LaVerne moved to New York around 1940, roughly the same time as Charlie Parker. Pendergast died in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary a few years later. With that the fun ended in Kansas City and musicians began to look for work elsewhere. Soon after (no connection) political powerbroker “Boss” Tom Pendergast was indicted for tax evasion. Musical instruments were sold and no longer allowed in Barker Temple. Attending church on Sunday morning was a “have to” for LaVerne and a “maybe” to the others, so he learned to do a good job of selling the merits of attending and playing in the swinging band at his father’s church.Ī tragic bus accident in 1938 ended the church band. A building at 1823 Highland is now known as the Mutual Musicians Foundation.Īs a young man, he would jam all night at the Union Hall and then entice musicians with breath mints and coffee to join him at his father’s church. As a teenager, LaVerne became a prominent member of the local 627 of the Black Musicians Protective Union. They were featured while traveling with Pastor Barker as he spread the gospel across Missouri and other states.īlack children in Kansas City of the ‘20s and ‘30s were exposed to excellent musical instruction in public schools. In the 1930s, the Barker Temple often had an enormous band. There are four churches in the 18 th and Vine Jazz District.īarker Temple, north of 18 th Street on Highland Avenue, was founded by LaVerne Barker’s father. (Contributed) “LaVerne “Big L” Barker – a seminal figure in Kansas City jazz LaVerne Barker poses with his bass for Dan White, a local photographer.

“I wanted to write it down, about who he was,” Basse said. In response to a query by Jeanne Blomster, a Kansas City jazz lover who wanted to learn more about “Big L” and his role in City Light Orchestra, Flatland searched the archives at LaBudde Special Collections at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.īut Basse offered to do us one better. He wrote the following, a story of Barker’s life and journey. “He even showed me the hotel he and Charlie Parker lived in in the ‘40s.” “Traveling around with LaVerne was really something. These days, Basse hosts a jazz show from his home, plays gigs when he can and writes.īasse recounted one memorable trip to New York where “Big L” gave him the grand tour of the city and clubs where he once played. Basse founded City Light Orchestra, a jazz band that played everywhere in the 1980s. So fun, and so funny,” said David Basse, Barker’s former bandmate and a well-known local jazz vocalist and drummer in Kansas City. But shine the spotlight on local greats and eventually it lands on LaVerne Barker, a jazz bass player who played with the legends themselves.

Kansas city jazz district