The primary objective of the Choral Music Program at KCKCC is to educate the students and the community about vocal ensemble music through stylistic variety and tonal diversity, based on historical precedent. This objective is achieved by exposing choir members to music of different nationalities and/or cultures and their commitment to recreate a unique tone quality that identifies with the cultural environment of each composition.
 
The KCKCC Vocal Jazz Program takes pride in performing professional-level vocal jazz ensemble literature. The music within today’s program represents a crossover of the jazz and popular music idioms. The students in the Vocal Jazz program learn Jazz Education through a variety of methods. First of all, several of the students take private vocal jazz coachings 
weekly. They also perform music by professional vocal ensembles, arrangements by well-known vocal jazz educators, and learn jazz and popular music standards (both through the ensemble and within the private coachings). Lastly, 2/3 of the vocalists in our program are on full-tuition vocal music scholarship from the college (where they can be any major, but must participate in choir and applied voice). 

Director BIO:
John Stafford II is currently the Director of Choral Music Activities at Kansas City Kansas Community College. He was previously appointed at Millikin Univiersity and Eastern Illinois University teaching music composition, theory and orchestration. He holds degrees from Millikin University, Bowling Green State University, and is completing a doctorate from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Among his professional activities, Professor Stafford serves as the Jazz and Show Choir Chair of the Kansas Choral Directors Association; he is also a member of National Association for Music Educators, Jazz Educators Network, and American Choral Directors Association. Also, Stafford was just appointed in August 2014 as the Director of Music at Community Christian Church in Kansas City, MO.

The Standard, is the award-winning contemporary vocal jazz ensemble from Kansas City Kansas Community College. They have recently been invited performed at the national conferences of the Jazz Education Network, the American Choral Directors Association, and the National Association for Music Education. The Standard has also been selected to perform at the Kansas Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop, the New York Voices Jazz Festival, the Real Group Festival, the New York City Jazz Festival at Jazz at the Lincoln Center and has received a number #1 rating at the University of Northern Colorado/Greeley Jazz Festival. Within the last three years, members of the The Standard have won seven Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards for Outstanding Performance, Live Engineered Recording, Studio Engineered Recording, and Outstanding Soloist in the Community College category. The group has shared the stage with such highly acclaimed artists as Take 6, The New York Voices, m-pact, Carmen Bradford, Dianne Reeves and Marilyn Maye. In December of 2018, The Standard released their first studio recording, Feelin’ Good, and the album has been played on radio stations in over a half dozen states throughout the Midwest. In Spring 2020, The Standard will digitally release their first single recording of Justin Binek’s composition, Reparations, and in Spring 2021, the ensemble will release their second studio album.

An upcoming R&B artist that wants to inspire the world with his music. Started singing at 14 and decided that I wanted to be an artist at 16. Singing is a passion and inspiring others to achieve anything they put their mind to is what I want to do. Being a legend in music and inspiring others is what I want to achieve. New Mixtape "After Thoughts" coming soon!

We are a 6 piece vocal group based out of Kansas City, KS. We all met in vocal jazz and choir at KCKCC and love making music with our voices. 

Ivy Roots’ serene and soulful eclectic sounds are influenced by 90s Rnb, crafted, and evolved by indie soul inspirations. This jazzy pop artist recreates herself consistently as a classic and unique illumination in up and coming music. The acoustic guitar strumming soulstress is an Austin transplant from Kansas City.
Ivy recently released her 3rd musical project “Love Art Growth 2” and has been featured on A&R Factory as “stripped back soul”.  Ivy Roots was featured along with the dungeon family in Compose Yourself Magazine’s “2019 SXSW Highlights” ;
"...Serving up warm, buttery melodies on her guitar, Ivy’s vocal range was seriously impressive – from smoky and pensive to deep and soul-tingling, Ivy Roots has a uniquely soulful yet rock n roll influenced sound that caught me off guard. Though I’d only caught 30 minutes of her set, it felt like time had stopped inside of Shangri-La. I was captivated by her sound, and I know without a doubt that I wasn’t the only one who became a fan that day.”
Ivy’s love for music began in church & school. Coming from Kansas City, Ivy Roots grew a love for live music in the 18th & Vine jazz district, which is the origin of many notable artists and musicians.
“I was studying audio engineering at Kansas City Kansas Community College, while touring in a 5 piece reggae band. I sang in a vocal jazz group and had the opportunity to perform at the Lincoln center of performing arts jazz festival in NY. At that point I was inspired to pursue music as a career.  That summer I traveled to LA to perform and model for Coca-Cola during the B.E.T. awards weekend. I was collaborating with so many amazing artists in LA I was inspired to release my 1st album “Bad Intuition” and Ivy Roots was born.”
Ivy Roots Band recently shared some festivals with Fitz and the Tantrums and Young and the Giant. When interviewed by Volcom (Red) as a Fem portrait during SXSW on what inspired her, Ivy Roots answered; 
“Your words and your music can shine through and empower people to be authentic. That’s what I’m inspired by, people who allow themselves to pour their heart out behind a mic. They’re not afraid. It inspires other people to be true to themselves. 
My expression is a reflection of my perception of this world. As a human, I’ve always wanted to feel understood. As an artist, I am a mirror. I hope my lens can inspire someone to better understand themselves.
I write, record and perform songs based on real life experience. Some of my recent work includes singing bowls and frequencies that promote inner healing inspire dialogues on mental health.
 Ivy Roots on sharing stories to take her audience on a journey; "love, art, growth, and inspiration are so contagious. It just takes me being inspired, to make you feel inspired, and we can constantly inspire each other.”
– Stay tuned into all things Ivy Roots by following her socials."
Download, Listen, Like, Share, and SUBSCRIBE!
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/Ivy_Music
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/05QEgYcS7Uc3Mhoz6XvGYB
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ivy-roots/1306256925
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IvyRootsMusic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyrootsmusic/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IvyRootsMusic


Press Releases

KUTX : https://kutx.org/austin-music-minute/au-naturale

Concept Animals: https://www.conceptanimals.com/ivy-roots

Compose yourself magazine: https://composeyourselfmagazine.com/2019/03/highlights-of-sxsw-2019-dungeon-family-ivy-roots-elevated-taste-showcase-hembree-and-more-artist-spotlight/

A&R Factory: https://www.anrfactory.com/ivy-roots-hypothetical-stripped-back-soul/

Sofar Sounds: https://www.sofarsounds.com/artists/ivy-roots

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