What are you doing New Year’s Eve? Given the strong slate of locally based talent, the absence of a gig by a touring jazz artist isn’t a problem in Kansas City. A trio led by organist Mark Slimm entertains holiday revelers from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at Green Lady Lounge on New Year’s Eve.
The Top Stories and Trends of 2025 in Kansas City Jazz
Original image of 18th Street in Kansas City’s Jazz District by There Stands the Glass.
1. Fucinaro and Scamurra
The Kansas City saxophonists Pete Fucinaro and Henry Scamurra released strong debut albums in 2025. The ongoing youth movement represented by Fucinaro’s Little Window and Scamurra’s Urban Forum is a compelling reason for optimism.
2. Festival Revival
The KC Blues and Jazz Festival brought Stanley Clarke, Karl Denson and Bill Frisell to a baseball stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, on October 4. The event was the area’s first large-scale jazz event featuring touring artists since 2017.
3. Musical Chairs
Dr. Dina Bennett resigned as the Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum. Turnover at the institution is concerning.
4. Detour Ahead
The planned transformation of a portion of 18th Street into a pedestrian walkway made access to Jazz District landmarks including the American Jazz Museum and the Gem Theater difficult for much of the year. (See above photo.)
5. Evergreen
Green Lady Lounge remains the focal point of live jazz in Kansas City. Green Lady Lounge hosts more than three times the combined number of jazz performances at the Blue Room, the Ship and Westport Coffee House, the second, third and fourth most significant presenters of jazz in Kansas City.
6. Nevermore
Corvino is the most prominent of several establishments to either completely close or cease featuring live jazz in 2025.
7. Alt Jazz
Sonic experiments that are largely unwelcome in conventional venues thrive in hidden recesses including house parties, a bookstore, an underground cinema and a repurposed church.
8. Best Year Ever
No Kansas City jazz musician had a bigger year than Jackie Myers. Her relentless performance schedule included tours and festival placements. Myers’ ambitious album What About the Butterfly was reviewed by DownBeat magazine, a distinction among Kansas City artists shared only by Carl Allen in 2025.
9. Disinformation Campaign
Visit KC continues to insist that Kansas City is home to “more than 40 jazz clubs” as it promotes next year’s World Cup matches. The convention bureau’s dissembling is outlandish.
10. Persistence
Plastic Sax published 32 album reviews, two book reviews, nine concert reviews, six editorials and 45 gig previews featuring Kansas City musicians in 2025.
Last year’s recap is here.
The Top Jazz Performances of 2025
Original image of Shanté Clair and Krista Kopper at Grand Avenue Temple by Plastic Sax.
The Top Performances of 2025 by Kansas City Musicians
1. Nick Hmeljak, Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Jordan Faught and Jaylen Ward at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
2. Drew Williams, Ben Tervort and Brian Steever at the Stray Cat Film Center
Instagram clip.
3. Bram and Lucy Wijnands with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
4. Vanessa Thomas, Kara Smith, Michael Pagán and Steve Rigazzi at the Blue Room
Instagram clip.
5. Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Spencer Reeve and Jade Harvey at the Prairie Village Jazz Festival
Instagram clip.
6. The Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society’s “3 Expressions of Light and Sound” at Charlotte Street Foundation
Instagram clip.
7. Matt Villinger, Peter Schlamb, Sebastian Arias and Matt Robertson at the Blue Room
Instagram clip.
8. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
9. Deborah Brown and George Colligan at Upcycle Piano Craft
Instagram clip.
10. David Chael, Danny Embrey, Gerald Spaits and Brian Steever at Green Lady Lounge
My Instagram clip.
The Top Performances of 2025 by Touring Musicians
1. Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
Plastic Sax review.
2. Terence Blanchard at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
There Stands the Glass review.
3. Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
4. Samara Joy at the Folly Theater
There Stands the Glass review.
5. Devin Gray at the Ship
There Stands the Glass review.
6. Alexander Adams, Jeff Goulet (and Seth Davis) with Kristen Kopper and Shanté Clair at Grand Avenue Temple
Instagram clip.
7. Cory Weeds (with Chris Hazelton) at Westport Coffee House
Plastic Sax review.
8. Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez at Helzberg Hall
Plastic Sax review.
9. Helen Sung (with Bach Aria Soloists) at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
10. Pete Escovedo at the Folly Theater
Plastic Sax review.
Last year’s survey is here.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Stephen Wilson, the owner of Upcycle Piano Craft, counts Tim Whitmer and Green Lady Lounge among his favorite musicians and venues in Kansas City.
*Tim Whitmer spoke to Joe Dimino about his new Christmas album.
*The author of Plastic Sax featured two Kansas City jazz musicians on the KKFI radio program Wednesday Midday Medley last week.
Album Review: Jeff Shirley- Trio Live at Green Lady Lounge
Someone shouts “yeah” throughout Jeff Shirley’s new album Trio Live at Green Lady Lounge. The exclamation expresses what the audience was surely feeling as the guitarist’s album was recorded on March 11, 2025. The feel-good exuberance of Shirley, bassist Seth Lee and drummer Antonio Reyes merits gleeful hollering. The trio evokes the bubbly optimism of George Benson’s commercial heyday and the melodic cheerfulness of prime Larry Carlton on fusion-leaning tracks, straight-ahead compositions and crossover-oriented pieces. Trio Live at Green Lady Lounge will be released on compact disc and to streaming services Friday, October 3. The release party takes place from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, at Green Lady Lounge.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The most recent installment of Kansas Public Radio’s weekly Live at Green Lady Lounge program features Stanley Sheldon’s Rhythm Republic.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image of the Stan Douglas: Metronome exhibition at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art by Plastic Sax.
*Alex Abramovitz and His Swingin’ Kansas City Jazz Band was featured on Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program last week.
*Joe Dimino interviewed Sebastian Arias.
Now’s the Time: RSS Trio
RSS Trio is a mainstay at Green Lady Lounge. The organ trio’s next gig at the bustling venue is 10: 30 p.m. Friday, June 20.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Alex Abramovitz’s band is featured in the latest episode of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program.
*A television news broadcast touts the construction of a parking garage in the Jazz District.
Now’s the Time: RSS Trio
The new video for RSS Trio’s “Searching” is one second shy of 4:20. The lapse represents a missed opportunity to correspond with the song’s unmistakably wavy intent. The band plays the late shift at Green Lady Lounge on Friday, March 28.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*A University of Kansas press release publicizes Eddie Moore’s latest album.
*Joe Dimino interviewed Anita Dixon-Brown.
*OJT is featured in the most recent Live at Green Lady Lounge program on Kansas Public Radio.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program aired a performance by the Sam Platt Trio last week.
Concert Review: Dawson Jones at Green Lady Lounge
Original image of Dawson Jones and Pete Fucinaro by Plastic Sax.
While the Phoenix has long served up jazz-ish brunches, Green Lady Lounge recently resumed offering performances of undiluted jazz on Saturday mornings. Saturday appearances by vibraphonist Dawson Jones currently run from 11:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
With no televisions, bright lights or rambunctious children to interfere with recovery from Friday night revelries, Green Lady Lounge is an ideal place to ease into Saturday. The heavenly sound of vibraphone provides a comforting soundtrack for indulging in the hair of the dog or merely sipping coffee.
Dawson’s conception differs from the approaches taken by the prominent Kansas City vibraphonists Mike Dillon, Isaiah Petrie and Peter Schlamb. Accompanied by bassist Andrew Voggesser on March 8 and saxophonist Pete Fucinaro on March 15, Dawson’s sublime sound is reminiscent of Gary Burton.
Voggessor’s aggressiveness waylaid any opportunity for tweeness on material including an imaginative contrafact of Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation.” A week later, Fucinaro tackled a contrafact of “How Deep is the Ocean” as if his life depended on it.
The performances merited rousing ovations. Yet only a pair of diehards showed up to the opening sets. Not only were the regulars present for an experience unique to Kansas City, they knew that the good times were just getting started. The room gradually fills up before the final notes are played at 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Kansas City all-star band Wire Town is featured in the new episode of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Brian Ward Trio is featured in the latest installment of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program.
*KCUR looked into one of Kansas City’s Fat Tuesday traditions.
*Joe Dimino interviewed Rob Scheps and Lucy Wijnands. He also shared footage of Bram and Lucy Wijnands’ collaboration with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Folly Theater.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Brian Baggett Trio is featured on the latest episode of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program.
*Joe Dimino shared footage of performances by Deborah Brown and Wire Town.
*The Pitch checked in with Eddie Moore.
Album Review: Wire Town- Riffin’ on Grand
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The folksy expression applies to Wire Town’s artful new album Riffin’ on Grand. As with the band’s 2024 debut recording, Wire Town’s new release documents four of Kansas City’s finest artists honoring the town’s jazz tradition with seventy minutes of exquisite musicianship and life-affirming spirit.
Riffin’ on Grand again features guitarists Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman along with bassist Gerald Spaits. Brian Steever ably replaces Todd Strait on drums on the set recorded at Green Lady Lounge eight months ago. The quartet has nothing to prove and no axes to grind. The four men strike an ideal balance of reserved tastefulness and articulate individual statements.
Embrey and Fleeman display the sort of mindmeld that can only be attained by close friends through decades of collaboration. Sublimating their egos, the guitarists and their band mates craft sonic landscapes as modestly majestic as the most dignified shan shui painting.
Green Lady Lounge hosts the album release show for Riffin’ on Grand at 6 p.m. Sunday, February 16.
Confirmation: Weekly News and Notes
Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The new episode of Kansas Public Radio’s Live at Green Lady Lounge program features the Rod Fleeman Trio.
*A University of Kansas student’s report about jazz in Kansas City cites Green Lady Lounge as “the city’s highest-paying gig for musicians.”
*Joe Dimino interviewed Carl Allen.
*Kemet Coleman is lobbying for additional government investment in Kansas City’s music scene.
*An academic gives a lecture about Kansas City’s jazz legacy at UCLA on January 22.
Now’s the Time: OJT
OJT has always been solid but the accomplished organ trio took a considerable leap forward with the excellent 2024 album Ground Level. The Kansas City band’s next appearances at Green Lady Lounge are Thursday, January 9, Friday, January 10, and Saturday, January 11.
The Top Stories and Trends of 2024 in Kansas City Jazz
Original image of Matt Hopper, Joseph Panella and Nate Nall by Plastic Sax.
1. Ten dollars, please
The cover charge at Green Lady Lounge and its sister club Black Dolphin was boosted to $10. The impact of Kansas City’s most popular jazz venue commanding the meaningful entry fee surely altered the perception of the music’s worth.
2. Better angels
The release of Bird in Kansas City, an assortment of essential scraps, accorded Charlie Parker the kind of attention living jazz musicians in Kansas City can only dream about.
3. Extempore
The burgeoning clout wielded by the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society included a public radio audio feature and a tireless performance schedule. The collective also presented more touring improvising musicians than any other music venue or arts organization in Kansas City in 2024.
4. Heaven Can’t Wait
7th Heaven, the Kansas City music retailer most closely aligned with jazz, shuttered after 50 years in business.
5. Rolling
Dozens of Kansas City based jazz musicians released an unprecedented number of albums in 2024. Plastic Sax’s favorite albums list represent just a portion of worthy new recordings.
6. Blind Boone Remembered
Bill McKemy launched the Nameless and Unremembered podcast. The endeavor examines the “hidden stories of American music.”
7. Road Trip, Part One
The inaugural edition of the Lee's Summit Jazz Festival was encouraging and the Prairie Village Jazz Festival continues to thrive. Jazz Winterlude at Johnson County Community College, brings in one touring act each year. The three suburban undertakings account for all of the Kansas City area’s non-academic jazz festivals.
8. Road Trip, Part Two
Dozens of prominent touring jazz artists passed over Kansas City in favor of gigs in Bentonville, Denver, Iowa City, Joplin, St. Louis, Tulsa and Wichita.
9. Mythbuster
A massive crowd for Yo-Yo Ma’s last-minute appearance in Parade Park decimated the long-cited trope that suburbanites are unwilling to enter the Jazz District.
10. Big Fish, Small Pond
Plastic Sax continues to be the preeminent source for analysis and news concerning Kansas City jazz.
Last year’s recap is here.