Listen In Club
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · 12–1 PM · KC Jazz Incubator, American Jazz Museum
The American Jazz Museum’s listening club meets for the second time on Wednesday, November 4, at noon in the KC Jazz Incubator. It’s an hour of listening closely to jazz records together, with conversation along the way about how the music works and the history and social context behind it. Houston Gonzales, the museum’s education programs manager, leads the listening and the discussion. November’s topic is swing era greats.
The month’s list works like a book club’s reading list. The hour probably won’t get to all of it. Listen to a record or two beforehand if you can, but come either way.
November’s four
Three of the four leaders on the list played together in one band: the Benny Goodman Trio, formed in 1935, with Goodman on clarinet, Teddy Wilson at the piano, and Gene Krupa on drums. Kansas City turns up twice in the list too.
Ben & Teddy, Ben Webster and Teddy Wilson, recorded 1970. The two made it in a single day, May 1, 1970, in Bern, and it stayed unreleased until 2001. Webster was born in Kansas City in 1909 and played in Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra and Andy Kirk’s Twelve Clouds of Joy before he left for New York.
The Original Benny Goodman Trio and Quartet Sessions, Vol. 1: After You’ve Gone, Benny Goodman, recorded 1935–1937. Trio sides with Wilson and Krupa, then Quartet sides once Lionel Hampton’s vibraphone made it four in 1936. The last two tracks, “Tea for Two” and “Runnin’ Wild”, come from a February 3, 1937, Quartet session.
The Impeccable Mr. Wilson, Teddy Wilson, recorded 1956. Wilson recorded it in New York in September 1956 with Al Lucas on bass and Jo Jones on drums. Jones came through Kansas City too: he moved to the city in 1933 and joined Count Basie’s band here in February 1934.
Jazz Masters: Gene Krupa, Gene Krupa, 1927–1962. Krupa was the Goodman Trio’s drummer from its start in 1935.
Wilson plays on three of the four records; he was born on November 24, 1912.
The month’s playlist, What is Jazz? Vol.1, is on Spotify.
Listen to What is Jazz? Vol.1 →
The details
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · 12–1 PM
KC Jazz Incubator, American Jazz Museum · 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Check in at the info desk, then walk through the exhibit entrance to the KC Jazz Incubator.
Free for American Jazz Museum members; everyone else with museum admission.
Each month’s topic and list get their own page on the museum’s website.
American Jazz Museum · 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
americanjazzmuseum.org