05/17/02

A tribute of music and money
By Steve Penn, The Kansas City Star
 

Tonight the Gem Theater will be filled with the sounds of great jazz .

That, in itself, is nothing unusual. Plenty of musicians have performed at the Gem.

But tonight's Coda  Jazz  Fund  benefit  concert will be different - very different.

The musicians will be taking the stage tonight to help honor the jazz  musicians who will always be the cornerstones of Kansas City's musical heritage.

Musicians such as Oliver Todd.

Todd, a noted jazz  pianist and trumpeter who befriended Charlie Parker, was one of the 38 original Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz  and the leader of the Hottentots of the 1930s.

When Todd died last year, there wasn't enough money for a grave marker.

Earlier this week, singer Marsha Bland took me to Todd's widow, Bernice Todd.

Back in 1999, Bernice Todd did something smart: She purchased a funeral and burial plan for her husband. Oliver Todd died July 16, 2001, at age 83. As a result of Bernice Todd's foresight, a fitting service for her husband was held at a local funeral home.

I was there that day. I wrote a column on Oliver Todd's magnificent musical career - which included receiving the Kansas City Jazz  Heritage Award in 1992 - and the remarkable display of affection displayed by the local jazz  community on his behalf.

But a grave marker wasn't included in the package and Bernice Todd couldn't come up with the money. Holding a fund -raiser was out of the question.

"I just had a beautiful husband," Bernice Todd said. "Someday I want to get him what he deserves."

Bernice Todd is often asked by her children when a marker will be placed at her husband's grave in Forest Hill Cemetery.

Someday, she tells them.

Bernice Todd works two days a week as a librarian. She's 82, and she doesn't have the money for the grave marker.

Jazz  musicians everywhere should support the Coda  Jazz  Fund , said singer Kevin Mahogany.

Mahogany is among the performers tonight at the benefit  concert. He has come to the aid of local jazz  musicians before. He participated in a fund -raiser several years ago that assisted the Kansas City Jazz  Ambassadors' Musicians Emergency Assistance Fund .

"Obviously, I have an affinity for it," Mahogany said. "We definitely need something like this. And not just in Kansas City, but lots of places.

"You've got to support this. I would sure want someone to be there for me if I had a problem."

Mahogany is eager to put his extraordinary vocal skills to use for a good cause.

"I'm looking forward to coming back," Mahogany said. "After all, I spent most of my life in Kansas City."

Thanks to the performers - such as Mahogany - to the benefit concert's audience and to the countless people who have already given to the Coda  Jazz  Fund , those musicians who are such an integral part of Kansas City's legacy will be assured rightful tributes.

In return, those of us involved in the Coda  Jazz  Fund  - be it musician, concertgoer or financial contributor - know we are helping to honor Kansas City's history.

It will be a special time tonight at the Gem.

After all, those of us there will get to share a night of great music that will always be the soul of this city.

Tickets to the concert can still be purchased by calling (816) 474-6262 or at the Gem Theater box office at 1616 E. 18th St.

To reach Steve Penn, call (816) 234-4417 or send e-mail to spenn@kcstar.com