STAN KESSLER QUARTET

Get ready, Wichita… this is going to be one of those nights. 🎺✨

As part of the Wichita Jazz Fest, the powerhouse Stan Kessler Quartet takes the stage at Walker's Jazz Lounge on April 22 — with Doors at 6:30 PM and the Concert at 7:30 PM.

Leading the charge is Kansas City trumpet master Stan Kessler — a dynamic Trumpet and Flugelhorn player, bandleader, clinician, educator, and prolific arranger whose career spans decades of excellence. Stan has led beloved groups like The Sons of Brasil (32 years strong!), The Stan Kessler Quartet/Trio/Duo (28 years), and numerous other acclaimed projects. With seven recording projects as a leader and six more as a producer, his artistry is as deep as it is refined.

A longtime educator, Stan spent 22 years teaching jazz trumpet, theory, improvisation, and music business at UMKC and continues shaping the next generation through KC Youth Jazz and The Kansas City Jazz Academy. His accolades include Best Trumpet Player and Leader of the Best Jazz Band in Kansas City (Pitch Readers’ Poll), Musician of the Year by Plastic Sax, and multiple “Favorite Trumpet Player” honors from regional jazz publications. In 2023, he revived The Ellington Family Jazz Educator Award — a testament to his lasting impact.

Joining Stan is an absolute all-star lineup:

Jeff Harshbarger – Voted 2011 Person of the Year by Plasticsax.com and Best Bassist by Pitch Magazine, Jeff’s career spans the globe. He has performed and recorded with icons like Aretha Franklin, Branford Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Doc Severinsen, and The Des Moines Symphony. A Kennedy Center Betty Carter Fellow and Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Award recipient, Jeff is also a co-founder of Tzigane Music and curator of Kansas City’s Alternative Jazz Series. If you’ve tuned into 90.1 FM KKFI’s “Jazz in the Afternoon,” you’ve heard him there, too.

John Kizilarmut – A dynamic percussionist, composer, and educator, John has performed and recorded with an incredible range of artists including Aretha Franklin, Doc Severinsen, Clark Terry, Matt Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Adam Larson, Logan Richardson, New York Voices, Ana Gasteyer, Conspirare, Shirley Jones, DJ Starscream, and The Des Moines Symphony. A featured performer at the 2013 PASIC Convention, John is also widely respected as a composer and arranger, with works performed by award-winning ensembles such as the 2013 State Jazz Champion Waukee High School Jazz Ensemble, Lake Central High School Band, several DCI Drum Corps, and the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble. He has served on the percussion faculties at Drake University, Grinnell College, UMKC, Avila University, and Northwest Missouri State University. Based in Kansas City, he brings both fire and finesse to the rhythm section.

Brant Jester – A standout jazz pianist from the Kansas City scene, Brant holds graduate degrees from Missouri State University and UMKC. Former pianist for the Missouri Jazz Orchestra (MOJO), he remains an in-demand performer, adjudicator, composer, and arranger. He’s shared the stage with Bobby Watson, Lynn Seaton, Julian Coryell, and more — and also serves as a jazz DJ at 90.1 FM KKFI.

With this kind of lineup, expect blazing trumpet lines, deep-pocket grooves, lush harmonic storytelling, and the kind of musical chemistry you can feel across the room. Walker’s intimate setting makes it even better — every note lands, every solo breathes, and every audience member becomes part of the experience.

If you love world-class jazz, this is your night.
If you’ve never experienced live jazz up close… this is absolutely your night.

Mark your calendar. Bring your friends. Dress sharp.
April 22 at Walker’s — let’s kick off Wichita Jazz Fest in unforgettable style. 🎶🔥
TICKETS: $30