Jazz Beat: Bill McKemy Quintet, at Take Five Coffee + Bar

It’s not every day that the bass is the standout instrument in a group. But then again, it’s not every day that the bass player is Bill McKemy. The man, who is education director of the American Jazz Museum by day, is as much composer as he is bassist. His compositions and playing are always engaging, smartly riding the edge between traditional jazz and the adventurously modern.

McKemy is often found with the ensemble Parallax, either on upright bass or with a hulking sousaphone over his shoulders. Saturday night at Take Five, McKemy pulls together his own ensemble, surrounding himself with a collection of KC’s young dynamos, including Clint Ashlock on trumpet, Rich Wheeler on tenor sax, T.J. Martley on piano and Brian Steever on drums.