10/31/2026
🎶 Some things are worth waiting for. And this band is definitely one of them!
Legendary bassist Stanley Sheldon has spent decades wanting to assemble a group of exceptional musicians dedicated to Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz.
Well, he’s done it!
The result is Rhythm Republic with Stanley Sheldon, featuring five seriously accomplished musicians whose collective musical history is pretty remarkable!
And we’re excited to share more than an hour of their live performance at Lucia in downtown Lawrence, Kansas!
🎶 Meet the musicians!
🎸 Stanley Sheldon – Bass
You probably know Stanley from Peter Frampton’s legendary Frampton Comes Alive! album. He also played on Frampton’s Grammy-winning Fingerprints album, recorded with Tommy Bolin and Lou Gramm, and more recently has been filling in for Grand Funk Railroad’s longtime bassist, Mel Schacher. But Latin jazz has been a passion of Stanley’s for decades, and Rhythm Republic gives him an opportunity to explore a whole different side of his musical world.
🎺 Stanton Kessler – Trumpet
A 2021 Kansas Music Hall of Fame inductee and one of the most respected figures in Kansas City jazz! Stanton has performed with jazz greats including Clark Terry, Paquito D’Rivera, and Bobby Watson. He’s also the founder of the Sons of Brasil, a celebrated Kansas City Brazilian jazz ensemble that’s been performing since 1991. Add decades of recording, arranging, and teaching the next generation of musicians, and you’ve got one remarkable trumpet player!
🎹 Brian Ward – Piano
Here’s an impressive one! Brian helped create the arrangement for Esperanza Spalding’s “City of Roses,” which won a Grammy Award! He’s also performed with the Oregon Symphony, Bobby Watson, and numerous other accomplished musicians. Brian holds a doctorate in composition from the University of Kansas, where he also received an award for outstanding student composition. He’s a terrific pianist, composer, and educator who brings some serious musical depth to the group.
🥁 John Kizilarmut – Drums
How’s this for a musical résumé? Aretha Franklin, Branford Marsalis, Doc Severinsen, Clark Terry, and Jimmy Heath are among the artists John has performed or recorded with! He’s also performed with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and is an accomplished composer and arranger whose music has been performed by award-winning ensembles and drum corps. John brings a tremendous range of experience to the drum kit!
🪘 Gary Cardile – Congas and Percussion
Gary’s career is a story in itself! He started performing professionally at just 16 and went on to spend eight years working with jazz great Hank Crawford and four years with Latin jazz pioneer Eddie Cano. He’s also performed with Grover Washington Jr., Sammy Davis Jr., Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, and Les McCann, among others. That’s an incredible musical history, and his experience in Latin jazz makes him a wonderful part of Rhythm Republic’s sound!
🎥 NOW, ABOUT THE VIDEO!
Earlier this year, Great Plains Art Connect had the pleasure of capturing more than an hour of Rhythm Republic performing at Lucia, and we’ve just uploaded the entire recording to YouTube!
This live performance video captures the energy, musicianship, and infectious rhythms of a great night at Lucia! Rather than editing everything down to just a few highlights, we decided to share the entire performance so you can experience the music and the atmosphere of the evening.
Our hope is that the musicians can use portions of the footage for their own projects and that everyone else can get a good feel for the music, the atmosphere, and the incredible talent performing right here in our region.
And maybe it’ll inspire you to grab a friend, head downtown, and experience Rhythm Republic in person!
That’s what Great Plains Art Connect is all about: helping people discover the artists, musicians, venues, and creative experiences that make our communities such interesting places to live.
🎥 Watch the full live performance on YouTube!
(Link is also in bio and in the first comment below.)
Great Plains Art Connect is a production of the nonprofit Great Plains Emerging Arts Project, celebrating and supporting the arts across Lawrence, Kansas City, Topeka, and beyond.
Stanley Sheldon Live Love Local Lawrence
Experience the rhythm, spontaneity, and joy of Afro-Cuban Latin Jaz...
