Alex Abramovitz and His Swing’n Kansas City Jazz Band Brought High-Energy Kansas City Jazz Worldwide on Jumpin’ on Grand –

Alex Abramovitz and His Swing’n Kansas City Jazz Band reminded us what live music was made for with Jumpin’ on Grand, a high-energy Kansas City jazz piece performed live at the Black Dolphin. Bringing the true Kansas City big band experience worldwide, Alex Abramovitz keeps his tempos timelessly reverent to the traditions created on the streets his sound now resounds across.

The swinging, kinetic bursts of high energy are composed to ensure that no one is left at the edge of their seat when there is a dancefloor to take to instead. There is an infectious zeal to the way the rhythms are rendered, as though the musicians’ enthusiasm is just as essential as pitch, timing, and technical precision. That looseness gives the track its life-force, making Jumpin’ on Grand feel celebratory and communal.

Founded in 2008, the band has grown through long-standing Kansas City residencies, including The Phoenix, Johnnie’s Jazz Bar-Mainstreet, and their weekly Black Dolphin show. Their sound pays deep homage to the golden-age lineage of Count Basie, Jay McShann, Andy Kirk’s Clouds of Joy, and Harlan Leonard’s Rockets, while carrying its own seven-piece identity into the present.

Jumpin’ on Grand was officially released on May 29^th and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast