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Original image by Plastic Sax.
*The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra announced its 2026-27 season. Details are available here.
*Nick Hmeljak is among the artists selected for Charlotte Street Foundation’s two-year studio residency program.
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.
Original image by Plastic Sax.
Kansas City’s jazz community is besieged. Prominent long-standing institutions are flailing. Intercine support groups scuffle for public and charitable funding. Most of the core audience has died of old age and has been replaced by a few dozen anomalous enthusiasts.
Yet the single most important component- indeed, the only thing that truly matters- remains strong. Wave after wave of outstanding homegrown jazz musicians have enriched Kansas City bandstands for decades. Five locally based young men upheld that distinguished tradition at Westport Coffee House on Sunday, July 6.
Trumpeter Nick Hmeljak, saxophonist Henry Scamurra, vibraphonist Isaiah Petrie, bassist Jordan Faught and drummer Jaylen Ward played energetic hard bop with vigorous integrity. Hmeljak explained that the evening was dedicated to debuting all-new original compositions by members of the sextet.
The strong material was bolstered by masterful playing. The quintet is fully capable of impressing a global audience at Smalls in New York City. Instead, ten people- all but a couple were fellow jazz musicians- paid $10 to take in the first hour-long set.