KCCK program director and morning personality Bob Stewart is recuperating at home after hip replacement surgery in February. In the interim, Ron Adkins has slid into the morning slot, and Saul Lubaroff is handling afternoons.
“Things are going well,” Bob says. “A little less pain every day. Doing my rehab and exercises.”
Bob hopes to be back on the air in a couple weeks and says thanks to everyone who has wished him well on social media and queries to the station.
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Singer and lyricist Mark Winkler and pianist and composer David Benoit have teamed up to record an album that pays homage to their 37 years of friendship. “Old Friends” is a collection of some of the artists’ favorite songs by some of their favorite composers, as well as three original tunes. Winkler and Benoit are seasoned artists in the music business, and the new disc is imbued with warmth and camaraderie. As Benoit puts it, “I think this is Mark’s best work. He is restrained and heartfelt. He never overdoes it, but always stays true to the melody, respecting the composer but adding his own imprimatur when needed. This could be a happy result of Covid-19 giving us all the time we needed to make it right.”
It is only natural that Jeremy Pelt’s voracious curiosity would lead him to investigate the West African Griot tradition, where stories, reminiscences and accomplishments from times past are handed down as oral histories. Past researchers have preserved interviews with older jazzmen, but for this Griot odyssey, Pelt turns to his own peer group to record their thoughts on creating jazz, followed by a composition by Pelt which perfectly captures the sentiments and emotions of its spoken-word prelude. To help him bring his vision to life on “Griot: This is Important!,” Pelt assembled a hand-picked group of colleagues, including vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu, pianist Victor Gould, bassist Vicente Archer, harpist Brandee Younger and others.
Also this week, pianist and composer Greg Murphy is joined by drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, keyboardist David Kikoski, flutist T.K. Blue, vibraphonist Bill Ware and others for “Cool Water”;
bassist John Lang, more recognized in New York City as an upright player, is proud to release “Now Ear This,” his first electric project, produced by jazz legend John Patitucci;
and 94-year-old composer and altoist Vinnie Riccitelli releases his first recording in 60 years, “For The Record,” revisiting some of his unrecorded compositions and arrangements from his earlier career.
Nomadland (2020), Wrong Turn (2021) and WandaVision (Disney+) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Monica Schmidt.
Podcast (talkingpics): Play in new window | Download
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Gilded Pear Gallery has two exhibits opening March 5. “Rhythm In Bloom” celebrates the work of long-time Cedar Rapids-area artist Ann Royer, working in some unique color palettes.
And gallery director Lauren Tucci says “Polyphonous 2021 – Mimetic Lives II” is a jewelry exhibit featuring the work of Satomi Kawai and Jillian Moore, which is a satellite exhibit of the world famous Munich Jewelry Week. The exhibit also opens a brand new space for Gilded Pear on the second floor of their building.
Details at www.gildedpeargallery.com.
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The regular meeting of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees will take place March 11, 2021. Time, place, and meeting agenda can be found at this link.
Hey, Jazz fans!!! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of bandleaders Jimmy Dorsey and Glenn Miller, saxophonists Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Richie Cole and Ricky Ford, singers Dinah Shore, Roseanna Vitro and Flora Purim, pianist Lou Levy and more!!! We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Gene Ammons’ “All Star Session with Sonny Stitt” (1950), Dave Brubeck’s “Jazz at Oberlin” (1953), Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” (1959), Stan Getz’ “Captain Marvel” (1972), Jack McDuff’s “Another Good ‘Un” (1989),Charles McPherson’s “Come Play with Me” (1995) and many more throughout the week and Mondays thru Fridays at noon on our JAZZ MASTERS‘ program on Jazz 88.3 KCCK!!!
Short List with Host Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturdays at 7 AM
Short List: “The Hits”
The Short List continues its feature of great jazz in the popular mind. This week, host Bob Naujoks again spotlights albums that crossed over into mainstream popularity. Listen for Jean Pierre-Rampal & Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano, Al DiMeola’s Elegant Gypsy, Return To Forever’s Romantic Warrior, the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Birds Of Fire, and the Pat Metheny Group’s Still Life (Talking).
Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler
Mondays at 6:00 PM
Cannonball Adderley – 1955 thru 1957
Craig begins a 6-part series of shows that will chronologically cover the relatively brief career of superstar saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. In this first installment, we’ll hear classic material from Adderley’s early days on the national scene … beginning with a June, 1955 Kenny Clarke recording date for Savoy Records, and ending with Machito’s December, 1957 Afro-Cuban jazz gig for Roulette Records. There’s lots of fabulous sessions that took place between these two dates, as well. It’s exciting 1950’s hard bop and mainstream jazz!
The Wednesday Night Special
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
We begin our month-long celebration of National Women’s History Month by listening back to one of the most dynamic all-female groups in jazz today. Keyboardist Jane Bunnett brought her power ensemble Maqueque to the Iowa City Jazz Festival in 2019, and together they filled the summer air with hot Latin swing.
Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride
Thursdays at 11:00 PM
Jazzmeia Horn’s Scatting
Host Christian McBride shines the spotlight on the critically-acclaimed, relative newcomer Jazzmeia Horn. This young vocalist is raising scat to new levels as an art form. We’ll hear Horn in action in front of an enthusiastic crowd, and learn how she believes scatting is a bridge to her ancestors and a heed to a social call.
Jazz Corner of the World with Host Craig Kessler
Saturdays at 12:00 Noon
Charles Tolliver’s 79th Birthday Party
Craig celebrates the birthday and on-going career of trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator Charles Tolliver. Along with pianist Stanley Cowell, he co-founded the legendary artist-owned jazz record label, Strata-East. We’ll hear some of Tolliver’s recordings as a leader, as well many appearances as a sideman with Jackie McLean, Gary Bartz, Andrew Hill, Booker Ervin, Horace Silver, and others … noting an important musician, who is often overlooked and underrated!
KCCK’s Midnight CD
Every Night at Midnight
Each night, KCCK gives you the chance to hear a new CD played start-to-finish.
The Lockdown Blues by Professor Cunningham & His Old School on Monday; Toluca Lake Jazz by the Doug MacDonald Duo on Tuesday; Listen Here by Roseanna Vitro on Wednesday; Faith in a New Day by Lee Smith on Thursday; Up Next by the Joe Lewis Band on Friday; Luther’s Blues by Walter Trout on Saturday; The Long Game by Jacqui Naylor on Sunday
The KCCK Featured Album for March is “This Bitter Earth” from Veronica Swift. The singer-songwriter has crafted an ingenious song cycle that tackles issues like sexism, domestic abuse, environmental issues, racism, and the dangers of fake news. The material gathered covers multiple genres, including jazz, American musicals and indie-rock, fortifying her position as a leading force in genre-bending song presentation. “I wanted to start with women’s place in society now and how it’s changing,” Veronica explains, “and to address other ailments in the world.” “This Bitter Earth” is on Mack Avenue Records. Purchase the album.
