Two chances to celebrate 100th birthday of local jazz icon Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker
Many of the scheduled events to celebrate the 100th birthday of Kansas City jazz icon Charlie “Bird” Parker (born Aug. 29, 1920) have been lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, but two will take place in the coming week.
The American Jazz Museum will present an outside, socially distanced Jazz Storytelling for children at 10 a.m. Aug. 7 in the Jay McShann Pavilion. Kids are encouraged to bring party favors, and the first 100 will receive inflatable saxophones. Registration is required at americanjazzmuseum.org.
At noon Aug. 11, alto saxophonist Charles Perkins and bassist Gerald Spaits will play some of Parker’s songs during a free livestream event that is part of Johnson County Community College’s Carlsen Center Presents series. jccc.edu/carlsen-center-presents.
Here are four more in-person activities to consider for the next week:
▪ Two national touring comedians will be in town this weekend: Brett Ernst at the Comedy Club of Kansas City (7 p.m. Aug. 6, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Aug. 8; tables $40-$175) and Lavell Crawford at the Kansas City Improv (7 p.m. Aug. 6, 7 and 10 p.m. Aug. 7-8, 7 p.m. Aug. 9; $28). thecomedyclubkc.com and improvkc.com.
▪ The Crossroads Arts District will play host to several First Friday happenings, including the opening at Hilliard Gallery of “Wise unmasked. But only while at home” by Guinotte Wise. The gallery will be open 1-9 p.m. Aug. 7, and Wise will be on hand 6-9 p.m. Also, “Tea Time” will open at Belger Crane Yard Studios, with a reception 6-9 p.m. Aug. 7. hilliardgallery.com and belgerarts.org.
▪ The Summit Theatre Group will produce one of the area’s few live plays this summer with a socially distanced musical, “Into the Woods,” at 6 p.m. Aug. 7 and 8 on the plaza of Lee’s Summit City Hall. Admission is free, but tickets are required at eventbrite.com. More information, summittheatre.org.
▪ Although several major American Royal events have been canceled, the Royal Showcase, a youth horse show that is the first event on the 2020 Royal calendar, will take place at Hale Arena beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 8 and 9. americanroyal.com.
Here are seven more online ways you and your family can spend your coronavirus-induced stay-at-home time:
▪ Fox News personality Chris Wallace will discuss his latest book, “Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World,” at 6 p.m. Aug. 6 in a digital program presented by the Truman and Eisenhower presidential libraries. Register (free) via Zoom. More information, trumanlibraryinstitute.org.
▪ The Free State Festival will present “Now What?,” a new short film exploring the psychological effect that police killings of people of color have on children, followed by a Q&A with the creative team, 5 p.m. Aug. 7 (free) at facebook.com/freestatefestival.
▪ Some of the biggest names in romance fiction will take part in the Mid-Continent Public Library’s third annual Romance GenreCon, which will be held virtually beginning at 7 p.m. Aug. 7 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 8 at facebook.com. More information, mymcpl.org.
▪ Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey will provide a free hip-hop class as part of Virtual First Friday, 7 p.m. Aug. 7 at facebook.com. More information, kcfaa.org.
▪ Five authors of young adult fiction (Roseanne Brown, Elizabeth Bunce, Dhonielle Clayton, Tessa Gratton and Sarah Henning) will discuss their books and their craft, 3 p.m. Aug. 8 at jocolibrary.org. Each registrant will receive a free book from a participating author, while supplies last.
▪ The Flyin’ A’s, the Austin, Texas, husband-wife musical duo of Stuart and Hilary Claire Adamson, will perform live on the Olathe Public Library Facebook page, 2 p.m. Aug. 9 at facebook.com/olathelibrary. More information, olathelibrary.org.
▪ As part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the 19th Amendment, Lisa Tetrault, author of “The Myth of Seneca Falls: Memory and the Women’s Suffrage Movement, 1848-1898,” will talk during a Zoom conference at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12. More information, theworldwar.org.
