June / July 2010 JAM - Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors

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JAM JUNE | JULY 2010
alternate take continued
Of course, an appreciation of a broad spectrum of
music depends on an open mind. A closed mind is one
dominated by fear. Fear of fi nding out you don’t know
it all, fear of change, fear of something unspeakable
inside yourself. The world, not just music, could benefi t
immensely from more minds that are inquisitive, open
and fearless.
I often wonder what kind of music John Coltrane
or Charlie Parker would be playing today. Who’s to say
that they wouldn’t be branching out into uncharted territory,
connecting genres in ways that we could not even
imagine. I’d like to think so. I’m certain that musicians
as innovative as they would not let snobbery stand in
their way for an instant.
festivals continued from page 25
son called me and said, ‘It’s just not working fi nancially.
We’re done.’”
They didn’t last as long as the American Royal, as
originally intended, and they never made money, but the
Kansas City Jazz Incorporated Jazz Festivals celebrated
a time and a sound that will forever be a part of our
city’s history. The Festivals infl uenced a generation of
Kansas City jazz musicians and gave them a foundation
they would take with them wherever they went. Mike
Metheny remembers that, “just being in the presence of
those legends was a thrill.” Stan Kessler learned about
African-American culture fi rst hand at the Festivals
and turned that knowledge into music. Because he was
too young to go to clubs, Greg Meise could only hear
his former teacher, Pete Eye, play at the Festivals. Jack
Lightfoot’s decision to move to Kansas City was partly
based on the caliber of local musicianship he heard at
the Festivals. Rod Fleeman remembers seeing the audience
react to the players and the players to each other
with an energy that fed the music to higher levels of
creativity. As a young player it gave him something to
aspire to.
“All of us who grew up here and listened to the
Kansas City greats take a little bit of that sound with us
no matter what style we play now,” Rod says. “Kansas
City is home to a type of swing that is happy, there’s a
playful interplay between instruments. It’s not a place
where angry, angst-ridden jazz developed. My generation
of players understands that better because of the
Jazz Festivals.”
The original offi cers of KCJI intended to re-establish
and perpetuate the Kansas City sound. Although
it evolved and adapted, they would be pleased to know
just how well they succeeded.
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