The Wild Women of Kansas City

I’ve seen The Wild Women of Kansas City perform in bars, at churches and on festival stages, but never before Sunday night have I seen them play in a venue as pretty as the tree-framed park at 147th and Mission in south Leawood.

It's a great concept- four soul, blues and jazz vocalists trade songs, harmonize and joke with one another. It’s like a musical version of television’s The View.

Their performances are always fun and spirited. Lori Tucker has a rich, lustrous voice. Geneva Price brings an Ella-like sophistication to the group. Mille Edwards is a natural performer with a big voice and an even bigger vibrato. But the real star of the show is octogenarian Myra Taylor.

Taylor’s sassy, cantankerous antics are, by necessity, the focus. The photo shows Taylor serenading a man while scrutinizing his physical attributes. While the gimmick may become tiresome to many, it always amuses me. Taylor is a gem.