Simeon Taylor is an artist, poet and artistic event creator. He is the originator of Kansas City's "Soul Sessions" whose stage has been blessed by Grammy Award-winning artists as well as internationally recognized jazz musicians.
It was his elementary school music teacher talking about her hometown that inspired Simeon to eventually make a trip here. He describes the city he loves as "a beautiful historic mixture of royal and vintage."
Simeon shares his experience of being recognized by Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne, an encounter that led to being featured on a Tech N9ne album. It was that interaction with the rapper "that really lit the fire under me," Simeon acknowledges and last year he started releasing music of his own.
For Jazlyn Epps is another Kansas City artist whose origin point is Springfield, Missouri. She moved to Kansas City in 2015 after finishing college and says, "As soon as I got here, I felt another presence of home."
Jazlyn's been doing music since the age of 9 and says it saved her life.
"There's been so many times where I felt down or lonely or afraid and as soon as I pick up my pen to start writing or listen to my own songs or just drive around and listen to the radio, its what's saved me from just losing myself completely, so it's what keeps me going."
