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Corridor Jazz Director Overview

Important 2025 Dates:

  • Recording: Jan. 27-30
  • Concerts (Choose one performance date and site):
    • March 10, Paramount Theatre
    • March 11, Voxman Hall of Music

 

Overview

The Corridor Jazz Project is a mentoring, recording, and performance opportunity offered to area schools by KCCK-FM. Broadly, the program consists of four parts:

  1. A guest artist is chosen by the director to rehearse and interact with the school’s top jazz band. Some artists come several times, others do just one or two rehearsals, whatever the artist and director agree to.
  2. The guest artist and the band record a song for the Corridor Jazz album in January, at the Opus Concert Café next to the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids.
  3. The guest artist and band will perform at the Corridor Jazz Concert.
  4. Representatives from each school, usually 2-3, are invited to guest host an hour of music on KCCK-FM during April Jazz Appreciation Month.

 

The Corridor Jazz Project album is released as a download, with a limited number of physical Cds available. Cost is $10 for the download, $15 for a CD. Concert-goers receive a free download coupon with their ticket purchase.

The Corridor Jazz Project is offered free of charge to schools, but we ask that directors and students promote attendance at the concert and purchase of the album to help defray program costs.

High School artists are invited to participate in the CD Cover Art contest. We may send you information on this to pass along to your school’s art teachers.

Guest artist selection is up to the director, to choose the experience he or she wants for his band. It can be someone who is more of a clinician, who is willing to work 2-3 sessions with the band, or just a unique guest, such as a vocalist, to do something different. An artist who is already scheduled to be a clinician or guest artist for an existing program can be folded into the CJP as well.

A list of previous guests, along with a potential roster, is at https://www.kcck.org/corridor-jazz-project/guest-artists/. Steve Shanley (sshanley@coe.edu) is an excellent resource and always willing to help brainstorm.

Directors will sign up for recording performance times in the fall of each year

Artist Pay:

  • $550 plus mileage for rehearsals and recording session
  • $150 plus mileage for concert

 

Timeline:

October

  • Choose Guest Artist by Oct. 15
  • Submit name of tune and writer/arranger to KCCK
  • Sign up for Recording Time, arrange for bus/transport if needed.

 

November-December

  • Cover Art Contest
  • Sign up for Concert performance date and time

 

January

  • CD recordings at Opus
  • Cover Art Winner announced

 

February

  • Concert Planning. There may be a concert production meeting.
  • Each director will be asked to provide one parent volunteer.
  • Proof album liner notes and concert program.
  • Encourage family and friends to purchase concert tickets and support the program

 

March

  • Corridor Jazz Concerts

 

April

  • Corridor Jazz Guest DJ shows, featuring student reps from each band.