While the "golden age" of jazz ended, the Kansas City sound never really disappeared.

BBC: Kansas City's Midwest renaissance

McWhorter secured money for Eldar to attend a prestigious music camp in Michigan, and Eldar and his family subsequently moved to the U.S. in 1998, settling in Kansas City because of its reputation as a haven for jazz.

NPR: Eldar: Complex Improvisation

The family moved to Kansas City, drawn there in large part by the city's jazz history, before moving on to San Diego.

NPR: Fast-Paced Jazz Piano in the Key of Eldar