Author's posts
Culture Crawl 945 “Air Conditioning!”
In the past, the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band has moved concerts inside during inclement weather. This year, they’re doing it on purpose! Steve explains what an indoor venue allows the band to do that can’t easily be done outdoors. Selections include the Star Wars main title and for the first time ever, a Taylor Swift …
Culture Crawl 942 “Shepherds”
Mentorship is an extremely important part of learning to play music. Young musicians learn not just notes and rhythms from their elders, but how to treat themselves and other musicians. Slayton Thompson has been a mentor to two generations of musicians. He encouraged a young Steve Shanley nearly 30 years ago, and more recently, pianist …
Culture Crawl 941 “Trading Cigarettes for Marriage”
Culture Crawl 941 “Trading Cigarettes for Marriage” Film producer and Cedar Rapids native Kristian Day’s documentary, “The Last American Gay Bar.” Despite it’s title, the documentary series is not so much the story of a Des Moines gay bar as it is the stories of the men for whom that bar was the center of …
Culture Crawl 939 “Art in the Park”
Culture Crawl 939 “Art in the Park” Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association presents their annual block party, “Art in the Park” July 28 from 11-4 in Redmond Park. Music, crafts, a sidewalk art contest with cash prizes, climbing wall, and much more for the whole family. More details at whcria.com. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at …
Culture Crawl 940 “Accidentally Relevant”
Steve Shanley brings the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band to his elementary alma mater, Bowman Woods school, on July 10 for a concert that includes a feature with Principal Clarinet Christine Bellamy, (that Steve first heard at a concert with the Logan Vander Weil’s Marion High School Band), a salute to Linn County’s Czech Heritage, music …
Jazz Fest Is Here!
Perhaps our favorite weekend of the year, the Iowa City Jazz Festival takes over Iowa City! Twenty bands, two stages, three days of music as Iowa City becomes the jazz capital of the world. Don’t miss headliners Ingrid Jensen w/ the Iowa Women’s Jazz Orchestra, 3X Grammy nominee Lackecia Benjamin, Matt Wilson, Iowa City native …
Culture Crawl 937 “All-Muni Band Issue”
This week, the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band celebrates America with a show featuring patriotic music. The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale joins the band to add their voices to “American The Beautiful” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic, as well as a Samuel Barber march and Glenn Miller medley. Steve and Dennis also discuss recent …
Culture Crawl 934 “King of Terror”
Week 4 of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band season features the band’s (and Orchestra Iowa principal) Andy Harris on horn. Andy and the horn section are working pretty hard this season. They had a feature last week, and Steve Shanley also works them pretty hard on a Malcom Arnold composition entitled “Scottish Dances.” Plus, music …