BY FRANCAIS HEALY – THE CAMPUS LEDGER
08/27/14
On August 22nd at about 7:30PM, the lawn in front of the The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art was transformed from a well manicured lawn to an outdoor music venue. The crowd was packed, and the lines for the food truck serving tacos was long despite what appeared to be an imminent threat of rain. But why were all these people there? Performing that evening was Roots R&B/Americana singer/songwriter/piano player/guitarist Kelley Hunt.
The audience included from curious students who happened upon the event, like JCCC student Athena Bjorkland.
“I was just waiting for my sister to pick me up, then I walked into the museum and saw this,” Bjorkland said “I just want to hear some good sounding music, I hope she plays guitar and sings well.”
To old fans of Kelley Hunt such as PJ Moderson, an attendee near the front of the venue were also in attendance.
“I have a lot of her albums, shes on my spotify. I look up her tour dates, when she’s close I go see her. She’s going to be a Kunckleheads in October and I’ll be going there,” Moderson said .
At the event, Kelley Hunt’s merchandise was also available.
“We have all of Kelley’s CDs, She has six plus a single. Shes been recording since 94 and her newest one just came out this year” said Bri Hodge, a former JCCC student, who worked the merchandise table.
Playing the trumpet with the Kelley Hunt Band was the College Jazz professor Clint Ashlock.
“I’ve enjoyed her a music for a long time and we had her as a guest artist at the Kansas city jazz orchestra last winter. Anytime you add horns to rhythm and blues or gospel it adds to the intensity, the bigger the band the better,” Ashlock said.
Clint went on to add that the addition of horns this evening was exciting because while Kelley Hunt didn’t usually have horns in her live performances, they were on her recorded albums.
“Shes very soulful, shes got a great voice,” said Ashlock “shes a great song writer and she really means what she does, she believes in what she’s doing and it really shows.”
When the band began to play, the energy in the crowd was electric, the audience was clapping along with the music. Kelley’s voice was robust and almost nostalgic. In the middle of the concert a few stray raindrops fell, but that didn’t affect the energy behind the performance or the mood of the crowd at all.
Contact Francais Healy, staff reporter, fhealy@jccc.edu