Kansas musician Kelley Hunt will close out the 2026 Wichita Jazz Festival on Saturday at Wave on a bill that includes the Delano Jazz Orchestra. Hunt will be accompanied by the band The 5 for the evening.
Recognized for her seamless blend of multiple genres, including jazz, blues, and R&B, Hunt has remained a stalwart figure within the greater Kansas music scene, amassing an impressive run of albums and live performances.
She recently spoke about her upcoming show at Wave.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You're closing out the Wichita Jazz Festival this year. Have you played the festival before?
I know I’ve played other festivals there and The Cotillion. Honestly, I can’t remember if I’ve played the Wichita Jazz Festival before, but it’s got such a cool lineup. We’re going to be at Wave, which is kind of a groovy spot. The last time I was at Wave it was a solo show, and I was part of a benefit for Jenny Wood. It was a soulful day and I’m going to be dedicating a couple things to her when we get there Saturday. She was such a bright light. I remember she opened for us one time at The Cotillion and we had a nice visit.
It’s kind of perfect that I’m bringing The 5 with me because these players do a lot of fun, improvisational things. We do them no matter where we play, but it’s really fitting for this setting, especially James Albright on acoustic bass. Whoa! He’s an incredible player out of Kansas City, and he’s a really wonderful improvisational player. Our drummer Brandon Graves is the same way. Lights out.
I’ll be on the piano, playing some guitar and doing what I do. I’ve got two amazing singers with me. Vocals are a big part of this group, LaToya and Cardon Bolen, from Kansas City. Y’all better look out! [Laughs.]
[Laughs.]
They’re really great, too. We’ve had a lot of fun together, and I’m really happy to bringing this particular show to Wichita. We have so many friends there. I have such a history there, thanks to you all and the great audiences. I’m psyched. I’m ready to come back to Wichita.
Just thinking about your musical history, jazz and blues are both important to you. They intersect and in some places they’re not viewed as being that different.
They’re intertwined and there’s not just one type of jazz or one type of blues or Americana/roots music. There are very blurry lines between these genres. I’ve always been kind of a blurry line genre in my own right because I write most of what we do and I’m so influenced by those things: blues, R&B, soul, jazz, because I grew up with that stuff. And New Orleans music, which is everything under the sun. It’s like a big old gumbo pot of stuff.
I feel it’s a good fit and I’m really happy to be asked to be part of this thing. We’re bringing it!
