Monday, December 1, 2008

From the Ashes






















Although a band had yet to set up, I was delighted to knock back a Pale Ale at the Phoenix last Friday night. The jazz venue- an increasingly endangered species in Kansas City- has reopened. The 8th Street tavern was doing solid business. Alas, I was one of the youngest people in the room. EDIT: (I'd link to the Phoenix's site, but none exists.) A reader came to the rescue: The Phoenix Jazz Club.
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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 1, 2008 at 12:30 PM

    No website?!?!?! WHAT?!?!?

    It's 2009 people...!!!

    Let's give the owner benefit of the doubt and assume there's a site in the works, but it's down...or the "site maker" is having problems, running late, etc. But that's a must have.

    Any more photos? Does it look the same on the inside as it previously did?

    Great to see a jazz club open up in the City.

    I always wonder when a place like this closes, then re-opens, what the new owner is thinking as far as a strategy where he/she will make it work and the last person didn't. Interesting.

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  2. Happy In BagDecember 1, 2008 at 12:37 PM

    I swear that I did not post this anonymous comment myself.

    However, I share the author's sentiments.

    And yes, the club looks almost exactly the same.

    I reckon that foot traffic from the new tenants of nearby lofts should keep the Phoenix relatively busy.

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  3. Happy In BagDecember 1, 2008 at 1:36 PM

    Anon- See the edit in the post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 1, 2008 at 5:18 PM

    ah!...whew...scared me there for a minute (ha!).

    I wonder what the Acid Jazz Monday's will turn out like?...very interesting. And progressive. I love it.

    I think it would be great to have an interview with the owner and/or booker of the venue on this site, and hear what his or her goals and plans are. Any possibility...?

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  5. Happy In BagDecember 1, 2008 at 5:22 PM

    Interview? That sounds like something that resembles work.

    My pal J.K. might be pursuing that; if not, I suppose I'll give it a shot.

    Thanks again for the push, Anon.

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  6. the unthinking lemmingDecember 2, 2008 at 7:07 AM

    I suppose progressiveness depends on your perspective. Acid Jazz is about to enter its third decade as a recognized genre.

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  7. AnonymousDecember 3, 2008 at 4:19 PM

    Progressive as in, a club who is actually hosting it. The booking is progressive.

    The music has been around for decades, but finding it offered up live is rare. Especially in KC.

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  8. the unthinking lemmingDecember 4, 2008 at 3:50 PM

    There is plenty of 'Acid Jazz' being played live in Kansas City. Most people call it Funk.

    ReplyDelete