Where do you go to hear great jazz in Kansas City? Anywhere. After all, the city was the heart of America’s jazz heydays in the 20s and 30s, producing legends like Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Lester Young. These luminaries lit the world’s music scene with a bluesy, swing-style, beboppin' jazz unique to KC.

The city is still internationally recognized for great music. So, we couldn’t just ask Sharon Rabius, a director with Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors, “Where can you hear great jazz in KC?” We had a tougher question: “What jazz joints can no self-respecting music-lover miss?”

Sharon hemmed. She hawed. And finally, with a heavy qualifier of “There are so many wonderful jazz clubs here, it’s almost impossible to name just five,” she offered up some of her KC faves.

Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club

4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO, 816-561-6480, www.jardines4jazz.com

"Jardine’s is really a good one. It’s in a quaint old brick building in the Plaza area where there’s always a lot happening. They always feature a great variety of jazz, both local and national artists."
Learn More

The Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum

1616 E 18th St., Kansas City, MO, 816-474-8463, www.americanjazzmuseum.com

“What’s nice about the Blue Room is that its décor includes the history of musicians that have played in the 18th & Vine area. You can absorb this history just by walking around and checking out the different displays.”  Learn More

The Majestic Steakhouse

931 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 816-471-8484, www.majesticsteakhouse.com

“The Majestic in the downtown historical Fitzpatrick's Saloon Building has a great, fun jazz bar downstairs, originally a speakeasy. It’s really quite unique. The steaks are excellent, and you eat while listening to jazz! The artists are mainly local, and of course, we have excellent KC musicians.” 
Learn More

Johnny Cascone's Italian

6863 W 91st St., Shawnee Mission, KS, 913-381-6837, www.cascones.com

“One of Cascone’s locations is in Johnson County on the Kansas side of the city. They are now featuring jazz on the weekends at this location and at their North location. It’s getting a great response. I love Cascone’s, and it shows that jazz in Kansas City really is citywide.”