Flutienastiness Flute Studio Showcase 3PM Free
Join us for an afternoon of delightful performances featuring students from the Kansas City Kansas Community College Flute Studio, Amber Flutienastiness Underwood's Private Flute Studio, special performances from Kansas City Academy led by Tyree Johnson, and students from the Comprehensive Arts Institute led by James Ward and Angela Ward.
James Ward
Bassist, bandleader, and master craftsman James Ward has been a defining force in Kansas City’s jazz scene since founding the James Ward Band at the Blue Room in 1997, blending contemporary jazz with funk, Latin, gospel, and R&B into a sound as warm and communal as the city’s storied 18th & Vine district. A Florida A&M alum whose bass chops have placed him alongside Marcus Roberts, Wycliffe Gordon, Nat Adderley, Bobby Watson, and Oleta Adams, Ward anchors a true Kansas City family ensemble with pianist Angela Ward and their son, DownBeat‑recognized drummer Jaylen Ward. Beyond the bandstand, Ward builds his own instruments, photographs the city’s creative pulse, and runs a bustling workshop that mirrors the band’s DIY spirit. We are honored to receive his stories and wisdom as a creator whose hands, history, and hometown have helped sculpt the very sound Kansas City now claims as its own.
Amber Underwood, Flutienastiness:
Bending genres with the same ease she bends air through silver, Amber “Flutienastiness” Underwood has emerged as one of Kansas City’s most electric contemporary jazz voices, a classically trained flutist whose sound lives at the crossroads of soul, R&B, and modern jazz. A KC native who began performing at eight, Underwood pairs deep academic chops—degrees in flute performance, arts administration, music business, and music education—with a performance style shaped by influences like Bobbi Humphrey, Hubert Laws, and Nestor Torres. Her project, Flutienastiness & the SoulPatrol, flips the script on the flute’s traditional supporting role, pushing it to the front line with grit, warmth, and a show‑stopping stage presence that has taken her from the Blue Room to the Kauffman Center and onto international stages, including representing Kansas City and the U.S. at UNESCO’s North American Creative Cities Forum. With her debut album This Is Me earning international attention and a reputation for high‑energy, fashion‑forward performances, Underwood arrives as a modern soul‑jazz force—an artist redefining what the flute can be and how boldly it can lead.
Tyree Johnson
A powerhouse drummer and one of Kansas City’s musical architects, Tyree Johnson has built a career defined by precision, feel, and a deep commitment to the city’s rhythmic lineage. Long before launching the newly formed Kansas City Drum Academy, Johnson carved out his place as a first‑call percussionist—an artist whose blend of gospel fire, jazz fluency, and groove‑driven instinct has made him a go‑to collaborator across the region. His playing is marked by a rare combination of technical clarity and emotional weight, the kind of drumming that doesn’t just keep time but shapes the entire contour of a performance. With the Drum Academy, Johnson is expanding his reach, channeling decades of professional experience into a space designed to cultivate the next generation of Kansas City drummers. Whether onstage or in the practice room, he stands as a creative force whose beat continues to push the city forward.
Greenwood Social Hall is located on the second floor of a historical building accessible only by an exterior flight of concrete stairs.