Jayson Hanson, Jamon Buhr, Sam Proctor
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Culture Crawl 1207 “Big Dirt Country”
Iowa City Summer of the Arts kicks off early this year with the Friday Night Concert Series. Executive director, Lisa Barnes, and Development Director, Eric Johnson, talk about the lineup starting with Bear Cat Hot Club at the Ped Mall Stage this Friday, May 8. Stay tuned for more SOTA talk coming soon…
More info at summerofthearts.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.
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New Music Monday for May 4, 2026
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Posi-Tone Records continues its Blue Moods series with an interpretive exploration of compositions by the iconic and legendary Miles Davis. Drawing upon the breadth of Davis’s output as a composer, “Directions and Expressions” balances atmosphere and intensity, space and momentum, distilling both subtlety and fire with a contemporary vibrance that highlights the enduring strength of the compositions. The all-star ensemble includes saxophonist Diego Rivera, vibraphonist Ben Gillece, pianist Art Hirahara and bassist Boris Kozlov.
Since his debut album in 1985, pianist and composer Billy Childs has garnered six Grammy Awards and an astounding seventeen nominations, most recently winning Best Jazz Album for “Winds of Change” in 2023. “Triumvirate,” Childs’ first trio recording in 25 years, harnesses the energy and creative prowess of his touring group—bassist Matt Penman and drummer Ari Hoenig—into a masterclass of material revisited from his earliest recordings, within an intimate setting of equal parts lineage and evolution.
Also this week, prolific trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas unveils “Transcend,” featuring his all-star GIFTS Quintet on a program of original compositions alongside three Duke Ellington works; trumpeter and composer Jared Hall celebrates the grounding power of family, shared history, and the joy of reconnecting with the people and experiences that shaped him on “Hometown”; and bassist Nat Reeves, who has uplifted the music of Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, Kenny Garrett, Benny Golson and other giants of jazz, reflects on a 50-year career with “Now In Time.”
This Week’s Shows May 4 – May 10
Jazz Corner of the World (Encore)
Mondays at 6:00pm
Miles On Prestige – 1951-1956
All through May, Craig celebrates the Miles Davis centennial. He begins with featured recordings of young Miles coming into his own, with jazz greats like Milt Jackson, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, and many others!
Wednesday Night Special
Wednesdays at 6:00pm
Saul Lubaroff at First Friday
Saul Lubaroff brought his acclaimed Quartet to the Opus Concert Café for a night of jazz, blues, and a little soul. Saul Lubaroff is one of Iowa’s premier saxmen, playing with a who’s who of artists throughout his career. The Opus audience enjoyed two sets of originals, some fresh interpretations of classics, and upbeat cover tunes.
Jazz Corner of the World
Saturdays at 12:00 noon
Miles Davis Quintet on Columbia
Craig spotlights the Miles Davis Quintet and their 1950s and 1960s Columbia work. It’s a deep listen to Miles with John Coltrane, Red Garland, Sam Rivers, George Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and many others.
KCCK’s Midnight CD (April 27 – May 2)
Every Night at Midnight
KCCK features a new album every night, played from start-to-finish.
Slight Accent by Ray Obiedo on Monday; Timepieces by Russ Spiegel on Tuesday; Brass by Bria Skonberg on Wednesday; Alive With Ghosts Today by Chick Corea on Thursday; Blues & Spirituals by Reverend Freakchild on Friday; Hymn Hustler by Reverend Freakchild on Saturday; The War Within by David Basse on Sunday.
This Week In Jazz May 3 thru May 9
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Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of trumpeters Maynard Ferguson, Richard Williams, Paul Smoker, Jack Walrath and Randy Sandke, pianists Mary Lou Willaims and Keith Jarrett, singer Teresa Brewer, bassist Ron Carter and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Elmo Hope’s “The All Star Sessions” (1956), Dexter Gordon’s “Doin’ Alright” (1961), Mary Lou Williams “Live at the Keystone Corner” (1977), Joe Williams’ “Ballad and Blues Master” (1987), Junko Onishi Trio “Live at the Village Vanguard II” (1994), The Flying Horse Big Band’s “Florida Rays” (2019) and many others, Mondays thru Fridays and at noon on JAZZ MASTERS on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Iowa City Jazz Festival July 3-5, 2026
IOWA CITY, IA – Award-winning headliner ARTEMIS featuring Renee Rosnes, Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda & Allison Miller, will perform on the Strauss Community Main Stage at 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 4th, 2026, as part of the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Summer of the Arts is thrilled to announce the dates for the 2026 Iowa City Jazz Festival, taking place July 3-5, 2026, in downtown Iowa City. This beloved summer tradition will once again bring three days of world-class jazz performances to the heart of the community—and admission is FREE for all.
This year’s festival will feature ARTEMIS, the powerhouse jazz quintet that has taken the jazz world by storm. Founded by renowned pianist and composer Renee Rosnes, ARTEMIS brings together five instrumental virtuosos: Rosnes on piano, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, saxophonist Nicole Glover, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller.
The group has won Jazz Group of the Year in the Downbeat Readers Poll for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), and their performances have earned widespread acclaim. NPR praised them as “a killer line-up of players, composers and performers…who converge on an extremely cosmopolitan, sleek, rhythm-forward, modern sound.” The band will be touring in support of their third Blue Note Records album “Arboresque,” released in February 2025.
Full 2026 Festival Schedule
July 3, 2026
July 4, 2026
8:00 pm Artemis featuring Renee Rosnes, Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda & Allison Miller on the Strauss Community Stage
July 5, 2026
10:00 am 2026 Jazz Brunch Fundraiser at the The University of Iowa School of Music – Voxman Building
Festival Details:
- When: July 3-5, 2026
- Where: Downtown Iowa City, two stages
- Cost: FREE admission
- What to Bring: Blankets, lawn chairs, and your love of music
The weekend will showcase a diverse lineup of well-known jazz musicians alongside emerging talent, with performances in downtown Iowa City. In addition to outstanding music, attendees can browse artist and organization booths, sample delicious food offerings, and enjoy the festival’s lively beverage garden.
Stay tuned to www.summeroftheARTS.org for updates.
Important Planning Note:
With the Savannah Bananas baseball games scheduled for July 3 and 4 at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City will be bustling with visitors that weekend. Festival attendees are strongly encouraged to book hotel accommodations early to ensure availability.
KCCK’s Featured Album for May 2026
The KCCK Featured Album for May is “Forever Yours” by Chick Corea. The disc captures highlights from two solo-piano concerts given just four months before the jazz icon’s passing. The performances in Clearwater, Florida, would be the last public concerts Corea ever gave. The recordings stand as a deeply affecting goodbye and a definitive document of Corea’s solo piano experience. “Forever Yours” is from Candid Records. Purchase
Culture Crawl 1206 “’September’ is not on the program”
The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale presents their final concert of the season, “Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water,” coming up May 2, 7:30pm at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Director Gerry Kreitzer is in the studio with the details plus a preview of the upcoming season.
Tickets are $18 (+fees) online and $23 in-person/day-of.
More info at crchorale.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.
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