American Jazz Museum

American Jazz Museum Located in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District in Kansas City, MO, the American Jazz Museum
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The Blue Room watched a star introduce himself in June. Tonight he takes the main stage. 🎤Sir James Atwood's Indigo Hour...
08/29/2026

The Blue Room watched a star introduce himself in June. Tonight he takes the main stage. 🎤

Sir James Atwood's Indigo Hour debut this summer was the kind of set that rearranges a booking calendar — a jazz-and-soul voice with gala-stage power and the impassioned delivery that's become his signature. Tonight the Kansas City vocalist returns for two full headline sets at 18th & Vine, on the stage where this city has always promoted its own.

8:30 & 10 pm · $10 per show · The Blue Room, 1600 E 18th St

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sir-james-atwood-at-the-blue-room-tickets-1996533226626

Happy 106th birthday, Bird. 🎉🎷Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City on this day in 1920 — and today his hometown celebr...
08/29/2026

Happy 106th birthday, Bird. 🎉🎷

Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City on this day in 1920 — and today his hometown celebrates, starting at 10 am sharp with a Saxophone Salute of his tunes at the Bird Lives statue.

All day until 3:30: the instrument petting zoo, biographer Chuck Haddix on Bird's KC years, our new Listen In session, Charlie Parker trivia, and sculptor Willie Cole — whose saxophone birds hang over KCI — in conversation at 2:15.

Free and open to the public. Raffle tickets $5 at the door; ace the trivia (7 of 10) for free entry into the second drawing.

Today · 10 am–3:30 pm · 1616 E 18th St

Schedule: https://dub.sh/cwcMuS0

Tonight's headliner has no vocalist — and audiences never quite believe it. 🎸The Tribe is Kansas City's premier all-inst...
08/28/2026

Tonight's headliner has no vocalist — and audiences never quite believe it. 🎸

The Tribe is Kansas City's premier all-instrumental fusion band: keys, lead guitar, bass, and percussion locked into one continuous groove that bends jazz, funk, R&B, and soul until the lines disappear. Their February headline set here asked a question the room is still talking about — how can a band with no singer say this much?

Two sets tonight at the Blue Room, the club inside the American Jazz Museum where Kansas City's live tradition keeps evolving.

8:30 & 10 pm · $10 per show · The Blue Room, 1600 E 18th St

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-tribe-at-the-blue-room-tickets-1996533225623

Tomorrow: one day, seven ways to celebrate the greatest saxophonist who ever lived. 🎂Charlie Parker Day at the American ...
08/28/2026

Tomorrow: one day, seven ways to celebrate the greatest saxophonist who ever lived. 🎂

Charlie Parker Day at the American Jazz Museum — Saturday, August 29, 10 am–3:30 pm — free and open to the public:

10:00 — Saxophone Salute at the Bird Lives statue, with Steven Martin, Roger Wilder, Ben Tervort, Kenny Watson & friends
10:30 — Instrument petting zoo (all ages · open 10:30–12:30 & 1:30–3:30 · every horn sanitized between players · sponsored by B.A.C. Horn Doctor)
11:00 — "Bird in Kansas City" with biographer Chuck Haddix
12:30 — "Listen In" — our brand-new deep-listening session
1:30 — "Ornithology" trivia (7 of 10 correct = free entry into the second raffle)
2:15 — Guest artist Willie Cole, sculptor of KCI's saxophone birds
3:30 — Raffle winners announced ($5 tickets; the winner takes a mini Ornithology statue)

Never made a sound come out of a horn? Saturday's the day. Bring the kids, bring your questions, bring your ears.

Full details: https://dub.sh/wlWn0iU

What does a band need to say something? This weekend the Blue Room offers three answers. 🎶Friday at Indigo Hour, Delynia...
08/27/2026

What does a band need to say something? This weekend the Blue Room offers three answers. 🎶

Friday at Indigo Hour, Delynia Jannell answers with a voice — one raised in a Kansas City, Kansas church and seasoned everywhere from Carnegie Hall to tours with Shania Twain (5:30 pm, $5, AJM members free). Then The Tribe answers without one: Kansas City's premier all-instrumental fusion band, four players in a conversation so complete no vocalist is missed (8:30 & 10 pm, $10 per show).

And Saturday, Sir James Atwood — whose June Indigo Hour debut announced a major Kansas City voice — claims the Saturday main stage for two full sets (8:30 & 10 pm, $10 per show).

Monday, the jam session opens the bandstand to the city (7 pm, $10; free for AJM members, musicians & students).

The Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum · 1600 E 18th St

Tickets: https://dub.sh/tZ56Zpv

Jazz education matters because the bandstand comes next. Tonight, drummer Levi Birks takes that next step as the feature...
08/24/2026

Jazz education matters because the bandstand comes next. Tonight, drummer Levi Birks takes that next step as the featured artist for the Monday Night Jam Session at the Blue Room. 🥁

Levi's path runs through Olathe Northwest High School, the 2023 Kansas City Area Youth Jazz fellowship, and now the UMKC Conservatory, where he studies Jazz. In 2025, that path carried him to Metz, France, for a musical exchange and a performance at the Marly Jazz Festival. Back home, he is already sharing what he has learned as a drum and percussion teacher.

Tonight, Kansas City gets to hear what comes next.

The featured set begins at 7 pm, followed by the open jam. Admission is $10 for the general public and free for American Jazz Museum members, musicians, and students.

The Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum · 1600 E 18th St

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monday-night-jam-session-at-the-blue-room-tickets-1996533223617

If you've flown out of KCI, you've stood under his tribute to Bird. This Saturday, the sculptor lands at 18th & Vine. 🕊️...
08/24/2026

If you've flown out of KCI, you've stood under his tribute to Bird. This Saturday, the sculptor lands at 18th & Vine. 🕊️

Willie Cole built Ornithology — the flock of birds sculpted entirely from alto saxophones over Concourse B — and the piece was assembled right here in the 18th & Vine district. His work lives in the collections of MoMA, the Met, and the Whitney. On Charlie Parker Day, he joins us for a panel conversation about his art and his lifelong relationship with jazz.

On Bird's 106th birthday, the birds come home to roost.

Saturday, August 29 · Willie Cole panel at 2:15 pm · full day 10 am–3:30 pm, free and open to the public. Sponsored by B.A.C.

The whole story is in today's newsletter, and the full schedule is here: https://dub.sh/7N2oDQR

AJM in Philadelphia! Interim Executive Director Jill Johnson and Senior Manager of Collections & Exhibitions Jordan Malh...
08/22/2026

AJM in Philadelphia! Interim Executive Director Jill Johnson and Senior Manager of Collections & Exhibitions Jordan Malhiot represented the American Jazz Museum at the Association of African American Museums’ 48th Annual Conference.

During an outdoor celebration at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Jill caught up with AJM Board Member Dr. Ashley Jordan, Board Development Chair Jon Copaken, and Jon’s wife. Dr. Jordan served as host for the conference—and yes, she truly knows how to throw a party!

Special thanks to Jon for flying in and for his continued support of AJM. We’re grateful for this time to connect, learn, and celebrate with museum colleagues from across the country. 💜

Part of the Blue Room's job is finding out what a band is ready for. Tonight, Encore answers. 🎷When Encore featuring Cli...
08/22/2026

Part of the Blue Room's job is finding out what a band is ready for. Tonight, Encore answers. 🎷

When Encore featuring Clifford Mills made their Blue Room debut at Indigo Hour this April, the happy-hour set made one thing clear: this group needed more room. Tonight they get it — two full headline sets on the Saturday night stage at 18th & Vine, the room where Kansas City acts have been stepping up for generations.

8:30 & 10 pm · $10 per show · The Blue Room, 1600 E 18th St

Tickets: https://dub.sh/cx9UhGO

A week from today, Bird turns 106 — and we're throwing the party where his story began. 🎷Charlie Parker was born in Kans...
08/22/2026

A week from today, Bird turns 106 — and we're throwing the party where his story began. 🎷

Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City on August 29, 1920, and learned his horn in the clubs of 18th & Vine. On Saturday, August 29, the American Jazz Museum celebrates Charlie Parker Day, 10 am–3:30 pm — free and open to the public.

One day, packed: a Saxophone Salute of Bird's tunes at the Bird Lives statue. An instrument petting zoo for all ages. Bird biographer Chuck Haddix on Parker's Kansas City years. A brand-new deep-listening session. Charlie Parker trivia. And a conversation with Willie Cole — the sculptor whose flock of saxophone birds soars over Concourse B at KCI.

Raffle tickets are $5 (the prize: a mini Ornithology statue from B.A.C. Horn Doctor) — or score 7 of 10 on our trivia challenge and you're entered free into a second drawing for Swing Shop prize bags.

Full schedule: https://dub.sh/zrt7mvX

Address

1616 East 18th Street
Kansas City, MO
64108

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18164748463

Website

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