Saxophonist Charles Neville, of the iconic Neville Brothers, has been playing professionally since he was 15 years old. His musical background includes jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Afro-Cuban and Funk. He brings all this to the table when the Neville Brothers share their “Crescent City” experience with adoring fans. I spoke by phone with Charles …
Category: KCCK Blog
2-Bits for Jazz (real “change”) – Gordon
The U.S. Mint has just issued it’s first coin for mass circulation with the likeness of a jazz musician! The musician is Duke Ellington and the coin is the latest in the Mint’s “Statehood Quarter” series. It’s for the District of Columbia -another first! One side shows “The Duke” sitting next to a piano that …
Getting Social – Dennis
KCCK is expanding our presence in social networking. We’ve had a Facebook page for awhile, but haven’t really promoted (but thanks to the 50 people who found us on their own!). Become a Fan of KCCK on Facebook, and you can check out pictures from the Corridor Jazz Project recording sessions, view a video from …
Remembering Paul – Lisa Baum
One of my favorite jazz fans passed away January 22. Paul Hemingway, 51, a West Branch farmer listened to KCCK in his combine, tractor and at his home. Have you ever met someone and at that very time had a feeling of true familiarity? That was my experience when I met Paul. We were church …
Elling in Iowa City–Bob Stewart
One of my favorite jazz singers performed at the Englert Theater in Iowa City January 24. Kurt Elling is the premiere jazz vocalist on the scene today, and he featured music from one of my favorite vocal cds in his concert. Hearing John Coltrane for the first time back in high school was what got …
Sax legend Ernie Watts appears with Kurt Elling – Gordon
Saxophonist and composer Ernie Watts is perhaps the most recorded of all living saxophonists. This two-time Grammy Award winner is equally at home in rock, pop, and jazz. Over the last 40 years he has recorded with everyone from Cannonball Adderly to Frank Zappa. Watts joined singer Kurt Elling, The Laurence Hobgood Trio, and the …
CR Native on CD of the Month – Gordon
Cedar Rapids native Rusty Jones was the former drummer for jazz giants George Shearing and Marian McPartland. Rusty was also was a member of the band that backed-up the legendary trumpeter Chet Baker on a previously unreleased 1986 recording session that is now available as “Chet in Chicago” and featured as KCCK’s“CD of the Month” …
Christmas 1968, One of My Most Memorable – Cary J. Hahn
It was 40 Christmas’s ago. In December 1968 I was a young Navy Journalist, in only my second year in the service, but on Christmas Eve I would experience one of the biggest stories and most memorable days of what now is my over 40 years of reporting. I was stationed at Miramar Naval Air …