New Music Monday for December 23, 2024

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify 

Zacc Harris has been one of Minnesota’s most celebrated guitarists since moving to Minneapolis in 2005, being named Twin Cities Best Jazz Artist in 2017. He is a founding member of the collective group Atlantis Quartet, and has toured throughout the U.S. and U.K. On his fourth album as a leader, “Chasing Shadows,” Harris continues to explore his voice as a composer in a set of music which was written during a four-day cabin retreat.

 

JUNO Award-winning guitarist Jocelyn Gould cements her place among contemporary jazz guitarist with her highly anticipated fourth album, “Portrait of Right Now.” She’s been hailed as “a leader in the next generation of great mainstream jazz guitarists” by Benedetto Guitars CEO Howard Paul. Her stunning new collection of ten tracks, including eight original compositions, showcases Gould’s evolution as an artist and her mastery of the guitar. She delivers a deeply personal and introspective work that explores themes of growth, memory, and artistic journey.

 

                                                                                  

 

Also this week, Ilya Osachuk’s debut album, “The Answer,” is a compelling and beautiful recording from one of the top new bassists on the North American jazz scene; “Forward!” is the second album from the Amsterdam-based young lions The Dam Jawn, featuring the legendary alto saxophonist Dick Oats; and “The Jazzcup Café Blues” is a wonderful new live recording by veteran drummer Alvin Queen and his stellar band.

 

 

This Week In Jazz December 22 thru December 28

Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the holidays and the birthdays of songwriter Harry Warren, singer/bandleader Cab Calloway, trumpeter/singer Chet Baker, composer/pianist Steve Allen, pianist Ray Bryant, multi-instrumentalist Bill Crow, guitarist John Scofield and more.

We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Art Blakey & James Moody’s (James Moody’s Modernists) New Sounds (1948), Benny Golson Sextet’s “The Modern Touch” (1957), Miles Davis “Cookin’ at the Plugged Nickel” (1965), Paul Desmond with the Modern Jazz Quartet (1971), Pat Metheny/Dave Holland/Roy Haynes’s “Question and Answer” (1989), Patricia Barber’s “The Cole Porter Mix” (2007) and many others Mondays thru Fridays at noon on Jazz Masters on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.

This Week’s Shows December 23 – December 29

Jazz Corner of the World  (Encore)Big City

Mondays at 6:00pm

Lenny White III at 75

Craig celebrates the 75th birthday of underrated drummer Leonard “Lenny” White III. We’ll hear some hot examples of Lenny’s great work as a leader, as well as a variety of sideman projects with the likes of Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, Curtis Fuller, Andrew Hill, and many others.

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas from KCCK!   (December 24 & 25)

Beginning Christmas Eve at 10:00am

The Christmas Channel

KCCK presents the best in Holiday jazz and blues for your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Tune us in for the perfect soundtrack to your celebration, whether it’s a quiet night by the fire, or with a houseful of family. Happy Holidays from all the elves at Jazz 88.3!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Yule Log | George BurtonJazz Night In America

Thursdays at 11:00pm

George Burton’s Holiday Present

Host Christian McBride gathers us around the fire for a special listen to pianist George Burton’s burning holiday record The Yule Log. We’ll hear some favorites and some deep, deep Christmas cuts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World

Saturdays from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm

Remembering Lou Donaldson

We celebrated Lou Donaldson’s 98th birthday just a few weeks ago, but now it’s time to note the passing of Lou Donaldson – one of the genre’s great alto saxophonists and one of the most positive spirits in jazz. Craig will spin choice tunes from more than 80 of the great recordings that Lou was associated with during his 65-year career.

 

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight Each night, KCCK lets you hear a new CD played start-to-finish.

Across the Field: College Fight Songs Reimagined by the Visions Jazz Ensemble on Monday; No Midnight CD on Tuesday; Gravity by the Jeremy Ledbetter Trio on Wednesday; You Don’t Know Jack by Brian Charette on Thursday; Toronto Bound by Sugar Brown on Friday; Grab Bag: 2007-2023 by the Greyboy Allstars on Saturday; Tomorrowsville by Randy Hoexter on Sunday.

Big Mo Pod Show 043 – “All Dem Christmas Favorites”

This week the boys at the Singing Cowboys Studio are keeping up the festivities with another round of Christmas themed tunes from Friday nights show! Check out the episode to get your fix for Christmas blues before the season passes us by! Songs featured in the episode: 

  1. Louis Prima – “Shake Hands With Santa Claus” 
  2. Brave Combo – “O Holy Night” 
  3. John Popper and Eric Clapton – “Christmas Blues” 
  4. Bob Corritore and Bob Stroger – “Train Fare” 
  5. Fareed Haque – “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” 

Listen to ‘da Friday Blues with Big Mo each week at 6pm, and catch the podcast for a behind the scenes look at the show!

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KCCK 2024 Holiday Card Key

Have some us changed enough through the years that you’re not sure who’s who on the KCCK Holiday card? Answers below!

Top Row (L-R):

Amira Kellison – Jazz Fest 2007

Murray Kent – With Bob Hope in Des Moines 1972

Craig Kessler – Passport photo from 50 years ago

Lydia Kilgore

Bob DeForest 

2nd Row (L-R):

John “Big Mo” Heim – Jazz Under The Stars many years ago!

Michelle Collier – On Air guest on KWOF/KTOF Waterloo 1999

3rd Row (L-R):

Laura Carson – College Show Choir

Killian Ritland – KCCK Jazz Band Camp 2016

Dennis Green – WMT Cedar Rapids 1984

Hollis Monroe

Bottom Row (L-R):

Saul Lubaroff

Ron Adkins – Barnes & Noble Cedar Rapids

George Dorman – Reporting on KCRG TV 9 in 1981

Bob Stewart

Bob Naujoks – WFAH in Alliance, OH in 1957

 

 

Talking Pictures 12-18-24

“Smile 2” (2024) and “The Order” (2024) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Monica Schmidt.

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Culture Crawl 1016 “Nothing Says Christmas Like Burial Plots”

Ron Clark is with us ahead of “Christmas Express! On Air” a live radio show performance featuring music by Streamline Deluxe with special guest Annie Savage. It’s Friday, December 20th, 7:30PM at Riverside Theatre in Iowa City. Tickets are $25. 

For tickets visit riversidetheatre.org or call 319-259-7099.

Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. Listen Live at 10:30am most weekdays on Iowa’s Jazz station. 88.3 FM or kcck.org/listen. 

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Culture Crawl 1015 “Can He Sing Higher?”

Tim Hankewich’s summer project is working on Christmas music during the hottest parts of the year. We’ll heard the results at one of the region’s biggest seasonal shows, Orchestra Iowa’s Holiday Spectacular, featuring nationally-renown tenor Ben Gulley. In addition to Tim’s arrangements, the work of Iowans Paul Clark and Peter Blesch. Plus, two vocal choirs, a bell choir, and even the Paramount’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ.

December 20-22 at the Paramount Theatre. Tickets at www.artsiowa.com.

Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. Listen Live at 10:30am most weekdays on Iowa’s Jazz station. 88.3 FM or kcck.org/listen.

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