Off the Vine

I’d like to start out this issue’s
“Off the Vine” by congratulating the
recipients of the 2008 American Jazz
Museum Lifetime Achievement Award,
NEA Jazz Master Curtis Fuller and
Kansas City’s own Luqman Hamza.
Both of these outstanding individuals
were presented with the miniature
“Bird Lives” busts at the Jammin’ at the
Gem concert on Saturday, October 11,
capping off the two-day Tribute to Art
Blakey. Please join me in recognizing
these artists who symbolize excellence
both on and off the stage.
Another great highlight of the
Tribute to Art Blakey was the Musicians
Health & Financial Fitness Fair. I’d like to thank
and congratulate the CODA Fund Committee and our
many other great community partners for organizing
such a meaningful event. Without our musicians, we
wouldn’t have a jazz scene. Let’s continue to work
together to help our musicians excel in areas outside
of their art by promoting good health and financial
wellness.
It was exciting to see many entities within the
Kansas City jazz community come together to promote
and produce various events surrounding the Tribute to
Art Blakey. Moreover, it demonstrated the great power
and potential of what can happen when organizations
collaborate in servitude of the one thing that drives us
all – jazz. With that in mind, it is our hope that the
Kansas City jazz community will continue to work
together on additional initiatives in the future. This
also includes fans, concert-goers, members and key
stakeholders of organizations. Let’s all do our part to
spread the word on Kansas City jazz and get folks out
to support local music.
I’m also pleased to announce our new Jazz House
Party and Silent Auction initiatives. We’re extremely
grateful for the wonderful support we’ve received in
years past from our galas, and while we plan to host
another gala, the Museum is offering additional opportunities
for support in more intimate
settings. We’re planning an Auction for
Jazz, to be held April 11, 2009. With live
entertainment, great company and a dazzling
list of auction items, it’s sure to be a
phenomenal event.
Our first Jazz House Party was a tremendous
success. Special thanks go to
Laura & Lantz Welch and the Welch Family
Foundation for opening up their beautiful
home, hosting the party & and providing
a generous gift to the initiative; to Ida Mc-
Beth and her band for providing top-notch
entertainment; and to all of our guests who
came out to support the event.
The American Jazz Museum was equally
thrilled with the immensely generous and provoking
$5,000 challenge grant also from the Welch Family
Foundation. KC – can you meet the challenge?
Challenge contributions can be made directly to the
American Jazz Museum by calling 816-474-8463. All
of your contributions directly support the operation of
education, Changing Gallery and performance programs.
Also popping up on the calendar in April 2009 is
the opening of our John Baker Film Collection Exhibit.
While we continue our preservation & restoration efforts
– and still ask for your support in this area – we’ve
completed a portion of the collection that is now ready
for exhibition. For the first time, the public will be able
to view early and rare video clips and “soundies” of
Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles
Davis, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and other jazz
greats in this exhibit.
Ultimately, we plan to curate a John Baker Collection
traveling film exhibit that will circulate through the
United States and beyond, entertaining and educating
the world on America’s gift of jazz. More details on
this exciting initiative to come...
To learn more about how you can help support
our John Baker Film Collection preservation, the Jazz
House Parties, Auction for Jazz, Membership, educa-
tion programs and other initiatives, call 816-474-8463
or visit www.americanjazzmuseum.org.

Events Listing

The Blue Room calendar is jam-packed with a
variety of local and national acts across a spectrum of
styles within jazz. Some highlights include:
• Greg Abate Quartet, December 13, 2008
• Erin Bode, December 19, 2008
• Bobby Watson Quartet featuring James Zollar,
December 26, 2008
• Midnight Blue Jazz Quartet featuring Orbert
Davis, January 9, 2009
• Dennis Winslett Quintet, January 24, 2009
• Helen Sung Trio, January 31, 2009
There are many other great acts lined up which
we can’t fit in here. For more dates, see our ad on the
inside front cover of JAM, call 816-474-8463 or visit
www.americanjazzmuseum.org.
• Don’t forget our annual New Year’s Eve
Celebration in the Blue Room! This year’s event
features Ida McBeth from 8:00PM to 10:00PM
and Heat Index from 10:30PM to 12:30AM –
it’s sure to be an incredible evening to ring in
2009! For more information, call 816-474-8463
or visit www.americanjazzmuseum.org.
• Currently showing in the Changing Gallery
is Faces of AileyCamp: 20 Year Photo Essay,
an exhibit presented by our neighbors in the
Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, Kansas City
Friends of Alvin Ailey. We’ll be co-presenting
some programming in the coming months
further highlighting the strong relationship
between jazz and dance.
• Our Jazz Poetry Jams program will feature
Stacey Tolbert in December. Join us in the Blue
Room for these one-of-a-kind events showcasing
some of the best national and local poets
performing today, backed by stellar Kansas City
jazz musicians. For more information on Jazz
Poetry Jams, including upcoming sessions, visit
www.americanjazzmuseum.org or call 816-474-
8463.
• Jazz Storytelling continues to draw familiar and
new faces alike. Our annual holiday-themed
program will take place on December 12 –
stop by, bring your kids to see Santa and hear
some great jazz! Jazz Storytelling has also been
extended to Saturdays for families that can’t
make it during the week. Sessions are held on
the 1st Saturday of each month at 11:00AM
in the Atrium – you can find a full schedule of
sessions online at www.americanjazzmuseum.org or
by calling 816-474-8463.
There’s a host of other incredible activities happening
on the Vine that we can’t fit in this column,
but one thing is for certain – we are busy as ever down
at the American Jazz Museum. Thank you again for
your great support, and we challenge you to elevate your
participation in Kansas City jazz to another level. We
look forward to seeing you again soon on the Vine.
Best Wishes & Deepest Thanks,
— Greg Carroll