The Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum has four featured performances for the month of August. Come down to 18th & Vine, where jazz lives!
Doug Talley Quintet
Friday, August 10th at 8:30 pm, $10
Doug Talley has performed with such jazz luminaries as Jay McShann, Clark Terry, Bob Mintzer, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, and Bobby Watson. He is a familiar face throughout the Midwest as a jazz performer and educator. Talley has also appeared at the 18th & Vine Festival, the Kansas Jazz and Blues Festival, the Kansas City Spirit Festival, and the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival, among others.
Doug is the recipient of the 2010 Kansas Governor’s Arts Award and the 2009 Johnson County Library Pinnacle Award for Arts in Education. His discography includes four recordings on the Sea Breeze label for the Trilogy and Boulevard Big Bands as well as the Doug Talley Quartet’s four CDs: Town Topic, “…reminiscent of the Modern Jazz Quartet” (Jam magazine), Night and Day, which received national airplay, Kansas City Suite – a musical depiction of the quartet’s hometown, and By Request, an offering of the quartet’s most requested music.
Nate Nall CD Release Party
Thursday, August 16th at 7:00 pm, free admission
Join us for a release party celebrating Nate Nall’s newest album! Nate has performed in Kansas City’s most prominent jazz venues, including the Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum and Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. He was a featured soloist with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and Deborah Brown on a recent tour to Germany and Poland. He has been featured on the nationally syndicated 12th Street Jump jazz radio program and a residency participant in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead performing original music at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center. In 2016, Nall won 2nd place in Jazz Division of the distinguished National Trumpet Competition.
Other highlights of Nall’s career include performing with The Temptations, Michael Feinstein, Bobby Watson’s 18th & Vine Big Band with Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi and KU All Star Big Band, and Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. Nate performs regularly around town with The Project H, Marcus Lewis Big Band, Chris Hazelton Quartet, Clint Ashlock’s New Jazz Order Big Band, the David Basse/Joe Cartwright Septet, and his own group, the Nate Nall Quintet, performing his original compositions and arrangements. Nate, a former student of saxophonist Bobby Watson, is a talented composer and arranger.
The CUR3 featuring Christian Swan
Thursday, August 23rd at 7:00 pm, free admission
Formerly known as the Christian Swan Trio, Kansas City’s The Culture R3vived, or The CUR3, is an emerging contemporary jazz band. The CUR3 is bringing a breath of fresh air to jazz music and culture, all while sporting Nikes and shades, aiming to revolutionize the millennial jazz scene. “We want you to escape and enjoy music you can relate to,” said Christian Swan, the band’s pianist.
The CUR3 also features Blair Bryant on bass and Zachary B. Morrow on drums. With each band member under the age of 25, they believe they’ve found the perfect balance between contemporary jazz that appeals to their generation, while still resonating with the maturity and knowledge of a straight-ahead jazz enthusiast. All three band members are products of the jazz studies program at The University of Missouri- Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Although The CUR3 is ready to offer exceptional talent and performance to the jazz world, its three members understand that’s only the beginning.Their new sound will settle with those who love rap and hip-hop, soul, funk, blues, and the genre that inspired it all: jazz. In percussionist Zachary B. Morrow’s words, “This music makes people feel good, it’s a medicine, and it’s a totally different type of musical experience.”
Marcus Lewis Quintet
Friday, August 31st at 8:30 pm, $10
Marcus Lewis began playing trombone at the age of 12 and shortly after decided that music was his calling. In 2001, Marcus graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Performance. He continued on to receive a Master’s Degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Marcus continues to tour with The Marcus Lewis Band and the Grammy Nominated vocalist, Janelle Monáe. Marcus released his debut CD titled Facing East in 2012. The album was featured in Vogue Magazine as one of the top albums on Janelle Monae’s 2012 Summer Playlist.
Marcus has performed at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards,the Sydney Opera House, and for President Barack Obama at the White House in 2011 and 2012. Marcus was awarded the 2008 Betty Carter Jazz Residency and the 2003 Outstanding Soloist award at the Wichita Jazz Festival. Some notable artists that Marcus has performed and/or recorded with are Aretha Franklin, Janelle Monáe, Bruno Mars, and B.o.B. In addition to an active touring and recording schedule, Marcus stays busy writing, arranging, teaching and leading clinics and master-classes worldwide.
For a full list of Blue Room performances at the American Jazz Museum, visit americanjazzmuseum.org/events.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Swims into The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre, July 6-28
“Disney’s The Little Mermaid” swims into The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre at The J on Saturday, July 6, where it will run for 14 performances on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 28.…
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