The Kansas City Five

Discuss the early days of the Club with the manager.
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admin
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The Kansas City Five

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A popular and talented group from the early days of the Iron Door Club, The Kansas City Five would have members that traveled in very successful circles later moving on to work with the Swinging Blue Jeans, Eric Clapton and the Average White Band.

I have been researching this topic for some time and have only recently written a short piece about the group.

I would be interested in your critique and any additional information that you may be able to add the this story of the KANSAS CITY FIVE.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm

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13_temple_street
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Re: The Kansas City Five

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It was early in 1960 that Count Basie appeared one evening at the Iron Door Club in Temple Street Liverpool 2. He wasn't alone a newspaper reporter from one of the tabloid's and his Saxaphone player accompanied him.
The Count Basie Orchestra were on tour,they had just performed at the Liverpool Empire.
The reporter introduced me to Basie during a long conversation he informed me of his days back in the Thirties playing clubs in Kansas City.
By the 1930s most of the jazz scene had shifted to Kansas City,Count Basie recalled that it was the first place he had really heard the blues played and sung as they should be.He hung out with pimps and prostitutes lying in the gutter,getting drunk with them.All of his band was like that.
On the bandstand passing joints around,his band played louder and faster.
He said he liked the atmosphere at the Iron Door it reminded him of his days in Kansas City.
When the opportunty occured to name a Rock and Roll band in 1961 I immediately thought of Count Basie and all the wonderful stories, never to be forgotten.
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13_temple_street
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Re: The Kansas City Five

Post by 13_temple_street »

There has been much speculation of choosing a name for the Kansas City Five also the additional sixth person in the band's line-up; it was important not to deviate from William "Count" Basie's original name he referred to as his short band.
William "Count" Basie's first European tour was undertaken in 1954 I suspect this recording is from that period.
I have no recollection or details regarding the Kansas City Five's recording at the Iron Door 1962; I remember purchasing a Grundig reel to reel recording machine to record Freddie Starr and the KC5.Bruce MaGaskill promptly became the guardian of the machine.I suspect that the Searchers now famous promotional tapes were also recorded on this machine, not by Bruce.
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