Sharon Thompson Gives New Voice to the Charles Williams Quartet

On Friday, August 14, the Charles Williams Quartet featuring Sharon Thompson delivered a quality performance for an enthusiastic Blue Room crowd. The performers played many jazz standards as well as blues, soul, and gospel tunes to showcase the vocal versatility of Thompson.The quartet consisted of Charles Williams on piano, James Ward on basa Doug Talley on tenor saxophone, and Matt Leifer on drums. The quartet was very communicative with each other and had a great rhythmic feel. Thompson brought a lot of charisma to the group, frequently acknowledging the audience and getting them to clap along with the music. This feel-good ensemble laid down three hip sets, lets hope that this collaboration happens again.

Tyree Johnson’s Groove 101 Provides a Hip Start to an Exciting Week of Jazz at The Blue Room!

On Monday, August 10, Tyree Johnson and his group Groove 101 hosted the weekly jam session at Kansas City’s Blue Room Jazz Club. The group, consisting of Johnson on drums, Everett Freeman on piano, Kevin Young on base, and Ernest Melton on saxophones, opened with a set of originals and standards that showed off their jazz and hip-hop influences as well as their ability to create tight rhythmic pockets to facilitate improvisation. From there the jam opened up to visiting players, creating some unique combinations of musical personalities.

There is more great jazz coming up this week at the Blue Room! On Thursday, August 13, the Gerald Spaits/Charles Perkins Quartet will play at 7pm. The talented saxophonist and bassist will work together to share their original tunes. On Friday, August 14, the Charles Williams Quartet will once again take to the Blue Room stage starting at 8:30 pm. This concert will feature the vocal talents of Sharon Thompson. The night will begin at 5:30 with the club’s weekly Indigo Hour featuring BMW. On Saturday, August 15, vocal legend Ida McBeth is back! Be sure that you don’t miss her exciting sets starting at 8:30 PM.

We hope to see you here at 18th and Vine this week to support all of this wonderful live music. If you’re not in the area, you should find some time to visit and explore the rich jazz culture here in Kansas City.

For more information on the Blue Room’s schedule, please visit http://club.americanjazzmuseum.org