Jazz landmark has booze blues

[Lois Gilbert]

Jazz landmark has booze blues

Hearne Christopher Jr.
kansas.com

Like most things jazz in Kansas City, the Mutual Musicians Foundation’s jams in the wee hours get more lip service than warm bodies.

Still it’s one of our most esteemed live jazz traditions. For more than 70 years, beginning at 1 a.m. and continuing until 5 a.m., the Cowtown’s top jazz artists have gathered at the museum to jam, generally after their paying gigs end and the bars close. But that’s now history, unless the State of Missouri grants an exemption, says Liquor Control head Vic Cook.

As it now turns out, the foundation never had a liquor license. Still it sold beer and mixed drinks, flying under the regulatory radar until late last month. That’s when police and liquor control stumbled onto its less-than-legal ways and told MMF it could no longer sell booze. Of course, they could give it away…

“They could stay open all night if they want,” Cook says. “But as soon as they charge admission or accept tips or money they come under the liquor laws.”

Plus nobody gets to sell booze after 3 a.m., which is when the MMF really gets rolling. And several bars and eateries have had their liquor licenses throttled back this year because of tighter code enforcement, Cook confirms.

Hey, no hard feelings toward the jazz scene, Cook emphasizes.

“Absolutely not — in fact I would say most of the people on my team like jazz, and it’s their favorite form of music.”

Longtime blues and jazz devotee Roger Naber says it’s a lowdown, dirty shame the foundation is getting hammered for selling booze.

“The fact is this place has been going on for years, and it’s spawned people like Big Joe Turner, Count Basie and Charlie Parker,” Naber says. “I think the place hasn’t done anything but good for the city — it’s never done any harm.”

Established in 1917 as a union hall for black musicians, it was once known as the Colored Musicians Union. But there’s no such animal as a historical exemption, Cook says.

“I’ve never come across anything like that,” he says. “If we allow them (to stay open), we might as well allow everybody to stay open until 6 a.m. You know we have to treat everybody equally.”

One possible remedy: “The Missouri legislature would have to pass some statute or exemption to the statute because it’s a state law,” Cook says.

Naber concurs. “That law just needs to be rewritten,” he says. “The Mutual Musicians Foundation needs to find somebody to go to Jefferson City and fight for them.”

Keeping on alert

MMF board member Betty Crow says $8 cover charges at jam sessions now nets attendees complimentary soft drinks and chips. Until such time — the good Lord willing — as they can fire the alcohol sales back up.

Crow wants everyone to know the jams are still being kicked out from 1 to 5 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Attendance has been down, “but there’s been rumors that we were closed,” she says. “We’re just trying to figure out what we can do. We’d like to continue with the liquor because people enjoy it with their music. We want to maintain this wonderful national landmark.”

The $64 million question: Can they make it without liquor sales? “I’m not sure that we could,” Crow says. “I mean, we’re trying to, but I doubt it. You know, we’re not very profitable.”

The organization is supported by about 100 members paying $65 a year, plus what it takes in at the door and from grants and donations. Donations are accepted through the Historic Jazz Foundation Inc. P.O. Box 270612, Kansas City, Mo. 64127.

Pryde of Westport

Modern-day Westport pioneer John Perucca died last week. Perucca founded Pryde’s Old Westport, a 38-year-old “gourmet housewares and kitchen accessories store” at 115 Westport Road. His obituary in Sunday’s Star described him as “sometimes controversial, sometimes contrary, sometimes downright ornery, he always spoke his mind and wasn’t afraid to have the courage of his conviction.”

I’ll vouch for that. In the late ’80s while I was running The Pitch, we had a story about violence in Westport. Bar czar Dave McQuitty was unhappy about it. But so was Perucca, McQuitty’s polar opposite. He called me in on his carpet for a good, old-fashioned chastising. Dutifully I went and after about three hours and a few Jack & Cokes in his apartment above the store, Perucca put me in my proper place, and I departed with no small amount of respect for his views.

“He was one of the foundations of Westport in its early days of being an entertainment district,” says Westport community leader Bill Nigro. “And he was one of the ones who started the Westport Improvement Association, which is now effectively the Westport Community Improvement District. He was a John Wayne, old-school kind of guy and absolutely loved the neighborhood. He was a big part of Westport’s beginnings when the River Quay fell.”