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Returning from a nice long Halloween break in New Orleans that lasted the better part of that month, there was not too much going on during the month of November 2002.  There was a House Party nearly every weekend, and really only one event featuring anything beyond local talent. After playing as the opening act for the Delta Heavy Tour earlier in the year, DJ Hyper was passing back through on his own Bedrock CD/Record Release Tour, and stopped in for night.  While there was not a huge turnout, it was a Wednesday night in Kansas City after all.  Anyone lucky enough to be out got a real treat, and a flashback to the show early in the year. A completely random event popped into the picture too this month too.  A local high school put on a performance of the infamous "Footloose," and having my camera along, I could not resist snapping a few shots of the show, since it was somewhat of a contrast with the underground music subculture and its sometimes rocky relationship w

We stopped in at The American Restaurant for a little chill jazz session with the Tonelli Duo.  This was one of the first official gigs in town for guitarist Mark Tonelli , after bidding farewell to regular duties with the Jazz Knights ensemble. After spending 10 years with that group, he decided it was time for a change, and came to Kansas City to soak in the thick tradition of Jazz the town holds close.  Playing alongside a bassist, the two provided some light, enjoyable, and unobtrusive music for the early evening hours, enabling good conversation with those who had joined us. Arriving before they started, we enjoyed a few appetizers and cocktails from the Lounge.  This was our first trip to this location, and we were happy to discover they supported numerous local Jazz musicians, hosting small ensembles regularly every week from Wednesday. It runs through Saturday in the Lounge, playing mostly sounds of the Contemporary sort.  Situated as it is with a view o

What would you say if I told you that you could drive a car across Germany all by yourself, without ever leaving the room?  I still remember my uncle asking something along those lines, and my 8-year-old mind was immediately fascinated with the idea. Removing a brand new album, decorated with the image of a highway, he explained that he had some new music that could make that happen.  It was only music, but it was magic too, and had the power to transport me across the ocean, into a car and across Germany in special sort of road trip.  I would only need to close my eyes and pay very special attention to the music though.  There would be words that I would not understand, but it did not matter; if I listened closely, I would understand everything. He placed the enormous headphones over my ears, and gently placed the needle on the record.  I heard the car start and back out of the driveway.  A horn honked and in no time, I was speeding down a highway.  Cars and trucks passed

The Cotton Club was at the epicenter of jazz creativity and fame during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and ‘30s.  It produced some of the greatest names in music and show business, legends such as Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson and scores of others. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra opened their season with a tribute to this era, and a sold-out house in Helzberg Hall of Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The 17-piece orchestra presented “A Night at the Cotton Club,” with classic swing arrangements and a few variations of tunes like “Rockin In Rhythm,” “Stormy Weather,” “Echoes Of Harlem,” “Stardust.” “Minnie The Moocher,” “Creole Love Call,” and many others. A backdrop displayed various images from the era, and a few different guests shared the stage.  Local educator Herman Mehari sat in as a guest trumpet, blasting out some good solo runs on a song or two.   Showing off da