Join us for our annual jazz concert to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan 16, the MLK holiday, at noon. The Doug Talley Quartet, this year with guest vocalist Lisa Henry, will be joining us in celebration of the life of Dr. King by playing a selection of music by African American composers. Come early to secure your seat as this is our most popular concert of the year.

The noontime concerts are free (donations accepted) and held in the sanctuary at Westport Presbyterian Church, 201 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO 64111.

This annual King celebration began in 2001 and honors the African American contribution to American culture. It has become a tradition for the concert to end with the audience helping to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black American National Anthem.In addition to honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., the concert focuses on the works of African American composters.

 Doug Talley Quartet 

Formed in 1995, the Doug Talley Quartet has performed at numerous festivals, concerts, clubs and schools throughout the Midwest, and during that time has recorded five CD’s.

Doug Talley has performed with such jazz luminaries as Jay McShann, Clark Terry, Bob Mintzer, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Bobby Watson, Karrin Allyson, Byron Stripling, Ignacio Berroa, Randy Brecker, Scott Robinson, and Gary Foster. He is a familiar face throughout the Midwest as a jazz performer and educator. Talley has also appeared at the 18th & Vine Festival, the Kansas Jazz and Blues Festival, the Kansas City Spirit Festival, the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival, Mayport Jazz Festival, and in Las Vegas with The Four Freshman, The Platters, and The Diamonds.

Talley is the recipient of the 2010 Kansas Governor’s Arts Award and the 2009 Johnson County Library Pinnacle Award for arts in education. His discography includes four recordings on the Sea Breeze label for the Trilogy and Boulevard Big Bands, several recordings for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Doug Talley Quartet’s five CDs, Town Topic — “…reminiscent of the Modern Jazz Quartet.” (Jam magazine), Night and Day – which received national airplay, Kansas City Suite – a musical depiction of the quartet’s hometown, By Request, an offering of the quartet’s most requested music, and Chess Players – the music of Wayne Shorter.

Charles Williams – piano: Williams has been performing in Kansas City for over 40 years, having backed up such Kansas City icons as Sonny Kenner, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Queen Bey, Angela Hagenbach, Sharon Thompson, The McFadden Brothers and Bobby Watson. He has also performed with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Ernie Wilkins and Cannonball Adderly. Charles performs regularly with the Louis Neal Orchestra and Ida McBeth, in addition to leading his own groups.

James Albright – bass: Albright holds a BA in music from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. While at the university he also performed with the Lincoln Symphony and the Omaha Symphony. Since moving to Kansas City in 1992, Albright has performed regularly with Coleen Cassidy, Tim Whitmer, Tom Jacobs and the Kansas City Bass Quartet and is principal bassist with the Northland Symphony Orchestra. The Might Mo Boxband is a subject of great focus and reward for Albright s.

Keith Kavanaugh – drums/cymbals: Kavanaugh is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston and has performed with Diane Schuur, Phil Wilson, Joshua Breakstone, Scott Robinson and many musicians on the Kansas City jazz scene. He is also a graduate of Park University where he studied art and graphic design. He has paintings in many corporate and private collections, and has designed more than 150 CD packages for musicians from coast-to-coast.

Guest Vocalist Lisa Henry

Lisa Henry’s professional jazz career began in the nightclubs of Kansas City at age 17. She was mentored by the great Hammond B-3 player, Everette Devan, and cut her big band “teeth”, performing with the Vince Bilardo Big Band and Steve Miller Orchestra.

Her recent accomplishments include the  televised PBS Special: In Performance at the White House; placing as first runner-up in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, International Jazz Ambassador to Africa, CD recordings, BET documentaries, and recognition as an international clinician and adjudicator. She also works as a jazz educator around the world.

Her international tours include Mumbai and Calcutta, India with Kenny Garrett; South America “Expo Cumbre” tour with Herbie Hancock; Southern and Eastern Africa tour with T.S. Monk, and a month-long performance and educational tour in Madagascar.

Throughout her career, Henry has, and continues to share the spotlight with many world renowned artists including: Herbie Hancock, Anita Baker, Kenny Garrett, Clark Terry, Nnenna Freelon, Ted Curson, Rosemary Clooney, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, Kevin Mahogany, Frank Mantooth, Norman Simmons, Ruben Alvarez, Tom “Bones” Malone, Lenny Pickett, Grady Tate, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack McDuff, T.S. Monk, Claude “Fiddler” Willliams, Carmel Jones, Doc Cheethem, Wayne Shorter and Lou Rawls.

Concert Logistics
Please remember that although our Noontime Concerts are free to everyone, we believe it is important to pay our talented artists and we ask that you consider making a contribution if possible. If you can help support the noontime series, donate here or at the concert.

The Noontime Concerts previously were known as the Brown Bag series. However, following the pandemic, the name has been changed to Noontime Concerts and audience members are now asked not to bring a lunch as eating is not allowed inside the church. Audiences are, however, welcome to stay and visit with the performers from a distance after the concert.

Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.