Jazz Town: Karrin Allyson at the Folly, Bobby Watson at the Gem

You don’t want to go too long without catching up with your friends. And this week offers excellent opportunities to catch up with two of Kansas City’s favorites in jazz: singer Karrin Allyson and alto saxophonist Bobby Watson.

Allyson is back in the town where she honed her art and craft to perform a benefit at the Folly Theater on Friday.

Watson leads the American Jazz Museum’s big band, the American Jazz Orchestra, plus singer Ernie Andrews in a concert on Saturday.

Allyson’s career began to take off when she was a Kansas Citian, and now she’s known around the world as a leading no-nonsense jazz vocalist. Still, she retains a strong local following.

Allyson is performing at the Folly Frolic benefit for the Folly Kids Series, at 8 p.m. Friday at the theater, 300 W. 12th St. Tickets are $20-$60 at follytheater.org or 816-474-4444.

Watson assembles the American Jazz Orchestra only for special occasions, and as the unofficial present-day leader of the Kansas City jazz tribe, he has his pick of the best musicians in town.

This Jazz at the Gem performance is also special because of the guest on the bill: singer Ernie Andrews, a veteran of the Los Angeles scene whose performances often elicit the reaction, “Why isn’t this guy more famous?”

Andrews made his first record in 1945 (!), and he has been heard memorably with Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Gene Harris and others. Listen to the album that gave Kansas City pianist Jay McShann a late-career boost, “Paris All-Star Blues,” made in 1989, and you’ll hear Andrews walk on and knock one out of the park.

Watson, Andrews and the big band perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Gem, 1615 E. 18th St. Tickets are $45. Check ticketmaster.com or 816-474-6262.

Noteworthy

▪ Saxophonist Gerald Dunn and his band perform at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, on the Jazz Vespers series at the First Baptist Church of Kansas City, at Red Bridge and Wornall roads. It’s free.

▪ The next live performance/recording session for the “12th Street Jump” radio show features alto saxophonist Dan Thomas paying tribute to the music of Paul Desmond. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand Blvd.

▪ The Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th St., has bassist Bill McKemy leading the Monday jam at 7 p.m., and tenor saxophonist Matt Otto’s group at 7 p.m. Thursday. Trumpeter Pharez Whitted, who comes from the musical Hampton family of Indianapolis and is currently teaching and performing in Chicago, brings a group at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The Jazz Disciples perform at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

▪ Other highlights at the Green Lady Lounge include drummer Danny Rojas, organist Everette DeVan and guitarist Matt Hopper at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, followed by pianist Andrew Ouellette’s trio at 9:30 p.m.; singer Kathleen Holeman at 5:30 p.m. Monday, followed by saxophonist Ernest Melton’s quartet at 9 p.m.; a showcase for musicians from the University of Missouri-Kansas jazz program at 6 p.m. Tuesday, followed by the Sequel Quartet at 10:30 p.m.; organist Ken Lovern’s OJT at 9 p.m. Wednesday; guitarist Matt Hopper’s trio at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by organist Chris Hazelton’s quartet at 9 p.m. and a late show by reed man Charles Perkins, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Todd Strait at 12:30 a.m.; pianist Tim Whitmer at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by trumpeter Ryan Thielman’s quartet at 8:30 p.m. and Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 at 10 p.m.; and singer Ron Gutierrez at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by OJT from 6 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. upstairs and Thielman’s quartet at 9 p.m. downstairs.

▪ Author Ted Gioia is the unusual combination of eloquent wordsmith (might be in the genes — his brother Dana is a well-known poet and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts) and practicing jazz pianist. He comes to town Thursday to speak on the American Jazz Museum’s “Riffing on the Repertoire” series, discussing his book “How to Listen to Jazz,” published earlier this year. The event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the museum, with a reception at 6 p.m.

▪ The Westport CoffeeHouse Theater, 4010 Pennsylvania Ave., has a band led by trumpeter Clint Ashlock at 7 p.m. Wednesday and a big band led by trumpeter Nate Nall at 7 p.m. Thursday.

▪ There’s a new weekly jam session in town, featuring pianist Eddie Moore, his trio and guests. It’s at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Californos, 4124 Pennsylvania Ave.

This story was originally published November 13, 2016 at 6:14 AM with the headline "Jazz Town: Karrin Allyson at the Folly, Bobby Watson at the Gem."