Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
The Short List: Cats On The Keys 3 (JoAnne Brackeen)
JoAnne Brackeen
JoAnne Brackeen is revered as a phenomenal instrumentalist, a “visionary,” and a performer who is quite unpredictable, but swings effortlessly. Brackeen was mostly self-taught and had stints with Art Blakey, Joe Henderson and Stan Getz before breaking out on her own. She is one of the few female instrumentalists to emerge on top in a male-dominated genre.
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson
Monday at 6:00 PM
Illinois Jacquet: King of Screeching Tenor
Illinois Jacquet
Illinois Jacquet (1922-2004) performed on every continent and played before kings, queens, and presidents. In his long career, saxophonist Jacquet virtually personified the entire jazz tradition. In the early years, he played saxophone in the swing-era big bands of Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway. And as a teenager, he became famous for his saxophone solo on “Flying Home” with Lionel Hampton’s big band.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Profiles)
“Riverside Records In 1956”
Riverside Records owners and producers Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer had been involved with traditional jazz and blues recordings for many years before entering the realm of “modern” jazz in 1954 with a recording from pianist RANDY WESTON. In 1955, they recorded 8 more modern jazz records including dates from Thelonious Monk. 1956 brought the first sizable list of recordings…28, featuring dates from Kenny Drew, Randy Weston, Zoot Sims, Thelonious Monk, Mundell Lowe, Bill Evans, and others. Craig travels back 60 years to look in on some of those memorable sessions, taking a look at some of the great discs that came from RIVERSIDE RECORDS IN 1956!
New Orleans Calling with George Ingmire
Tuesday at 6:00 PM
Rock with The Hot 8
Hot 8 Brass Band
The story of the Grammy nominated Hot 8 Brass Band is one of trials and tribulations, but also of triumphs over adversity and a determination to continue on. Over the past 20 plus years, the band has carried on despite Hurricane Katrina, a band member losing both of his legs in a car accident, and the deaths of four band members.
Tuba player Bennie Pete, the leader of the Hot 8, sat down with host George Ingmire at the Howlin Wolf in New Orleans, where the band holds down a weekly Sunday night gig when they’re not on tour. And they talked about everything from the early days of the band, rehearsing for a neighborhood audience in Shakespeare Park uptown, to how they established themselves in the city’s blossoming brass band scene.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride
Wednesday at 6:00 PM
ELEW Goes Trio
Eric Lewis
Eric Lewis’ career has circulated both in and out of jazz circles. Performing under his given name, he was an up-and-coming pianist who performed in the bands of Wynton Marsalis and Elvin Jones. As his career progressed – or didn’t – he found that a lot of contemporary rock music also spoke to what he wanted to do. So performing under the name ELEW, he devised a new theatrical, high-energy style of playing solo piano called rockjazz, and it took him to TED Conferences, national tours, America’s Got Talent and the White House. Now he’s set to translate his vision to the jazz trio format, planning a recording with some major players. Jazz Night In America follows ELEW to the studio, and to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, where his burning band includes Reginald Veal on bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums.
Wednesday Night Special
7:00 PM (Follows Jazz Night in America)
Iowa City Jazz Festival 2016: North Corridor All Stars
North Corridor All-Stars directed by Steve Shanley at the 2016 Iowa City Jazz Festival
The North Corridor All-Star Big Band returned for its third performance at the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Like the United Jazz Ensemble, this group is composed of some of the most talented high school jazz musicians in the Corridor from Cedar Rapids to Cedar Falls. Under the direction of Coe College music professor Steve Shanley, the North Corridor All Stars performed a musically diverse program featuring the many facets of Big Band repertoire. Always ensured to be a romping and swinging live jam, the North Corridor All Stars had the crowd moving to the beat and grinning with local pride.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
“Tribute To Recording Engineer, Rudy Van Gelder – Part One”
Rudy Van Gelder
Craig salutes the recently departed RUDY VAN GELDER, legendary recording engineer of “modern jazz” fame….best known as the “inventor” of the BLUE NOTE RECORDS sound. Craig will not only spin a number of classic Blue Note selections, but examples of Rudy’s work with other labels, as well. This is the first of 2 “back to back” shows that will salute the legendary Mr. Van Gelder. Don’t miss them!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Featured Album: “Rezos” by Bobi Céspedes 
An ordained Yoruba priestess, singer Gladys “Bobi” Céspedes was born in Cuba, but has lived in the U.S. since emigrating in 1959. She currently lives in San Francisco where she co-founded the progressive Latin/Cuban group Conjunto Céspedes in 1981 with her nephew Guillermo Céspedes. Her spiritually charged lyrics also inform her collaborations with percussionist Mickey Hart, as well as her 2002 solo album Rezos.
https://bobicespedes.bandcamp.com/track/awoyo
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at: