Elizabeth Powers, Jazz Musicians (1964) bronze

In 1964 the Kemper Foundation commissioned artist Elizabeth Powers to create “Jazz Musicians,” an outdoor public art installation for the north facade of the 811 Main Street building. Artist Elizabeth Powers was a Kansas City native who earned a degree at the Kansas City Art Institute and exhibited at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. At the time of the commission, the artist was living and working in her sculpture studio in Florence, Italy.

In preparation of the commission, Powers sketched Kansas City jazz musicians playing in local night clubs. The trumpet man was inspired by watching and listening to Emmett Finney, and the bass player was inspired by Milt Abel, although neither are formal portraits. While the commission is symbolic of Kansas City’s strong jazz tradition, it also serves as a memorial to Lt. David Woods Kemper, James M. Kemper’s son, who passed away in World War II.  

After researching in Kansas City, the 10’ and 8’ tall bronze jazz musician sculptures were cast, under the supervision of the artist, at the Bearzi shop in Italy using the lost wax process, where a wax model is used to create a mold. The trumpet player was modeled on a sketch of Emmett Finney, a trumpet player, vocalist, and bandleader from Kansas City. The bass player is modeled after Milt Abel, who played in several Kansas City clubs in addition to touring nationally with his wife, Betty Miller.

"Bassist Milt Abel, a Key Player in KC Jazz, Dies at 77," Kansas City Star, February 8, 2006. Accessed September 12th, 2022.