A bridge between summer and fall, the annual one-day MO Jazz Music Festival also exists to connect a variety of jazz and jazz-informed sounds.
This year’s affair, upcoming on Sept. 7 in the green space at Rose Park, showcases artists from around Missouri and the greater globe. Here’s a look at this year’s lineup, in reverse chronological order:
6:30 p.m.: Paa Kow and His Afro-Fusion Orchestra
Well-versed in jazz and highlife sounds, Ghana-born, Denver-based drummer Paa Kow quite literally brings a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience wherever he goes. Kow performs on “a custom, hand-carved, traditionally inspired Ghanaian drum set that is the only one of its kind in the world,” according to his website. The music he and his band, which can reach up to nine pieces, play rolls forward rhythmically and achieves crisp yet dense textures.
5 p.m.: Bob DeBoo Quintet
Bassist Bob DeBoo is a St. Louis-area fixture with a wider reach, having played with a seriously diverse cast of musicians: David Sanborn, Alarm Will Sound, Matt Wilson, the St. Louis Symphony and more. DeBoo and his band will bring these finely-tuned ears and wide-open hearts to their set.
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3:40 p.m.: KC Latin Jazz Orchestra
Grads from Kansas City’s Latin Jazz Institute pool their talent alongside jazz lifers in this dynamic ensemble. Audiences will hear a real-time working-out of real-world traditions, as an array of rhythms and folk melodies hit the atmosphere.
2:20 p.m. James Ward Band
Bassist Ward — who has played with the likes of Bobby Watson and Oleta Adams — has led this fixture on the Kansas City scene for nearly 20 years. The band’s work goes down smooth, bending toward funk and gospel rhythms, and cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow melodicism.
1 p.m. Mizzou Concert Jazz Band
Hear the future of jazz in the present tense, as these talented students perform under the direction of Sam Griffith.
As usual, the festival is free; the music begins at 1 p.m. Sept. 7. Learn more at https://rosemusichall.com/event/2024-mo-jazz-music-festival/.
