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May 08, 2007
05082007
IT WAS A LITTLE TOO LATE ON THAT STEAMY FRIDAY NIGHT TO GET AHOLD OF THE BAND MEMBERS, BUT I KNEW WHERE TO FIND THEM. WHERE TO FIND ANY JAZZ PLAYER THAT NIGHT, THE FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER ONE OF THEIR OWN HAD PERISHED: THE MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION, IN THE 18TH AND VINE DISTRICT. FORMERLY THE MUSICIANS UNION LOCAL 627, THE MUTUAL MUSICIANS FOUNDATION IS KANSAS CITY’S LAST CONNECTION TO ITS HEYDAY AS THE PARIS OF THE PLAINS. THIS IS THAT GREAT SPEAKEASY WHERE YOU CAN WANDER OVER TO THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN STARTING AT ONE IN THE MORNING AND LISTEN TO THE BEST LIVE JAZZ IN THE WORLD UNTIL THE DAWN COMES ALONG AND STEALS IT AWAY FROM YOU LIKE A DREAM YOU DON’T WANT TO WAKE UP FROM. IT'S STILL REELING FROM THE CITY’S OFFICIALS ALL OF A SUDDEN REALIZING, “HEY, THIS PLACE, THIS GEM OF OUR PAST, HASN’T HAD A LIQUOR LICENSE FOR OVER SEVENTY YEARS NOW, AND EVERYONE’S DRINKING THERE!”, AND CLEARING ALL OF THE BOOZE OUT. BUT THE CROWD TONIGHT IS PACKED, AND THE STAGE IS BLAZING WITH THAT SORT OF ENERGY YOU ONLY READ ABOUT IN FICTIONAL ACCOUNTS. THIS WAS A WOMAN BELOVED BY HER PEERS, GIVEN THAT BEST KIND OF TRIBUTE, THE KIND WHEN LATER RECOUNTED WILL INEVITABLY BE TOLD IN THE SAME MANNER BY EVERYONE SPEAKING OF IT: THEY’LL GIVE A THOUGHTFUL SMILE, SLIGHTLY SHAKE THEIR HEAD, AND SAY IN A VERY GENUINE, RETROSPECTFUL WAY, “THAT WAS A GREAT NIGHT.” MY JOB MAY BE TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD, BUT TONIGHT THEY’RE WAILING FOR HER, SINGING FOR HER, SCREAMING WHITE HOT FIRE FOR HER. TONIGHT MEGHAN HANNIGAN BECOMES A PART OF THE LEGEND THAT IS KANSAS CITY JAZZ.
Posted by Schamberger at May 8, 2007 11:20 AM