Clean Up Your Act 7-13-22

Iowa ranks 30th among the best states for beekeeping.

Culture Crawl 731 “Just Enough to Not Break Copyright”

This week, the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band showcases the winner of their annual Young Artist competition, recent Linn-Mar graduate Arjun Palaniappan on a composition that Steve Shanley says is about as close as you can get to Toto’s “Africa” without having to give David Paich and Jeff Porcaro a writing credit. Also on the program a jazz-based suite composed by Shostakovich. Come early on Sunday and hear a prelude concert from the New Horizons Band.

June 22 at Noelridge Park, June 26 at Bever Park, 7:30pm each night. Concert program and more info at www.crmuniband.org.

Talking Pictures 6-22-22

Lightyear (2022) and The Phantom of the Open (2022) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Monica Schmidt. 

Culture Crawl 730 “Fights, Whiskey, and Sex”

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A woman achieves the highest honor in her field, and then is torn down by the male-dominated community. Except it’s 1912 and the woman is Marie Curie, asked to not travel to Sweden to accept her second Nobel Prize after allegations of an affair with a married man. Marie seeks out a friend and fellow scientist, Hertha Ayrton, and “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” is the story of these two brilliant women and their friendship.

But it’s not all talk and shoulder-patting. Cast members Kristina Rutkowski (Marie) and Jen Brown (Hertha) say there’s some fighting, some whiskey, and pretty scandalous talk about sex, at least by 1912 standards.

June 24-26 at Giving Tree Theater. Tickets at www.givingtreetheater.com.

Culture Crawl 729 “Throw Out The First Bagel”

Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids is 100 years old this year, and June 23 is Jewish Heritage Night with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Organizer Lena Gilbert has several activities planned before the game. The Jewish community in Cedar Rapids has been around since the late 1800s, and founded or have been involved in many of the city’s signature businesses.

Advance tickets to the game at www.milb.com/cedar-rapids 

This Week In Jazz June 19 thru June 25


Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of bassists Milt Hinton and Jamil Nasser, singer Helen Humes, guitarist Chet Atkins, composer/pianists Lalo Schifrin and Eric Reed, reedman Eric Dolphy and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of “The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 1” (1958), Les McCann’s “Swiss Movement” (1969), Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt’s “God Bless Sonny & Jug” (1973), Bobby McFerrin & Chick Corea’s “Play” (1990), “Ron Carter’s Great Big Band” (2010) and many others, Mondays thru Fridays at noon on JAZZ MASTERS on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.  

Special Programs for June 20 thru June 26

Jazz Corner of the World

Mondays from 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Milestone Records, Part 2

Host Craig Kessler continues his listen to the Milestone record label, created by Orrin Keepnews following the demise of Riverside Records. Instead of an overview, Craig focuses on the extraordinary pianist McCoy Tyner and the exquisite, powerful music he recorded for Milestone.

 

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

John Ellis & Double-Wide at the IC Jazz Fest

We’re less than two weeks away from the 2022 Iowa City Jazz Festival. As we gear up for a July 4th weekend full of the best jazz, we’re listening back to great artists from past Jazz Fests. This week, it’s John Ellis & Double-Wide, taking the stage for a set to remember in 2011.

 

 

 

 


Jazz Night in America

Thursday at 11:00 PM

Mike & Julian Lee’s Family Affair

Host Christian McBride explores the heart-warming relationship between saxophonists Mike Lee and his son Julian Lee. We’ll hear music from both, and learn about how life (and jazz) under one roof allowed them to learn from each other and become stronger musicians together.  

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World

Saturdays at 12:00 Noon

Piano Artistry of Richie Beirach, Part 2  

Craig Kessler takes another detailed look at the prolific career of Richie Beirach, who has made hundreds of recordings since 1974. We’ll hear the 74-year-old pianist in a variety of solo settings, examples of his work with guitarist John Abercrombie, and we’ll pay close attention to Beirach’s long-time association with reedman Dave Liebman.

 

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight

Each night, KCCK gives you the chance to hear a new CD played start-to-finish.

Live at Birdland by Carol Sloane oMonday; Swing State by Ben Sidran on Tuesday; ARCeology: The Music of MSM Schmidt by ARC Trio with the John Daversa Big Band on Wednesday; Nu-Jive: Nations United by Troy Roberts on Thursday; The Wildroots Sessions, Vol. 2 by The Wildroots on Friday; Hard to Kill by Janiva Magness on Saturday; Next Year’s Song by CeCe Gable on Sunday

New Music Monday for June 20, 2022

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify  
Fifteen years after the release of his first album as a leader, keyboardist, composer and arranger Martin Bejerano still insists his is not a great Latin piano player. “I’m not someone who is satisfied with doing just one kind of music,” he readily admits, pointing to the broad stylistic diversity represented by the ten tracks that make up the program on his new album “#CubanAmerican,” his fourth release as a leader. Significantly, he is joined by the same two rhythm section partners who have been with him since the inception of his trio in 2007. Havana-born drummer Ludwig Afonso has performed with an eclectic group of artists, from Spyro Gyra to guitarist Richard Bona, while Edward Perez is a first call bassist in New York City who has worked with Paquito D’Rivera and Lee Konitz, among other notables.

 

 

 

     Alan Broadbent is one of New Zealand’s favorite musical sons and perhaps the most well-known and multi-talented of them all. Many are familiar with his arranging and conducting for Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny and Michael Buble. Others may know Broadbent has received 8 Grammy nominations, winning 2 for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, one for Natalie Cole and one for Shirley Horn. On “Like Minds,” he takes a seat on the piano bench for his third recording with his trio featuring the great bassist Harvie S and the colorful drumming of Billy Mintz.

 

 

 

                      

 Also this week, Pittsburgh-born organist Bill Heid, who worked often early in his career with greats like Sonny Stitt and David “Fathead” Newman, unveils a new set of originals on “Dealin’ Wid It”;

 

 

 

 

 

                 

celebrated American tenor sax icon Scott Hamilton is joined by a Swedish rhythm section on “Classics”;

 

 

 

 

 

         

     and Europe’s new jazz big band star, Danish Katherine Windfeld, devotes her compositions to maritime themes on “Orca.”