Culture Crawl 357 “All This and Corridor Jazz, Too!”

The 88th season of the Cedar Rapids Community Concert Association brings five concerts (actually 6) to the Paramount Theatre beginning in September. For the first time, KCCK’s Corridor Jazz Project, which brings 13 high school jazz bands together for a concert featuring adult guest artists, will be a part of the Association’s series.

Also included in the season is Bandstand Boogie, a tribute to the music and scenes of American Bandstand, a jazz/swing quartet called Black Market Trust, Five Sax, and the Britbeat Beatles Tribute.

Tickets start at just $40 for ALL the shows. The price goes up to $45 on July 1, so order yours now at www.crcommunityconcert.org or 319.540.2301.

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Talking Pictures 6-13-18

Hereditary and Oceans 8 with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Scott Chrisman.

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Clean Up Your Act 7-2-18

Iowa City is providing new curbside food waste bins.

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Special Programs for the Week of June 11 – June 16

Short List with host Bob Naujoks    

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

Corridor Shortlist: Paul Williams

Guitarist and vocalist Paul Williams is in the spotlight this week. He and his wife, pianist Gail Williams, have been a steady presence in Eastern Iowa doing a variety of music, including working at small bistros and appearing on stage at KCCK’s “Jazz Under the Stars.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler

Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Modern Jazz Artistry of Joe Chambers

Craig examines the recording career of drummer, pianist, vibraphonist, and composer Joe Chambers.  We’ll hear from his dozen recordings as a leader, as well as from his 60+ recording dates as a sideman, with the likes of Hubert Laws, Sam Rivers, Joe Henderson, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, and many more!  This is excellent listening from one of the overlooked and underrated giants of jazz!

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Profiles with host Nancy Wilson    

Monday at 11:00 PM 

Ella Fitzgerald, “The First Lady of Song”

You recognize that voice instantly. The sound is youthful, exuberant, and swings! And when you hear Ella Fitzgerald, you don’t just recognize her – you feel good! This show celebrates the music of one of the greatest singers of our time with interviews that include Ella herself; vocalists Betty Carter, Jon Hendricks and Joe Williams; writers Gene Lees and Albert Murray; and pianist Oscar Peterson.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Night Special

6:00 PM   

Marquis Hill at the 2016 Iowa City Jazz Festival

KCCK continues to whet your appetite for the 2018 Iowa City Jazz Festival by spotlighting some of the amazing sets from past years. KCCK Program Director Bob Stewart has chosen four of the absolute best, including the 2016 performance by Trumpeter Marquis Hill. He took the Jazz Fest main stage and immediately set the groove for the crowd on the U of I Pentacrest. Marquis Hill is recognized as a leading trumpet voice in jazz today, and his live sets are high-energy events. His 2016 Iowa City Jazz Fest set is no exception. Enjoy this encore of Marquis Hill, hand-picked by Bob Stewart, on the Wednesday Night Special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride

Thursday at 11:00 PM

The Bronx Pyramid 
Carlos Henriquez spends a lot of time at Columbus Circle as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s bassist, a post he’s held since he was a teen. But his roots are uptown in the Bronx.    In “The Bronx Pyramid,” – a concert at Dizzy’s and album released last year by JALC’s Blue Engine records and his first album as leader, Henriquez acknowledges the neighborhood where he was born and raised.

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler

Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Complete Chronological Early Years of Chick Corea, Part One

Craig travels back to July 9, 1962 for Chick’s very first recording session … a date led by Mongo Santamaria … to begin a series of shows that will spotlight the early years of Corea’s  stellar recording career.  In this first show, we’ll hear Chick with Mongo Santamaria, Sonny Stitt, Dave Pike, Hubert Laws, Montego Joe, Blue Mitchell, and a number of other jazz stars, many of whom are working in a Latin jazz vein.  This is historically interesting and important music from one of today’s pillars of jazz!!

 

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at: 

http://www.kcck.org/midnight-cd/

Culture Crawl 356 “Opera Singers Learning Choreography”

Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre presents the classic musical “Brigadoon” on the scenic grounds of the Brucemore mansion June 14-17. Performers from around the country will bring this tale of a Scottish village that only appears in our world for one day every 100 years to life.

Stephanie Johnson, and Tad Ennen return to Cedar Rapids, after appearing earlier this year in “Turandot.” They say the music in the show is timeless, featuring tunes like “Almost Like Being in Love.” There is some pretty intense Scottish dance-style choreography to learn, which takes these singers a little of out of their comfort zone. But Tad says “It may take us a little longer, but we always get it!”

Tickets and information at www.cr-opera.org.

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New Music Monday for June 11, 2018

 Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify. 

For three decades Mike LeDonne has been an exceptional avatar of the Hammond B3 organ. Forged by his impressive jazz apprenticeship, with the likes of Benny Golson, Milt Jackson and George Coleman, LeDonne comes from a long and distinguished line of masters of that instrument. And for eighteen years, he’s led the Groover Quartet, his formidable foursome consisting of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The group’s swinging sympatico is evident on LeDonne’s new CD, “From the Heart,” comprised of bluesy, gospelized, R&B and funkified selections from the fifties to the nineties, with a few originals by the leader.

 

 

     Jared Gold is one of the most harmonically creative and grooving of the new generation of organists working today. He is a big part of the New York scene and has worked with many of the greats including Oliver Lake and John Abercrombie.  He has recorded eight CDs as a leader, is a sideman on many more and recently won “Top Rising Star Organist” in Downbeat magazine. With his latest project, “Reemergence,” Jared returns with new compositions, ideas and arrangements since his last recording three years ago. Joining him are drum legend Billy Hart (who started with Jimmy Smith in the ‘60s), guitarist Dave Stryker and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt.

Also this week, multi-talented musician, producer, arranger and composer Leo Sidran, the son of renowned jazzman Ben Sidran, puts his own spin on the songs of Michael Franks with “Cool School”.

 

 

 

 

 

Pianist and composer Harold Lopez Nussa, whom Downbeat describes as “the latest in a line of extraordinary keyboardists to emerge from Cuba,” unveils is new trio CD, “Un Dia  Cualquiera”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bass clarinetist Todd Marcus is joined by pianist George Colligan, vibraphonist Warren Wolf and guitarist Paul Bollenback  “On These Streets (A Baltimore Story).”

 

 

 

Familiar Faces, New Roles

Michelle Collier

We are pleased to announce that a familiar face will taking over KCCK’s fundraising efforts, as Michelle Collier will succeed Lisa Baum as KCCK’s Development Director. Since joining KCCK in 2015 as Office Manager and Development Assistant, Michelle has shown a keen interest in getting more involved in our fundraising. She took it upon herself to take grant-writing classes, and network with area development pros, as well as taking the lead in many of our fundraising events. 

Michelle is an Eastern Iowa native and a graduate from Belmont University in Nashville. Before coming to KCCK she worked in concert booking and artist management in Tennessee, and also at GreatAmerica in Cedar Rapids. She is married to Jeff Collier, CEO of Orchestra Iowa. The Colliers are expecting their first child this fall.

Taking over Michelle’s former position is someone who is also familiar in the Eastern Iowa music and arts community. Laura Carson has been involved with KCCK and many other organizations as a volunteer, donor, and performer for many years. She’s been active with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, the Iowa Ambassadors of Music, Chorale Midwest, and many other organizations, including KCCK, where she has been a donor for many years.

Laura comes to us from Skogman Realty, and previously worked at Kirkwood as a Customer Service Specialist at Eagle Tech. She also teaches Intro to Computers at Kirkwood. She has previously worked in IT, web design, and the travel industry. Laura is married to Bill Carson, director of Bands at Coe College (and frequent Corridor Jazz guest artist). Laura and Bill have two grown children.

Congratulations to Michelle and welcome Laura!

Culture Crawl 355 “Dutch Golden Age”

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has two new exhibits that will be up through the summer. Assistant Curator Kate Kunau says “The Grand Tour” shows the legendary cities of Europe through the eyes of artists. “Setting the Table,” is a collection of still life work, which began in the 17th century as a way for the Dutch upper class to show off the wealth and items they were collecting as they explored and colonized around the world.

The museum offers free summer admissions in July and August. Information at www.crma.org.

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