'Every man prays in his own language.' Duke Ellington said and surely his music is a prayer that lives on long after its composer is gone. He is well  remembered at the Jazz Museum.

Ella Fitzgerald is another old favorite. As the woman, her star shines brightly at the museum. She once said 'It isn't where you came from, its where you're going that counts.' In her own case that was so very true. she grew up a poor girl in Yonkers, New York. After her mothers death, she got into some trouble and ended up in a reform school. Conditions were so bad there she ran away and at 15, found herself alone and penniless in the middle of the great depression. Somehow she struggled along until in 1934 her name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo Theater for  the opportunity to compete in Amateur Night. The Apollo had a rough and rowdy crowd who never hesitated to boo a performer off the stage if they didn't like the act. Ella went to the theater that night planning to dance but when the act before her was a great dancing team of sisters, she changed her mind at the last minute. The audience was already becoming restless while she contemplated what to do. then she asked the band to play Hoagie Carmchael's Judy, one of her mother's old favorites. The audience was captured and demanded an encore. Her career was launched. By 21 she was the leader of her own band. From then on it was musical history. Known as the 'First Lady of Song,' Fitzgerald is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. She was awarded the National Medal of the Arts and a Kennedy Center Honors award.

Dennis at the Blue Room

All four musicians have had United States postage stamps issued in their honor.

Of course, the museum had much more starting with a great film about the history of jazz. Another unique part of the museum is the Blue Room, a real legacy for the 30s and 40s when jazz was king in KC. By day, an exhibit in the museum by night a performing club. The nine small glass enclosed  tables on the floor level are display cases containing musical treasures  from Kansas City's musical heyday   I returned that Thursday night to hear Bob Bowman  and Bowdog play. It felt like I was transported to the thirties. It has earned recognition form many sources and has been  named three times by DownBeat Magazine as one of the Top 100 jazz clubs in the world –   Kansas City's only club to earn that honor.

Arthur Bryant's

Kansas City may be best known for its barbecue. I enjoyed a sampling of that tasty stuff at Arthur Bryant's, known as 'The King of Ribs.' There are over 90 barbecue restaurants in Kansas city, more than any other city in the country  but Author Bryant's has been named 'best restaurant in the world' by New Yorker Playboy columnist Calvin Trillin and just as highly praised in other magazines like Forbes, Bon Appetit, Better Homes and Gardens, People, Gourmet and others. The restaurant had humble beginnings and the main restaurant still  looks like just a poor inner city place but oh the taste of that food!

Larry at Arthur Bryant's shows off the pit

It all began in 1908 when Henry Perry opened the first barbecue joint in Kansas City in an old trolley barn at 19th & Highland. Charlie Bryant was one of his first cooks, Charley learned his skills from the master and when Perry died, he bought the now thriving business and brought in his younger brother Arthur to help. When Charlie died in 1946, Arthur moved the business to its present location at 18th and Brooklyn. Arthur tinkered with the sauce until he achieved finger licking perfection, a sauce both hot and sweet and thick enough to stay on the meat. He has served rich and poor alike. Two presidents have eaten at his restaurant, Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter both have enjoyed the food. Some of the other  famous patrons are Steven Spielberg, Michael Landon, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bryant Gumbel, Tom Watson,  George Brett and many more. the restaurant's front room side wall attests to the many famous patrons who have eaten there.

BBQ at Bryant's

Although Arthur passed away in 1982,  Gary Berbiglia and Bill Rauschelbach now carry on the tradition. There are now several branches and their catering is famous. I enjoyed a very stuffed plate and could truthfully say the food is incomparable.

The  third item that distinguishes Kansas City is its fountains. They claim more fountains than any other city except Rome. I didn't get to visit all of them but saw enough to know that not only is there quantity but quality is present also. Kansas city is graced with  over 200 fountains. The 'Fountain Movement' began in the 189s with the 'city Beautiful' movement. The city's oldest fountain was built in 1899 by George Kessleri at 15th and The Paseo. That original fountain was destroyed in 1941 but the same year, he designed another fountain that still exist and is the oldest in the city. It is the Women's Leadership Fountain.

Cat Fountain Photo courtesy of Charvex

Early fountains served multiple purpose. they ere beautiful but they were also useful. For example, The Humane Society of Kansas City built many of the early fountains over natural;y occurring springs to provide water for people, horses and dogs. In one fountain, A lions head formed a spigot that spurted clean water for humans, it fell into a trough the right height for horses and then trickled into lower bowls for dogs and cats. The Cat Fountain in Country Club Plaza is reminiscent of that fountain.

Today, any new corporation that builds in Kansas city is expected to include a fountain in its decorating. Kansas City's newest attraction, the 8 city block revitalization of its downtown called the Power and Light district after the famous deco lars buildinbg of that name which sets the backdrop for the district has a $1 million fountain. In fact, almost anywhere you look you will fouund a fountain.

Crown Plaza has one that welcomes kids of all ages to frolick amid its jets.Hallmark which will s=celebrate its 100th aniversery in Kansas city has a long reflecting pool that drops in mini waterfalls over six times alog thelength of th efountian and culminates in a pebble bottomed pool thart simulates a riverbed.

Rozzelle Court Fountain

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art rivals the best art musuems to be found anywhere. It has a reflection pool that reflects the newest addition to the musuem, Bloch Building. Its Sculpture Park is ast ourtside amiodst the lush grass. The Shuttlecock sculptures which are workld famous are the scene fo free movies at night, The musuem is very open and has many entraces where a patron wiht  a tired child might enjoy the interior art and then take the child outside to the courtyard and retuen easily through one of th enumerous doors.

Not all of the fountains are outdoors. The Nelson-Atkins boast one of the oldest fountains in what has been called 'the prettiest museum cafe in the Midwest' by Travel Holiday magazine,  Rozzelle Court Restaurant. The resturant  is designied to replicate an open-air Italian courtyard. Normally it serves   buffet-style meals with gourmet main dishes, salads, soups, breads and desserts. Some Fridays there is live jazz music. The centerpiece of the courtyard resturant is the Rozzelle Court Fountain. This fountian dates to areound 200 A.D. It was used in a Roman bath however not as a fountain. The shallow marble bowl was used to hold sented oils that patrons of the bathwoudl  anoint themselves wiht.

Kansas cit has so many fountains I could not cover them all. For the best in fountains, barbeque and jazz,you can do  what one famous jazz song, suggest. 'Going to Kansas City' tells it  like it is. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, back in 1952. Incidentally, it was first prefoirmed by Little Willie Littlefield at the Orchid Room at 12th and Vine Streets, Kansas City.

http://www.americanjazzmuseum.com/

http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/index.htm

http://www.visitkc.com/index.aspx