When it came to celebrating Charlie Parker's birthday on Saturday, August 29, Kansas Citians had two main options: the First Annual Kansas City Yardbird Jazz & Film Festival at the American Jazz Museum and, just around the corner, the Bird Lives Festival at the Mutual Musicians Foundation.
Many people might have thought the two events were part of the same festival. But the sad truth is that the Kansas City jazz scene can't even put on a unified celebration of its most influential native son's