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Friday, May 17, 2024, 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 18, 2024, 2 p.m.
Folly Theater
Swinging. Stylish. Soulful. Of all the stories Kansas City jazz has to offer, none spin the proverbial yarn more eloquently than two of our greatest: vocalist Deborah Brown and saxophonist Bobby Watson. Compiling careers most could only dream of, these two are KC. The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is thrilled to invite both living legends to the Folly stage to create magic together with our fantastic big band. If you love music, if you love Kansas City, you cannot afford to miss this artistic moment of a lifetime!
Past Shows from this Season!
Saturday, September 23, 2023, 8 p.m.
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center
for the Performing Arts
We are excited to kick off our 21st season with a brand new recording: In The Key of KC, and you’re invited to come celebrate the release with us! The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is proud to reflect the great tradition of music from our city, and energized to present something you can’t hear anywhere else. Featuring new originals and swinging standards and the incredible talent of vocalist Eboni Fondren, KCJO is kicking off this year with a bang!
Friday, October 27, 2023, 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 28, 2023, 2 p.m.
Folly Theater
Marilyn Maye is a nationally celebrated, GRAMMY-nominated musical legend with deep ties to Kansas City. From her longtime residency at KC’s Colony Steakhouse beginning in the late ‘50s, appearing 76 times on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show, and now frequently selling out prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall, Maye continues to lead a storied career in her 95th year. KCJO is thrilled to share the stage with Maye once again, a quintessential storyteller often referring to the lyric as conversation.
Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 7 p.m.
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center
for the Performing Arts
For a lot of us, our entry into the jazz world came from the inexplicable world of a lovable boy and his beagle traversing the meaning of the season in an animated special. The timeless music of Vince Guaraldi has been played in more households than nearly any other artist, and we are so enthused to deliver a momentous arrangement of selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas for big band––for the first time ever! Join KCJO and guest vocalist Lee Langston as we create a new holiday tradition. Good Grief!
Friday, February 9, 2024, 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 2 p.m.
Folly Theater
Discussions are best when led from a place of wisdom, and there is no one more fit to move the dialogue than award-winning vocalist Lisa Henry. A heavily acclaimed artist featured in the Thelonious Monk competition, an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa, renowned performer and education, Ms. Henry will share her stories onstage with KCJO at the Folly for what will be a deeply moving and improvisationally joyous show.
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 8 p.m.
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Pianist, composer and arranger John Beasley is one of those figures who have reached the mountaintop in the jazz world. A noted keyboardist with none other than Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, leader of the renowned MONK’estra, and double GRAMMY award winner, Mr. Beasley represents all facets of the music. Join us as John brings his arrangements of Thelonious Monk, Weather Report and his compositions to life alongside our vibrant big band.