On the Front Row with Rodney Block

'AETN Presents: Front Row with the Rodney Block Jazz Project' was recorded in the AETN studios before a crowd more than 100 jazz enthusiasts. Block, a classically trained instrumentalist, performs his unique blend of traditional jazz, gospel, hip-hop, Bebop, funk and soul.

An Arkansas native, he honed his skills by playing in some of Kansas City's premier venues – Grand Emporium, Plaza III, Blue Room and Liberty Hall. His ensembles have opened for Jonathan Butler, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, Wynton Marsalis and Angela Hagenbaugh, among others.

Performing with Block are: Jammin JC on bass, Gil Johnson on guitar, Sam Carroll on keyboards and Jeremy Warren on drums. AETN produced the program to kick off the 13-part PBS series “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis.” In addition, AETN celebrates jazz with its latest Art in the Atrium exhibit, “Jazz Moves: Photographs by Anthony Barboza.” A presentation of the Sheldon Art Galleries in St. Louis, this exhibit chronicles the New York City jazz scene in more than 30 black and white photographs. Since the 1960s, Barboza has brought to life the intensity of feeling that springs from the instruments of jazz musicians. Using a slow shutter speed, he captures the raw emotion of the music and passion of the musicians in large-scale, intimate prints. Among those featured in the photos are Miles Davis, Sun Ra and Oliver Lake.