Rhythm Pickin’ Good

Is there anything more quintessentially Kansas City than gnawing meat directly off the bone and licking tangy barbecue sauce from your fingertips while tapping your foot to some sexy jazz beats? Canceled last summer due to fundraising challenges, the Rhythm & Ribs Jazz & Blues Festival returns today to the historic 18th and Vine District’s American Jazz Museum (1616 East 18th Street). It features three stages and 15 nationally known jazz and blues artists from across the country, including trumpeter Nicholas Payton, ’70s funk chart-toppers Sugarfoot’s Ohio Players, and a tribute to influential soul musician Donny Hathaway. And the event provides even more hometown flavor by serving up some of KC’s finest barbecue. Gates open
at 11 a.m., and performances continue until 11 p.m. Advance tickets cost $18 ($10 for kids, $12 for seniors) and are available through Ticketmaster or by calling 816-474-6262. See americanjazzmuseum.com. — Angela Lutz

Sat., Oct. 9, 2010