Category: News

Culture Crawl 810 “Wished I Could Play”

Fresh from a performance with Orquesta Alto Maiz at KCCK’s Taste of Jazz, Jim Dreier stages a reunion from twenty years of directing the UI’s Latin/Jazz Ensemble. Jim’s former students are coming from as far away as Indiana, Colorado and California to perform. 5pm Friday, May 5 at The Opus Concert Café. Tickets at www.artsiowa.com. …

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This Week’s Shows May 1 thru May 6

Jazz Corner of the World  Mondays from 6:00pm to 10:00pm Herbie Hancock on Blue Note, Part 1 The 85th anniversary celebration of Blue Note Records continues, as host Craig Kessler spins the first of two shows featuring Herbie Hancock. We’ll hear classic material that showcases Hancock as a leader, like My Point Of View, Inventions …

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This Week In Jazz April 30 thru May 6

Hey, Jazz fans. Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of lyricist Lorenz Hart, singers Bing Crosby and Shirley Horn, pianist/composer John Lewis, organist Richard “Groove” Holmes, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, and bassist Jymie Merritt, and May 1st is “Leroy Vinnegar Day”. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Charles Mingus’ …

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“I Need to Know Where That Nickname Came From” – City Guest Djs 2023

City High’s Eli, Nora, Ashley, and Marcus wrapped up the 2023 Guest DJ series in a big way, dishing about a big victory at Jazz Championships over frenemy Iowa City West, and played not one, but two songs featuring City High Director (and alum), Mr. Ottmar. We’re pretty sure they demanded to know where his …

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“Spicy Chicken Sandwich” – Liberty Guest Djs 2023

Two of the four student Djs from Liberty High School know KCCK well. Leah came to Jazz Band Camp for four years in middle school, and David performed last year as a part of the Young Artist Series at Jazz Under the Stars. Fellow seniors Brody and Daniel joined them for a fast-paced hour where …

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“Breaking News” – Jefferson Guest Djs 2023

Just as Jude Biwer and Ben Drzycimski arrived for their guest DJ shows, we learned that Carl Rowles and Matthew Nicholson had just been named the new directors of the Cedar Rapids Jefferson band program. Mr. Nicholson has been a part of the Jefferson program during his student teaching years and helped Steve Stickney from …

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“Google Maps is not that Smart” – Clear Creek-Amana Guest Djs 2023

Ryan Humphrey and Jackson Schloss learned the hard way why you never use Google Maps to get to KCCK (it sends you to a random building on the north end of campus). But they arrived just in time to host their show, with music from Cannonball Adderly, Clifford Brown, Herbie Hancock, and more! https://spinitron.com/KCCK/pl/17293516/Corridor-Jazz-Guest-Djs-Clear-Creek-Amana

Culture Crawl 809 “Growing Your Own Replacements”

Orquesta Alto Maiz, Iowa’s Salsa Band, is still going strong in its 37th year. Original members Ed East and Jim Dreier sat down with us to talk about how the band actually created much of today’s interest in salsa and Latin Jazz. Along the way, members of the band who were, or who became teachers, …

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