Time for weekend calendar picks from KC Studio editor Alice Thorson! Friday night, enjoy a review of music from the Ozarks and Honky Tonk classics at Musical Theater Heritage in Crown Center, or listen to jazz virtuoso Marcus Roberts at the Folly. Saturday night, Ida McBeth performs at the Blue Room, the Harriman-Jewell Series presents violinist Maxim Vengerov and the Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College presents guitarist Todd Mosby. For more ideas this weekend, visit Kansas City’s most comprehensive arts calendar at kcstudio.org/events.
Fool’s Gold Country Revue Vol. 3
January 19, 2018 @ 8:00 pm
Musical Theater Heritage
An all new show featuring music from the Ozark mountains and Honky Tonk classics from Nashville. Featuring Betse Ellis on fiddle/vocals, Clarke Wyatt on banjo/piano, Rex Hobart on vocals/guitar, Slim Hanson on vocals/guitar, Havilah Bruders on vocals, Beau Bledsoe on electric guitar/vocals, Marco Pascolini on pedal steel guitar, Bill McKemey on bass and John Currey on drums!
MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO
January 19, 2018 @ 8:00 pm | $20 – $55
Folly Theater
In 2014, Marcus Roberts’ life and work was featured on a segment of the celebrated CBS News program 60 Minutes, entitled “The Virtuoso”, which traced Roberts’ life to date from his early roots in Jacksonville and at the Florida School for the deaf and blind to his remarkable career as a modern jazz musician. Roberts toured with Wynton Marsalis starting at age 21, when he left to tour with his own band. In addition to being an accomplished composer and classically trained musician, Roberts has also been long dedicated to the training and development of younger musicians.
Ida McBeth
January 20, 2018 @ 8:30 pm | $10
American Jazz Museum – The Blue Room
There’s a quiet storm in Kansas City. And it swirls around the captivating, elegant, mystifying and delightful music of singer Ida McBeth.
Ida’s musical style is so unique that it is hard to classify. Over the years, her repertoire has included pop-style ballads, jazz and blues, show tunes, funk, R&B, gospel and well known standards.
Critics have described her as “a jazz singer,” “a blues singer,” “a pop singer” and “a cabaret singer.” Still others have referred to her as “a story teller,” “a professor emeritus of body language,” “a consummate actress” and “the complete entertainer.” A song stylist is the title Ida prefers.
By the age of five, Ida McBeth knew she wanted to be a singer. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Ida was provided early exposure to a variety of talented vocalists by her mother. These singers included such greats as Nancy Wilson, Arthur Prysock, Nat King Cole, Bill Withers, Gladys Knight and Sarah Vaughan.
Maxim Vengerov, violinist in recital
January 20, 2018 @ 7:30 pm
Folly Theater
A violinist of supreme authority and ability, Siberian-born Maxim Vengerov will play in Kansas City after two decades away. The 42-year-old virtuoso, who made his American recital debut on the Series in 1993 and quickly returned in 1996, will demonstrate his peerless playing with a program of Schubert, Beethoven, Ravel, Ysaye, Ernst, and Paganini.
Todd Mosby New Horizons Ensemble
January 20, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | $17 – $20
Polsky Theatre, JCCC
A seasoned jazz guitarist, arranger and orchestrator, composer and sole performer of the Imrat guitar, Todd Mosby brings all his influences to light with this concert. Featured artists in the New Horizons Ensemble include Michael Manring (GRAMMY®-nominated bass player), Jeff Haynes (GRAMMY®-winning percussionist), Premik Tubbs (woodwind player with Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Sting), and Bryan & Lola (piano, vocals, guitar).
“Todd Mosby lives in Missouri, but his talent and education are far reaching. He studied guitar, improvisation and composition at the cultural center of the universe in Boston at the Berklee College of Music and spent years under the guidance of Ustad Imrat Khan, Brian Jones and George Harrison’s first sitar teacher.” – RJ Lannahan, Zone Music Reporter
