Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
The Short List: Cats On The Keys 3 (Ellis Larkins)
Ellis Larkins
Our summer Shortlist “Cats on the Keys” series 3 continues with the lalid-back sound of pianist Ellis Larkins. Larkins is known for his gentle touch on the instrument and also that he can accompany a singer or musician with subtlety and strength. His work with Ella Fitzgerald in the early 1950s is an elegant treatise of how it should be done. He has also recorded a series of duet albums over the years with the lyrical hornman, Ruby Braff. Larkins was the pianist on singer Chris Connor’s debut album.
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson
Monday at 6:00 PM
Stanley Turrentine: Saxophone ‘Sugar Man’
Stanley Turrentine
Three elements made tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine’s music identifiable: clear tones, a down-home blues feeling, and pure emotion. In this portrait, “Mr. T” reflects on his roots in blues and gospel. Early on, he worked with jazz pioneers Max Roach, Earl Bostic, and Tadd Dameron. He went on to make classic recordings, and toured with Shirley Scott. As a leader, Turrentine recorded jazz standards, but drew more attention when he ventured into “soul jazz.” Turrentine reflects on the choices he made during his 50-year career.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Profiles)
“Birth Date Anniversary Celebration For The Renowned Soprano Saxophonist, Steve Lacy”
Craig celebrates the birthday, life, and career of Steven Norman Lackritz…best known as STEVE LACY (born 7/23/34 in NYC). We’ll hear Lacy from his earliest “dixieland” days, to his years with Cecil Taylor, Gil Evans, Miles Davis, etc., and right up to the end in the 1990s and 2000s. And we’ll pay special attention to Lacy’s work with the music of our greatest composers, such as Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Herbie Nichols.
New Orleans Calling with George Ingmire
Tuesday at 6:00 PM
Allen Toussaint: Last Train (Part 2 of 2) 
Allen Toussaint (1938-2015) was a huge figure in New Orleans music: a producer, songwriter, arranger, musician, and sharp-dressed man. To even begin to give a sense of who he was, we need more than just one hour.
Allen Toussaint was a friend and collaborator to many great figures in New Orleans music. As a writer, producer, and arranger, he brought out the best in everyone, and was a key figure in some of the biggest hits to ever come from New Orleans. He was known and loved around the world as an ambassador of New Orleans music, but he remained a shy and private person, more comfortable working in the background as a sideman.
In this episode, the second part of a two-episode tribute, we speak with some of the people he worked closely with, including Leo Nocentelli and George Porter Jr of the Meters, Sarah Dash of Labelle, and the Soul Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas. Plus we hear from a record collector who became friends with Toussaint one night, after he just dropped by to listen to some music.
When we were planning this show, musicians who had worked with Allen jumped at the chance to be a part of it, and the interviews we conducted were all lively and entertaining. Our only regret was that this one-hour episode could only include a portion of the conversations we recorded.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride
Wednesday at 6:00 PM
George Wein and the Newport Jazz Festival (2015)
George Wein
George Wein turned 90 last year. To celebrate, Jazz Night in America visits with George Wein — jazz impresario, jazz musician, and founder of the Newport Jazz Festival. We help him celebrate his 90th birthday with selections from the 2015 festival.
Wednesday Night Special
7:00 PM (Follows Jazz Night in America)
KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars 2015: Shade of Blue
Shade of Blue at KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars 2015
To get you pumped-up for another exciting season of free summer concerts next month, we’ll revisit all four of our awesome Jazz Under the Stars performances from last August!
“Shade of Blue fans have been gyrating to the band’s hypnotic and infectious grooves in the Midwest for nearly a quarter of a century. Founded by guitarist and vocalist Dave Rosazza as a blues trio in 1989, Shade of Blue has evolved into one of the Iowa City area’s most beloved musical institutions as a featured act and as an opener for internationally acclaimed artists such as the Neville Brothers, Koko Taylor, and George Clinton. Featuring the impressive vocals of sultry songstresses Simone Green and Joan Ruffin, the band has expanded its repertoire over the last two decades to include funk, R&B, gospel, and jazz while maintaining its blues roots. The versatile saxophone stylings of Saul Lubaroff and a rhythm section comprised of keyboardists Sean Seaton and Denny Ketelsen, bassist Ken Fullard, percussionist Paul Cunliff and drummer Matt Bernemann complete the sonorous tour de force known as Shade of Blue. Expect a plethora of musical tributes to the likes of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, and Steely Dan as well as original tunes to get audiences out of their seats and onto the dance floor at every Shade of Blue show.”* This performance was captured live at the McGrath Amphitheatre in downtown Cedar Rapids.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
“Birthday Celebration For Reedman, James Spaulding”
James Spaulding
Craig helps to celebrate the 79th birthday of noted alto saxophonist and flautist, James Ralph Spaulding, Jr. (born 7/30/37 in Indianapolis), by spinning selections from throughout his stellar career. Although Spaulding made about ten recordings as a leader from between 1976 to 2006, he is, by far, best known for his dozens of classic Blue Note releases as a sideman on records by the likes of Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Duke Pearson, and many others. Don’t miss this fascinating look at the unsung and overlooked reedman, JAMES SPAULDING!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
‘Harumi” by Harumi 
http://www.allmusic.com/album/harumi-mw0000571508
This is one of the wildest and most unbelievably ambitious recordings to come from the psychedelic era. Harumi (a mystery man who recorded one more album before vanishing into the ether) could write pop songs and sing them. He also sounds like he did a lot of acid. Harumi (who sings and speaks in English), Wilson, arrangers Harvey Vinson and Larry Fallon, and engineer Gary Kellegren assembled a tripped-out collection of pop, Eastern folk, and experimental music and production techniques, with sounds, textures, and atmospheres that incorporated everything from strings and horns to Japanese folk instruments to vibraphones and (of course) plenty of guitars and drums and organ.
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at: