Jazz Beat: The Prairie Village Jazz Festival, at Harmon Park

This Saturday at Harmon Park, the Prairie Village Jazz Festival brings a load of jazz talent to town. As the volunteer booker for this event, I would know — though these artists stand on their own. Among the headliners: Joe Lovano, whom DownBeat magazine’s annual Critics Poll has repeatedly named as the best tenor saxophonist in jazz today. His rich tone and free association of styles set his playing apart. Also appearing is singer Deborah Brown, who is little known here in her hometown but claims a wide audience in Europe. Worldwide, she is recognized as one of this generation’s great jazz voices for her amazing control and bebop style. Trumpeter Terell Stafford last performed in KC in February with Bobby Watson, and if the Blue Room’s roof could come off, Stafford would have blown it away that night. Also on deck: baritone singer Kevin Mahogany, a KC native and still a local favorite; the Project H and Shay Estes, both jazz-category winners in this year’s Pitch Music Awards; the Jazz Disciples and the Bram Wijnands Swingtet.