Kansas City Music History - Kansas City Jazz

Kansas City jazz is a design of jazz that established in Kansas City, Missouri during the 1920s and 1930s, which marked the shift from the structured huge band design to the musical improvisation design of Bebop. The hard-swinging, bluesy shift design is bracketed by Count Basie who in 1929 signed with the Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra and Kansas City native Charlie Parker who introduced the Bebop design in America. "While New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, America's music grew up in Kansas City". [1] Kansas City is referred to as among the most popular "cradles of jazz". Other cities consist of New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York City. [2] Kansas City was known for the organized artists of the Local 627 A.F.M., which controlled a variety of locations in the city.

The first band from Kansas City to get a national reputation was the Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra, a white group which relayed nationally in the 1920s. However, the Kansas City jazz school is recognized with the black bands of the 1920s and 1930s, consisting of bands led by Bennie Moten, Andy Kirk, Harlan Leonard, George E. Lee, William "Count" Basie, and Jay McShann.

Kansas City in the 1930s was quite the crossroads of the United States leading to a mix of cultures. Transcontinental journeys at the time whether by aircraft or train frequently needed a drop in the city. The period marked the zenith of power of political employer Tom Pendergast. Kansas City was a large open town with alcohol laws and hours completely neglected and was called the brand-new Storyville. Most of the jazz artists related to the design were born in other locations but got caught up in the friendly musical competitors amongst entertainers that might keep a single tune being carried out in variations for an entire night. Typically members of the big bands would perform at routine venues earlier at night and go to the jazz clubs later on to jam for the rest of the night.

Jay McShann told the Associated Press in 2003:

It was Kansas City Style. They understood it up North and they understood Extra resources it down South."

Claude "Fiddler" Williams explained the scene:

Kansas City was various from all other locations since we 'd be jamming all night.

Clubs were spread throughout city but the most fertile area was the central city community of 18th Street and Vine.

Amongst the clubs were the Amos 'n' Andy, Boulevard Lounge, Cherry Blossom, Chesterfield Club, Chocolate Bar, Dante's Inferno, Elk's Rest, Hawaiian Gardens, Hell's Kitchen, the Hey Hat, the Hey Hay Club, Lone Star, Old Kentucky Bar-B-Que, Paseo Ballroom, Pla-Mor Ballroom, Reno Club, Spinning Wheel, Street's Blue Room, Subway, and Sunsetx.

Design:

Kansas City jazz is differentiated by the following musical aspects:

A preference for a 4 feel (walking) over the 2 beat feel found in other jazz styles of the time. As an outcome, Kansas city jazz had a more unwinded, fluid noise than other jazz styles.

Prolonged soloing. Sustained by the non-stop nightlife under political manager Tom Pendergast, Kansas City jam sessions went on well past sunrise, promoting a highly competitive atmosphere and an unique jazz culture in which the objective was to "say something" with one's instrument, instead of simply reveal off one's method. It was not uncommon for one "tune" to be carried out for a number of hours, with the very best musicians often soloing for dozens of choruses at a time.

So-called "head arrangements". The KC big bands frequently played by memory, composing and arranging the music collectively, instead of sight-reading as other huge bands of the time did. This more added to the loose, spontaneous Kansas City noise.

A heavy blues affect, with KC tunes typically based around a 12-bar blues structure, rather than the 32 bar AABA standard, although Moten Swing is in this AABA format.

One of the most recognizable qualities of Kansas City jazz is regular, elaborate riffing by the different sections. Glenn Miller's famous swing anthem "In the Mood" carefully follows the Kansas City pattern of riffing areas, and is a great example of the Kansas City design after it had actually been exported to the rest of the world.

Kansas City jazz is a style of jazz that developed in Kansas City, Missouri throughout the 1920s and 1930s, which marked the shift from the structured big band style to the musical improvisation style of Bebop. The hard-swinging, bluesy transition design is bracketed by Count Basie who in 1929 signed with the Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra and Kansas City native Charlie Parker who ushered in the Bebop style in America. Other cities consist of New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York City. Kansas City was known for the organized artists of the Local 627 A.F.M., which controlled a number of venues in the city.

Glenn Miller's famous swing anthem "In the Mood" carefully follows the Kansas City pattern of riffing areas, and is an excellent example of the Kansas City design after it had been exported to the rest of the world.