There’s now even more opportunities to explore Kansas City’s thriving jazz culture. The historic Mutual Musicians Foundation, located in the 18th & Vine District, has extended its musuem hours for weekday discoveries.
One of Kansas City’s best kept secrets is now open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for tours of jazz history.
Mutual Musicians Foundation
The foundation was the home of Black Musicians Union Local 627 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With over 100 years of history, it also holds the distinction as the longest-running jazz venue in the world.
Musicians regularly gathered at the Mutual Musicians Foundation in the wee hours of the night after performances, where they exchanged ideas and experimented with their instruments—now known as a “jam session.”
Today those late-night jam sessions continue on. When most other bars, clubs and venues have closed, guests can visit the Mutual Musician Foundation every Friday and Saturday from 1:30-5 a.m. for an unforgettable live music experience.
KC’s Jazz History
Kansas City is world renowned for its rich jazz legacy.
While not indigenous to KC, jazz certainly grew up here. The city’s heyday hit in the 1920s and 1930s, when it took root along 12th and 18th streets Downtown—a vital hub of Kansas City’s African-American community—and where many great musicians got their start.
As the sound flourished, more musicians flocked to the city to perform the numerous nightclubs, dance halls and vaudeville houses regularly featuring jazz. These included some of music’s most hallowed names, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams, Duke Ellington and more.
These talents attracted legions of fans to Kansas City, making for a potent combination that helped create what is now the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District.
At its peak, jazz could be heard in more than 200 venues throughout the city, including The Gem Theater, The Blue Room and the Mutual Musicians Foundation, of course.
More Jazz Clubs
Today, the genre still thrives at dozens of jazz clubs and fine-dining restaurants every night of the week.
Connected to the American Jazz Museum, guests will find The Blue Room to be as essential to the city’s jazz scene as it was in the ‘20s and ‘30s, making it a can’t-miss attraction.
Known for its vibrant scene and live music 365 days a year, the Green Lady Lounge has become a modern favorite for jazz lovers in Kansas City. The Green Lady only features Kansas City musicians and their original work.
Situated in a historic building built in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Majestic Restaurant was once a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Today, the lower-level club is a classic Kansas City steakhouse and jazz hotspot featuring some of the best acts in the country.
Head to The Phoenix in Downtown for a taste of the local flavor — both KC jazz and cuisine, and don’t miss the live jazz brunch every Saturday and Sunday.
