Many people don’t know that in addition to being one of Iowa’s most popular jazz performers, Eddie Piccard also drives a bus for College Community Schools. One of the many students he’s struck up a friendship with is Riley Kruse, who rode Eddie’s bus from the time he was in elementary school.
Riley’s mom has been a music teacher, so music was a big part of his young life. And when he boarded Eddie’s bus for the first time, he immediately noticed that Eddie’s bus offered a unique amenity: Iowa’s Jazz Station. Eddie always plays KCCK on his bus.
“I didn’t really know what that was at the time,” Riley says, “but slowly learned that it was jazz playing (on) KCCK. Hearing KCCK on the radio had an awesome effect on my love for music, because it was always around me, every day, before school, after school.”
Riley soon came to accept and appreciate jazz on KCCK as a part of his daily ride, but it wasn’t until he attended a Prairie Jazz I concert that featured Eddie as a guest (singing a song he recorded with the Prairie band for the Corridor Jazz Project), that RIley realized his bus driver was a talented musician.
On the day Riley successfully auditioned for middle school jazz band, Eddie was the first person he told. Riley went on to play saxophone in high school jazz band, culminating in Prairie’s runner-up finish at the Iowa Jazz Championships, their best ever.
Riley graduated in the spring 2024, but Eddie hopes their paths will cross again. “Hopefully, one day he’ll be able to sit in with the Eddie Piccard group. I’m hoping for that.”
Riley will continue his music career at UNI, where he’ll major in music education. We’re sure he’ll follow Eddie’s example of sharing his love of music with the next generation.