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Blue Room

The Blue Room is the American Jazz Museum's working jazz club — a living exhibit in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District with live performances every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Blue Room’s neon sign on 18th Street at dusk

Regular hours

DayHours
Monday7 PM – 10:30 PM
Friday5 PM – 11 PM
Saturday7 PM – 11 PM
Directions

Performances & cover

Friday

  • Indigo Hour, 5 PM — $5 (AJM members free)
  • Sets at 8:30 & 10 PM — $10 per set

Saturday

  • Sets at 8:30 & 10 PM — $10 per set

Monday

  • Jam Sessions, 7 PM — $10 (members, musicians & students free)

Jazz @ Noon — first & second Thursdays

  • Noon — Free

Some special shows are priced separately. See the full schedule and reserve tickets.

Upcoming events

DayDateEventTime
MonSep 21Monday Night Jam Session – Jaylen Ward7 pm Tickets
FriSep 25Indigo Hour – A Jazz Set with Rob Trib III5:30 pm Tickets
FriSep 25Houston Smith8:30 pm & 10 pm Tickets
SatSep 26Alan Voss Quartet8:30 pm & 10 pm Tickets
MonSep 28Monday Night Jam Session – NoMad7 pm Tickets
ThuOct 1Jazz @ Noon – Owen Pirch12 pm Tickets
FriOct 2Indigo Hour – Chalis O'Neal5:30 pm Tickets
FriOct 2Norman Liggins Band – A Night of Jazz8:30 pm & 10 pm Tickets
SatOct 3Nick Hmeljak8:30 pm & 10 pm Tickets
See full schedule & reserve tickets

History

In the 1930s, the Street Hotel located at 18th & The Paseo was known as a safe place for African American travelers. Included in The Negro Motorist Green Book, it’s where Jackie Robinson lived when he was in town. The hotel’s famous night club was called “The Blue Room.” Named after the famous lounge, our jazz club is both an exhibit and a venue that provides an intimate setting for performances from the best local and national jazz talent.

Saxophonist Bobby Watson playing at the Blue Room

FAQs

What is the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District?
18th & Vine is internationally recognized as one of the cradles of jazz music and a historic hub of African American businesses. Many jazz musicians of the 1930s and 1940s made 18th & Vine their home, Charlie Parker being the most notable of the era from Kansas City. Learn more about the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District and its vibrant community through the documentary film, “18th & Vine: A People’s Journey,” featured in the Horace M. Peterson III Visitor Center theater.
What is the Blue Room?
Named after the famed 1930s Street Hotel club in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, the Blue Room simultaneously honors the past and showcases the present names in jazz. A multifaceted exhibit highlighting the countless musicians who crafted “Kansas City jazz,” a sound known all over the world, the Blue Room also provides a distinctive platform to present dynamic performances from the best local and national jazz talent in an intimate setting. The Blue Room hosts over 20 lives shows each month.
Where can I hear live jazz?
The American Jazz Museum is proud to produce over 20 live jazz shows each month, not counting special performances and events. Our Blue Room is a living exhibit in our museum proper and operates as a live jazz club with performances on Monday evenings, the first and second Thursdays at noon, Friday happy hour and evening shows, and Saturday night sets. Special events and concerts are also hosted in the historic Gem Theater. See our events page for more information and upcoming show listings. Please note that our performance schedule varies each month.
Is there an age restriction or dress code?
There are no age restrictions at the Blue Room. There is no formal dress code — shirts and shoes required.