July Jazz Jam Features Top Kansas City Talent

July 11, 2011 - PRLog -- This first July Jazz Jam--the beginning of an annual tradition--will feature some of Kansas City's finest musicians in a concert sure to thrill one and all. A portion of the proceeds will support music programs of Community Christian Church.

The July Jazz Jam is Sunday July 31 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Community Christian Church, located at 4601 Main. Tickets are $10 and are available through Paypal. Visit http://www.community-christian.org/Jazzjam.htm or visit the Community Christian Church Facebook page for ticket information or call 816-561-6531.

Featured headliners will be vocal sensation Monique Danielle, multi-faceted Kansas City legend and singer Danny Cox and the award winning tap dancer, trumpeter and vocalist Lonnie McFadden.

In addition to being the emcee for the concert, pianist Tim Whitmer will lead an all star ensemble consisting of Everett DeVan on organ, Rod Fleeman on Guitar, Jurgen Welge on Drums, James Albright on bass and Jim Mair on saxophone.

"The July Jazz Jam promises a fun, upbeat family-friendly 90-minute show full of good time swing, Rocking blues, bouncing boogie woogie and lots of fun musical combinations and surprises," Whitmer said. "This show will be a toe tapping, finger snapping, smiles on your faces kind of evening of musical magic, merriment and memories."

"As a church in the heart of the heart of the city, it is a privilege and a joy to offer an annual musical feast that will thrill the hearts of one and all," said Dr. Robert Lee Hill, senior minister of Community Christian Church. "The July Jazz Jam is the newest addition to the treasured tradition of Jazz in Kansas City. We can't get enough great music!"

About the Performers

Lonnie McFadden has been entertaining since he was in elementary school, learning tap licks and intricate rhythms from his father, Kansas City hoofer and all around entertainer Smilin’ Jimmy McFadden. The elder McFadden began teaching his sons (The McFadden Brothers) tap dancing at the ages of 3 and 4. In addition, he made sure both Lonnie and Ronald took piano lessons to learn music as he taught them lots of comedy bits, tap routines and songs to sing.

As a teenager, Lonnie McFadden traveled with one of the regional R&B and Top 40 bands playing trumpet and singing before starting his own band, “Lonnie and The Band” that included Ronald on the alto sax. It was during this time that Lonnie became a songwriter and arranger. After Lonnie and The Band had run its course, The McFadden Brothers were born.

By the 1980s the McFadden Brothers paralleled their father’s career by performing with “The Count Basie Orchestra”. They played major Jazz festivals in Europe and Japan, appearing on the same bill with such Jazz greats as Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis.

McFadden and his brother have made many local and national television appearances including “Incredible Sunday’s” the result of a recommendation from Ben Vereen. The McFadden Brothers have also performed with some of the biggest names in show business, like Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Orlando and were the featured act with Wayne Newton for over more than years.

Danny Cox began his professional music career in 1960 as an 18 year old performing on a Hootenanny Folk Tour. In the early 1970s, Cox recorded for the ABC-Dunhill, Casablanca, and the MGM labels. In 1969, Cox partnered a company called Good Karma Productions, which managed the acts of Brewer and Shipley, and the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and his own career. Cox was a co-owner of the Cowtown Ballroom from 1970 to 1973. He was a regular on the Allen Luden and Danny Kaye TV shows and has been the opening act for Ray Charles and had Steve Martin as his opening act on tour. For Theatre for Young America he has created original music for The Legend of John Henry, El Gato Sin Amigos, Trains Across America, and The Monarchs of KC.

Through a broad repertoire of musical styles, Kansas City native Monique Danielle has reached both young and old of all races, with her impeccable vocal skills. She captivates audiences with her dynamic delivery of sultry R&B and Jazz. Equally at ease with Italian opera, Classical, African pop, American pop, or Jamaican reggae, Danielle truly defines and demonstrates diversity. She began singing at age three and taught herself the words to "The Rainbow Connection." By age four she moved on to singing harmonies to all of her favorite songs. In 1987 she entered Kansas City Middle School of the Arts (KCMSA), where she studied voice.

Danielle got her first taste of show business when she sang the National Anthem before a crowd of 80,000 fans at the Kansas City Chiefs Stadium in 1990. She then moved on to performing in the K.C. Arrowhead Club for the Kansas City Chiefs. At age sixteen, she was featured nationally on the "Gary Collins Home Show" as an up-and-coming R&B vocalist. That same year she joined her first band outside of school, The Messengers.

Recently, Danielle has lent her voice to Hallmark, NBC, The Jones Store Co., and Energy One for national promotional television campaigns, as well as numerous local radio advertisements. In 2000 she was selected into the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Danielle also donates her voice to the Arts in Prison program as a featured soloist with The East Hill Singers, who are conducted by Elvera Voth and perform local concerts four times yearly. She toured with Oleta Adams in Holland as a back up vocalist in December 2006.

Danielle has five CD’s to her credit. "Smile", her first Jazz CD, was released the summer of 2008. It features Kansas City's finest musicians. Danielle performs in and around Kansas City at top venues. She fronts the Monique Danielle Jazz Ensemble and appears regularly with Tim Whitmer, Stanton Kessler, The Boulevard Band, and BCR.

The "House Band"
Rod Fleeman is one of Kansas City's most noted Jazz guitarists; his influences cover a wide range of the musical spectrum which keeps him in high demand, appearing with many of the best Jazz groups in around the country. Driving the beat are Jurgen Welge on drums and James Albrightx on upright bass. A native of Minden, Germany, Welge made Kansas City his home through collaboration with the Bram Wijnands Trio and Kansas City-based Blues and Jazz singer Richard Ross in 1992. Albright teaches music and is equally at home in the Classical, Rock and Country worlds as he is in Jazz.

Everette DeVan and his Hammond B-3 organ has been a mainstay on the KC Jazz scene for many years. He's also well known nationally and internationally for his longstanding contribution to the Jazz traditions. Saxophonist Jim Mair, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba is currently and associate professor and director of instrumental music at Kansas City Community College. He is Artistic Director and Conductor for The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, a performance organization that he and his wife Mary founded in 2003.

Leading the band is Tim Whitmer, the prodigal son of Kansas City Jazz. He cut his "key" teeth on the likes of Jay McShann, Mary Lou Williams and Count Basie. Under the tutelage of George Salisbury he honed his own unique style and has treated audiences from all over the world to a taste of Kansas City swing jazz.

When Whitmer played New York jazz clubs, the Village Voice called him "the best swing band to come out of Kansas City since Jay McShann."

Whitmer has performed internationally at both the Lugano Jazz Festival in Italy and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and graced the stage of numerous national festivals.

His classical training is the basis of his broad performance skills and music writing abilities.