JAM Magazine: February/March 1998 Issue: Hampton's Hot Licks

by Dean Hampton

Happy New Year!
1998 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Kansas City jazz. The Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine is receiving press from coast to coast, area jazz clubs are as busy as ever, and the festival-concert-special event calendar is looking good.

Here are some "quick licks" to start the new year.

The Phoenix Turns Eight
"I love downtown. I'm not sure I could have created this mood anywhere else but downtown. It just fits here." These were Ron Schoonover's words in the April/May 1990 issue of JAM. His Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill will turn eight years old in March, and there will be a week-long celebration with the dates soon to be announced. Be sure to call the Jazz Hotline (sponsored by the KC Jazz Ambassadors and The Phoenix) at 753-JASS (5277) to learn more about anniversary party plans in the spring.

Those Talented Whitmer Brothers!
On the cover of the January issue of Ingram's Magazine was none other than local jazz pianist (and Phoenix regular) Tim Whitmer. "Tim Whitmer: KC's Piano Man" read the caption. The article inside revealed that Tim will be pursuing a life-long goal of playing New York's Carnegie Hall in late '98. In the story, he says he hopes that the debut will fall on November 14, his 45th birthday.

Tim is currently in California where he is performing as well as visiting his brother Brian, the Head Chef at Moose's in San Francisco. Brian was recently featured on the cable channel, "Food TV" where he was referred to as "one of the best young chefs in America." If you ever travel to San Francisco, give Moose's a try and enjoy Brian's many concoctions. There's also live jazz during the dinner hours at Moose's. You can find the restaurant online at: http://www.dineresource.com/sanfrancisco/mooses/moosmain.html

Think "Pub Crawls"
It's time to start thinking "hot"! Both weather and music. Winter will soon be behind us and the sizzling summer jazz outings that are so much a part of the Kansas City jazz scene are just around the corner. One event everyone eagerly awaits is the annual Jazz Lovers' Pub Crawl (sm), to be held this year on Thursday, June 25th. But, you don't have to wait that long. If you can get a group of 30 people together who would like to do some club crawling in style for an evening, the KCJA will be glad to host your own Mini Pub Crawl. It's a good way to celebrate any occasion, special event or convention. Give us a call at 967-6767 and ask about scheduling your group's personal crawl.

The Heritage Jazz Festival:
Is It History?
The Black Economic Union (BEU) has announced that it will no longer present the 18th & Vine Heritage Jazz Festival. Hopefully, the event will be carried on by another entity. The 18th & Vine Authority has not made any comment about taking the event into its 16th year in the summer of '98.

New 1998 KCJA Officers
Every December, the KCJA has a changing of the guard. This year, only one change has been made on the Board of Directors. Our new co-VPs of Membership are Toni Oliver and Darrell Hoffman. Best of luck to them. And a hearty "thank you" to our outgoing Membership VP, Brenda Keene-Smith (and to her husband Jeff, who handled the computer end of the job).

Karrin on "Piano Jazz"
Singer/pianist Karrin Allyson is scheduled to be on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" in March. The exact dates were not available at press time. Check your favorite NPR station's programming guide for the details, or call the Jazz Hotline the first of March for an update.

The KC Jazz Museum & The NY Times
Anyone who has followed developments at 18th & Vine over the past ten years knows that the Jazz Museum came about only after much personal and political squabbling. Unfortunately, The New York Times has chosen to keep that squabbling alive.

In a recent Times article about the museum, Mayor Emanuel Cleaver defended the jazz complex with pride and a sense of accomplishment. Also mentioned in the article was Eddie Baker of the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation who continues to bash the project. Cleaver stated that "What this property has successfully done, is transcend the obstacles of race, geography and ethnicity. It is the kind of thing we need to replicate." Said Baker about the museum, "It's being run by politicians who don't even own a record player." The article goes on to claim that Baker called the museum "...an embarrassment," and that, to Baker, "it represents nothing but a disappointment, not even a shadow of what it could have been."

Near the end of the piece, Dr. Rowena Stewart, Executive Director of the 18th & Vine Authority, acknowledged the validity of some of Baker's comments; but she also pointed out that it is a project in progress, adding that "the place will not be complete until Count Basie is included." The article pointed to the future growth of the area by saying, "...Sprint has opened an office across the street from the museum, and Mayor Cleaver says 125 other businesses have applied for permits to open in the neighborhood."

A personal comment. I believe in the potential growth of the 18th & Vine district. I always have. A few years ago, Down Beat editor, Dave Helland commented to me that Kansas City would never pull off a jazz museum. I disagreed. And now the Jazz Museum is a reality. I do wish there was more coverage of local jazz greats in the museum. But, that will come. Like a jet taking off, the museum will have to maintain full power until it reaches cruising altitude. Then it can ride the wind.

I think we should hand it to Mayor Cleaver. He has initiated something that will be hard to stop, even after he leaves office in 1999. He really got the job done. Now, if the jazz community (including the 18th & Vine Authority, the Jazz Ambassadors, and each of the festival teams and venue operators) will only work together, this sleeping giant of a jazz town will become not what it once was, but what it now should be.

RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		by Dean Hampton Happy New Year! 1998 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Kansas City jazz. The Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine is receiving press from coast to coast, area jazz clubs are as busy as ever, and the festival-concert-special event calendar is looking good. Here are some "quick licks" to start the new year. The Phoenix Turns Eight "I love downtown. I'm not sure I could have created this mood anywhere else but downtown. It just fits here." These were Ron Schoonover's words in the April/May 1990 issue of JAM. His Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill will turn eight years old in March, and there will be a week-long celebration with the dates soon to be announced. Be sure to call the Jazz Hotline (sponsored by the KC Jazz Ambassadors and The Phoenix) at 753-JASS (5277) to learn more about anniversary party plans in the spring. Those Talented Whitmer Brothers! On the cover of the January issue of Ingram's Magazine was none other than local jazz pianist (and Phoenix regular) Tim Whitmer. "Tim Whitmer: KC's Piano Man" read the caption. The article inside revealed that Tim will be pursuing a life-long goal of playing New York's Carnegie Hall in late '98. In the story, he says he hopes that the debut will fall on November 14, his 45th birthday. Tim is currently in California where he is performing as well as visiting his brother Brian, the Head Chef at Moose's in San Francisco. Brian was recently featured on the cable channel, "Food TV" where he was referred to as "one of the best young chefs in America." If you ever travel to San Francisco, give Moose's a try and enjoy Brian's many concoctions. There's also live jazz during the dinner hours at Moose's. You can find the restaurant online at: http://www.dineresource.com/sanfrancisco/mooses/moosmain.html Think "Pub Crawls" It's time to start thinking "hot"! Both weather and music. Winter will soon be behind us and the sizzling summer jazz outings that are so much a part of the Kansas City jazz scene are just around the corner. One event everyone eagerly awaits is the annual Jazz Lovers' Pub Crawl (sm), to be held this year on Thursday, June 25th. But, you don't have to wait that long. If you can get a group of 30 people together who would like to do some club crawling in style for an evening, the KCJA will be glad to host your own Mini Pub Crawl. It's a good way to celebrate any occasion, special event or convention. Give us a call at 967-6767 and ask about scheduling your group's personal crawl. The Heritage Jazz Festival: Is It History? The Black Economic Union (BEU) has announced that it will no longer present the 18th & Vine Heritage Jazz Festival. Hopefully, the event will be carried on by another entity. The 18th & Vine Authority has not made any comment about taking the event into its 16th year in the summer of '98. New 1998 KCJA Officers Every December, the KCJA has a changing of the guard. This year, only one change has been made on the Board of Directors. Our new co-VPs of Membership are Toni Oliver and Darrell Hoffman. Best of luck to them. And a hearty "thank you" to our outgoing Membership VP, Brenda Keene-Smith (and to her husband Jeff, who handled the computer end of the job). Karrin on "Piano Jazz" Singer/pianist Karrin Allyson is scheduled to be on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" in March. The exact dates were not available at press time. Check your favorite NPR station's programming guide for the details, or call the Jazz Hotline the first of March for an update. The KC Jazz Museum & The NY Times Anyone who has followed developments at 18th & Vine over the past ten years knows that the Jazz Museum came about only after much personal and political squabbling. Unfortunately, The New York Times has chosen to keep that squabbling alive. In a recent Times article about the museum, Mayor Emanuel Cleaver defended the jazz complex with pride and a sense of accomplishment. Also mentioned in the article was Eddie Baker of the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation who continues to bash the project. Cleaver stated that "What this property has successfully done, is transcend the obstacles of race, geography and ethnicity. It is the kind of thing we need to replicate." Said Baker about the museum, "It's being run by politicians who don't even own a record player." The article goes on to claim that Baker called the museum "...an embarrassment," and that, to Baker, "it represents nothing but a disappointment, not even a shadow of what it could have been." Near the end of the piece, Dr. Rowena Stewart, Executive Director of the 18th & Vine Authority, acknowledged the validity of some of Baker's comments; but she also pointed out that it is a project in progress, adding that "the place will not be complete until Count Basie is included." The article pointed to the future growth of the area by saying, "...Sprint has opened an office across the street from the museum, and Mayor Cleaver says 125 other businesses have applied for permits to open in the neighborhood." A personal comment. I believe in the potential growth of the 18th & Vine district. I always have. A few years ago, Down Beat editor, Dave Helland commented to me that Kansas City would never pull off a jazz museum. I disagreed. And now the Jazz Museum is a reality. I do wish there was more coverage of local jazz greats in the museum. But, that will come. Like a jet taking off, the museum will have to maintain full power until it reaches cruising altitude. Then it can ride the wind. I think we should hand it to Mayor Cleaver. He has initiated something that will be hard to stop, even after he leaves office in 1999. He really got the job done. Now, if the jazz community (including the 18th & Vine Authority, the Jazz Ambassadors, and each of the festival teams and venue operators) will only work together, this sleeping giant of a jazz town will become not what it once was, but what it now should be. RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1998 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.