IMPACT
TODAY

The development of different Jazz styles impacted many regions of the United States and lead to the development of distinct styles. A notable style is the Kansas City Jazz.

Kansas City jazz is a style of jazz that developed in Kansas City, Missouri during the 1920s and 1930s, which marked the transition from the structured big band style to the much more improvisational style of bebop. The hard-swinging, bluesy transition style is bracketed by Count Basie, who in 1929 signed with Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra, and Kansas City native Charlie Parker, who ushered in the bebop style in America. It has been said that while New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, "America's music" grew up in Kansas City.

Thus, Kansas City is known as one of the most popular "cradles of jazz". Other cities include New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York City. Kansas City was known for the organized musicians of the Local 627 A.F.M., which controlled a number of venues in the city.



Expand Map ยป

This map provides the locations of jazz venues throughout Kansas City, roughly from the late 1910s to the early 1940s. The locations were based on a list compiled by the staff of the American Jazz Museum, which was subsequently expanded with additional research by project staff at the Kansas City Public Library. Many of these clubs were short-lived or changed ownership multiple times.