Jazz Beat: New Jazz Order at Green Lady Lounge

In a city with at least nine big bands — ranging from the black-suited formality of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra to the original mayhem of the People’s Liberation Big Band — New Jazz Order (NJO) stands out. While some large ensembles claim a musical niche, NJO’s jazz spans classic Count Basie to the more modern charts of Thad Jones and Maria Schneider. Led by trumpeter Clint Ashlock, these exceptional musicians riff tightly and solo loosely each Tuesday night. The first Tuesday of the month finds them at the Green Lady Lounge, where the environment is like stepping back into the big-band era. Rarely do sound and surroundings mesh better than they do here.