NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:                                           CONTACT:  Betsy Donnelly

July 26, 2005                                                 Phone 913.236.7757

                                                                        Email           Betsy@kansascitymusic.com

LOCAL CHARITIES BENEFIT FROM

KANSAS CITY MUSIC BLUES AND JAZZ FESTIVAL

Concert Attendees Select From Four Area Organizations

KANSAS CITY, KS – Music lovers can give back to the community when they attend the 2005 Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival Sept. 3-4 at the Woodlands Horse Track.

Specifically, show organizers are donating $2.50 for each advanced ticket they sell during the Labor Day jazz extravaganza to four Kansas City-area charities, including Midland Hospice, Youth Arts Consortium (YAC), KC Fee Health Clinic and PUPS-Without-Partners.org.  According to Mark Valentine, festival founder, Kansas City jazz has been such a big part of the area’s history that jazz enthusiasts want to do more for the community than provide good music.

“Midwest jazz lovers have big hearts, so I’m sure we’ll make a healthy impact on these important organizations,” says Valentine.

Midland Hospice is one of those organizations.  With roots dating back to 1978,
the organization was formed when a group of people concerned for the quality of life for the dying formed Hospice of Topeka.  Their dedication and commitment formed the foundation for the continuum of services offered by Midland Hospice today. The organization was incorporated in 1979 and through extensive fundraising and educational efforts, the mission began to spread across the community.

Likewise, KC Free Health Clinic is designed to promote health and wellness services at no charge to people without access to basic care.  The clinic works to accomplish its goals by respecting the dignity of each individual, serving a diverse community, providing outreach services within the community, working collaboratively with volunteers, fostering individual and community partnerships and responding to the changing health and wellness needs of the community.

Of course, Pups Without Partners was a natural choice for show organizers.   Through their Adopt a Greyhound program, the organization relies on fundraising to place retired Greyhounds in the Kansas City or greater Kansas City area.

The Youth Arts Consortium (YAC) rounds out the list of charitable partners for this event.  This organization’s mission is to create interactive, educational experiences connecting youth and seniors throughout Kansas City.  The consortium is a joint effort in combination with Theater for Young America, The Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz, Kansas City Youth Jazz and Chameleon Community Outreach.

Concert-goers can select which charitable partner they would like to receive the $2.50 donation by going to the Sponsor page and clicking TicketMaster logo on the festival website, www.KansasCityMusic.com.  Tickets can also be purchased by phone by calling TicketMaster at 816-931-3330.  Tickets are only $17.50; children under 12 are free with a paid adult. 

Festival doors will open at 11 a.m. with opening acts getting underway at noon. The show will go on throughout the day and evening, until the last of the entertainers takes their final bow.

To date, organizers have booked such popular national and local artists as John Lee Hooker, Jr., Billy Paul, Joanna Connor, Chubby Carrier, Sons of Brasil, Big Woody Blues Review, Haji Ahkba, Millage Gilbert, KARMA, Old School Knights, Camp Harlow, Cotton Candy and Boulevard Big Band - and more to come.

Meanwhile, the Woodlands offers concert-goers a covered grandstand, free parking and patrolled parking lots.

The show's sponsors are still coming on board for this major musical event, but those leading the way include 75th Street Brewery, Barley's, O'Dowd's Little Dublin, the Blue Moose Bar & Grill, KC Online, BNSF Railway, RawhideDirect.com, and Big Dude's Music City.  Media sponsors include Hot 103 Jamz, Magic 107.3, and all the Kansas Cumulus radio stations, including   KMAJ 107.7, V100,  93.3 The Eagle,   US103, KMAJ 1440AM and KTOP 1490AM.

For more information and up-to-date additions to the show, visit the Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival website at www.kansascitymusic.com.

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