JAZZ BEAT: Matt Otto Jam plays Madrigall Thursday night

Saxophonist Matt Otto was raised in Los Angeles and spent time in Japan and New York before his wife took a job in Kansas City. He’d never been here before. “I didn’t think there would be a strong cultural element,” he says, “but I was wrong. When I got to Kansas City, I was amazed by the level of musicianship.” During his eight years here, Otto has elevated that level of jazz, through compositions and solos that tell stories in music, gliding through twists that capture your notice and invite you to listen more closely. He is hosting a new Thursday-night jam session at Madrigall with a rotating and cross-generational group of KC’s best jazz musicians. This week, he’s joined by vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Ryan Lee. The quartet takes the first hour, then other musicians are invited to join.

Matt Otto Jam
8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Madrigall, 1627 Oak (free)