Results for "Kansas City"

Henry Scamurra

21 year old Henry Scamurra is currently at UMKC's Conservatory working towards a BM in Jazz Studies where he's being taught by legendary musicians Carl Allen, Adam Larson, and Stephen Martin. Recently he was selected for the 2024 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center.

Raised in St. Joseph, MO, Henry was recognized early on being accepted into the 2020 Jazz Band of America at 16 years old. He knew he wanted to share music by then and has been scheduling and performing in the Kansas City area for the last five years. As a performer, Henry has played at the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival, Northwest Missouri State Jazz Festival, and was a part of the KCJO's Riff Generation cohort for 2023.

OJT

OJT builds on the classic organ jazz trio by mixing old school Kansas City jazz with blues and a modern funky groove.  Ken Lovern on Hammond organ, Kenny Watson Jr. on drums, and Brian Baggett on guitar play equal parts in balanced arrangements with outstanding improvisations. OJT has been a band for more than 20 years and it shows.  Kenny Watson Jr. has been with the group for just over two years, and he brings a fresh groove to the old school organ jazz jams.  

OJT is: 

Ken Lovern:  Hammond Organ

Brian Baggett: Guitar

Kenny Watson Jr.: Drums

Ken Lovern

Born: November 20, 1965

Ken Lovern is the hammond organist and composer that drives the bus that is OJT. Ken was born in the Kansas City area on November 20, 1965, and he has been a professional musician most of his adult life. Even before graduating from the Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1989, Ken went to work with legendary Kansas City vocalist, Ida McBeth. Ken currently plays at the Green Lady Lounge most nights in any given week. OJT plays there every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.   Ken also plays with Guitar Elation, featuring legendary guitarist Danny Embrey, on Thursday nights.  

Jon Batiste, Frank Morgan, Jack Mouse & Jonah David

by Joe Dimino
March 9, 2025

Welcome to the 896th episode of Neon Jazz, where the groove never stops! We kick things off with the electrifying Jonah David, spinning a fresh cut from his highly anticipated 2025 album, Waltz for Eli. Then, we take a time-traveling leap back to 1955 for a sizzling classic--Frank Morgan's fiery rendition of “The Champ." This hour ...

McCoy Tyner, George Colligan, Herbie Mann & David Watson

by Joe Dimino
March 2, 2025

From one of the freshest voices in the Kansas City jazz scene, we kick off the 895th episode with David Watson and his smooth vocal stylings from his 2020 album, The Ludlow Affair. Then, we take a nostalgic turn with the legendary Herbie Mann, whom David had the privilege of knowing during his time at The ...

Ralph Hepola: Tubist Extraordinaire and Winner of a 2024 John Stites Jazz Award

March 2, 2025

Once upon a time the venerable tuba was the foundational time-keeping instrument of a jazz band, mainly because its deep bass register meant it could be heard (the upright bass was sometimes used for indoor gigs). An early proponent of the tuba as an integral part of jazz was Louis Armstrong, especially with his Hot Five ...

Benny Goodman, Terry Gibbs, Al Jolson, George Gershwin & Bill Charlap

by Joe Dimino
February 23, 2025

Tune in for the 894th show, a jazz-filled hour celebrating the legendary artists featured in Kosher Jammer, the latest book by London-based jazz journalist Mike Garber. This deep dive explores how the Jewish community intertwined with African-Americans and other minority groups to shape jazz into the timeless art form it is today. We kick things off ...

Carlos Ferreyra

Born: March 6, 1987

Carlos Ferreyra is a Woodwind specialist based in Kansas City, MO, and has brought his versatile musicianship to audiences in the KC area since 2010. With a broad interest in traditions ranging from classical European and Indian to funk and the folk music of his native Uruguay, Carlos finds his most personal expression in jazz. Drawing inspiration from the great standards of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis, he has honed his craft while residing in Kansas City and New Orleans, two pillars of jazz history and tradition, through studies at Missouri Western State University, and internationally during a residence in Spain.

Jim Rotondi, Wire Town, Donald Vega and Dan Moretti

by Joe Dimino
February 16, 2025

Get ready for a thrilling ride as we launch the 893rd episode of Neon Jazz! We kick things off with Kansas City's powerhouse supergroup, Wire Town, delivering fresh, electrifying sounds captured live at the legendary Green Lady Lounge. From there, we honor the legacy of the late, great Jim Rotondi before diving into an incredible lineup ...

Billy Higgins, Hank Jones, Benny Green & Carl Allen

by Joe Dimino
February 9, 2025

We launch the 892nd episode of Neon Jazz with a true jazz veteran--Carl Allen--who's back with his first album in decades. Tippin' (2025) marks his triumphant return, all while he continues shaping the next generation of jazz as the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This hour is packed with stories from ...