KANSAS CITY JAZZ MUSICIANS UPDATE

''Practically all the musicians came in to jam,'' said Buddy Anderson, who used to play with the pianist Jay McShann in the 1940's. By night, the musicians after completing their sets at the various clubs around town, would trickle in and the all-night jam sessions would begin.

KANSAS CITY JAZZ MUSICIANS UPDATE

I will continue to update this page with interesting things we learn along the way.The foundation building served as a rehearsal hall by day. Me and several peers have spent a lot of time researching the lives and music of many Kansas City musicians. Without the constant work from clubs that made their money illegally, musicians were out of work and had to find other venues, in other cities to make their music. Unfortunately, when Pendergast was arrested in 1938 it all came to screeching halt. Kansas City was a very special place during this time. “Jones-Smith Incorporated” (featuring Young and Basie) is one of the first recorded examples of soloists playing extended solos, an emphasis on improvisation over melody, that would become one of the focal points of be-bop and later jazz styles.

In the 1920s, solo’s were typically very short and not necessarily a significant part of the composition. Lester Young and Count Basie e modernized the jazz movement with performances that prioritized the soloist over the melody. Joe Turner, a singer and “blues-shouter”, was a popular performer with Kansas City bands in the 1930s before he (with Stone) helped pioneer Rock N’Roll with recordings of songs like “Shake, Rattle and Roll”. Composer/arranger Jesse Stone became famous writing and leading jazz bands in Kansas City before becoming a significant Rock N’Roll writer and producer. and is an important precursor to Rock N’Roll. New styles and approaches were developed in jazz and popular music during this era. Musicians from Kansas City were very progressive. Musicians were generally treated very well, and were protected by club owners and law enforcement. Especially with those who worked under him, musicians included. Tom Pendergast, the “boss” of Kansas City, was very progressive in his views of racial tolerance and pushed for equality. Many of the musicians that migrated to Kansas City came from areas of Texas and the south that were still experiencing extensive racial tension. Future jazz stars, like Charlie Parker and Bob Brookmeyer, spent their formative years listening to, and studying with the K.C. Other musicians, like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, developed heightened levels of fame for participating in famous jam sessions there. Musicians like Lester Young, Count Basie, Buster Smith and “Papa” Jo Jones all relocated to Kansas City in the 1920s-30s. Great Musicians! Constant opportunities to perform in Kansas City led to an influx of great jazz talent.Steady work was always found in Kansas City. Club owners were always hiring jazz musicians to lure patrons into their businesses. Swing Dancing was the premier social activity. Illegal gambling and the anti-prohibition stance of the city’s (and state’s!) politicians made Kansas City one of the premier tourist destinations of this era. The reasons for this migration of musicians were: Musicians from the Midwest and South pursued work with many of the big bands that resided in or toured Kansas City. The jazz scene in Kansas City between 1918-1938 was incredible.

Kansas city jazz musicians