Ed Fenner Memorial Events

Here's a bulletin I received Wednesday from Andrew Zender of the American Jazz Museum regarding special memorial events for Ed Fenner:

I got the word today that there is a two-part memorial planned for Ed Fenner next week. This event was planned by Ed’s family along with a couple of his associates with the Jazz Ambassadors and UMKC, and the Museum is playing a part by providing its venues/spaces for some of the events.

By the way, there is a scholarship set up in Ed’s name through UMKC. Folks can send a donation to:

UMKC Conservatory of Music
Ed Fenner Memorial Scholarship Fund
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110

Monday, June 2 – Tribute/Jazz Jam, 6:00pm
This will take place at the Gem Theater. There will be a light reception from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, with the tribute “program” beginning directly afterwards. There will be a few brief speakers who will share their memories of Ed as well as an image slideshow put together by Dean Hampton. The rest of the event will be a jam session, although I haven’t heard who is ‘hosting’ the jam. This will run until 9:30-10:00pm. If there any musicians that wish to keep playing, they’ll move the jam over to The Blue Room since it’s a regular Blue Monday Jam session. Former KC bassist Craig Akin will be back in town from NYC with his band Topshelf Toons hosting the jam. Event(s) free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 3 – Ed Fenner Pub Crawl, 7:00pm
From what I understand, there is a fee of either $30 or $35 to participate in the jazz pub crawl – transportation is arranged. All proceeds directly to the scholarship that is set up in Ed’s name. The night begins at the Mutual Musicians Foundation around 7:00pm, then it’s off to Café Trio, Jardine’s, and back to The Blue Room to end the night. The group will probably stay at each venue for 45 minutes to an hour. Since The Blue Room normally isn’t operating on Tuesday nights, there will be a special guest group booked there for the evening.

Folks interested in going to the Pub Crawl can contact Phyllis Sargeon, a close friend of Ed’s, at phy26l@yahoo.com. I just got off the phone with her and she said they’re already near capacity on the pub crawl, but there are still 3-5 spots left.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)