“Nero Wolfe” (1936 YouTube), Halloween Film Favorites and “Lee” (2023) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown, Monica Schmidt and Denny Lynch.
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The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round with Jazz
Many people don’t know that in addition to being one of Iowa’s most popular jazz performers, Eddie Piccard also drives a bus for College Community Schools. One of the many students he’s struck up a friendship with is Riley Kruse, who rode Eddie’s bus from the time he was in elementary school.
Riley’s mom has been a music teacher, so music was a big part of his young life. And when he boarded Eddie’s bus for the first time, he immediately noticed that Eddie’s bus offered a unique amenity: Iowa’s Jazz Station. Eddie always plays KCCK on his bus.
“I didn’t really know what that was at the time,” Riley says, “but slowly learned that it was jazz playing (on) KCCK. Hearing KCCK on the radio had an awesome effect on my love for music, because it was always around me, every day, before school, after school.”
Riley soon came to accept and appreciate jazz on KCCK as a part of his daily ride, but it wasn’t until he attended a Prairie Jazz I concert that featured Eddie as a guest (singing a song he recorded with the Prairie band for the Corridor Jazz Project), that RIley realized his bus driver was a talented musician.
On the day Riley successfully auditioned for middle school jazz band, Eddie was the first person he told. Riley went on to play saxophone in high school jazz band, culminating in Prairie’s runner-up finish at the Iowa Jazz Championships, their best ever.
Riley graduated in the spring 2024, but Eddie hopes their paths will cross again. “Hopefully, one day he’ll be able to sit in with the Eddie Piccard group. I’m hoping for that.”
Riley will continue his music career at UNI, where he’ll major in music education. We’re sure he’ll follow Eddie’s example of sharing his love of music with the next generation.
Culture Crawl 980 “Sometimes They Want To Crawl Onstage With Us”
Patrick Starke, Sarah Rosales, Deirdre Lahiff, and Alexandra Wiebe make up the cast of Cedar Rapids Opera’s fun, kid-friendly The Littlest Mermaid. This 37-minute adaptation of Dvořák’s Rusalka has been specially tailored by Joshua Bortz to captivate young audiences. The cast has been performing at schools all over the area, and say it is so fun to connect with the students, many of whom are seeing live opera for the first time.
Visit www.cropera.org. for more info.
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 979 “The Liars Bench”
Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre invites everyone to be a part of an upcoming celebration that encompasses both Halloween and Day of the Dead, part of Eulenspiegel’s 50th birthday celebration. Eulenspiegel founder Monica Leo says she has noticed on travels to Mexico that Halloween has begun to be included in traditional Day of the Dead celebrations. And immigrant communities like West Liberty incorporate the Mexican holiday in the same way.
An additional twist will be to tell some local and regional ghost stories, some from puppeteer Stephanie Vallez’s own family history!
The Eulenspiegel studio will be open for anyone to help create the show Oct. 23 & 24, with the performance on Oct. 30. Another part of the 50th birthday celebration will be a “Happy Hour” on Oct. 17 with refreshments and viewing of a classic Eulenspiegel performance from the past.
More info at www.puppetspuppets.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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Clean Up Your Act 10-14-24
Farmers could turn to shorter corn that can withstand powerful windstorms that could become more frequent because of climate change.
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New Music Monday for October 14, 2024
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
34-year-old Japanese-born pianist Miki Yamanaka has called New York City home since 2012 and in the past decade has wasted no time establishing herself as one of the leading personalities of her generation on the piano and beyond. Critics laud her “light, expressive touch and solidly crafted mainstream approach,” while audiences delight in not only her playing, but her vibrant personality as well. Yamanaka has gained international recognition from her albums as a leader. Her new release, “Chance,” is her first classic piano trio disc. It was recorded at the historic Van Gelder studios with her working trio of Tyrone Allen on bass and Jimmy Macbride on drums.
Guitarist Peter Bernstein has become an expert in crafting remarkable music from the bonds he’s forged over his three-and-a-half-decade career. His own mastery is reflected in the hall-of-fame roster for whom he’s been the guitarist of choice over the years, from legends like Sonny Rollins, Lou Donaldson, Jim Hall and Dr. Lonnie Smith to peers including Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Eric Alexander and Nicholas Payton. His new project, “Better Angels,” is a once-in-a-lifetime summit of four revered artist: Bernstein, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Al Foster.
Also this week, pianist Dred Scott pays homage to the pioneers of Latin jazz on “Cali Mambo”: drummer Charles Ruggiero drops his eight disc as a leader, “But of Course”; and the esteemed saxophonist and distinguished professor at the University of Central Florida, Jeff Rupert, is joined by pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth in showcasing a blend of six original compositions and three thoughtfully selected standards on “It Gets Better.”
This Week In Jazz October 13 thru October 19
Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of Bluesman Big Joe Williams, drummers Cozy Cole, J.C. Moses and Bill Stewart, trumpeters Al Killion, Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis, bassists Palle Danielsson and Reid Anderson, singers Anita O’Day and Esparanza Spalding and more.
We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of “Benny Golson’s New York Scene” (1957), Phineas Newborn, Jr.’s “A World of Piano!” (1961), Ron Carter’s “Pastels” (1976), Harry “Sweets” Edison’s “There Will Never Be Another You” (1986), Ray Brown Trio “Live at Scullers” (1996), Ian Charleton Big Band’s “A Fresh Perspective” (2020) and many others Mondays thru Fridays at noon on Jazz Masters on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Special Programs October 14 thru October 20
Mondays at 6:00pm
Steeplechase Records – Show #4
Craig presents another wonderful sampling of jazz from the remarkable Steeplechase label from Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded by Nils Winther in 1972, Steeplechase has created over a thousand top-notch releases from great jazz artists like Jackie McLean, Harold Danko, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, Jack Walrath, Walt Dickerson, and many others.
Wednesday Night Special
Wednesdays at 6:00pm
Jazz Under the Stars with
Group X & the Murphy Fisher Quartet
KCCK’s Wednesday Night Special has been listening back to the summer’s last great party – Jazz Under the Stars! This week, it was the Murphy Fisher Quartet opening the night, followed by headliner Group X.
Jazz Night in America
Thursdays at 11:00pm
The Rise and Rise of Samara Joy
Christian McBride tells the story of rising jazz star Samara Joy. Find out how the young vocalist went from TikTok sensation to two-time Grammy winner. And, we hear her taking on the Great American Songbook at Dizzy’s Club in New York City.
Jazz Corner of the World
Saturdays from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm
Eddie Harris Birthday Celebration
Craig salutes Chicago tenorman Eddie Harris (born October 20, 1934) with an exciting array of jazz goodies from his lengthy recording career, from 1961 thru 1995.
KCCK’s Midnight CD
Every Night at Midnight Each night, KCCK lets you hear a new CD played start-to-finish.
Prayer For What Remains by Leslie Pintchik on Monday; Heading Home by Eric Jacobson on Tuesday; Here For a While by the Neil Swainson Sextet on Wednesday; Lumination by the Joel Frahm Trio on Thursday; King of the Roll by the Billy Lee Janey Band on Friday; Blues Since Birth by J.P. Reali on Saturday; Hello! How Are You? by Caity Gyorgy on Sunday.