by Kelly Rogge
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Jazz by the Lake Concert Series just got a huge boost in the form of a new funding sponsor.
Midwest Regional Credit Union donated $3,000 to the annual concert series earlier this month. Jim Mair, associate professor of music at KCKCC, said the support is “huge.”
“It costs around $5,000 per year to put the series on, so a $3,000 donation is substantial as we continue to present the best Kansas City Jazz and National Jazz to our community,” he said. “This donation will pay for six concerts. Most concerts cost $500 for the music alone. We will also provide a light lunch, free of charge.”
Jazz by the Lake is a monthly concert series held on the first Thursday of each month, September-December and February-May in the Conference Center on the KCKCC main campus. The series is a collaborative effort between the Kansas City Jazz Alliance, the Intercultural Center, Media Services and the Music Department.
“The series has the intimacy of a ‘living room’ concert,” Mair said. “It’s very intimate and up close and personal. It starts promptly at noon and ends at 1 p.m. so the concert is predictable. It’s also entertaining and fun.”
Mair said having donations from community businesses and organizations allows the concert series to continue without funding from the college. He said partnering with Midwest Regional Credit Union is the “perfect match.”
“This is a wonderful donation and sponsorship,” he said. “The credit union name and logo will be on all of the printed materials and advertising, and it’s right next door to our campus. The president and CEO is Thad Jones, and that is the same name as one of the most famous jazz musicians in history.”
For more information on the Jazz by the Lake Concert Series, contact Mair at 913-288-7149 or by email at [email protected].
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.