Unlike most live music, jazz is nearly always unscripted. The art form is rooted in freedom and individuality.
And a new club in Old Town wants to celebrate that music.
For this month’s ArtWorks, Torin Andersen talked with Gary Jones and his son, Walker, about their new venue, Walker’s Jazz Lounge.
“Maybe not in there. But I mean, from what I saw on Friday, we're going to need every single bit of space that we have.”
“We had a little test drive party Friday night for family and friends.”
Gary and Walker Jones are putting on the finishing touches to their venue, Walker’s Jazz Lounge. However, Wichita’s newest Jazz Lounge was originally intended to be a sports bar.
“Well, my gosh, I mean.”
“Number one there’s a lot of sports bars in Wichita.”
“There’s not a whole ton of opportunity in terms of that purview. I would say the whole jazz lounge definitely developed after we learned that my pops on here was on the jazz board for a good while, almost 10 years–”
“For seven years now.”
Wichita has a long history with jazz music through some smaller clubs, and the Wichita Jazz Festival is also a big part of that history.
“The Lancers Club downtown there by Century II was the place in the Midwest for a long time, Sinatra. I mean all the players played there. And of course the Jazz Festival over its 52 years now. You name any jazz artist that has any notoriety from the past 50 years and they played at the Wichita Jazz Festival.”
Wichita also has several notable collegiate jazz programs.
“So we're also wanting to make sure that we're embracing the educational aspect of what we can do here in town, and giving these aspiring musicians a place to come play in a true lounge setting.”
Walker’s Jazz Lounge intends to be a relaxed environment suitable for conversation over craft cocktails while listening to live music. There is also a focus on music playback.
“My involvement with Living Sound, which I founded in 2010 - one of the real important ingredients in the lounge was quality sound. We've got speakers overhead that really fill the space well and, and just let people experience vinyl.”
Don’t think you have to be a jazz aficionado to visit.
“I don't want this to become simply a place where people want to come and our target market is so tuned in to simply that crowd that we miss out on it just being a fun place before dinner or after dinner to have a date.”
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Walker’s Lounge’s first big performance is a Christmas special from Kansas native Donna Tucker, December 15 and 16. Go to walkersjazzlounge.com
