The KCCK Featured CD for December is “Christmas Vibes” from Warren Wolf. His work with Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, and the SFJazz Collective has established Warren as the foremost straight-ahead vibraphonist of his generation. His new release is brimming with jazz yuletide cheer sure to provide the ideal soundtrack to the season. Wolf takes an even more prominent role than usual, exhibiting his prowess on the piano as well as highlighting his usual virtuosity on the vibes. In part, that was out of necessity as the album was recorded in mid-March just as the pandemic was beginning to take hold, resulting in some last-minute change of plan. “Christmas Vibes” is from Mack Avenue Records. Purchase the CD.
KCCK’s Featured CD for December 2020
Special Programs for November 2 thru November 7
Short List with host Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturdays at 7 AM
Licorice Stick 2: Pete Fountain
Ranking with clarinet legends Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, Pete Fountain was a latter-day exponent of traditional New Orleans jazz. His smooth style captured a host of fans who were not necessarily died-in-the-wool jazz lovers, especially after a two-year stint with the popular Lawrence Welk Orchestra. He owned his own jazz club in New Orleans, and made numerous appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show.
Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler
Mondays at 6:00 PM
Tribute to Bassist Gary Peacock (1956 to 2020)
In this first of two shows spotlighting Peacock’s fine career, we will hear examples of his work with a variety of jazz names, such as Paul Bley, Marc Copland, Bill Evans, Clare Fischer, Keith Jarrett, Tony Williams, and others. Gary passed on September 4 at the age of 85, and will certainly be missed!
The Wednesday Night Special
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Allison Miller at the Iowa City Jazz Festival
This month, KCCK’s Wednesday Night Special features members of the jazz supergroup, Artemis, and their standout gigs at the Iowa City Jazz Festival. This week, it’s drummer Allison Miller’s Boom-Tic-Boom from 2016.
Jazz Night In America with host Christian McBride
Thursdays at 11:00 PM
Crate Digging Some Latin Bass
Host Christian McBride gets the keys to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s vault, where he selects some of his favorite concerts over the years. We present our monthly “Crate Digging Series,” figuratively speaking, from the House of Swing. First up: a 2006 concert featuring The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra led by virtuoso pianist Arturo O’Farrill. They showcase the evolution of the Latin bass in jazz with three special guests: Israel López – famously known as “Cachao” – Andy Gonzalez, and Charnett Moffett.
Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler
Saturdays at 12:00 Noon
Herbie Hancock’s “Headhunters Era”
After four shows spotlighting the “Mwandishi Era” of Herbie’s music (’69 – ’73), Craig now moves to the next phase of Hancock’s career, the “Headhunters Era” … named for the huge commercial 1973 hit record of the same name. We’ll hear some great funky fare from the years 1973 – 1975. Don’t miss it!
KCCK’s Midnight CD
Every Night at Midnight
Each night, KCCK gives you the chance to hear a new CD played start-to-finish.
Apples & Oranges by Doug Webb on Monday; Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery by Isaiah J. Thompson on Tuesday; Deja Vu by Javon Jackson on Wednesday; What’s Next by the Uptown Jazz Tentet on Thursday; 20 Dollar Tip by Billy Lee Janey on Friday; Cosmic Radio by Dudley Taft on Saturday; Crossover by Jorge Garcia on Sunday
New Music Monday for November 2, 2020
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
A new Matt Wilson album isn’t so much a snapshot capturing the drummer at a particular moment in time. Rather, his recordings are more like a musical family tree, vividly illustrating the web of relationships that manifest his music. A creative force since the 1980s, the drummer embodies a verdant and radically unbounded aesthetic, and “Hug” embraces some of his deepest nourishing roots. Featuring Wilson’s long-running quartet with saxophonist Jeff Lederer, cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Chris Lightcap, the disc documents one of jazz’s most potent and expressive working bands exploring a typically far-flung Wilsonian program.
The title of “What Comes Next,” the latest album from guitarist Peter Bernstein, certainly echoes a question that we’ve all been asking ourselves in recent months. Locked away, wary of leaving the house during a global pandemic, divided by politics and protest. The disc arrives in the midst of a quarantine but was recorded during the lockdown as well. With tour schedules and conflicting dates hardly being an issue, Bernstein assembled a dream quartet for the date. He’s joined by Grammy-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner, drummer and frequent collaborator Joe Farnsworth and the always exquisite bassist Peter Washington. “We all kept our masks on,” recalls Bernstein. “It felt a little strange at first, but I’m just thankful for the chance to try and create something with musicians I love.”
Also this week, “Figure Two: New Designs” is the second volume from Chicago trumpeter and composer Markus Rutz’s Blueprints series, navigating diverse ensemble and stylistic directions through six original compositions and jazz standards by McCoy Tyner, Sam Rivers and Frank Foster;
the Yellowjackets’ 25th album, “Jackets XL,” combines the shapeshifting, multiple Grammy Award-winning quartet with the superb WDR Big Band of Cologne, Germany;
and “Party of Four” is a cornucopia of swing and harmony from The Royal Bopsters, the vocal quartet featuring Holli Ross, Amy London, Dylan Pramuk and Pete McGuinness, joined by special guests Sheila Jordan, Bob Dorough, and bassist Christian McBride.
Culture Crawl 599 “Band of Brothers”
During World War II, Salt Lake City native Richard Burt, who would later get his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music from Drake University, was stationed in the Philippines as a member of the 746th Far East Air Force Band. As his hitch ended, Burt asked his commanding officer for the wire recordings the ensemble had made.
More than seventy-five years later, Richard’s grandson Jason has work to clean up and release the recordings. We talk with Jason about how the project came together and get to hear a couple of songs from “Sentimental Journey.”
Learn more at https://746feaf.hearnow.com.
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Talking Pictures 10-28-20
Rebecca (2020) and The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Monica Schmidt.
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Culture Crawl 598 “Honey, I Need More Kleenex Again”
Red Cedar Chamber begins its 25th Season with “Dynamic Duos” Oct. 29 – Nov. 1. Four live-streamed shows, one of which will be cast from the stage of the Englert.
On the program is Ravel’s famous “Sonata for Violin and Cello” and a new work, “Sonatina” by composer-in-residence Michael Kimber.
All shows are streamed free from Red Lear’s YouTube channel. More info at www.redcedar.org.
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Ted Nash – The KCCK Interview
KCCK’s Bob Stewart interviews saxophonist Ted Nash, saxophonist and composer, who will be a part of the Wynton Marsalis Septet for the Hancher premiere of “The Sound of Democracy,” Oct. 27 at 7:30pm.
Ted talks about growing up as the son of two civil rights activists, The experience of playing with Wynton and the Lincoln Center Orchestra, as well as his own work.
Tickets for the streaming performance of “The Sound of Democracy” are only $20. Visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu for details.
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Clean Up Your Act 11-23-20
Climate change is having an impact on rural Iowa.
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