Kansas City’s rich jazz history swings into the present day Apr 27 at the Blue Room during a 12-hour jam session coinciding with the first day of the NFL Draft.
Jazz Draft, presented by UNESCO Creative City of Music – USA and the American Jazz Museum, will feature local and national musicians participating in a 12-hour jam session to showcase Kansas City’s musical heritage and the city’s history Jazz District.
The event is scheduled on the opening day of the NFL Draft, which is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to KC.
“We want people coming into town and hear some Kansas City jazz in the location where its founders would have been 100 years ago,” said Anita Dixon-Brown, one of the event’s organizers. “The idea is to give an opportunity for those coming to town to know what we’re famous for.”
The 12-hour jam session runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is hosted by Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz, a radio program airing since 2011 that gives listeners a journey into Jazz, one of America’s finest inventions.
Musicians, performers, and singers are encouraged to drop into the session which will feature a drummer, bassist, piano player, and four rhythm sections throughout the day.
“We’re also offering it as an opportunity for you to bring in your kids, who might be studying jazz and who would never get a chance to be in a nightclub setting, to be on stage” said Dickinson.
Jam sessions offer excellent opportunities for young performers to experience their craft with more experienced performers.
Jazz Draft will not only provide visitors with a glimpse of Kansas City’s musical heritage but will also display the organizers’ commitment to the UNESCO Creative City of Music designation.
Kansas City is the only city in the United States to receive this prestigious designation. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that aims to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture.
“We want everyone who’s coming here for the NFL Draft to explore a little bit, you know, come down and find out why we are the only UNESCO creative city of music in the United States,” says Dickinson.
Jazz Draft runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Blue Room located at 1600 E. 18th Street.
For those interested in participating in the jam session or learning more about the event, organizers encourage contacting them at creativecitykc@gmail.com.