MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014
PAGE 16
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Local restaurant provides space for jazz music
DYLAN GUTHRIE news@kansan.com
Without jazz music, humankind would not have rock 'n' roll, hip-hop, electronic music, or any other modern genres that circulate our venues, our radio stations and everywhere in between. Though jazz music is not as popular as when the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Count Basie and Duke Ellington were on the scene, Five Bar and Tables at 10th and Massachusetts Streets devotes Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m., to jazz.
It all started in 2010 when Ingredient and Five Bar and Tables owner
Nick Wysong met the musicians who now make up Lawrence-based jazz combo, Blueprint Jazz.
"I'm a huge music fanatic dude, I love it," Wysong said. "It's my gig the whole day. I only wish that it was a talent that I possessed. I've never owned that certain talent, so I try to surround myself with people who possess that talent."
Thus, Blueprint Jazz was born.
Wysong ran into Lucas Parker, Dave Wasecha, Max Allsbrooks and Tommy Johnson Jr., and the jazz musicians started the tradition of playing Friday nights at what was then called the Ibar.
Dave Wasecha, the bassist for Blueprint Jazz, graduated from the University in 2012 with a degree in microbiology, but he also played in the University's top combo and big band under the direction of Professor Dan Gailey. He now lives in Kansas City, Mo., but he comes back every weekend to play.
"These kids are KU musical geniuses," Wysong said. "This was a start of a revolution for [Five Bar]."
You can have great music, but nobody will ever know about it until you have a great venue
Max Allsbrooks, a Lawrence native, has been playing drums with the group since its inception.
"We finally have a full house almost every week. The great thing now is
that college kids or people right out of college are starting to come here," Allsbrooks said. "If you're looking for something different and downtown, this is the place."
Five Bar and Tables allows Blueprint Jazz a regular venue to expose Lawrencians to jazz.
"You can have great music, but nobody will ever know about it until you have a great venue." Wasecha said.
Tommy Johnson, son of local trumpet legend Tommy Johnson Sr., started Blueprint Jazz back in 2010.
Unfortunately, in October of last year, Johnson Jr. was diagnosed with a condition that left his entire face
DAVE WASESCHA
Blueprint Jazz bassist
paralyzed. Friends and doctors alike did not know whether or not he would ever be able to play trumpet again.
However, Johnson Jr. is recovering rapidly. On May 6 he played his first gig since October. According to Wasecha, Johnson should be fully recovered and back in the regular Blueprint lineup by the end of the summer.
In 2012, the Ibar underwent a massive renovation and a name change. Now music is played there four nights a week.
Louella Baccaro came to Lawrence in 1963 and she rarely misses Friday or Saturday nights at Five Bar and Tables.
"We heard some good jazz at the Jazzhaus originally, but there was a long spell where we heard no jazz, so it's wonderful to have jazz back in town again", Baccaro said. "Jazz is good for the soul."
Five Bar and Tables attracts young people as well, such as University student McKenzie Dever, who came to Five Bar one Friday evening in June.
"I like that there's live music here every Friday," Dever said. "It's not a DJ, which is different. We also come for half-priced martinis. It's a good price for a good buzz."
Blueprint Jazz features a revolving door of jazz musicians, most of which have been a part of the KU Jazz program at one point or another. One of these musicians is guitar player Joe Schoonover who also played for the University's top jazz combo and subbed for Lucas Parker last Friday evening.
Schoonover said he thinks it's important for people to hear jazz music.
"It's the blend of African rhythms and European harmonies," he said. "The way they came up with virtuosity and melodically navigating music was such a huge thing. It was so nuts. That's why still today, people are falling in love with it."
Edited by Kaitlyn Klein
From left to right: Dave Wasecha, Carl Spaeth, Max Allbrooks and Joe Schoonover perform in the band Blueprint Jazz in the front of Five Bar and Tables at 947 Massachusetts St.
DYLAN GUTHRIE/KANSAN
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