FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ellen McDonald
816.213.4355
ellen@mershonandmcdonald.com
For Tickets: 816-225-4949 or visit www.kcjo.org
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Announces:
Level Up!
ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Muriel Kauffman Theatre,
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
KANSAS CITY, MO (March 6, 2025) — Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Alyssa Bell Jackson today announced the next concert for the 2024-2025 Signature Series, Level Up!, April 5 at 7 p.m. at Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center for the
Performing Arts (1601 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64108). The concert features the
catchy melodies and rich harmonies from all the video games set to the big band
arrangements from KCJO Artistic Director Clint Ashlock.
Saturday, April 5, 2025, 7 p.m.
Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Video game music is everywhere, and the catchy melodies and rich harmonies from
the 8-bit era through today’s latest AAA title absolutely translate to a jazz big band!
Choose your character: Mario? Sonic? Link? We’re playing them all!
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director Clint Ashlock stated, “Here in 2025, we’ve
had nearly FIFTY YEARS of music stemming from video games, and these tunes aren’t
child’s play: catchy melodies, cerebral harmonies, and surprisingly deep emotional
content run rampant through the video game songbook. With the popularity of the 8
Bit Big Band and saxophonist Patrick Bartley leading the way, jazz fans who grew up
on Mario, Sonic, and Zelda are enjoying these tunes every bit as much as the
Broadway songs of yesterday. On April 5th, KCJO will present a selection of these new
standards arranged for our very own big band, and we are so excited to PRESS START
on this concert! ”
High – res photos, audio and video can be found at KCJO Media .
Support
Thank you to the following funders for underwriting our 2024-2025 season: The
Missouri Arts Council, Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Muriel McBrien
Kauffman Family Foundation, Donald J. Hall, Geraldine, and R.A. Barrows Trust, UMB
Bank, Trustee, The Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, and Commerce Bank,
Trustee.
Ticket Information
Single tickets are now on sale! For information about purchasing tickets, visit
www.kcjo.org or call 816-225-4949.
Connecting to our Community
For the latest news and updates, be sure to follow us on all of our social media
channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, as well as our blog, Clef Notes.
About Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
MISSION: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is dedicated to promoting the rich culture of
Kansas City through performance and education. We strive to be a leading voice,
ensuring that Kansas City’s influential jazz tradition continues to thrive and evolve.
VISION: To be recognized worldwide as a premier jazz ensemble, honoring Kansas
City’s iconic musical heritage while shepherding it into the future.
Founded in 2003, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is one of the nation’s preeminent big
bands, performing classic and original repertoire in a variety of settings. With the
beautiful Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts as a home base, KCJO’s concert
season puts forth engaging themed shows ranging from Duke Ellington’s early works
to brand-new reimaginations of pop music, “celebrating the past, and embracing the
future.” In addition to the season, the orchestra plays a variety of concerts, dances, and
festivals, engaging audiences from Kansas City, Missouri to Hannover, Germany, and
beyond.
KCJO engages with the community through its educational programs which work to
train the next generation of talented Kansas City musicians. Through masterclasses
with visiting guest artists, in-school programs, and outreach events for all ages such
as Listening Parties and Jazz Cafés KCJO is extremely active in facilitating the cultural
preservation of Jazz music.
For more information, please visit kcjo.org.
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Direct all media inquiries to Ellen McDonald, 816-213-4355 or
ellen@mershonandmcdonald.com
