I love listening to old men tell stories.
As I noted on February 26, I was stunned and thrilled to discover that Ben Kynard was scheduled to speak the next day at the American Jazz Museum. I'm incredibly fortunate to have been part of an audience of about thirty to witness Kynard and Sellie Truitt, musicians from Kansas City's jazz heyday, reminisce. Oscar "Lucky" Wesley of the Scamps also made an appearance. Prompted by moderator Dennis Winslett, Kynard and Truitt chatted about their childhoods, their musical training and their opinions of contemporary music and Barack Obama.
Truitt is quite a character. Watch, if you dare, this video, and listen, if you must, to clips from his 2009 album. Kynard is more reserved but no less compelling. I filmed portions of a couple of his stories. Watch them here and here.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
