This week our two blues aficionados delve into some blues history, and even a little American history, with some Friday’s tracks, discussing the unique environments that shaped the blues and those that played it. Songs featured in the episode:
Pink Anderson – “Bo Weevil”
Guitar Shorty – “True Lies”
Curtis Salgado – “Slow Down”
Albert Cummings – “Live Strong”
James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin – “Sitting On Top Of The World”
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!
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Multi-Grammy Award winner Brian Lynch’s new album, “7x7By7,” can justifiably be called septology: seven pieces performed by seven musicians with each tune clocking in at seven minutes flat of music. The trumpeter and composer designed the project in a novel and distinctive modular format, allowing for the interchange of ensemble sections and individual parts across all seven pieces. Additionally, the recording process was designed to facilitate the smooth reassembly of elements from the tracks into new pieces.
“Entre Amigos” is a creative collaboration featuring award-winning Chicago-based musicians Roy McGrath (sax), Gustavo Cortinas (drums), Hana Fujisaki (piano) and Kit Lyles (bass). The formal creation of the band marked a celebration of a decade-long anniversary of musical friendship. Hot off the heels of their month-long tour of Asia with gigs practically every night, the quartet threw themselves immediately into the studio upon their return, recording their self-titled debut album. It marked the end result of weeks of nonstop arranging, composing and perfecting the music they knew as well as they knew each other.
Also this week, “Found in Space” is the second pairing of the dominant trombonist of our time, Michael Dease, and the prolific composer Gregg Hill, full of reminders of ‘70s cinema, Zappa albums, bebop and big bands; Jacqui Naylor, a captivating vocalist known for defying genres, releases her 12th album, “Treasures of the Heart,” a collection blending jazz, R&B, soul and pop; and Grammy-winning New York City drummer Zach Adleman brings a fresh and creative approach to his new album, “We Make: Stories for a New Day.”
It’s the 1000th episode of The Culture Crawl! And who better to sit in the guest chair than frequent guest Tim Hankewich. This weekend, he’ll be the Master of Multitasking as Orchestra Iowa presents “Home Alone” – film with live music Nov. 16-17.
Tim also name-drops the New York Philharmonic, for whom he conducted a Film with Live Orchestra event a couple years ago.
Nov. 16-17 at the Paramount. 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.
Chris Navarette is the new instrumental music director at Kirkwood Community College. His first jazz events are this week, and there are so many we’ve dubbed it “Jazz Week at Kirkwood!” He’s brought in guest artist Kenyon Brenner, a sax player and teacher in Orange County California.
Activities include a free master class open to the public Thursday evening, and concerts Friday and Saturday nights. Friday will feature the Kirkwood Jazz Combo and Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble. Saturday, it’s a new ensemble, the Kirkwood Pop Combo, and the CR Jazz big band.
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.
The current exhibits at Gilded Pear Gallery are “Unmoored” from Mary Zeran, and Gordon Kellenburger’s “Colorful Surrounding.” Both artists are known for their use of vibrant colors. Mary says that her latest work incorporates textile and fibers, a tribute to her mom, who made all of Mary’s clothes when she was young. Gordon’s work is all-new, each piece has been created since September.
Meet both Mary and Gordon and take a look at their work this Friday, Nov. 15 from 5-7:30pm at the gallery. Visit gildedpeargallery.com to RSVP and see pictures of the pieces.
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.
KCCK’s Bob Stewart chats with pianist Amina Figerova and her husband and band flutist Bart Platteau, when they passed through Iowa recently. They talked about Amina’s latest project, “Suite for Africa,” featuring the Matsiko World Orphan Choir, including the coincidental airport meeting that kicked off the collaboration.
The Beaker Brothers perform their annual concert at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City Nov. 16, paying tribute to the pioneering Latin-Rock guitarist Carlos Santana, with a show full of some of Santana’s earlier work. Guest-starring with the Beakers is percussionist and singer Ed East, Orquesta Alto Maiz bandmate of Jim Dreier.
The Brothers promise a night-full of familiar favorites and a few surprises. Visit the Beakers online at www.beakerbrothersband.com. Tickets for the concert at www.englert.org.
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.
Listen to this week’s playlist on 
