Kansas City is having a moment right now. Aside from a certain Championship winning football franchise, you can find an interesting way to spend your time most evenings.
ARTICLE BY: Emily Behrmann, Board of Directors / Treasurer
Great food, well-crafted adult beverages, and incredible art and music are plentiful, with something for just about every taste.
So it’s not surprising to find a jam session featuring some of Kansas City’s best jazz musicians at a German beer hall.
German-style bier and Kansas City jazz have proven to be a solid combination in this monthly open jam session hosted the second Tuesday of every month.
The jam session traditionally features pianist Bram Wijnands, bassist Rick Willoughby, and a rotating cast of area musicians on horns, guitars, drums — or even spoons — for an exciting night of delicious bier and spontaneous music.
On a recent evening, Bram (also known as Beetlejuice-with-a-haircut) and Rick hosted not one or two, but six fellow musicians during the three-hour jam, some of whom play professionally all over KC, and others joining in to keep up their playing “chops,” while working other day jobs: John Blegen, clarinet; Clayton Delong, guitar; Gary Leming, trumpet; Matt Purcell, sax; Brian Ruskin, guitar; Joe Straub, bass and piano. What a lineup, performing jazz standards we all know and love.
This jam took place Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Join the fun any second Tuesday of the month at KC Bier Co! And as they say in Germany, “Prost!” (Cheers!) – Jam Session Photos by Emily Behrmann
NOTE: KC BIER CO also is a participating venue for the annual Spotlight Charlie Parker festivities! Oktoberfest Munich, Germany is the world’s largest celebration of Bavarian culture – the area of Bavaria being the southeast corner of Germany famous for beers, brats, and its use of bustiers. Millions of visitors travel thousands of miles to Munich each year to experience their share of the 2-week long festival. ARTICLE FEATURE PHOTO COURTESY OF OKTOBERFESTTOURS.TRAVEL