With live music back and crowds swelling in the confines of the Green Lady, Blue Room, Phoenix, and all the usual haunts, a bouquet of new joints has flowered in our town. You may want to check out one or more of these music venues as the mood hits you:
Uptown Lounge
34th and Main has been a jumping music scene, ever since Milton Morris ran his fabled juke Joint just across the street. In the old Jimmy & Mary’s Steakhouse, where musicians used to gather after the gig for steak and eggs, and Davey’s Uptown Lounge-the city’s alt-rock capitol for decades, Booneville native, Michael Rorah & Kansas Citian native Alan Stribling are serving up jazz at their newly revived Uptown Lounge. Both Alan and Michael have traveled extensively and are back in KC for the good life.
Chicago jazz pianist Steve Million (photo) recently held court at the Lounge, during the nightspot’s first week. (June 21-25)
Not one, but both co-owners of the brand-new Uptown Lounge are seasoned pianists. “We feature good quality music,” said Stribling, “we welcome vocalists and love featuring solid jazz piano trios from KC and beyond.” Live music begins at 7pm Tuesday- Saturday goes until 3 am weekends. The space has had a complete make-over built around the Yamaha Grand piano.
Nighthawk
Inside the Hotel Kansas City at 1228 Baltimore (the old Kansas City Club), Chalis O’Neal and Relativity Brass have been spotted on the bandstand in this handsome basement boite. They’re open til 2am on Thursday and Sunday and 3am Friday and Saturday nights.
Stock Hill
This posh Plaza-area eatery at 48th and Main has been serving up steaks, and other fine-dining with weekend jazz. Stanton Kessler and Tyrone Clark have fronted ensembles recently, including Stan’s Sons of Brasil unit.
P.S. Speakeasy
At 106 W 12th, this downtown dive was hosted Jesica Poell’s new ensemble, Baby J and the Cradle Robbers, on a recent Thursday night.
Watch this space for more news of jazz at these venues. Of course, our favorite mainstays—Chaz, Corvino, the Majestic, the Phoenix, Johnnie’s Jazz Clubs, Eddie V’s, Café Trio, the Blue Room, Soirée, Green Lady and Black Dolphin continue to churn out great jazz night after night.
Good to see these new players adding to the Kansas City music scene.