George Dorman, with KCCK’s Lisa Baum. Congratulations to KCCK News Director George Dorman, whose daily environmental feature, “Clean Up Your Act, took first place in the Iowa Broadcast News Association’s 2012 News Awards Contest! “Clean Up Your Act” won the In-Depth/Series category for expanded reports or series that provide background and understanding of a specific …
The wise and wistful title track of pianist Steve Kuhn’s new CD — “Wisteria” — written by Art Farmer, takes us back to the early ’60s, when both Kuhn and bassist Steve Swallow sang softly of the blues in the trumpeter’s band. Swallow was also a member of the trio Kuhn formed shortly thereafter. They’ve …
DePaul University Jazz Ensemble (2011 Iowa City Jazz Festival) Directed by Bob Lark, the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble is considered one of the finest collegiate jazz bands in the country. They have appeared at the International Association for Jazz Education Conference, the Duke Ellington International Conference, the National Association of Music Merchants Conference, the Jazz …
Jazz Times called it right when the magazine declared Hammond B-3 master Tony Monaco “smokes,” wielding his instrument with “exuberance, skillful dynamics and galvanic solo construction…Monaco has plenty of soul.” Downbeat magazine agreed, saying that Monaco’s music “burns with intensity and passion.” Now, the Columbus, Ohio-based organ virtuoso releases his most personal collection of grooves …
Curtis Mayfield ranks among the most important and influential artists of the past century, the definition of soul both as the leader of the Impressions and as a solo artist. Jazz musicians have long found much in his words and melodies to inspire new interpretations. “Impressions of Curtis Mayfield” is a new collection of a …
Drummer Billy Hart’s rich history includes stints with Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and many others. The quartet heard on his new CD — “All Our Reasons” — was formed in 2003, and was originally billed as the Ethan Iverson/Mark Turner Quartet. When Hart asked if it could be his band for …
“The pianist Brad Mehldau has led this iteration of his pace-setting trio-with the bassist Larry Grenadier and the drummer Jeff Ballard– since 2005, and it has evolved into a graceful powerhouse, equally savvy about groove and harmony.” – New York Times. “Ode” — the trio’s first studio release in seven years — “is a collection …
With a lot of sleuthing and a team of experts on the case, long-lost tapes of Wes Montgomery have been discovered and restored. “Echoes of Indiana Avenue” is the first full album of previously unheard Montgomery music in over 25 years. The tapes are the earliest known recordings of the guitarist as a leader, pre-dating …
