seven-piece band behind it. A saxophonist the Chicago Tribune called “prodigious” and the New York Times flagged as one to watch. And a jazz/neo-soul jam session to close out the week. Five nights of live music at 18th & Vine.

The Lineup

Thursday, April 9
Gayle Price -- Jazz @ Noon, 12 pm (FREE)

Friday, April 10
J Love Band -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm (FREE)
Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, April 11
Adam Larson Quartet -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, April 13
Kenny Watson & DaNoyze -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm (FREE)

Thursday Jazz @ Noon — Gayle Price (12 pm)

Gayle Price was born to sing. Her mother, the late Priscilla Bowman, had a number-one record on the Billboard charts in 1955 — “the original Rock and Roll Mama.” Gayle grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, singing in her grandfather’s church from the age of five, with her mother training her to sing from the gut, not from the nose. She’s performed the National Anthem at Royals games, won the Truman’s Got Talent grand prize, and her sound is sultry, passionate, and powerful. Step away from the workday and into 18th & Vine.

Get Jazz @ Noon Tickets (FREE)

Friday Indigo Hour — J Love Band (5:30 pm)

Nobody owns a room like J Love. Gritty vocals, magnetic energy, and a sound rooted in Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Etta James — delivered with a style all her own. One of the Blue Room’s most prolific performers, J Love and her band turn every Indigo Hour into a full experience — tight grooves, bold vocals, and the kind of crowd connection that makes you forget you’re at happy hour. Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets (FREE)

Friday Headliner — Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Chris Hazelton is one of today’s foremost Hammond B-3 organists. A lifelong Kansas Citian, he studied under local legend Everette DeVan and the iconic Dr. Lonnie Smith. He’s a member of The Freedom Affair and The James Hunter Six, and teaches on DeVan’s personal Hammond B-3 at Kansas City Kansas Community College. The Boogaloo 7 takes that soul-jazz foundation and amplifies it with a full seven-piece lineup — funky, swinging, and impossible to sit still through. This is one of the Blue Room’s most popular acts for a reason. Two sets.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Adam Larson Quartet (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

The Chicago Tribune called Adam Larson “a player for whom the word ‘prodigious’ was coined.” The New York Times described him as “the sort of jazz musician who gets flagged early on as a promising talent and then hustles to meet every requirement for success.” Nine albums as a leader — including two that earned 4+ stars in DownBeat. A U.S. State Department touring artist, Grammy Foundation mentor, and author of 12 jazz etude books sold in 45 countries. Adam spent 11 years in the New York City jazz scene before landing in Kansas City, where he now teaches at the UMKC Conservatory and KU. Two sets of world-class saxophone at 18th & Vine.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Kenny Watson & DaNoyze (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

Kenny Watson is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist whose group DaNoyze blends jazz and neo-soul into something groove-forward and musically adventurous. A 45-minute featured set followed by an open jam session — bring your instrument or just your ears. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets (FREE)

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The Lineup

Thursday, April 2
Blue Devil Funk Band -- Jazz @ Noon, 12 pm (FREE)

Friday, April 3
Darron J & Go Hard Band -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm (FREE)
Carolina Calvache Quartet -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, April 4
Rob Tribb, Tribb III -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, April 6
Heidi Lanita -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm (FREE)

Thursday Jazz @ Noon — Blue Devil Funk Band (12 pm)

The KCKCC Blue Devil Funk Band brings DownBeat Student Music Award-winning talent to the Blue Room for a free lunchtime set. The Kansas City Kansas Community College ensemble has earned Outstanding Performance citations and continues to produce some of the most exciting young jazz musicians in the metro. Step away from the workday and into 18th & Vine.

Get Jazz @ Noon Tickets (FREE)

Friday Indigo Hour — Darron J & Go Hard Band (5:30 pm)

Darron J & Go Hard Band are the Blue Room’s most frequent Indigo Hour performers — over 20 appearances and counting. There’s a reason they keep coming back: Darron “DaRockboi” Cobbins doesn’t just perform, he throws a party. Powerhouse vocals, infectious energy, and a mix of R&B, soul, and funk that gets the whole room moving. Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets (FREE)

Friday Headliner — Carolina Calvache Quartet (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Carolina Calvache is a Colombian pianist and composer who seamlessly blends jazz, classical, and Latin American folk into something entirely her own. Her debut Sotareno — featuring Antonio Sanchez, Jaleel Shaw, and Michael Rodriguez — was named one of the Best 10 Albums of 2014 by the Colombia al Dia Awards. She’s performed at the Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and jazz festivals across the Americas and Europe. Two sets of world-class jazz at 18th & Vine.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Rob Tribb, Tribb III (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Rob Tribb (Robert W. Tribitt III) was born on the South Side of Chicago into a family steeped in music — his parents toured the country with the gospel group The Joy Ensemble. What started on the drums evolved into a deep love affair with the piano, and Robert’s versatility quickly set him apart. Since arriving in Kansas City, he’s become one of the city’s most dynamic creative forces — performing with artists like Jeanette Harris, Tom Browne, and Sean Tyler, touring internationally from Norway to the Caribbean, and winning the 2025 Kansas City People’s Choice Award for “Best Musician.” Two sets from a true community builder and gifted performer.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Heidi Lanita (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

Heidi Lanita leads the Monday Night Jam with a 45-minute featured set before opening the Blue Room stage to all musicians. Known for her captivating vocal presence, Heidi brings warmth and musicality to every performance. Bring your instrument or just your ears — it’s one of the best nights of the week at 18th & Vine. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets (FREE)

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The American Jazz Museum, The Blue Room, and the Gem Theater have been nominated in seven categories in the 2026 Kansas City Favorites contest. Voting is open now, it’s free, and you can vote once per day, every day, through April 17.

Last year, more than 270,000 votes were cast. Imagine what happens when the jazz community shows up.

Vote now at votekc.com

What Your Vote Is For

The American Jazz Museum isn’t just a building at 18th & Vine. It’s the living room of Kansas City jazz — a place where Charlie Parker’s saxophone lives next door to a stage where new voices play every single week.

The Blue Room is one of the last dedicated jazz clubs in America operating inside a museum. Every Friday, Saturday, and Monday, musicians walk onto a stage that legends played decades ago. Your Indigo Hour happy hours, your Saturday night sets, your Monday Night Jams — they happen because this community shows up.

The Gem Theater has been the crown jewel of 18th & Vine since 1912 — hosting everyone from Count Basie to today’s emerging artists on one of the most storied stages in American music.

Winning Kansas City Favorites tells the whole city that these places matter — that people show up for jazz, for 18th & Vine, for the culture this neighborhood has carried for over a century. It costs nothing but a minute of your time, and it’s one of the most powerful things you can do for us this year.

Where We’re Nominated

American Jazz Museum

• Best Attraction

• Best Family Attraction

• Best Museum

The Blue Room

• Best Live Music Venue

• Best Date Night Spot

• Best Specialty Cocktails

Gem Theater

• Best Live Music Venue

The Blue Room and the Gem Theater are both nominated for Best Live Music Venue — which means 18th & Vine could take that category!

How to Vote

Voting is free, takes less than a minute, and requires no account or purchase.

Start here: votekc.com

Once you’re on the site, you’ll find us in two sections:

Under “Things to Do”:

• Attraction — American Jazz Museum

• Family Attraction — American Jazz Museum

• Museum — American Jazz Museum

• Live Music Venue — The Blue Room and the Gem Theater

Under “Eat & Drink”:

• Date Night Spot — The Blue Room

• Specialty Cocktails — The Blue Room

You can vote in every category. Vote once today, then come back and do it again tomorrow. And the day after that.

Need help finding us on the voting site?

These step-by-step guides show you exactly where to click. Open any of them and follow along.

Things to Do

• Attraction — American Jazz Museum

• Family Attraction — American Jazz Museum

• Museum — American Jazz Museum

• Live Music Venue — The Blue Room

• Live Music Venue — Gem Theater

Eat & Drink

• Date Night Spot — The Blue Room

• Specialty Cocktails — The Blue Room

Vote Every Day Through April 17

This is the part most people miss: you can vote once per day, every single day, until April 17 at 5:00 PM. One person voting daily for 17 days is worth more than 17 people voting once.

Bookmark the page. Set a phone reminder. Make it a thing.

Vote now at votekc.com

Spread the Word

Know someone who loves the Blue Room? A friend who brings out-of-town guests to the museum? A coworker who still talks about that Saturday night set? Forward this email. Share the voting link. Post it on social. Every vote counts, and every share multiplies.

Results will be announced on KansasCityFavorites.com and in the print magazine on July 12, 2026.

Thank you to everyone who visits the museum, catches a show at the Blue Room, fills a seat at the Gem, or tells a friend about what’s happening at 18th & Vine. These nominations belong to you as much as they do to us.

Now let’s go win them.

Vote now at votekc.com

The American Jazz Museum is located at 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108. Learn more at americanjazzmuseum.org.

The Lineup

Friday, March 27
Delynia Jannell -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm
Jazzy Jazz Miyagi -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, March 28
Lisa Henry -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, March 30
Millie Edwards: A Tribute to Lori Tucker -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Friday Indigo Hour — Delynia Jannell (5:30 pm)

Delynia Jannell has been singing since she was two years old, starting on the church pews at Bethel Church of God in Christ in Kansas City, Kansas. Over 13 years of professional performing, she’s become one of the Blue Room’s most frequent Indigo Hour artists — with residencies at Sullivan’s Steakhouse and both Johnnie’s Jazz Bar locations, and background vocals for Tech N9ne and Kelley Hunt. Gospel warmth, jazz polish, R&B soul. Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — Jazzy Jazz Miyagi (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Jazzy Jazz Miyagi came to the U.S. from Okinawa, Japan on a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music and continued at Berklee College of Music, studying under Lois Schafer of the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony Orchestra. She’s performed with Chaka Khan, Herbie Mann, Joe Sample, and Miroslav Vitous of Weather Report, and was chosen as a soloist for the grand opening of Kansas City’s Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Flute, classical guitar, koto — two sets of genre-bending brilliance from a world-class musician who calls KC home.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Lisa Henry (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Lisa Henry is Kansas City jazz royalty. Her career began in KC nightclubs at age 17, mentored by the great Hammond B-3 player Everette DeVan. Since then: first runner-up in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, PBS’s In Performance at the White House, international tours with Herbie Hancock, Kenny Garrett, and T.S. Monk, and stages shared with Wayne Shorter, Roy Hargrove, Anita Baker, and Lou Rawls. A jazz educator with the Herbie Hancock Institute, Lisa is a living connection to the tradition that made 18th & Vine legendary.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Millie Edwards: A Tribute to Lori Tucker (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

Millie Edwards — “the little woman with the big voice” — leads a special tribute to Lori Tucker, her friend and fellow founding member of the award-winning Wild Women of Kansas City (alongside the legendary Myra Taylor). Lori performed with Everette DeVan and Richard “Groove” Holmes, sang the National Anthem for the LA Lakers and the KC Royals, and was celebrated across both jazz and gospel. A 45-minute tribute set followed by an open jam session. Bring your instrument or just your heart. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The Lineup

Friday, March 20
Lady D -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm
Eboni Fondren -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, March 21
Kim Keys -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, March 23
Chris Hazelton w/ Emily Dix -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Friday Indigo Hour — Lady D (5:30 pm)

Lady D brings her eclectic mix of jazz, old school R&B, and blues to the Blue Room’s Indigo Hour. She’s opened for Roger Troutman & Zapp, Brian McKnight, and Najee, and her crowd interaction is legendary — by the end of the set, you’re not just an audience, you’re part of “The Family.” Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — Eboni Fondren (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Eboni Fondren doesn’t just sing songs — she tells stories. One of Kansas City’s premier jazz vocalists with over 15 years of performing, Eboni represented the United States at the G20 Summit in India as a jazz ambassador. Her debut album The Journey: To Kansas City with Love is a tribute to the city and the legends who shaped her. She takes classic jazz and makes it feel fresh, intimate, and personal — with a little R&B remix and a lot of honesty. Recognized by The Pitch and the KC Jazz Ambassadors.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Kim Keys (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Kim Keys is back at the Blue Room. The Arkansas native has built a devoted Kansas City following with her powerful voice, soulful R&B grooves, and above-and-beyond crowd participation. She’s opened for Lyfe Jennings, Tank, Monica, and Ashanti, and has provided background vocals for Michael Buble and Michael McDonald. Come ready to vibe.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Chris Hazelton w/ Emily Dix (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

Chris Hazelton is one of today’s foremost Hammond B-3 organists. A lifelong Kansas Citian, he studied under local legend Everette DeVan and the iconic Dr. Lonnie Smith. He’s a member of The Freedom Affair and The James Hunter Six, and teaches organ at KCKCC on DeVan’s personal Hammond B-3. Jazz vocalist Emily Dix joins him for a night of standards and soul-jazz grooves.

Monday Night Jam features a 45-minute set followed by an open jam session. Bring your instrument or just your ears. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The Lineup

Friday, March 13
J Love Band -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm
Deborah Brown -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, March 14
Queens of KC featuring J Love & Misha Alford -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, March 16
Lisa Henry -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Friday Indigo Hour — J Love Band (5:30 pm)

J Love (Jaime Chase) kicks off Friday at the Blue Room’s Indigo Hour with her signature soul, funk, and R&B. Known across Kansas City for her gritty, commanding vocals and magnetic energy, J Love and her band turn happy hour into a full-blown celebration. Free admission and drink specials.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — Deborah Brown (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

When Deborah Brown takes the stage, you’re hearing one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of her generation — and she’s from right here in Kansas City. Brown spent 12 years in Europe, performing with orchestras in Russia, Denmark, and Poland. She’s been featured at international jazz festivals, recorded multiple albums, and earned recognition from All About Jazz and the Kansas City Star. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra tapped her for their “The Voice” concert series.

Her vocal delivery is rich, bluesy, and deeply personal. The Blue Room’s intimate setting is exactly where her artistry shines brightest.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday — Queens of KC featuring J Love & Misha Alford (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Two of Kansas City’s most dynamic voices share one stage. J Love brings the soul and grit — channeling Aretha Franklin and Etta James into every note. Misha Alforddraws from gospel, jazz, and blues, with a vocal power honed on stages from the Blue Room to Starlight Theatre and the Midland. Together they’re the Queens of KC — and Saturday night belongs to them.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Lisa Henry (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

Lisa Henry is the essence of swingin’ cool. She’s performed at the White House, was first runner-up in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, and has toured internationally with Herbie Hancock, Kenny Garrett, and T.S. Monk. As a jazz educator with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, she carries the legacy of the music into classrooms around the world.

Monday Night Jam features a 45-minute set from Lisa, followed by an open jam session. Bring your instrument or just your ears. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The Lineup

Friday, March 6 Darron J & Go Hard Band feat. Jaysol -- Indigo Hour 5:30 pm
J Love Band -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, March 7 Matt Otto Quartet feat. Heidi Lanita -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, March 9 Angela Ward & Friends -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Friday Indigo Hour — Darron J & Go Hard Band featuring Jaysol (5:30 pm)

Start your Friday at the Blue Room with Darron “DaRockboi” Cobbins and the Go Hard Band — back for another round of Indigo Hour energy. Darron and his band don’t just play a set; they throw a party. Expect high-energy R&B, soul, and funk with the kind of stage presence that gets the whole room on its feet.

This time they’re bringing Jaysol along for the ride — a Kansas City vocalist and bandleader who fronts Sol Movement, bringing over a decade of live performance experience and a voice rooted in classic soul. Free admission, drink specials, and dancing.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — J Love Band (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

J Love steps into the Friday headliner spot for two full sets, and if you only know her from Indigo Hour, you’re in for a whole new experience. Known across Kansas City for her gritty, commanding vocals and magnetic energy, J Love channels the spirit of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Etta James into a live show that leaves nothing on the table.

Originally from Kennett, Missouri, she grew up surrounded by music — her grandfather a gospel singer, her cousin an R&B artist, the church her first stage. That foundation shines through in every performance. The J Love Band features some of KC’s finest musicians, and together they turn a Friday night into something you’ll be talking about all week.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday Headliner — Matt Otto Quartet featuring Heidi Lanita (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Matt Otto is one of the most accomplished jazz saxophonists working today. An Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Kansas, Otto studied under Lee Konitz and Charlie Haden, co-founded the Los Angeles Jazz Collective, and has recorded on over 50 albums — including work with the Grammy-nominated Anthony Wilson Nonet. His releases on Origin Records have earned four-star reviews in DownBeat and All About Jazz.

But what you’ll hear Saturday night isn’t a resume — it’s a musician playing with lyrical depth, harmonic curiosity, and the kind of freedom that comes from three decades of dedication. His Kansas City-based quartet features some of the region’s finest players, and together they create intimate, searching jazz that makes the Blue Room the perfect room for it. Featuring vocalist Heidi Lanita.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Angela Ward & Friends (7 pm – 10:30 pm)

The week continues with Angela Ward & Friends at the Monday Night Jam. If you know the Blue Room, you know Angela — she’s been part of this room since the 18th & Vine district reopened in 1997, one of the most respected keyboardists in Kansas City jazz. She’s served as Musical Director for Jazz Night at the Sunflower Music Festival, conducted an 18-piece orchestra, and performs multiple times a week across the city.

Monday Night Jam features a 45-minute set from Angela and a hand-picked group of friends, followed by an open jam session where musicians are invited to sit in. It’s Kansas City jazz in its most natural form. Bring your instrument or just your ears. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

Both shows are on Thursdays at noon. Come for the hour, leave with the music still in your head.

The Lineup

Thursday, March 5 Nneoma Lanea — 12 pm

Thursday, March 12 Heidi Lanita — 12 pm

Thursday, March 5 — Nneoma Lanea

Nneoma Lanea is one of Kansas City’s most compelling saxophonists — a musician who blends jazz, soul, and contemporary influences into something that’s entirely her own. Her performances are known for their emotional range: from searching, intimate solos to dynamic improvisations that pull a whole room into the music. She’s been building a devoted following across Kansas City, and the Blue Room’s noon hour is the perfect setting for a close encounter with her sound.

Get your tickets!

Visit the Blue Room

Both Jazz @ Noon shows are free admission and take place at:

The Blue Room 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

See the full schedule at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

We’re Hiring at the American Jazz Museum

The American Jazz Museum is looking for two exceptional people to join our team. If you’ve ever wanted to work at the intersection of music, culture, history, and community — this is the place.

Education Programs Manager

The Education Programs Manager leads the development and delivery of educational programming for all ages — from Jazz Storytelling for young children to public programs for adult audiences. This role manages partnerships with schools, coordinates with the KC Jazz Academy, and brings the museum’s educational mission to life across the city. We’re looking for someone with a genuine passion for music and history who knows how to translate that passion into enriching, equitable learning experiences.

$40,000 – $50,000 | Based at 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO

Apply on Indeed

Director, Finance and Operations

The Director, Finance and Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for the museum’s financial health, fiscal integrity, and regulatory compliance. This includes overseeing budgeting, financial reporting, audit readiness, cash flow management, payroll coordination, and Board Finance Committee support. We’re looking for someone with deep nonprofit finance experience who wants to help steward an institution built on culture, community, and legacy.

$75,000 – $85,000 | Full-time | Based at 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO

Apply on Indeed

Both positions are based in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine district. If you know someone who’d be the right fit, please share — we’d love to build our next chapter with people who care about what we do.

Friday, February 27 Just A Taste A Jazz -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm The James Ward Band -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, February 28 Stan Kessler -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Monday, March 2 Ernest Melton -- Monday Night Jam, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Friday Indigo Hour — Just A Taste A Jazz (5:30 pm)

Kick off your Friday with Just A Taste A Jazz, an ensemble that brings funky R&B and neo-soul grooves to the Blue Room’s beloved Indigo Hour. Led by Bobby D Adams, the band has become a Friday evening staple, building a loyal following with their infectious energy and tight musicianship.

Whether it’s original compositions or clever arrangements of classics, Just A Taste A Jazz brings a house-party vibe to the early evening — the kind of music that turns a post-work drink into the start of something bigger. Free admission, drink specials, and dancing.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — The James Ward Band (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

The Blue Room doesn’t just have a house band — it has a house family. The James Ward Band — bassist James Ward, keyboardist Angela Ward, and drummer Jaylen Ward — have been the heartbeat of this place for nearly 30 years.

James got the call from Gerald Dunn to join the house ensemble in January 1998, just months after the 18th & Vine district’s revitalization launched. Angela found the Blue Room even earlier, wandering in during the district’s opening festivities in 1997 and sitting down at the piano. Nearly three decades later, they’re still here — deeper in the music, richer in their legacy, and just getting started.

James is one of Kansas City’s most versatile bassists, equally at home in jazz, gospel, Latin, and classical. Angela brings harmonic sophistication shaped by decades of performing and teaching. Jaylen has already performed internationally at festivals in Shanghai and Chile. Together, the Wards average over 250 performances a year and run the Comprehensive Arts Institute, bringing affordable music education to Kansas City’s young people. They’re not just playing the Blue Room — they’re the reason the Blue Room sounds the way it does.

Come feel the family magic. You’ll understand why this band is irreplaceable.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday Headliner — Stan Kessler (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Stan Kessler is a living institution. Fifty years on the Kansas City jazz scene. Trumpet virtuoso. Composer. Educator. Duke Ellington Award winner. Kansas Music Hall of Fame. And still the guy who’ll tell you a joke between sets and make sure everyone in the room is having the time of their lives.

Kessler leads several ensembles — most notably The Sons of Brasil, where he explores the grooves of Brazilian and Afro-Cuban jazz — and The Stanton Kessler Quartet, where bebop meets modern sensibility. He’s worked with icons like Clark Terry and Paquito D’Rivera, recorded 12 CDs, and spent 25 years teaching jazz theory and improvisation to the next generation. He’s a musician’s musician and a people’s musician all at once.

But what makes a Stan Kessler night at the Blue Room special is the man himself: his virtuosity, his warmth, his absolute commitment to making sure the music connects. He’s the keeper of Kansas City’s jazz soul, and he’s ready to share it.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Monday Night Jam — Ernest Melton Quartet featuring Paula Saunders(7 pm – 10:30 pm)

The week continues with Ernest Melton, one of Kansas City’s most compelling voices on the saxophone. A serious composer and bandleader, Melton draws inspiration from jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis, channeling their spirit into complex, deeply personal compositions.

This Monday Night Jam features a 45-minute performance from Melton, followed by an open jam session where other musicians are invited to sit in and collaborate. It’s a chance to experience Kansas City’s jazz ecosystem in action — serious artistry, collaborative spirit, and the kind of spontaneous creativity that defines the city’s music culture.

Featured artist: Ernest Melton (45-minute set) + open jam to follow. FREE admission.

Get Monday Jam Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

Four acts. Two nights. The Blue Room keeps the music rolling at 18th & Vine -- starting with a special Jazz at Noon.

This Weekend’s Lineup

Friday, February 20
The Ward Family Band -- Jazz at Noon, 12 pm (free)
J Love -- Indigo Hour, 5:30 pm (free)
Robert “Imtume” Owens -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Saturday, February 21
Marcus J -- 8:30 pm & 10 pm

Special Jazz at Noon — The Ward Family Band (12 pm, Free)

Kick off your Friday early with a very special Jazz at Noon featuring The Ward Family Band. Bassist James Ward Sr., keyboardist Angela Ward, and drummer Jaylen Ward have been part of the Blue Room since the 18th & Vine district reopened in the late 1990s. James got the call to fill in with the house band in January 1998. Angela found the Blue Room even earlier, sitting down at the club’s piano during the district’s opening festivities. Their son Jaylen first performed with them at age six -- and just returned from performing internationally in China and Chile with Bobby Watson and Charles Williams.

Bring your lunch. The music starts at noon. Admission is free.

RSVP for Jazz at Noon

Friday Indigo Hour — J Love (5:30 pm)

Start your weekend right with J Love at the Blue Room’s Indigo Hour. Known across Kansas City for her gritty, confident vocals and magnetic energy, J Love (Jaime Chase) has been captivating audiences for years with a sound rooted in the greats -- Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Etta James -- delivered with a style all her own.

Originally from Kennett, Missouri, J Love grew up surrounded by music. Her grandfather was a gospel singer, her cousin an R&B artist, and the church was her first stage. As the frontwoman of the J Love Band, she brings a party every time she takes the stage. Expect sing-alongs, dancing, and the kind of energy that turns a Friday happy hour into a full-blown celebration.

Get Indigo Hour Tickets

Friday Headliner — Robert “Imtume” Owens (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

The Blue Room welcomes Robert “Imtume” Owens for an evening of sophisticated R&B and jazz. With a career spanning four decades, Owens is one of those rare vocalists who can move effortlessly between genres -- R&B, jazz, gospel, classical -- while making every note feel deeply personal.

His musical journey began at age seven on the streets of South Central LA. By eight, he was performing in the California state choir under the legendary Andre Crouch. He went on to study opera and jazz percussion, formed the fusion band Group Therapy, and spent a decade fronting the Midwest touring band Kokomo before collaborating with contemporary jazz artist Max Groove on a Billboard top-10 single. The credits kept stacking from there -- studio work and stages shared with Gerald Albright, Freddie Jackson, Najee, Grover Washington Jr., and Ashford & Simpson.

Come hear a voice shaped by a lifetime of music -- from gospel choirs to Billboard charts to the intimate stage of the Blue Room.

Get Friday Night Tickets

Saturday Headliner — Marcus J (8:30 pm & 10 pm)

Join us Saturday for a night with Marcus J (Marcus Williams), a rising voice in Kansas City’s vibrant R&B and soul scene. With albums like “Diary Of The Lover,” “Smooth Talking,” and “Secrets,” Marcus J has built a reputation for silky vocals and songs that move between slow-burn romance and feel-good grooves.

His sound draws from the deep well of classic R&B while keeping things fresh and contemporary. Saturday night at the Blue Room is always a vibe, and Marcus J is the perfect artist to set the tone. Pull up a seat, order a drink, and let the music take over.

Get Saturday Night Tickets

Visit the Blue Room

The Blue Room is located at 1600 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, inside the American Jazz Museum at the historic 18th & Vine district.

See the full schedule and get tickets at americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room.

The restoration will transform four key areas of the museum: relocating and expanding the Blue Room to accommodate 180-200 guests with improved sound, acoustics, and lighting; creating a new cafe and expanded retail space; reorganizing exhibit galleries including a new rotating exhibition space; and upgrading back-of-house operations.

The announcement drew strong, immediate coverage from Kansas City media. Here’s what they’re saying.

Kansas City Star

Star columnist Toriano Porter wrote in support of the project ahead of the council vote, framing it against the national backdrop of attacks on cultural institutions:

“No one should want to see an inkling of that happen to such an iconic place as the American Jazz Museum. Kansas City must continue to support one of its very own treasures.”

Porter highlighted the museum’s trajectory from financial troubles in 2018 to its current momentum, calling the restoration “the foundation necessary for the museum to become self-sufficient.”

After the vote, Joseph Hernandez reported on the unveiled renderings and floor plans, noting the project’s place within a broader reimagining of the 18th & Vine district -- alongside the Black Movie Hall of Fame at the Boone Theater and the Parade Park Homes redevelopment.

Read Toriano Porter’s column
Read the KC Star news story

Porter also covered the story on TikTok: TikTok: Restoration project overview TikTok: Follow-up coverage

KCTV5

KCTV5 covered the unanimous council vote as the museum’s “first major renovation in 25 years,” detailing the $3.5 million breakdown: $2 million from the Convention and Sports Complex Fund, $1.2 million from the 3rd District Public Improvements Advisory Committee Contingency Fund, and $300,000 from AJM.

Mayor Quinton Lucas was quoted: “The American Jazz Museum is a world-class cultural institution right here in Kansas City. The City’s investment will help the museum continue sharing our city’s incredible jazz history with the next generation.”

Read the KCTV5 story

FOX4 Kansas City

FOX4’s Alyssa Mueller and Matt Stewart reported on the project details, noting the Blue Room’s planned expansion and the connection to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s eventual relocation across the street on The Paseo.

Read the FOX4 story

KSHB (41 Action News)

Gary Brauer at KSHB covered the council’s approval alongside renderings of the new Blue Room and cafe spaces. The story ran adjacent to their preview coverage of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s own plans for the district.

Read the KSHB story

KC Chamber of Commerce

The KC Chamber published AJM’s full press release, positioning the project as a milestone for the 18th & Vine district and the broader Kansas City cultural landscape.

Read the KC Chamber story

Additional Broadcast Coverage

Local TV stations covered the story across multiple broadcasts on February 12-13. The restoration project also appeared in community outlets:

• Tony’s Kansas City

• NewsBreak

Sporting KC Connection

In a related story, Sporting KC unveiled a new secondary jersey honoring the 18th & Vine district, underscoring the neighborhood’s growing cultural visibility.

FOX4: Sporting KC honors 18th & Vine

The 2026 AJM Restoration Project was sponsored by 3rd District Councilwoman Melissa Robinson and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Crispin Rea (4th District) and Andrea Bough (6th District). For more information about the American Jazz Museum, visit americanjazzmuseum.org.

He’s young. He’s traveled. And he’s paying attention – not just to the music, but to the architecture, the fashion, the food, the way different cultures hold space for art. We sat down with Jaylen to talk about what happens when a Kansas City musician takes the music out into the world and brings the world back home.

You’ve performed in multiple countries. How has playing for international audiences shaped your sound?

South American, Cuban, Afro-Cuban music has been a huge part of my musical upbringing. Artists like Ray Obiedo, Chiquito, Tito Puente, Changuito, and Carlos Santana have been huge influences on me. Playing for international audiences brings those influences full circle – you’re not just studying the music anymore, you’re inside it.

Is there a particular city or country that had a major impact on you creatively?

Chile was incredible. There was this great mixture of influences from different regions in South America – Peru, Bolivia, Argentina – all converging because of the geography. I was fortunate to meet so many musician friends and exchange knowledge of Chilean music.

And then Beijing. There’s the Forbidden City, this Royal Palace that’s thousands of years old. The infrastructure has very intricate symbolism built into the design of the temples. Every single line, every repeating pattern directly correlates to historical details – royal rankings, the role everyone has in the temple, spiritual animals associated with each royal family. The amount of detail is captivating. That kind of intentionality in design speaks to me as a musician.

What are the biggest differences you’ve noticed between audiences in the U.S. and audiences abroad?

The audience in other countries is a lot more interactive. The reason goes back to cultural significance. Jazz in America was conceived as sophisticated social music, especially after the 1950s, when it became “sit down and listen” music. Before that era, jazz was dance music. International audiences often still carry that older, more physical relationship with the music.

Can you share a moment from touring where you felt, “This is exactly why I do this”?

Sharing with other musicians is such an amazing experience. These are memories that can only be created with each other. Some of the greatest musicians I’ve ever met were from overseas. Every act at the Valparaiso Jazz Festival had a completely unique sound. That’s the thing about festivals – you’re not just performing, you’re absorbing.

How have the cultures and styles you’ve encountered influenced the projects you’re working on now?

It adds more colors to my palette. Having influences outside of jazz is what expands the human experience of being a musician. If you’re a rock musician, have more influences outside of rock. If you’re a jazz musician, have more influences outside of jazz. If you’re a country musician, have more influences outside of country. The broader your palette, the more honestly you can express what you’re hearing.

How do you prepare to collaborate with musicians from different cultural or musical traditions?

The same way I’d prepare to collaborate with anybody: listen. The more I listen and remind myself to be myself, the more music flows out of everyone. Music is a very unifying experience. It is the universal language of the world. That’s what makes traveling so beautiful.

Are there international artists who’ve significantly influenced your direction?

I’ve been great friends with Felipe Duhart, Felipe Canales, Daniela Conejero, Italo Aguilera, and Felipe Conejero for the past three years, ever since my mother Angela Ward’s first visit to South America for the Semanas Musicales Rhythm Between River & Lake Festival in Frutillar, Chile. We’ve been avid collaborators ever since.

How do the stories from your travels show up in your compositions?

I want to write more music about the experiences I’ve had in recent travels. I still feel like I’m processing. What I have been expressing is my love for modern Asian fashion and Chile’s modern street fashion. I really love the use of denim in Asian clothes, and the use of woven wool clothing in South America. I’d like to incorporate all of that into my compositions – the textures, the layering, the way different cultures approach material and form.

If you could choose one venue to return to for a dream performance, where would it be?

Blue Note Beijing, Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, and the Municipal Theater of Valparaiso. I also want to visit Santiago – quite a few musicians from Santiago were in Valparaiso when I was there, and I’d love to see what’s happening in their home city.

What challenges have you faced touring internationally?

I only learned enough Spanish and Chinese to get by at grocery stores and basic situations. I had to always travel with someone who could speak both English and the native language. That’s a real limitation, and it makes you appreciate the people who bridge that gap for you.

How do you stay grounded while constantly moving between countries and time zones?

Eat less. It gets difficult when you want to try everything. At the same time, food in other countries is a lot more filling, so it’s actually easier to stay healthy traveling internationally than in the States. Jetlag, though – that’s another story. It wasn’t bad flying there, but coming back I had to sleep throughout the day and take as many naps as possible on the plane to maintain my sleep pattern.

Is there a festival or stage that pushed you creatively?

Anytime I’m sharing the stage with Bobby Watson, it’s not only an educational experience in music, but in life. I feel very privileged and grateful to have shared the stage with Bobby Watson at the Super Bund festival.

How has global exposure shaped your identity – not just as an artist, but as a person?

It’s given me a chance to see my influences not only in music, but in fashion, art, and social and political perspective. You come back different. You can’t unsee the world.

What advice would you give young musicians who dream of taking their music international?

Absorb every aspect of art from other countries – visual art, architecture, sculpting, music, literature, languages, the cultural significance of historical events. This will shape you into a unique musician. It’s also equally important to gravitate toward the cultures you connect with most, and to study the culture of your own heritage as deeply as possible. Then find the correlations between them. That’s where your voice lives.

Jaylen Ward is a Kansas City-based drummer and member of the Ward family rhythm section. He has performed internationally with Bobby Watson, Charles Williams, and James Ward as part of the American Jazz Museum’s cultural exchange programs. Follow the American Jazz Museum for more artist stories and conversations at americanjazzmuseum.org.