Yet Another Kansas City Jazz Guide Guide
(and quick and dirty city guide)
 

NEW:  Massive collection - pics of KC's early years (need high-speed connection)

New: KC's MAX Rapid Bus FAQ and Newbie Guide

New:  KC Star local entertainment calendar

CLUB LISTING

This guide intends to cover KC clubs in terms of a sense of place rather than concentrate on the musicians. 

For musician specific info and other events/news beyond the scope of this listing, see JAM (which is a far more complete local jazz publication).    Open mic/jam session list.  BTW, no such thing as a drink minimum in KC.   On to the list...

Primary jazz specific clubs to check out:  The Foundation, The Blue Room, Phoenix, Jardine's, New Point Grille, Club at Plaza III.  The Blue Room gets some touring performers however most play concert halls in this town more often than clubs.

DOWNTOWN & The VINE   TOP

The Foundation ***
1823 Highland Avenue   MAP
18th & Vine district
816.471.5212
Take MAX rapid bus to 12/Grand and hop 108 bus to 18th/Vine
Donations accepted, established 1904, no food served. 

Quicktime movies of Foundation jam sessions available here.

This modest musicians union house is nearly 100 years old and represents KC jazz/blues/ragtime history far better than the museum down the street.  Open jazz jams and cutting sessions Saturdays starting at around midnight lasting til sometimes past dawn - if the crowd and musicians can keep each other interested.  (Blues jams on Fri night.) Charlie Parker grew up in the area and there are stories of him peeking through the window of this place to see perhaps Basie, Lester Young, etc. Upstairs there is a piano that locals say Scott Joplin, Mary Lou Williams and Count Basie played on. Downstairs reside the Saturday jams in a room that has a grandma's formica kitchen feel.    Lester Young (hear 1958 audio discussion with Chris Albertson), Bennie Moten, Walter Page, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Buster Smith, Mary Lou Williams, Pat Metheny, Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Kevin Mahogany, Ahmad Alaadeen, Bob Brookmeyer, Claude Fiddler Williams, George E Lee, Bobby Watson, Jay McShann, Andy Kirk, The Blue Devils, Karrin Allyson and many others had/has strong ties to this district (or the 12th St scene which is completely destroyed).

The 18th&Vine area will likely not appeal to those seeking manufactured culture and mindless sensory experiences (Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Starbucks, Vegas).  Keep in mind "The Vine" has been run down for decades and is just now beginning to come back in small steps.  If you are expecting the district to be like it used to be, you may be disappointed as much of it was destroyed in the 50's and 60's for the sake of urban 'renewal' after the fall of the Pendergast Machine .  Many clubs of the day were shoddy buildings that probably could not last 50 years anyway.  There are now only the 2 museums (American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum), the restored GEM theatre and 3 clubs.  There are only a few restaurants in the immediate district at this time but this area is not tourist trappey (fortunately, despite over hyped claims by the local tourist bureau).  The jazz bars don't serve food, which Ignatius considers a plus - people go to listen.   It's fortunately not Beale Street or Bourbon Street and new development has started geared towards being a real neighborhood, not a tourist trap. The Vine is more interesting if thought of as a modest 'ruin' as it has a significant jazz history.   For a rather high level snippet of KC jazz history, check out the Ken Burns KC JAZZ page (which to Ignatius' surprise, refers this site at the end of the article).  See the UMKC KC jazz history site for more comprehensive detail.

Pics of The Vine and some of East Side.

The Blue Room & American Jazz Museum 
1600 E. 18th  MAP     (on The Vine)
816.474.VINE (museum)
474.2929 (club) listing

Take MAX rapid bus to 12th/Grand stop and hop 108 bus to 18th/Vine

$27M  jazz museum w/jazz bar.  Primarily KC jazz style and some urban blues.  Smokefree! (due to being in a museum). Patrons go here to listen (and other musicians too). BET on Jazz now occasionally records live here. Show is called "Live From The Blue Room". Blue Monday open jam sessions 7-11p, jazz thurs-sat evenings. No food,  weekend cover charge. The Blue Room is now managed by Roger Naber of Grand Emporium.   See Calendar or Pollstar tour listing.  Regulars to check out include Interstring / Wesport Jazz Ensemble, Bobby Watson, Karrin Allyson (when back in town), Logan Richardson and Luqman Hamza.

See Calendar

Club Mardi Gras  
1600 E. 19th   MAP
816.842.8463
On The Vine
Had many names, turnovers through the years. Much the same since the 30's, raw urban club. "Bird, Basie, Miles, Monk played it" . Recently closed due to lease dispute according to Ignatius' secret sources and apparently will reopen down the street..  Rumour is another club will go in this spot.  See Web Site

GEM Theatre
18th&Vine   MAP
800.9000.GEM
816.842.4538
Touring/local acts - refurbished with great acoustics. Regular jazz activity, jazz lecture series. Official GEM page.
Jammin' at the GEM Series:
Dianne Reeves 5.11

GEM website info on series, KC Star Calendar

Folly Theatre Jazz Series
West 12th St.  MAP
816.474.4444
used to be a burlesque hall
(excellent chamber music series also)
Jazz series begins in Fall every year.
Walk to Phoenix or Majestic after concert.
JAM article on series.   Folly History

Phoenix Bar&Grill (Downtown) 
8th & Central   MAP
816.472.0001
Take MAX rapid bus to 11th/Main and walk NW to 8th/Central

Feel good club feel with more of an entertainment vibe. Very crowded w/tourists and suburbanites on weekends. A bar surrounds the tiny stage, average bar&grill food.   Jazz nightly, no cover, appreciation usually exceeds the noise.   The Scamps often do an early evening gig here.  Pitch calendar. KC Star Calendar.

Majestic Steakhouse 
931 Broadway   MAP (walking distance from Phoenix) 
816.471.8484
Take MAX rapid bus to Convention Center stop and walk NW to 9th/Broadway

Jazz and jam 6 days, but Monday. Art deco/Victorian classic club feel with typically 50+ crowd. Cigar club upstairs with walkin humidor (said to once be Tom Pendergast's hangout).  Bram Wijnands' regular gig spot (weekends).  Valet available, food fair to generally doable.   Web site and JAM profile.  KC Star Calendar

Listen to a Bennie Moten classic, "Moten's Swing"   (1932) - from UMKC   site
For something new, Dave Stephens Swing Orchestra, "Please Don't Talk To Me..." and "Unavoidable Blue"

The Cup and Saucer
412-B Delaware
816.474-PERK
Take MAX rapid bus to City Market stop and walk W to Delaware

Neighborhood coffeehouse (cocktails and wine too) in City Market district  - N side of Downtown. Surrounded by mid-1800's warehouse lofts. Jazz & blues jam 4-8P'em sun and sub-tradjazz or obscure music thus-sat nights (schedule erratic). 

Loading Dock Jazz
For something somewhat serendipitous sometimes, check out First Friday (of each month) night gallery openings in the Crossroads District (about 60 galleries) and West Bottoms.  You may sometimes run into offbeat jazz bands playing the loading docks of these galleries and it can be a pretty cool thing to check out.  Film students might be found projecting their film projects on the alley walls.  Look for bands like Malachy Papers, Westport Art Ensemble, Brian Hicks Trio and Snuff Jazz.  Also look for them at Cup and Saucer, Westport Coffeehouse or Davey's Uptown.

Pics of First Friday event.

Phoenix at Station Casino
1-435 & 210 hwy
414.7420
OK if casino type fabricated entertainment is for you.  4th largest casino in US, lotsa touristy restaurants with plastic tasting food.  Jazz fri/sat in a club with, of course, fake brick walls.  Big band swing on some (most?) Sundays in the Grand Ballroom.   I hear the ballroom is the favourite dance floor for serious swingers w/mix of old and young

Eclipse   (Argosy Casino)
777 NW Argosy Pkwy   MAP
746.3100
The only KC casino on a real boat (yes, the others are on fake "boats").   'Best casino brunch' say the locals.  The hottest sexagenarian to octogenarian RV cruise spot in town.  Weekend jazz Ignatius is told.

Isle of Capri    (casino)
1800 E. Front St.  MAP
855.7777
The gaudiest looking complex in Midwest, which makes Atlantic City look.. uh.. tasteful.   Trump wanted to buy it, need Ignatius say more.  Sun brunch jazz Ignatius is told. 

Shiraz
320 SouthWest Blvd   MAP
472.0015
Mediterranean/mideast restaurant.  Typically jazz duos tues/fri/sat.  Gallery room in rear.  Good. (that's a period following the d)

Quality Hill Playhouse
303 W. 10th  MAP
421.1700
Misc theatre, theatre sports, musicals.  Occasional touring jazz.
calendar

Holiday Inn (CitiCenter Downtown)
1215 Wynondotte
471.1333
fri/sat jazz happens

Before jumping into Midtown, check out Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite" (1946) - from UMKC  site
Also...  Recent export, Karrin Allyson's snippet of "Daydream"

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MIDTOWN/WESTPORT (30th to 50th St.)
Clubs within walking distance of each other have green addresses.

Grand Emporium ***
3832 Main Street   MAP
816.531.7557   531.1504
Take MAX rapid bus to 39th/Main stop and walk N a block on Main
Mostly touring blues and bluesrock acts on weekends but also jazz/punk/zydeco/reggae weekdays. Many blues mags consider it one of best urban blues clubs in US and it is a multi WC Handy award winner.  This place usually has a soul you can breathe in but lately they seem to book a bit  more blue collar and suburban twangy blues over the urban blues they've been known for.  Gotta do Amazing Grace's soul food  (and/or bring in pizza from next door).  Open blues jams, second Thu of each month, no cover (for this event).  Calendar.   Tickets at ticketmaster.com.  Pollstar listing lists future touring bands.

The New Point Grille
917 W. 44th  (44th & Bellvue)
816.561.7600
The old Pointe closed in the 80's is back as an upscale jazz/supper club - two levels.  American menu, 250 wines, OK food but overpriced (instead of cover charge Ignatius supposes).  Good tapas/appetizers and doable place for music, drinks with wind down feel.  Piano music over dinner hours, David Basse late tues-sat til 2a (see calendar).  Hear David Basse's latest release.  Bobby Watson and Angela Hagenbach occasionally perform here.     Calendar,  Pitch listing.

Westport Coffee House 
4010 Pennsylvania   MAP
756.3222
Jazz/folk thu-sat nights - typically solo/duo's upstairs.  Impressive camp/drag/progressive theatre downstairs.  Jazz jams on Mondays in the theatre.   Check website for music and theatre schedule.

Jazz - A Louisiana Kitchen 
39th & State Line   MAP
531.5556
Take MAX rapid bus to 39th/Main stop and hop on E bound 39 Bus to State Line
Way doable cajun.  Unjazz/blues/folk typically wed-sun 8PM-Midnight.  2AM happy hour weekends - summer

Harling's Upstairs
3941-A Main Street   MAP
816.531.0303
Take MAX rapid bus to 39th/Main and walk SE on Main
Urban blues/jazz/irish/celtic/swing/rock.  Tuesdays (?) - 18 piece swing orchestra.   Saturday 2pm (open) jams too - Mama Ray (no cover).   Usually weekend cover charge.  Jean Harlow and Joan Crawford were once showgirl dancers at this club.  A Midtowner's favourite, where local filmmakers hang.

Madrid Theatre
38th & Main 
816.753.8880
Take MAX rapid bus to 39th/Main and walk N on Main
An old dancehall recently restored, opened in Aug.  Now booking urban blues, some progressive jazz, some electronica and more eclectic bands. Not much parking.  Ignatius suggests parking at the Office Max lot (after hours) or park anywhere along Main and take the 56 or 57 bus lines.
Pollstar listing.,  Pitch listing

Jam to something old, Walter Page's "Blue Devil Blues" (1929) - from UMKC   site
And something new, Angela Hagenbach, "Spring Is Here"

Blayney's
415 Westport Road   MAP
816.561.3747
Take MAX rapid bus to 39th/Main stop and walk many blocks W on Westport or hop on W bound 39 bus towards Plaza
Typically blue-collar blues, twangy blues, bluesy tradrock, small cover.  Blues jams, Tue 9:30-1AM.  Dungeon basement feel.  Used to have tradjazz mondays (not sure anymore).  Website.

The Levee
16 West 43rd Street  MAP
816.561.2821
Take MAX rapid bus to 43rd/Main stop, walk W on 43rd
Nice summer outdoor deck in the trees.  Meat shop on weekends.  Pretty bad bar food but a good waterhole, usually small cover. 

Harpos
4109 Pennsylvania
816.753.3434
New - thurs jazz.  Typical college bar feel, nice large rear patio.

McCoy's
Pennsylvania & Westport
Another typical brew pub but very good B&G food.  Wed blues, Thu jazz with Greg Meise qut.

Other non-jazz Westport clubs/pubs within a block or so of each other:   Kelly's, Harry's, Finnigan's Pub, Hurricane, Have  A Nice Day,  XO, Stanford&Sons (comedy)

TOP

COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA  (aka The Plaza)  
(W. 47th area of Midtown KCMO - all venues within walking distance)

The Club At Plaza III 
4749 Pennsylvania   MAP
753.0000
Take MAX rapid bus to Plaza 47th stop and walk W on Ward Parkway
Downstairs club... sometimes great vibe, sometimes too noisy, sometimes awkward touristy crowd.   Broad range of KC blues/jazz sounds.  Look for Claude Williams here as he performs often. Check calendar as the club is more often reserved for private parties.  Weekend cover charge, valet available.   Upscale  steakhouse upstairs.   Web site has jazz calendar.

Gotta dig hearing Mary Lou Williams/Andy Kirk, "Lotta Sax Appeal" (1936) - from UMKC   site

Jardines Restaurant & Jazz Club
4536 Main Street   MAP
561.6480
Take MAX rapid bus to 45th/Main Museum stop, walk S a block on Main
One of the better jazz-specific clubs.  Walkable from The Plaza area (across narrow park with big fountain).  Jazz performers and entertainers (and sometimes other) tue-sat, triple bill Saturday jams till 3AM.  Angela Hagenbach is a regular here.  A good place to hit last on weekends.  Sometimes noisy (typical of restaurant clubs).   Would like to see them get rid of the food and big tables, put in tiny tables like the old Milton's.  No cover, reservations recommended for weekends.  Marriott Plaza, Sheraton Four Pointes, Homestead Village hotels are across the street.  Official website has weekly schedule.

Tomfooleries
612 W.47th   MAP
753.0555
Take MAX rapid bus to Plaza 47th stop and walk W several blocks on 47th
Great late nite happy hour 10:30PM-1AM nightly (open til 3a), young crowd.  Jazz/blues/eclectic 9PM-2AM sun-thu, sometimes unappreciative patrons.  Unusually good for bar&grill food and great Sat/Sun brunch.

Plaza Live!
Penguin Courtyard - Nichols Rd and Penn
Mermaid Courtyard - Nichols Rd and Broadway
Free summer/fall outdoor jazz series on two outdoor courtyards with mostly jazz, some blues, reggae, classical, big band every spring/summer/fall sat/sun 2-5p and thu/fri night 5-8p.   Schedule

Check out Coon-Sanders Nighthawk Orchestra's, "Nighthawk Blues"   (1924)
and "Here Comes My Ball and Chain"  (1928)
These are some fun tunes.  Click band name for a great story.

Raphael Hotel
625 Ward Parkway   MAP
756.3800
Take MAX rapid bus to Plaza 47th stop and walk SW across creek to Wornall
Vocal/Piano Jazz

Intercontinental Hotel
401 Ward Parkway  MAP
756.1500
Take MAX rapid bus to Plaza 47th stop and walk SW across creek to Wornall
Was Ritz Carlton - piano jazz and small ensembles.  Bobby Watson sits in a few times a month.

The Piano Room
8410 Wornall (Waldo - S of Plaza)
363.8722
New.  Wants to be a listening room with 4 days of tradjazz.  Luqman Hamza, Russ Long and Bram Winjands are regulars.  Website has calendar.

TOP

THE BURBS, etc  (yes, jazz happens in KC stripmalls too!)

Sprawled City:    KC metro statistical area has the same land area as the state of Connecticut.

Ignatius is clueless of suburbia so the following may be way outdated.

Ivy's Jazz Club
240 NE Barry Road
816.436.3320
North KC
Jazz Thu-Sat

Adam's Mark Hotel   (Quincy's)
I70 & Sports Complex
737.0200
Jazz Sat, Sun, Thu
Thu happy hour jazz 5:30-8:30

B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ  
1205 E. 85th
822.7427
South KC/MO 
Blues/some jazz/bluesy tradrock
great burly blues house with BBQ to match

Fairway Grille
913-722-3524
trio on tues and thurs

Raoul's
7222 W 119TH
913.469.0466
Overland Park
Occasional jazz
Dave Stephens Swing Orchestra on Wed

Epicurean II (aka The Ep)
8625 Troost
363.6910
SouthEast KC - recently moved from 75th/Troost
Jazz/Blues/Funk/Hip hop/R&B
Jazz matinee on Sun 6-10PM
Ignatius believes they started a dress code
(has metal detector at door)
 

Open Jams (call to confirm if you want to sit in)
The Foundation (Sat 11PM), Blue Room (Mon), Club Mardi Gras (Thu), Cup & Saucer (Sun), Blayney's (Tue), Harlings (Sat 2pm), Jardines?
Here are more blues jams.

Some Clubs by Demographic  (IMHO)
Broad/Touristy Crowd:  Blue Room, Club at Plaza III, Fedora
Raw:  The Foundation, Grand Emporium, Jazz, Harlings, Club Mardi Gras
Young/Gay:  20/20 on Main, Westport Coffeehouse, Cup and Saucer, Tomfooleries, Levee
Older:  Majestic, Phoenix@Downtown, Jardine's, Fedora
Blue Collar:  Blayney's, BB's  (and dozens of blue collar blues clubs)
Hotel Jazz:  Fairmont, Marriott(Downtown), Adam's Mark, Raphael, Hotel Phillips

TOP

kc - stuff to do (a quick and dirty rough guide - click on links for details)

The Country Club Plaza (aka The Plaza - W. 47th area of Midtown) is a large upscale pedestrian friendly outdoor shopping/restaurant district in Spanish/Moorish architecture built in the 20's which is continuously loosing that common urban battle to American homogenism due to kicked out locally owned businesses for typical upscale chains- still unique though. (Plaza official site, Plaza hotel guide, another guide, pictures).  Just to the East of  The Plaza is the Nelson-Atkins museum - often ranked a top 10 US art museum with the largest collection of Chinese art outside Asia.  It is undergoing a $200M expansion.  The Nelson also has early Friday night jazz in the deco atrium. Nearby Kemper Museum is a nationally respected modern art museum and has an exceptional cafe. The KC Art Institute (top 5 in its category) is between the two museums - Walt Disney went there. (Mickey Mouse was born at 31st & Forest ). Union Station (2nd largest in US - behind Grand Central) has been renovated into a $250M science museum and transit center. This awesome (in the traditional sense of the word) 1914 building has several restaurants/theatres as well - AmTrak trains are finally back at the station.  The 'science' playground, ahem, museum will likely only appeal to under 12 kids.  Across the street, Liberty Memorial (completed in 1926), the only WWI memorial/museum has been restored.  You can go to the top of the tower for 2 bucks - worth it as it has a great city view.  Also check out the new fountain in front of Union Station - a cheap thrill.  The American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum are at 18th and Vine (see Foundation description).  There are 4 large casinos along the MO River just NE of  Downtown if you have a fetish for throwing away money.  KC casino jazz is rather disturbing  - in a tacky, fabricated setting.  If interested in other gaming, there is also a dog/horse track in Western KCK and there is a major NASCAR race track out there.  

There are many art galleries from  Midtown to Downtown (calendar), especially in Crossroads (60 spaces) and other renovated warehouse/freighthouse districts (KC Star fine arts calendar). The KC fine arts scene has always been relatively mature (partially due to Hallmark and KC Art Institute presence) but has been somewhat exploding recently - a major German art magazine views the KC fine arts 'scene' as a best kept secret on the planet. Here is a taste of a First Friday.  Look for "Review" -  a comprehensive periodical on KC fine arts.  KC theatre is active and diverse for a mid-sized city with quite a bit of traditional/commercial and progressive/camp theatre (Unicorn, Westport Coffeehouse, Alanz, Gorilla Theatre, Black Box, Late Nite (midnite drag theatre) - The Coterie often has very progressive children's theatre. Check out  KC Stage Magazine for silicon version, carbon byproduct version at bookstores/coffeehouses/theatres. KC has 3rd most actors in Midwest registered with actors guild (behind Chicago/Minni). For something different, check out the Late Night Theatre at 15th/Grand (all drag theatre).  Drag shows are the the for mid/downtowners looking for thrills. Missie B's and Tootsies are probably the most entertaining but there are many venues.  Most think KC is a sports town yet the primary fine arts venues in KC draw more than twice the attendance of all local pro sports combined.   Here's a fairly solid listing of certain types of cultural events in metro KC. KC claims to have more working fountains than any place in the world (the one in front of Union Station is one to see as well as Mill Creek park E of Plaza).  Kids?  Check out Worlds Of Fun amusement park and the KC Zoo (it's huge and has fewer "caged" animals than most).  Antique district at 45th & State Line.  Bar strip, record stores, various live music/dance, eclectic stores/restaurants, art/indie film houses in Westport district in midtown (founded 1833) - gets hopping after 11PM.   Westport is considered to be KC's 'urban entertainment district' so a few 'hip' chains are starting to settle in (though KC is  fortunate not to have Hard Rock Cafe/Planet Hollywood - the sun gods of the Incas have been good to us).  Westport is invaded by hordes of suburban partiers on weekend nights but really is a great area to visit on weekday evenings and weekend afternoons.  Also check out the funky/new age stores, vintage clothing stores, offbeat coffeehouses and eclectic/ethnic mix of restaurants on a very modest W39th strip.  W39th is probably next to become borg'd [assimilated into these united states of generica] but w39th is as is for the moment.  Oops, spoke too soon, a Starbucks just opened. 

Crown Center - hmm...  a perhaps too carefully planned, self-contained office/hotel/retail district on the S side of Downtown developed by Hallmark Cards with a somewhat unique mini-mall attached to The Westin and Hyatt.  Crown Center completely lacks street front stores and natural urban vibes but has the 4-star American Restaurant and is interesting for what it is - all buildings and hotels are attached through skywalks or tunnels. It also has some local 'theme' restaurants that kids would dig (build your own pizza at Crayola Cafe or checkout the burger joint that delivers the food on a train (Fritz's) - Ignatius' nephews love the latter).  Crown Center recently opened another pedestrian skywalk attached to the nearby Union Station/Science City, which has just been restored.    If interested in galleries, the nearby Freighthouse/Crossroads gallery district  (behind Union Station - a pedestrian skywalk has been approved) is boiling into a substantial fine arts district (~40 galleries) and is growing naturally with some way  doable restaurants.    City Market/Columbus Park - N side of Downtown - is an eclectic farmers/asian market and another forward moving warehouse/gallery district where Jesse James used to rob banks - mostly dot.commies live there. (Eat at Succotash in the market!  Check out the pedestrian bridge to the river - Main/1st St.)  Yet another 19th century warehouse district is slowly brewing into an ambitious hard core arts/industrial district in the West Bottoms just West and steeply down from Downtown - now this is one spooky cool district! (1910 view)  (Take 12th  street bridge West side of Downtown - immediate right at bottom of double decker bridge.)  For a nice blend of Mideast/Asian/Hispanic/Black culture, check out Independence Ave E. of downtown or the heart of KCK.  While Downtown still has some blighted areas, it is slowly but surely starting to come back with about $3.5B in development, over $1B of contiguous development on just one street.. A new arena and large entertainment district are under construction.  Midtown (generally 30th-50th, Troost to Stateline - map) generally has more concentrated nightlife at the moment.

KC blues is at least as active as jazz with many blues dedicated clubs as well - many outsider musicians consider the KC blues scene to be one of most vibrant though much of it today is blue collar/twangy and less is urban blues.  Look for KC Blues News at blues clubs/bookstores/record stores (carbon byproduct version far more complete than silicon).  Somehow KC has a  reggae thing happenin with one of the few US cities that has daily reggae radio (KKFI, KJHK) and apparently has the largest reggae fest on the uncoast.  Jah rastafarI mon, irhonda tafari.  For a more 'inner-city' guide on KC, check out KC Night Life (also look for 'The Call' - a black community paper which is based at 18&Vine).  A KC/Lawrence modern rock thing happens - calendar.     Friends of Chamber Music puts together a great series.  Here's a huge list of places to dance in metro KC (tango and samba seem to have replaced the 'new swing' in this town). Here are Pollstar concert tour listings for KC/Lawrence metro - fairly complete but missing most jazz tours and local groups.  KC Star events calander.  The best KC guide I found is on miningco.com.   Ignatius believes KC has several sports teams that pretend to play professional ball <ducking>.  Here are a some amusing and interesting facts of early KC.  Here's a  chronological history of KC. Here are some great pictures of KC's early years - over 14,000 pictures!   KC is the second largest rail center in the US - great for railfanning - email me if interested in some harsh railfanning spots that have a deep soul.  Lawrence is a cool college town 40 miles west of Downtown KC with plenty a nitelife (especially Mass/New Hamp St.).  In case you were wondering, KC/Lawrence area population is about 2 million.  The 60-mile radius is about 2.4 million.

Ignatius' select restaurant picks (most in midtown/downtown): (check KC Yellowpages for addresses)  
KC has become a pretty decent restaurant town from dining to ethnic cheap eats.
 

1929 Main - Iggy's recent fave.  Urban rehab dining, weekly prix fixe menu.
Webster Schoolhouse - mid-1800's schoolhouse/gallery, lunch time happy hour, bored wealthy old ladies w/stretched overly made-up faces - trippy, excellent plates nevertheless, lunch only, crossroads district S downtown
Bluestem - Kumomoto oysters, fresh seafood, Kobe steaks, James Beard'ers, recent hot place, 7 courser available, Westport/Tfwy
re:Verse - small plates (aka tapas redux), sautéed calamari, Peruvian ceviche, zingy tenderloin (w/Rioja or Sancerre) yes!, sw plaza
Thai Paradise - best larb/soups, trad menu, cheap lunch, quirky tables made of trunk slices, 15th/grand downtown
La Bodega - tapa bar top pick, do artichoke hearts, bleu cheese tenderloin, asparagus/salmon and a rioja, yum,  sw blvd
Zin - it's apparently about savoir-vivre, another minimalist, chef from Okno/Trio|Chicago, 19th|main
Pot Pie  - daily deliberate menu, small, for discerning tastes, west westport
Circe - way doable for ameri-french dining, duck sandwich, w39th
JJ's  - good steak/seafood menu, received grand award from wine spectator, large single malt selection, west plaza
LeFou Frog  -Karrin Allyson exécute de temps en temps en français ici, tango sundays, est city market
American Restaurant -  a first to start 'modern American' cuisine in '73, best chefs in Midwest - James Beard chefs, crown center
Pierponts - good steak/seafood, old world vino, elegant art deco decor, sometimes green service, Union Station
Grand St. Cafe - branches spewing out of walls, top 5 ameribistro sez a bistro mag, seasoned service, own organic garden, east plaza
Cafe Sebastienne -  now that the word is out... in kemper museum, try this
Starkers Reserve - vertical wine list (multiple years), also received wine spectator grand award, traditional vibe/service, plaza
Sienna Bistro - tangent from tuscany style, dinkier, do new zealand mussels, roasted pork, 10th off Bway?
Cafe Rumi - mediterranean/lebonese, tabbouleh and zaatar, mmm, W39th
Garozzo's - nord italiano,   columbus park est city market (in remaining italian district now mostly asian)
Matsu - me fave sushi/sashimi bar, great tempura, tatami room upstairs with floor level windows, westport
Jun   - tempura worth driving for, tatami rooms, 76th&state line
Raphael - probably best hotel restaurant (and Fairmont), do new zealand rack or leg of lamb, plaza (S of creek)
City Tavern - above average steak/seafood, freighthouse district behind union station
Macoluso's - only doable italian dining in kc me thinks, w39th
Frondizi's - only doable italian dining in kc me thinks.. huh?, off Plaza
Lidia's - di nordest italian/slovenic, Lidia Bastianich's first restaurant outside of nyc, Ignatius now downgrades them as the menu is blander to appeal to the masses, nice place though, freighthouse district
Lorrie's House - a friend who is literally the best chef on the planet. Ignatius has done the Spago's, James Beard chefs, etc..  She tops 'em all.  Her address is... :-)

- NY Times piece (local copy) on a few KC restaurants (1998).
- Zagat guide on KC restaurants (missing 2many great places, KC is 1 of only 3 Midwestern cities Zagat rates)
- Three KC restaurants have received Wine Spectator Grand Awards (JJ's, Allegro and Starker's Reserve) - more than any city but Chicago/DC/NYC/CA/Paris.
- If into those "upbeat" manufactured touristy chains with excessively perky wait staff that cater to suburban MBA's and Stepford Wives  who would actually <gasp> venture into the city,  KC does have Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris, Mortons, Canyon Cafe, Capital Grille, Mi Cocina, Buca di Beppo, PF (for, by and about VWP's <very white people>) Changs and McCormick&Schmick's - most on The Plaza.  McCormicks has a doable happy hour 4-6p for the golf shirt/tan khaki crowd.

Cheaper eats and 24hr midtown/downtown places to absorb the moment: 
(check Yellowpages for addresses)
Succotash - excellent gourmet sandwiches/plates, quirky place. arty garage atmosphere, city market
Cupini's - great italian/med deli, spinach pie, roasted portabella mushrooms, excellent baguette, market next door, Westport/State Line
d'Bronx  - urban deli up front/pizza in rear, neighbors gather for cards/chess, egg cream, w39th
Tatsu - tasty french urban rehab casual cafe, spoken menu, typically only 4 items a day, westport
Sol Cantina - hip SW food, tasty fish/avocado tacos and wraps, good maggies, loft atmosphere, rear patio, martini corner, 31st/gilham
Tribal Grill - funky small mediterranean joint, do lamb, get hummus fix, w39th
Great India - massive menu, 6 types of naan, do biryanis, mango kufi, w39th  (several Indian in JoCo too)
Jerusalem Cafe - as it says, pretty good. formica atmosphere, westport
Blue Nile Cafe - ethiopian happens here, vege friendly, city market
Nigat - ethiopian, cheap eats at valentine/broadway
Addis Ababa - ethiopian, me likey, w39th
Blue Koi - primarily noodle soups, fresh dumplings, looseleaf/bubble teas, 2-5pm gong-fu tea ceremony, w39th
Genghis Khan - the place for mongolian bbq, large selection,  w39th
Korma Sutra - above average indian, now in westport
Cafe Rumi - lebanese, in old malt shop spot, w39th
fric&frac  - biker chicks, power lesbos yet not a dyke bar/diner, smoky, raw, w39th
Tootsies - now this is a lesbian bar/eats, swingers not welcomed, curious hedonism, 18th|main
Honeymom's - tasty (exclamation point) tiny organic cafe juxtaposed w/an interior design studio, S downtown
Bluebird - little vegie friendly diner, artist hangout, 17th/summit, downtown
Thai Paradise - my new fave, best larb/soups, trad menu, 15th/grand, downtown
Lulu's Thai Noodle Shop and Satay Bar - do it, urban rehab atmosphere, cool music, sw blvd
Arun - white tablecloth contemp thai, 7th/walnut
Thai 2000 - thai worth the drive, W shawnee mission parkway
Thai Place (westport) - see below, now in Westport, soso
Thai Place (joco) - fa-reakin hot, good larb, 87th in sprawling jocoland
 Try Iggy's Thai coffee concoction.  Ask to add vodka shot.
Mesa Wraps -  me only pick for burrito wraps (out of many),  westport
Matsu - me fave sushi/sashimi bar, good tempura, tatami room upstairs with floor level windows, westport
Juns - another sushi fave, good tempura, tatami rooms, 79th/State Line
Kaya - doable sushi, 11th/Baltimore downtown
Fairmont Hotel - cheap sushi happy hour a couple times a week w/perhaps best sushi chef, plaza
Kabuki - doable sushi/sashimi though not Matsu, boring tempura and dry nori, crown center
Kona - not bad for chain sushi, softshell crab when in season, joco blondes, plaza
Sun Fresh - grocery store w/doable cheap sushi bar, Westport
y.j.s - '3rd World' snack bar and deli, avant-garde music, Xroads district artists, S downtown
Little Saigon  - southern vietnamese,  w39th
Vietnam Cafe - this is considered the best one by many, 5th/Missouri
Pho 97 - A fave vietnamese, Indy ave and prospect
Saigon 39 - northern/southern vietnamese, w39th
Kim Nguyen Deli - vietnamese market/deli, smelly but darn fine, city market
Hien Vuong - so-so vietnamese, 'three walls and a garage door', city market
(there are a bunch of vietnamese places that have recently opened E of city market and NE side)
<Greek Joint> - don't know the name but not bad, next to city market coffee bar
Carollos - great spiced deli sandwiches, imported italian goods, city market
Town Topic - tiny old diner(s), gottadoda greasy burgers/breakfast, Xroads district, S downtown
Eden Alley - vegehead central, quirky Plaza unity church basement
Dragonfly - asian tapas, 31st E of Main
Kiki's Bon Ton - cajun menu, live zydeco, harsh midtowner crowd, west westport rd
Westport Flea Market   - stroke aiding greasy burgers in odd market, yum, westport
Sydney's - 24hr diner, harsher walks of life by day, gay by night, broadway and valentine
Chubby's  - 24hr diner, very midtown/NE crowd, 37th/broadway, Independence Ave.
Nichols - elcheapo 24hr diner, trippey octagenarians|queens w/badhairdays|ignatius, 39th|sw trfway
   overheard at counter...
     '...and when i sneeze, my back dislocates'
Corner Restaurant - diner dive/greasy spoon, westport/broadway
    femmes/freaks/hip elderly/midtowners, a 'suburbadroid free establishment'
     wait staff (waitrons) bitch harshly at each other (and sometimes at you);
     discuss personal problems with unsuspecting patrons,
      sometimes so outrageous you'd wonder if it's staged
      do huevos rancheros gringos/chef's mess/bob's cajun

There are countless Mexican/Spanish/Med restaurants along SW BLVD (hispanic/art district sw side of downtown). LaFonda El Taquito, El Pequeno, Shiraz,  LaBodega, Rudy's Tenampa Taqueria (westport), Ponak's, Manny's are me picks. (too many to mention).

There are over 300 generic Cantonese/Hunan/Szechwan  restaurants in KC area but the best are actually in Johnson County stripmalls (southwest burbs). Woks, Red Dragon, Bo'lings (Lenexa), New Peking (Westport), China Garden, Genghis Kahn (39th), Double Dragon. These are all good but your Ignatius can't find anything like SF Chinatown's, House of Nanking, Brandy Ho's or Ton Kiang.

Soul Food Picks - Three Friends, Ruby's, G's Jamaican, Seville's, Vera's, Papa Lew's, Mississippi Grace, Madry's, Amazing Grace, Git Yo Chicken, Swampman (cajun), Catfish Cabin, (all E of Main).  There are many more.

Oh yeah... I guess we do this...
BBQ picks: OK Joes, LC's,  Smokestack, Lil Jakes, Jakes,  Winslows (blues/tradrock), B.B.'s (blues/blues rock)
Jack Stack in the Freighthouse district is below par.
Many will recommend Arthur Bryants....  only if you like lots of fat - cool, crude hole-in-wall.
Gates is another popular one.. extremely salty sauce but usually pretty damn good q.
KC Masterpiece is the worst in town - very plastic touristy food w/toxic preservatives.
Haywards is a popular one with khaki/golfshirt humanoids in S JoColand.
There are no two places even close to being alike - have to do many to understand.
Ignatius' favorite bbq places are actually in small towns 30+ miles outside KC.
Here's some kc bbq research done by some Minnesota goofballs - amusing.
Here's a KC Star article about some English blokes goin' nuts over BBQ.

Steak Picks (where's a good steak, not what's a popular steakhouse):   
Pierponts (good steak and seafood, old world vino, nice decor/bar, unfortunately green service, Union Station);   JJ's  (good, 16,000 bottle wine reserve - ask knowledgeable waiter to recommend a wine for the cut, W Plaza); Re:verse (upscale cocktail/wine bar, the beef tenderloin small plate with anchovy butter or  the tenderloin entree with bleu cheese are both above good with a Rhone or Rioja, SW Plaza); Golden Ox (doable good ole casual place, W Bottoms), Plaza III (overpriced but OK, stuffy atmosphere, Plaza);   American and Zin (fine dining places that particularly prepare steak well);  Hereford House (very popular but Ignatius must insist it is way overrated... ok to poor salty cured steaks, tacky service, very poor sides - Pierponts, their other location, is more doable).   Ruth's Chris, Capital Grille and Morton's  - what are they doing in KC??? 

According to the Ignatius, most any place that designates itself as a steakhouse tends to appeal to those with salty tastes.  You may as well hit any of them if not particular and order medium to well-done cause it aint gonna matta.  Most established fine dining places and certain B&G's with one or two steaks on the menu are likely to be way mo betta.

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DRINK

Some urban coffeehouses and espresso bars with character: (check KC Yellowpages for addresses)
Crave (w39th, a 2-level house with those
       post-beat self-ordained intellectuals and nihilists
        who would spend half the night in a...
         well, place like this..
          babbling rhetoric where no sophist has gone before
           bout someone like...
            burroughs
             as if there were something there to understand
              or appreciate, for
               the old man of letters
                embalmed in cats and roses
Broadway Cafe (westport, non-smoking (inside), roasts own coffee, a midtown fave)
Westport Coffeehouse (westport, jazz/folk, non-smoking, theatre/music downstairs)
y.j.s. ('3rd world snack bar', dinky, good live music, crossroads district)
bar sole (name constantly changes and can't keep up, freighthouse district, espresso/pastry/wine/beer, artists)
The Cup & Saucer (city market, creative crowd, jazz/blues jams sun 3-7p, a fave)
Country Club Bank Espresso - free internet terminals, bloomberg news on plasma, 12th/Baltimore downtown
Latteland (east plaza, espresso bar in tiny wedge, mixed/tourists)
Latteland (west plaza, smoothies, big patio, mixed/tourists)
Java Joes (west westport,  thickest espresso in the tri-state area)
Muddy's (various midtown locales, curated displays)
Planet Cafe (broadway/valentine, neighborhood espresso bar, generally gay)
Starbucks (epitome of these united states of generica)
          
Select libations, clubs  (and other places to eavesdrop for a cheap thrill) :
Harry's Bar and Tables - 50+ single malts, tapas, great patio, cigar friendly,
                       1840's building, westport/penn
One80 - sleek and refined trad bar with small plates, great carpaccio and gnocchi, westport/penn
re:Verse- ultra trendy atmosphere but way doable, al capone used to lean on bar,
                    mostly very good tapas (ask bartender which), weekday patrons an anthropological case study,
                       weekend socialites looking to be seen, try the white port cocktail, SW Plaza,
Blonde - LA überlounge, SE Plaza
Velvet Dog - many say best martinis, eastern-euro dark swank, rear patio bocce court, 31st E of main
Empire Room - Velvet Dog Episode II: for the neatly pressed black conscious, next2 the Dog
Kelly's - raw party bar, weekends typically loud/rowdy/raunchy, westport/penn
Peanut - downtown pub, strange mix of blank staring people, w8th off broadway
Peanut - a UMKC favorite pub,  tasty blt and freakin hot wings, 50th/main
Cashew - by the Peanut people, 20th/grand xroads
Boozefish - wine bar on W Westport
Lava Room - a midtown pad with purple pool table and velvet sofas, 38th/brdway
Newsroom - up street from Lava Room, another tiny joint with idiot box and the occasional meth head
DB Coopers - hm, nondescript bar full of spaced out elderly men still stuck in 50's, trippey, w39th
Club Chemical, Evos, Trago, Kashmir, Life, Spark, Oasis, XO - late night dance/techno warehouses  -  (a few others)
Pyro Room, El Torrean, Brick, Spitfire, Hurricane, Davey's Uptown, Pauly's  - some rock/punk clubs (calendar and more)
Fedora, Empire Room, Shiraz, LeFou Frog - 'tango or die', is how one put it to me
Good local brews include Boulevard, Flying Monkey, Free State, Pony Express

KC is a wine and dine town.  It ranks top 10 in per cap wine consumption, 3rd in per cap restaurant revenues, has an unusually high number of certified sommeliers (~200) and a master sommelier resides in KC.

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Sleep

Hotel recs:    (about 30K hotel rooms in metro KC)

Midtown/Westport/Plaza (strongly recommended):  Map of Midtown hotels
Marriott Courtyard Plaza (cool boutique in art deco building - best value, go for this one) Marriott Plaza (was Crowne Plaza), Intercontinental (was Ritz Carlton), Raphael (old world boutique), Sheraton Four Pointes, Sheraton Suites, Southmoreland B&B, Best Western Seville, Hampton Suites, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn Express Westport, Quarterage Westport , Homestead Village

Downtown/Crown Center: (stay Downtown if conference or specific destination is also Downtown - otherwise, stay in Midtown - 2-3 miles) Map
Hotel Phillips (my first pick for Downtown, nice old restored boutique hotel), President Hotel (restored boutique), Westin (first pick for CC), Hyatt,  Savoy, Marriott,  Doubletree, Holiday Inn Downtown, Historic Suites, Residence Inn

If you plan to stay IN the city as a group, be sure to make reservations well in advance due to constant conventions.  Airport and burb areas are usually not a problem but there is not much nitelife.  Midtown (Westport/Plaza) has better pedestrian districts with more nitelife, museums, etc. Downtown is being renovated and has some catching up to do (streets often dead at night but improving).  Embassy Suites has the ideal location in Midtown - easy walk to both Westport and The Plaza.  Fairmont/Raphael/Sheraton have best views of Plaza.  Most hotels can be booked on Expedia or Travelocity. 

 

Go

Check out the MAX rapid bus guide.

As spread out as the city is, you can't easily hail a cab but I keep a couple cab numbers in my cell phone and typically get one within a couple minutes - 816.471.5000 (yellow), 816.468.4222 (ethio).  Cabs are usually at most major hotels and hot spots, otherwise consider renting a car (especially if going outside core of city).  Use MAX from Downtown/Crown Center/Westport/Plaza along Main and Broadway.   There is also a campy Gangster Tour trolley from Union Station to past gangster pads.

Road Rage KC Style:  In May of 1901, the only two automobiles in the city crashed into each other near the intersection of 11^th and Grand. .

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RESOURCES

KC Jazz History Links  (Ignatius will be focusing on history this year)

Jazz Interviews in MP3 - compiled by Iggy 
UMKC Jazz History - Club KayCee   (responsible and fairly comprehensive)
Marr Sound Archive at UMKC
KC Jazz Age  (great pictures but states a few questionable things as facts)
KC Jazz Ambassadors Magazine
KC Star Jazz site
UMSL Article
Sounds of Bennie Moten (1920's)
Sounds of KC 4/5  (1920's)
Ken Burns KC JAZZ page  
Ken Burns' "Utah Jazz"  (parody)

Misc  info:
thezone.org    (resources for local musicians such as booking agencies and recording studios)
pitch.com              (KC weekly/whiney altie paper with a sketchy calendar)
Search other KC jazz sitez

Record Stores (in Westport district)
Music Exchange on Broadway - large vinyl warehouse, used cd's, search site for hard to find
Recycled Sounds on Main - used cd's, vinyl
Streetside on Broadway - jazz room downstairs
Groove Farm on Westport

THE REC.MUSIC.BLUENOTE FAQ   (frequently asked jazz questions)

JAM Magazine (covers current KC jazz)
recently overhauled, looks great
cd reviews, local gigs, clubs, news, articles
paper version is 60+ pages, often considered best local jazz pub in US
pickup at jazz clubs/bookstores or order from website ($15/yr)
http://www.jazzkc.org

KC Star articles on Jazz
http://www.kcstar.com/library/library.htm
Search for "jazz" and "100" articles

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KC Jazz Radio
ALL JAZZ RADIO - Schedule listing from JAM magazine (not quite complete)
KCMW 90.9, 104.9 college/public, the most jazz programming
KCUR 89.3 , typical npr format w/some jazz programming (weeknights, sat)
KANU 91.5, college/public, lotsa jazz, trippey 'retro cocktail hour' sat/7-9pm
KKFI 90.1, community access - world beat/reggae/eclectic/blues/jazz/punk
KJHK 90.7, mostly obscure experimental/punk, great obscure jazz, 6-9am daily, realaudio
KFEZ - AM 1340, big band, tradswing
All Formats KC area radio - AM/FM (incomplete and dated)

TV - Time Warner Cable
Sonny In The Morning/Mo'Nuz
11PM Sunday
Channel 4

Search local TV Listing  (digital cable)
Enter 'jazz' in the description

Dean Hampton's KC Jazz Vacation Guide
http://sites.kansascity.com/kcjazz/features/Vacation98.htm

KC Jazz Hotline 816.753.5277   (753.JASS)
(about 5-10 minute recording)

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KC Info
www.experiencekc.com (tourist info)
kansascity.miningco.com (city info)
www.justgo.com/kansascity (music, theatre, dining, movie listings for kc - missing good places)
www.kansascity.com (1000's of KC links)
www.pitch.com (KC altie/whiney/weekly paper)
www.kcstar.com  (KC daily paper)
www.zip2.com/kansascity  (comprehensive yellowpages, punch in address to find how far a venue is)

If you know of a KC jazz venue/event not on the list, or corrections, please email Ignatius.
ignatius_kc@yahoo.com
 

Thank you for spending a few moments of your lifetime in this part of the Milky Way at the,
Yet Another Kansas City Jazz Guide Guide

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