From Dennis Green

To the KCCK Family:

Because that’s what we are. The musicians, teachers, students, donors, and music fans who make up KCCK’s constituency are a family. We celebrate together when times are good. And we grieve with each other during tough times.

The current crisis hits our community particularly hard, as the venues whose music and theatre shows sustain us are closed. Musicians and performers have seen their income disappear overnight. And many of us are in high-risk categories, torn between our instinct to stay safe and our desire to support our community.

Remember that many artists have CDs and merchandise for sale on their websites. Buy or download their music since you can’t get to a show. If someone has a Patreon or GoFundMe, please support it. Musicians, if you’re streaming a performance, whether it’s from a venue or your living room, let us know. KCCK’s Concert Calendar is available for you to post virtual or streaming events. We’ll help get the word out over the air and online.

In times like these, KCCK offers a respite, an island of normality in this turbulent sea of crises. Which is not to say we’re ignoring the public health emergency. We’ve added updates throughout the day to keep you up to date on the fast-moving developments related to COVID-19, in addition to our regular newscasts.

But our primary purpose is to be here with you and for you, to be a calm, friendly voice to keep you company and to listen with you to our favorite music.

Please feel free to reach out to us by phone, email, or social media anytime. And we look forward to a time when we can celebrate our love for art and music together once again. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, from all of us here at Iowa’s Jazz Station.

Special Programs for March 16 thru March 20

Short List with host Bob Naujoks   

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

Vocal Short List: Nnenna Freelon

This week the Short List begins a new vocal series. Nnenna Freelon was a late-starter in the music business, beginning after the birth of her third child. She grew up singing, however, in church choirs and learned piano at her grandmother’s house. Ellis Marsalis encouraged Nnenna to pursue a recording contract with Columbia Records in the early 1990s.

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler

Mondays at 6:00 PM

West Coast Jazz 1: Pacific Jazz Records  

Craig presents an in-depth look at the artists and recordings of the legendary record label, Pacific Jazz, during the 1950s.  We’ll hear from Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Annie Ross, Richie Kamuca, Jack Montrose, Zoot Sims, Shorty Rogers, Jim Hall, and a host of others.

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

Soul Sacrifice at First Friday Jazz

Soul Sacrifice, Eastern Iowa’s collective of all things Latin rock/fusion, brought their love of Carlos Santana to the Opus Concert Café for two sets of sweet grooves. John Reasoner, Denny Redmond, Rob Wallace, John Hall, Tim Crumley, and Dennis McPartland – veterans of local music stages for decades – got the Opus crowd moving in their chairs and singing along to “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways,” and other immortal Santana classics.

 

 

 

Jazz Night In America with Host Christian McBride

Thursdays at 11:00 PM

Getting to Know Linda Oh

Host Christian McBride gets to know bassist Linda May Han Oh. We’ll hear from her latest album, Aventurine, and learn about her award-winning rise to the top of the jazz world. Oh looks back at the jazz heroes who influenced her, as well as the thrill of later getting to play in their bands.

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler 

Saturdays at 12:00 Noon

West Coast Jazz 2 – Contemporary Records

Craig presents an in-depth look at the artists and recordings of the legendary label, Contemporary Records, during the 1950s.  We’ll hear from Teddy Edwards, Bob Cooper, Harold Land, Art Pepper, Lennie Niehaus, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, Curtis Counce, Buddy Collette, and a host of others.

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight

Each night, KCCK gives you the chance to hear a new CD played start-to-finish. Tune in at Midnight for: 

Alterations by Robin McKelle on Monday; The Scrapper by John Sneider on Tuesday; The Road Less Traveled by Knoxville Jazz Orchestra on Wednesday; Without Deception  by Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio  on Thursday; High Risk, Low Reward  by Ryan Perry on Friday; Rebel Moon Blues by Sass Jordan on Saturday; Life Goes On by Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard & Steve Swallow on Sunday. 

This Week In Jazz March 15 thru March 21

Hey, Jazz fans!!! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of trumpeters Jimmy McPartland and Harry James, pianist/singer Nat King Cole, pianists Tommy Flanagan, Lennie Tristano, Marian McPartland and Jessica Williams, singers Bill Henderson and Queen Latifah, guitarist Bill Frisell and more!!! We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of  “Joe Roland” (1955), Barney Kessel/Shelly Manne/Ray Brown’s “The Poll Winners” (1957), Abbey Lincoln’s “It’s Magic!) 1958, “Getz/Gilberto” (1963), Sonny Stitt “Live at the Left Bank” (1971), Wynton Marsalis’ “In This House, On This Morning” (1993) and many others through and out the week and Mondays thru Fridays at noon on our ‘JAZZ MASTERS’ program on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.

New Music Monday for March 16, 2020

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify 
     Marc Free of the celebrated Posi-Tone Records is proud to present “Solid Moments,” the latest in a series of projects he began a couple of years ago. The album features Idle Hands, a collaborative sextet of top-tier musicians who have done illustrious work as leaders or sidemen for the label. It includes guitarist Will Bernard, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, bassist Boris Kozlov, pianist Art Hirahara, saxophonist Sam Dillon and drummer Donald Edwards. The emphasis is on new original music by the band members. Free says the disc “speaks to this idea of a ‘repertory theater’ of artists that we work with, players who collaborate really well and understand what we’re trying to present to listeners.”

 

 

 

 

     Billy Strayhorn was one of the great composers of the 20th century. He was an indispensable member of the Duke Ellington orchestra, collaborating with Ellington and contributing his own compositions and arrangements. Many of his pieces have become jazz standards. Pianist John DiMartino has uplifted the music of many major jazz artists during his 45-year career, including Ray Barretto, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Pat Martino, Houston Person and Jon Hendricks, to name a few. “Passion Flower” is his latest accomplishment, a memorable tribute to Strayhorn with his all-star quintet featuring Eric Alexander.

 

 

         

Also this week, Roomful of Blues serves up some swinging jump blues on “In a Roomful of Blues,” the first new studio recording in nine years from this world-renowned, horn-drenched ‘little big band’;

 

 

 

                  

trumpeter Win Pongsakorn puts together a varied selection of originals and fresh arrangements of well-known standards on his debut, “Yes, It Is!”;

 

 

 

 

     

     and saxophonist Ken Fowser unveils a new batch of original compositions for his quintet on “Morning Light.”

 

 

 

“Called Out Arthur Miller 1:00 In”

Theatre Cedar Rapids presents “The Humans” March 20 – April 5. It’s the story of a family gathered around the Thanksgiving table where long-suppressed feelings and conflicts surface. Cast members Noel VanDenBosch and Carrie Pozdel say the naturalistic conversational style of the play’s dialogue is unique, with multiple conversations happening at the same time.

Plus, the Thanksgiving food is real!

Tickets and information at www.theatrecr.org.

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Talking Pictures 3-11-20

The Call of the Wild with Hollis Monroe and Phil Brown.

Podcast (talkingpics): Play in new window | Download

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This Week In Jazz May 8 thru May 14

Hey, Jazz fans!!! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of cornetist Bix Beiderbeck, saxmen George Coleman, Ornette Coleman and Lee Konitz, pianists James Williams and Sir Charles Thompson, drummer Roy Haynes and more!!! We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of  Cannonball Adderley’s “Somethin’ Else” (1958), Orhette Coleman’s “Tomorrow is the Question!” and Wynton Kelly’s “Kelly Blue” (1958), Miles Davis’ “Skethces of Spain” (1960), Kenny Barron’s “Scratch” (1984), Frank Morgan’s “You Must Believe in Spring” (1992), Joe Lovano’s “Quartets Live at the Village Vanguard (1994) and many others through and out the week and Mondays thru Fridays at noon on our ‘JAZZ MASTERS’ program on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.

Special Programs for March 8 thru March14

Short List with host Bob Naujoks    

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

Bob’s Baker’s Dozen: Paul Winter

Bob Naujoks’s “Baker’s Dozen” concludes with saxophonist Paul Winter. Originally inspired by  Charlie Parker, he changed direction after State Department cultural tour of Latin America. His music would come to incorporate, among other things, Brazilian rhythms, nature sounds, wolf cries, and the songs of Humpback whales. His Paul Winter Consort consisted of many talented musicians who shared his passion for “Earth music.”

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler

Mondays at 6:00 PM

Jon Christensen – 1943 – 2020

Craig salutes the recently departed Norwegian jazz drummer with a program of dazzling examples of his exceptional percussion work.  We’ll hear Jon in the company of a number prominent jazz artists, such as Keith Jarrett, Bobo Stenson, George Russell, Jan Garbarek, Terge Rypdal, and others.  His unique drum styling will be missed.

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

Rod Pierson at First Friday Jazz

Veteran saxman Rod Pierson brought his quartet to the Opus Concert Café for a fun First Friday Jazz gig. Known for his love of Big Bands, this Opus date was a bit of a departure. The atmosphere and song arrangements were more intimate. Pierson and company connected with the Opus audience in a way that only comes from smaller groups. But don’t let the pared down size fool you. It was two hours of great jazz, full of energy and swing.

 

 

 

Jazz Night In America with Host Christian McBride

Thursdays at 11:00 PM

Turning the Tables

Jazz Night in America helps commemorate Women’s History Month by exploring the roots of American popular music. We’ll hear from such celebrated foremothers of jazz as Bessie Smith, Mary Lou Williams, Marian Anderson, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. As part of NPR Music’s “Turning the Tables” series, this episode features a concert from “Lincoln Center Out of Doors” with current artists paying tribute to these women.

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler 

Saturdays at 12:00 Noon

West Coast Jazz 1: Pacific Jazz Records  

Craig presents an in-depth look at the artists and recordings of the legendary record label, Pacific Jazz, during the 1950s.  We’ll hear from Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Annie Ross, Richie Kamuca, Jack Montrose, Zoot Sims, Shorty Rogers, Jim Hall, and a host of others.

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight

Each night, KCCK gives you the chance to hear a new CD played start-to-finish. Tune in at Midnight for: 

Warna by Joey Alexander on Monday; Cast of Characters by Nick Finzer on Tuesday; Square Peg by Mark Godfrey Quintet on Wednesday; The Art of Intimacy, Vol 1  by Jeremy Pelt  on Thursday; Alex Dixon Presents the Real McCoy  by Alex Dixon on Friday; The Triangle by Lisa Mills on Saturday; There Will Never Be Another You by Calle Loiza Jazz Project on Sunday.