Kathleen Holeman will perform at the Holiday Jazz Express Sunday.

You’ve heard all the Christmas carols a zillion times before, but have you ever heard the jazzy versions? The Holiday Jazz Express, which starts at 5 p.m. Nov. 23 at the Missouri Theater, will present classic Christmas carols, but with a full-jazz flavor.

“What we’re doing is kind of jazzy, fun interpretations of all the different Christmas carols,” says Tim Whitmer, emcee and pianist for the show. “We have everything from “Frosty the Snowman” to “O Holy Night.”

The 90-minute show features prominent Kansas City jazz musicians Myra Taylor, Lori Tucker, Geneva Price, Millie Edwards and Monique Danielle, as well as St. Joseph’s own Kathleen Holeman. The group has been performing the Holiday Jazz Express in Kansas City churches and theaters for several years.

Each musician will sing three to four songs, Whitmer says. Backing them will be a full band with piano, bass, drums, organ, saxophone and a trumpet.

Whitmer says that while most songs get a jazz treatment, they do different things with several songs, including a gospel version of “O Holy Night” and a rock version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” It’s a different twist, he says, but not so different that you won’t recognize the songs.

“The fun thing is, about Christmas songs, you know them,” he says.

Tickets for the Holiday Jazz Express are $20 for the main floor and loge and $10 for the upper balcony. Student tickets are two for $10. All proceeds from the concert will go toward Peace Unlimited, a youth development program that helps students in Northwest Missouri.

Barb Heath, assistant executive director for Peace Unlimited, says the money will go toward funding the challenge courses at Camp Farwesta.

“(We’re) teaching them self esteem, problem solving and teamwork,” she says.

“The teachers say this event... helps takes down the confrontations that are in the classrooms today, makes it a more peaceful place to be.”

To fund a group of 20 to 25 students takes about $500, Heath says. And it’s money well spent.

“We’ve had a lot of kids say ‘This is the best day of my life,’” she says. “They learn skills they can use now and at home and in the community.”