Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we talk with Journalist and Author Con Chapman about his 2023 book Kansas City Jazz: A Little Evil Will Do You Good. This acclaimed Boston-area writer joins us for his second appearance on Neon Jazz, and as always, brings a deep well of insight, research, and storytelling.

The book is the first comprehensive study of Kansas City jazz in more than 15 years, drawing on new research to explore how this uniquely American sound emerged from the Midwest and evolved into a defining jazz sub-genre. Chapman profiles the musicians who shaped the scene, many of whom developed distinct styles within—and far beyond—the Kansas City jazz framework.

From Andy Kirk and the Twelve Clouds of Joy to Charlie Parker, we dig into the personalities, cultural forces, and musical innovations that created Kansas City’s unmistakable jazz identity. We cover the broader themes, the hot-button topics, and the human stories that brought this music to life. It’s always a wealth of Wisdom and knowledge. Dig this conversation.

📘 Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Kansas-City-Jazz-Popular-History/dp/1800502826

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Joe Dimino Podcaster/Artist

Joe Dimino has been writing & creating in a variety of capacities since his college days at the University of Missouri-Kansas City somewhere around 1993. If you are keeping score, that would be about 29 years+. It all began at UMKCs University News as a Sports Writer & turned into a myriad of expressive avenues. Inventing poems, art, video & audio has always been in the proverbial cards.