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Taste & See KC: History of Jazz

Posted at 2:59 PM, Jun 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-13 21:20:39-04

New Orleans may get the credit for creating jazz but Kansas City is where it came into its own.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the 18th and Vine neighborhood was a vibrant jazz scene. 

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Bennie Moten was a big part of the reason Jazz flourished here. He was a musician himself and played in the clubs on 18th and Vine. But his biggest contribution was as a manager. He brought big talents together and helped foster the growth of many influential artists like William “Count” Basie.

Some of the credit also goes to Tom Pendergast, the political boss who ran Kansas City at the time. He let the bars and clubs in 18th and Vine basically ignore prohibition laws. That led to them being full of people at all hours of the day and night.

The area fell into decline for several decades after the 1930s. Eventually, it returned to its former glory and is still an iconic spot for jazz music today.