The root of jazz lies in another great Black American art form: the blues. But the relationship that Kansas City jazz has with the blues is unique, maintaining a strong association throughout the past century. From Mary Lou Williams (who brought the sound of Memphis along with her) to Charlie Parker (who developed his own bebop variation of the standard twelve-bar blues) to Bobby Watson and beyond, Kansas City jazz musicians have embodied this tradition in a hollistic, yet continually contemporary style. For this concert, we will be exploring these deep ties to celebrate and honor the root of the genre.