The KCCK Featured CD for September is “Heaven and Earth” from Kamasi Washington, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2015 set “The Epic.” Once again, the saxophonist utilizes a choir and orchestra to augment his 10-piece band for what the All Music Guide calls “a major dose of Afro-Futurism, establishing Washington as a composer and arranger of dizzying potential.” Critic Nate Chinen calls it Washington’s “strongest musical statement of his career,” adding “Washington remains enamored of the jazz tradition even as he insists on reshaping it.” “Heaven and Earth” is from Beggars Group/Young Turks Records. Purchase the CD.
KCCK’s Featured CD for September 2018
This Week’s Special Programs – September 3 thru September 8
Short List with host Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Formidable Flutes: Paul Horn
While much of Paul Horn’s later work defies classification, his early roots are firmly in the jazz tradition. He played with Chico Hamilton’s quintet in the mid-50’s and quickly established himself as a sought-after West Coast session player. He recorded with the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s “Suite Thursday” project and collaborated with Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, and many others. He even scored the 1959 animated TV series “Clutch Cargo.” The latter part of his career focused on global music and atmospheric tones – often recording inside sacred places around the world.
Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler
Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Monday’s Jazz Corner of the World is pre-empted this week. Tune in to KCCK’s Labor Day Special — the 2018 Iowa City Jazz Festival!
Jazz Profiles with host Nancy Wilson
Monday at 11:00 PM
Monday’s Jazz Profiles is pre-empted this week. Tune in to KCCK’s Labor Day Special — the 2018 Iowa City Jazz Festival!
Wednesday Night Special
6:00 PM
Commons Collective at the Opus Concert Cafe
The Commons Collective came together in the fall of 2011 as a UNI school ensemble. They were initially coached by renowned jazz educator and musician Dr. Bob Washut, but soon struck out on their own. Each member of the band contributes to their eclectic repertoire of original work, drawing upon blues, rock, classical, and pop – yet firmly roots itself in improvisation and the jazz tradition. The Cedar Rapids Gazette dubbed them, “one of the most popular young, professional groups in Eastern Iowa.”
Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride
Thursday at 11:00 PM
The Eminence of J.J. Johnson
Jazz Night in America presents the music of trombonist J. J. Johnson curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Vincent Gardner. Gardner invites his section parter Elliot Mason to tackle material from the “Jay and Kai”project, which featured trombonist Kai Winding. Also, Jazz Night in America pulls back the curtain on Johnson, the composer, courtesy of archival interview tape provided by biographer Joshua Berrett, and we learn about Johnson, the man, from Carolyn Johnson who was Johnson’s wife from 1992 until his death in 2001.
Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Blue Note Records in 1968, Part Two
Craig travels back 50 years to look in on the recording activities at Blue Note Records in 1968. In this second of two presentations, we’ll hear fabulous examples of recordings that were made during the last half of the year … July thru December of 1968 … gems from Bobby Hutcherson, Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Lee Morgan, among many others! This is another great show displaying how the “times, they were a-changing!”
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:
Kirkwood Board of Trustees to meet September 13, 2018
The regular meeting of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees will take place September 13, 2018. Time, place, and meeting agenda can be found at this link.
New Music Monday for September 3, 2018
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
One of the most energetic and visceral voices in jazz, trombone master Steve Turre delivers a surprising set of lush ballads accompanied by a superb all-star band and inspiring strings on “The Very Thought of You.” Backed by pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Willie Jones III, Turre welcomes special guests George Coleman for two songs on tenor sax and Russell Malone for four songs on guitar. A string octet, arranged and conducted by Marty Sheller, adds an almost indescribable beauty to four tracks.
Miki Yamanaka is a New York-based pianist from Kobe, Japan, who was one of three pianists selected in 2015 to participate in “Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead,” an intensive composition residency at the Kennedy Center. She’s appeared in concert with many notable musicians including Steve Nelson, Jerry Dodgion, Victor Lewis and Peter Bernstein. She holds weekly residencies at Smalls and Mezzrow Jazz Clubs in New York City and is currently the pianist in the Phillip Harper Quintet and the Roxy Coss Quintet. Now comes her debut release as a leader, ‘Miki,” featuring Nelson on vibes, Bill Stewart on drums and Orlando Le Fleming on bass.
Also this week, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and his band The Next Step unveil their sophomore effort, “Heaven and Earth”.
Octobop unveils a mix of jazz standards, pop tunes and a few surprises recorded “Live @ Savanna Jazz” in San Carlos, California.
And Cuban pianist, composer and arranger Dayramir Gonzalez offers up his second recording as a leader, “The Grand Concourse”.
Clean Up Your Act 9-19-18
More wind farms are going up in Iowa.
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Clean Up Your Act 9-18-18
More than 30,000 Iowans now work in clean energy industries.
Podcast (cuya): Play in new window | Download
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Talking Pictures 8-29-18
Three Identical Stangers, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Miss Sherlock with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Monica Schmidt.
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Culture Crawl 381 “What Hurts?”
Old Creamery Theatre presents “A Comedy of Tenors,” Sept. 6-30 in Amana. A sequel to Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me A Tenor,” the show is a side-splitting, comedy, full of door slamming, pratfalls, and mistaken identities. Cast members Keegan Christopher and Sean McCall tell Dennis which parts of their bodies ache the most!
Information and tickets at www.oldcreamery.com.