Hammond B3 organist Everette DeVan is a beloved dean of Kansas City’s jazz scene.
Though the popularity of DeVan’s good-time, organ-based jazz peaked about 50 years ago, the throwback style gets revived several times a week at the Green Lady Lounge. Organist Chris Hazelton and guitarist Matt Hopper are among the younger Kansas City musicians DeVan has mentored.
He's faced some health challenges, and while there’s no reason to think DeVan won’t continue to ply his trade for years, taking him for granted would be foolhardy.
In honor of DeVan's featured status this week, here's his “Blue Greens and Beans,” a bluesy composition most closely associated with the soul-jazz saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman. DeVan’s version features guitarist Hopper, vibraphonist Greg Carroll and drummer Danny Rojas.
DeVan performs a free show at the Blue Room on Monday, and the second portion of the show is a jam session: After an initial set by DeVan featuring vocalist Lori Tucker, intrepid musicians will have an opportunity to sit in with DeVan.
Everette DeVan with Lori Tucker, 7 p.m. Monday, March 20 at the Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64108.
Bill Brownlee’s writing appears weekly in The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine. He blogs about Kansas City’s jazz scene at Plastic Sax.
