Four Nights at 18th & Vine: a JAM panel Thursday + the Blue Room weekend
A reception, the David Basse Band, and a panel on Barney Lessing's jazz memoir at the museum Thursday — then three nights at the Blue Room with Indigo Hour, two headliners, and the Monday jam. April 3
Four Nights at 18th & Vine
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.
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.
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.
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.