"A big juicy wedge of jazz history. . . . Lots of wonderful stories." -- Los Angeles Daily News "Kansas City was a hub for Jazz bands that crisscrossed the country in the 1930s. . . . The interviews go beyond jazz into the infamous political machinery that made Kansas City a wide-open and corrupt town where jazz could flourish." -- Choice "A wealth of stories, a good measure of entertainment and a valuable stab at history -- not to mention some great pictures." -- The Kansas City Star

Most visitors know all about Kansas City’s barbecue, jazz, and football success, but there are hidden gems and wild pieces of trivia around every turn in Missouri’s largest city. Is the giant Hereford bull anatomically correct? Can a seed that’s been to outer space still grow into a normal tree? And who really killed President William Henry Harrison? You’ll find answers to the questions you didn’t know you had in Secret Kansas City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Learn why three completely unrelated groups have chosen Kansas City as the center of the world and the place you want to be when the world ends. Between these covers, you’ll also find castles, a horse buried in a cul-de-sac, a ghost who likes a good laugh, and the world’s longest snake. This is not a tour guide for outsiders; it’s a scavenger hunt—insiders only, please. Longtime Kansas Citian Anne Kniggendorf is at your service to bolster your love and boost your respect for this middle-of-the-map city. With her eye for the odd leading the way, you’ll have a great time discovering Kansas City.

Go Chiefs Go!" captures the magic of the Kansas City Chiefs season for young Chiefs fans that lead to a victory in Super Bowl LIV. This book tells the story of the Kansas City Chiefs 2019 season that lead to the team's first Super Bowl in 50 years. The book records the wonderful and historic season in an easy-to-read and colorful format. Full color illustrations introduce children and adults alike to the pride and joy of being a Chiefs fan. The book also helps keep the memories of a trip to the Super Bowl alive for young readers to experience again and again. Description: It had been 50 years since Chiefs fans had a chance to celebrate a Super Bowl victory. But through the legendary play of Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the grit and determination of his teammates, that moment finally arrived! Fans along with the players had an unwaivering belief that at times seemed to will the team to victory. But it wasn't an easy road. There were times when it appeared the season might not turn out the way the Chiefs Kingdom had hoped. But the Chiefs battled to overcome setbacks to triumph in the playoffs over teams that had beaten them. Even in the Super Bowl when it seemed like the game was slipping away the Chiefs dug down deep and found a way to not only comeback but to take control in a way that let everyone know victory was never in doubt. "Go Chiefs Go!" allows fans to relive those incredible victories and more as they follow their team on the road to glory and secure their legacy among the great Chiefs teams of the past and shine as the best team in professional football! "Go Chiefs Go!" is an official publication of the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs!

A collection of sinister stories set in Kansas City features contributions from such noted mystery authors as Daniel Woodrell, Nancy Pickard, and J. Malcolm Garcia.

The New Yorker recently referred to Pat Metheny as “possibly the most influential jazz guitarist of the past five decades.” A native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, just southeast of Kansas City, Metheny started playing in pizza parlors at age fourteen. By the time he graduated from high school he was the first-call guitarist for Kansas City jazz clubs, private clubs, and jazz festivals. Now 66, he attributes his early success to the local musical environment he was brought up in and the players and teachers who nurtured his talent and welcomed him into the jazz community. Metheny's twenty Grammys in ten categories speak to his versatility and popularity. Despite five decades of interviews, none have conveyed in detail his stories about his teenage years. Beneath Missouri Skies also reveals important details about jazz in Kansas City during the sixties and early seventies, often overlooked in histories of Kansas City jazz. Yet this time of cultural change was characterized by an outstanding level of musicianship. Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer shows how his keen sense of ensemble had its genesis in his school band under the guidance of a beloved band director. Drawn from news accounts, archival material, interviews, and remembrances, to which the author had unique access, Beneath Missouri Skies portrays a place and time from which Metheny still draws inspiration and strength.

Ranging from ragtime to bebop and from Bennie Moten to Charlie Parker, this work aims to capture the golden age of Kansas City jazz. It showcases the lives of the great musicians who made Kansas City swing, with profiles of jazz figures such as Mary Lou Williams, Big Joe Turner, and others.