Spotlight: Charlie Parker

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About Spotlight: Charlie Parker

“Spotlight: Charlie Parker” is an annual Kansas City-wide celebration of the life and music of Kansas City’s native son, Charlie “Bird” Parker in August.

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What Happens at Spotlight: Charlie Parker?

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VENUE SHOWCASE
Kansas City’s lengthy list of jazz venues on the scene gets toes tappin’ as fans explore the best jazz spots KC has to offer. Featuring a wide variety of ambiance settings, jazz fans will enjoy jam sessions and concert performances.

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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
Spotlight: Charlie Parker nurtures, strengthens, and promotes talent among student musicians. Community members and fans are invited to expand their knowledge through panel discussions, film screenings, and more!

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SOCIAL EVENTS
Jazz fans tend to find each other in a town like Kansas City… Whether sipping a cold brew at a beer garden, exploring an art exhibition together, or just simply celebrating live jazz as a group, fans enjoy meeting new fellow jazz and arts patrons.

Who We Serve & Our purpose

Kansas City Jazz ALIVE, and its Spotlight Charlie Parker initiative, serves five subgroups within the Kansas City jazz sector base, including artists, students, educators, venue owners, and enthusiasts.

The primary purpose of the initiative is to…

  • Celebrate the genius of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker and the current generation of musicians through educational and performance related events
  • Increase awareness of Kansas City and its vibrant jazz scene
  • Support venue owners by driving audience business traffic to performances through focused marketing and strategic promotions
  • Drive tangible economic impact to benefit KC, our artists and our venues
  • Build collaborative partnerships across the world
  • Support the jazz education of young musicians through applicable programming
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