Janelle Monáe to Headline the American Jazz Museum's Festival on Memorial Day Weekend

Janelle Monáe will be a headliner at a three-day festival hosted by the American Jazz Museum on Memorial Day weekend.

Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner, the institution’s Executive Director, recently shared the big news with a group of Rotarians.  At the 10:00 mark in the embedded video, Kositany-Buckner reveals that “one of the people who are acting in Hidden Figures” will perform at the revived event.  She's correct to characterize Monáe as “a huge, huge headliner.”

The native of Kansas City, Kansas, hasn’t appeared in the area since a concert at the Uptown Theater on November 15, 2013.  The show attracted a less-than-capacity audience of 1,800, but Monáe’s star has risen further in the last three years. 

Monáe may not perform jazz, but the era in which jazz artists headlined popular, ticketed “jazz” festivals in the United States is over.

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*The Kansas City Business Journal reports that a new "120-seat club will focus on jazz music and rum-based drinks" and is slated for an August opening in the Power & Light District.  Joyce Smith offers additional details about the Kill Devil Club.

*The Folly Theater has announced an outstanding lineup for the 2012-13 Folly Jazz Series.  Pat Metheny's Unity Band will appear in a non-series concert at the Folly on September 6.  Joe Klopus applauds the bookings.

*Broken Waltz, the latest release by Matt Otto, is now available.

*David Hudnall enjoyed celebrating Juneteenth in the Jazz District.

*KCJazzLark dissects the strategy behind the 2012 edition of the Rhythm & Ribs Jazz & Blues Festival.

*Beau Bledsoe, Shay Estes and Jordan Shipley have formed Fado Novato.  The trio's commitment to the Portuguese style is on display here.

*Another update on the lack of activity at the former location of Jardine's is filed by Hearne Christopher.

*A story about the redesign for the space formerly occupied by sometime jazz venue The Marquee makes no mention of plans for live music.

*Emanuel Cleaver submitted recognition of the Mutual Musicians Foundation into the Congressional record.

*Janelle Monae's headlining turn at the Ottawa Jazz Festival is praised.

*Tweet o' the Week: theprojecth- Happy to say that we will be playing the MLB fanfest. Monday, July 9 at 1pm at Bartle Hall. The snowball keeps getting bigger!

*Comment o' the Week: Michael Shults- Thanks for the post and the kind of words, Happy. Much-appreciated. That was a really fun night playing music with some of my favorite people in the world. One small note: it is not captured on the video but the audience that night was well upwards of 50, in a room about the size of Take Five. The median age was probably 25. Not a rock audience, no, but for a Wednesday night at a coffee shop, not bad! If you catch the last 20 seconds or so of the video of "REL" from the same night posted on youtube, you'll hear proof from the crowd reactions that it is possible to play live jazz and have it resonate with young people. It's difficult, yes, and hard to sustain on a regular basis, but I do think if you work really hard at promoting, play original music, and have a good band, there's hope.

*From Tim Whitmer- The year's July Jazz Jam follows up on the standing-room-only inaugural concert in 2011. The acclaimed concert event will be Sunday, July 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m...  Featured headliners of the concert will be a trio of celebrated All-Star Keyboard Kings: Tim Whitmer, Everette DeVan and Joe Cartwright. Also returning this year is the highly acclaimed July Jazz Jam House band, which includes saxophonist Jim Mair, bassist James Albright and drummer Jurge Welge...  The July Jazz Jam is at Community Christian Church...  Tickets are on sale now: $10 in advance... $15 at the door...

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae isn't a jazz musician. And she had to leave her native Kansas City, Kansas, to find fame. Even so, she's the biggest star to come from the area in years. I also happen to adore her. Monae will perform at the Independence Events Center on Saturday, May 28.