American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO

It was a short drive from our RV park in Independence Missouri to downtown. After a brief stop to snap a photo of Arrowhead Stadium where the Kansas City Chiefs play, we headed to the American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO

American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO

Yes friends, the traveling locavores are Jazz fiends!!! George Benson, Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Ed Calle, Thelonious Monk, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong and Miss Ella are just a few of our favorites. The American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO honors Jazz Legends, the music and its origins in a colorful and wonderful way. I’m so excited to share this unique attraction with you!

History

The American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO is located in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. It showcases the sights and sounds of jazz through interactive exhibits and films, the Changing Gallery exhibit space, Horace M. Peterson III Visitors Center, The Blue Room and Gem Theater. Since its inception in September 1997, the Museum has hosted thousands of students, scholars, musicians and fans of the arts for over 200 performances, education programs, special exhibitions and community events.  The Museum provides  an opportunity to learn about the legends, honor their legacy, or simply enjoy the sounds of modern day jazz.

The Blue Room

Named after the famed 1930s Street Hotel club in the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, The Blue Room simultaneously honors the past and showcases the present names in jazz. A multifaceted exhibit highlighting the countless musicians who crafted “Kansas City jazz,” a sound known all over the world. This venue also provides a distinctive platform to present dynamic performances from the best local and national jazz talent in an intimate setting. At the Blue Room upcoming bands, seasoned veterans of the local jazz scene, national talent and internationally renowned jazz artists share the spotlight.

The Gem Theater

Originally named the Star Theater, the Gem was built in 1912 by the Shriner and Powellson Amusement Company. It was built as a silent movie palace serving Kansas City’s African American population. Later renamed the Gem in 1913. And by the time motion pictures could talk in 1929, it had become an established fixture on 18th Street.

Unfortunately, its years as a movie theatre ended in 1960. By the 1980s, it had faded into a shadow of its former glory. However, when Mayor Richard Berkley and then City Councilman Emanuel Cleaver spearheaded the revitalization of 18th and Vine in the 1980s, the Gem Theater became a centerpiece of the district’s renovation efforts. As a result of the vision and perseverance of Kansas City’s civic leaders, the Gem was restored into a beautiful, state-of-the art performance venue.

Behind the restored 1912 façade is a modern 500-seat performing arts center, complete with state-of-the-art technology and equipment. From live music to community events, the Gem Theater continues to stand as a crown jewel of the 18th and Vine District.

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was one of the first jazz musicians to gain international fame. He used his artistry and creativity to help him express his deep human values through his music. His listeners across the globe found him and his music irresistible.

His brilliant music and engaging public personality were essential to the spread of jazz worldwide.

Louis Armstrong became known as Satchmo, which was a shortened version of his childhood nickname Satchelmouth. He was widely recognized as a cultural ambassador of goodwill. Armstrong toured dozens of foreign countries, often with sponsorship from the U.S. Department of State. Satchmo’s spirited music and vibrant personality came to symbolize American vitality for fans all over.

Crescent City Origins

Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans. NOLA is a city rich in African American music and culture. It was an important early center of jazz. (Just one of the many reasons Steve and I adore New Orleans!) The Crescent City provided Armstrong many opportunities to hear brass bands, blues singers, gospel choirs, church spirituals, ragtime pianists and bands, and street musicians.

Early in his performance career Louis was influenced by legendary local musicians Joe “King” Oliver and Fate Marable.

Rooted in African American culture

Rooted in the spirituals and blues of African American culture, Louis Armstrong used his artistry to create jazz, an original American music that expressed African American thoughts and feelings. As the first great jazz soloist, Satchmo amazed listeners with his instrumental virtuosity. And his stylistic innovations paved the way for future musicians.

Ella Fitzgerald

Louis Armstrong was considered the father of jazz. But Ella Fitzgerald is credited with bridging popular music and jazz. By doing that she expanded the audience for both!

Singer Ella Fitzgerald’s accomplishments are phenomenal. Hundreds of recordings reveal her bell like clarity, incredible range, clear enunciation and rhythmic genius. Her virtuosity and creativity influenced many singer. But NO ONE could ever scat like the amazing Ella Fitzgerald.

Jazz Hall of Fame

The Jazz Hall of Fame has inducted many jazz greats over the years. The legends are honored with a plaque on the sidewalk in front of the American Jazz Museum Kansas City MO.

Collections

The American Jazz Museum serves as a repository for priceless, rare, and one-of-a-kind artifacts, documents and photographs, film and sound recordings, published books, sheet music, and visual art pieces that inform our understanding of jazz as a historical and living art form.

The museum provides access to artifacts, photographs, and documents that showcase the life and work of America’s jazz musicians and the impact of jazz on American society and culture in general and in Kansas City in particular. Among the artifacts are musical instruments of all kinds, including Charlie Parker’s Grafton saxophone, Claude ‘Fiddler’ Williams’ violin, and Ernie Williams’ bass drum. The collection also contains many personal effects of jazz musicians, including performance contracts, handwritten correspondence from John Coltrane and Pearl Thuston-Brown, performance outfits worn by Ella Fitzgerald, and Charlie Parker’s gold pocket watch and cuff links. The holdings also contain a vast collection of photographs, posters, and jazz related ephemera. Also among the artifacts are evidence of technological developments in sound recording, from the Edison graphophone to mid-century and modern radios and turntables.

Steve and I look forward to returning to the American Jazz Kansas City MO when the live shows are back on! Hopefully that will be in the very near future.