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Who was Blind Boone?

Blind Boone, a talented pianist, overcame blindness from a childhood illness to become an important figure in the Kansas City jazz scene. Photo is image number SHS 006696 from the State Historical Society of Missouri.
Blind Boone, a talented pianist, overcame blindness from a childhood illness to become an important figure in the Kansas City jazz scene. Photo is image number SHS 006696 from the State Historical Society of Missouri.

It's often a challenge for even the most hard-core jazz buffs to remember Missouri's pre-ragtime composer known as Blind Boone.

By Alex Smith

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-981985.mp3

KANSAS CITY, MO – The National Endowment for the Arts recently announced a pledge of $200,000 to help restore the long-abandoned Boone Theater in the 18th and Vine District. While it's a welcome boost for the neighborhood, even many Missourians are hard-pressed to remember the 19th century composer and pianist for whom the theater was named.

KCUR's Alex Smith talked to John Davis, a Juilliard-trained musician in New York City who has become the premier revivalist for this master of African-American music. In Davis' album Marshfield Tornado, he re-interprets many of Blind Boone's compositions.

To find out more about Blind Boone, check out the State Historical Society of Missouri.

This story was produced for KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.

As a health care reporter, I aim to empower my audience to take steps to improve health care and make informed decisions as consumers and voters. I tell human stories augmented with research and data to explain how our health care system works and sometimes fails us. Email me at alexs@kcur.org.
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