Special Programs for June 7 thru June 12

Short List with Host Bob Naujoks

Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturdays at 7 AM

Short List: Tony DeSare

This week marks the final entry in Bob Naujok’s Short List series. Capping off his 24 years of spotlighting jazz music’s great and unsung talents, Bob features outstanding pianist and vocalist Tony DeSare. The Sinatra-style singer made a pre-pandemic appearance in Cedar Rapids, played New York’s major clubs, and appeared with some of the country’s major symphony orchestras.

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler 

Mondays at 6:00 PM

Cannonball Adderley 1965 to 1969

In his 5th chronological show exploring the music of Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Craig presents special selections from the Capitol Records label, including famous titles as, “Country Preacher,” “Cannonball in Japan,” “Accent on Africa,” “Radio Nights,” “Why Am I Treated So Bad,” and other delights!

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

The Braxton Cook Quartet

When saxophonist Braxton Cook made his 2018 appearance at the Iowa City Jazz Festival, he was still considered an ‘emerging artist.’ And yet, he had already worked with an enviable list of jazz giants and was set to play the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals. He had just released his second album, No Doubt, and gave the Iowa City crowd a generous listen to its R&B-tinged jazz.  

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride

Thursdays at 11:00 PM

Billy Strayhorn’s Complex Life

The fruitful collaboration between Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington brought us “Take The ‘A’ Train,” “Chelsea Bridge,” and “Isfahan.” But behind the music, Strayhorn led a complex life as an outlier. He was an openly gay black man in the homophobic 1940s. This week, host Christian McBride shares Billy Strayhorn classics, plus interviews with Strayhorn family members, his biographer, and rare archival tape of Strayhorn himself.

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler 

Saturdays at 12:00 Noon

Strata-East Record Label, Part 1

In this first show of several presentations, Craig hones in on special releases from the 55-plus titles issued on this legendary record label, co-founded by trumpeter Charles Tolliver and pianist Stanley Cowell. We’ll hear from a variety of unique jazz recordings that have become highly sought-after discs on today’s collector’s markets. Please tune in!.

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight

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

African Ripples by the Keith Brown Trio on Monday; Ojoyo Play Safrojazz by Ojoyo on Tuesday; Power From the Air by Brian Charette on Wednesday; Live in St. Louis by the Dave Weckl Band on Thursday; Wide Awake by Quinn Sullivan on Friday; Sharecropper’s Son by Robert Finley on Saturday; Let There Be Love by Freda Payne on Sunday

This Week In Jazz June 6 thru June 12

Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of composer Cole Porter, guitarists Les Paul and Tal Farlow, drummer Shelly Manne, pianist Kenny Barron and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of The Clifford Brown Memorial Album (1953), Bennie Green Blows His Horn (1955), John Coltrane’s “Africa/Brass” (1961), The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975), Charles Earland Tribute Band’s “Keepers of the Flame” (2000) and many others Mondays thru Fridays at noon on our JAZZ MASTERS ‘program on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.

New Music Monday for June 7, 2021

     Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
After appearing on a number of universally acclaimed jazz recordings last year, including those by Jazzmeia Horn, Charles Tolliver, and Gregory Tardy, multi-faceted pianist, composer and arranger Keith Brown fulfills a long-held artistic vision on “African Ripples.” The music, Brown explains, “was composed and collected to convey my personal experiences through Black music and how it has rippled out in so many different directions.” On this long-awaited third release, he introduces a new iteration of his trio now anchored by bassist Dezron Douglas and rotating drummers Darrell Green and Terreon Gully. Trumpeter Russell Gunn and saxophonist Anthony Ware are also utilized on several tunes.

 

 

 

 

     Morris Goldberg performs nine attractive originals that pay tribute to his South African heritage and his love of melodic jazz on “Ojoyo Plays Safrojazz.” The saxophonist, penny whistle master and composer was born and raised in Cape Town, learning from an early age how to blend together bebop with music that reflected his African heritage. For his 1959 debut, he took part in one of the very first jazz sessions recorded in South Africa. He started working with Hugh Masekela in 1965, an association that lasted for decades. In 1996, Goldberg formed Ojoyo as a vehicle for his compositions, a group that continues to the present time. “Ojoyo Plays Safrojazz” is the 25th anniversary reissue of the band’s first album, which has been enhance by remastering.

 

 

 

 

                           

 Also this week, the Dave Weckl Band reunites for a special performance in the drummer’s hometown for “Live in St. Louis,” the band’s first album since 2005;

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  

 organist Brian Charette features his innovative sextet consisting of the keyboardist, a drummer and four horns on “Power from the Air”;

 

 

 

 

 

         

     and singer Freda Payne is featured in duets with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling and Johnny Mathis on “Let There Be Love.”

 

 

 

 

Talking Pictures 6-2-2021

A Quiet Place Part II (2020) and The Family Fang (2015) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Scott Chrisman. 

Podcast (talkingpics): Play in new window | Download

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KCCK’s Featured Album for June 2021

The KCCK Featured Album for June is “Daring Mind” from the Jihye Lee Orchestra. The South Korea native first found success as an indie pop singer before discovering large-ensemble jazz while studying at Boston’s Berklee College. She’s since been awarded  several commissions for compositions that appear on the new disc, which Lee describes as a documentation of her first four years in New York City. Renowned trumpeter Sean Jones is a key contributor over the course of nine spellbinding charts. “Daring Mind” is on Motema Records. Purchase the album.

Kirkwood Board of Trustees to meet June 10, 2021

The regular meeting of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees will take place June 10, 2021.  Time, place, and meeting agenda can be found at this link.

Special Programs for May 31 thru June 5

Short List with Host Bob Naujoks

Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturdays at 7 AM

Short List: Michael Brecker

Saxman Michael Brecker is well known in both jazz and popular music for his strong and concise playing. He had a stint with pianist Horace Silver, and formed the long-running Brecker Brothers with his brother, trumpeter Randy Brecker. While playing jazz, he was also a sought-after session man for pop artists’ recordings. Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Steely Dan were just some who used his talent.

 

 

 

KCCK’s “Best of the Fest” Memorial Day Special

all day Monday beginning at 6:00 AM

Make KCCK part of your Memorial Day! Iowa’s Jazz Station presents some of the best moments from the Iowa City Jazz Festival, hand-picked by our listeners. Members of the Iowa jazz community introduce each act,  with special introductions by members of the Iowa jazz community.   

 

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

Joshua Redman’s Still Dreaming

Joshua Redman’s Still Dreaming was the saxophonist’s “dream project,” as he revisited and paid tribute to his father Dewey Redman and the music of Dewey’s band Old and New Dreams. Joshua brought friends Ron Miles on cornet, bassist Scot Colley, and drummer Brian Blade to 2018’s Iowa City Jazz Festival for a set filled with fresh takes on some old favorites.  

 

 

 

Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride

Thursdays at 11:00 PM

A Cedar Walton Crate Dive

For his latest installment of Jazz Night’s Crate Digging series, host Christian McBride spotlights one of his favorite pianists, the late Cedar Walton. He’s respected among the giants but underrated in the public eye, especially as a composer. Featured is a fiery recording from the Jazz at Lincoln Center vaults – a 2008 Cedar Walton Quintet performance at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler 

Saturdays at 12:00 Noon

Tribute to Chick Corea, Part 5

Craig spins more of his Chick Corea favorites, from March 1972 to mid-1975. He’ll begin with his ECM release called Return to Forever, and continue with material from Stan Getz, a CTI Airto release, some “On The Corner” era Miles sessions, duo work with Gary Burton, the Light As A Feather sessions, and several other shining diamonds. Tune in for absolutely top-notch material!

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight

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

Lovesome Thing by Anais Reno on Monday; Introducing Kendall Carter by Kendall Carter on Tuesday; It’s My Turn by The Echo Park Project on Wednesday; Daring Mind by the Jihye Lee Orchestra on Thursday; Bang at the Door by Donna Herula on Friday; The Cause of it All by The Reverend Shawn Amos & Doctor Roberts on Saturday; … ‘Til We Meet Again by Norah Jones on Sunday

This Week In Jazz May 30 thru June 5


Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of arranger Nelson Riddle, drummers Al Harewood, Albert “Tootie” Heath and Louis Hayes, singers Ian Shaw and Dakota Stanton and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Bird & Diz” (1950), Kenny Dorham’s “‘Round about Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia” (1956), Dexter Gordon’s “One Flight Up” (1964), Sarah Vaughan “Live at Rosy’s” (1978), Etta James/Cleanhead Vinson’s “Blues in the Night, Vol. 1: The Early Show” (1986,) Jimmy Owens’ “The Monk Project” (2011) and many others Mondays thru Fridays at noon on our JAZZ MASTERS‘ program on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.