Food was the largest component of Iowa’s waste stream in 2017.
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Culture Crawl 315 “Madeline’s Pins, Family Zumba, and Help for the Procastinator.”
Kayt Conrad, of the University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts, is outgoing president of ICCA, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance. She says the recent facelift to www.culturalcorridor.org makes it an even better destination when looking for fun things to do, and encourages you to visit the site to take advantage of a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities during the holidays when school is out.
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Talking Pictures 12-20-17
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Ferdinand with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Monica Schmidt.
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Special Programs: Week of December 18 – December 23
Short List with host Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Cats on the Keys 4: Bill Cunliffe
This week’s “Cats On the Keys” Short List features Bill Cunliffe, who gained early experience as an arranger and pianist for the Buddy Rich Big Band. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he promptly won the 1989 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition, and then joined the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Through the years, Cunliffe has worked with trumpeter Terell Stafford, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, and especially drummer Joe LaBarbara. He was awarded a Grammy in 2010 for his arrangement of the “West Side Story Suite” for an Oscar Peterson Tribute album for Resonance. Hear Bill Cunliffe’s excellent jazz mornings at 8:35 and Saturday morning at 7:00 on Iowa’s Jazz Station 88.3 KCCK, and with our free mobile app.
Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler
Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Birthdate Anniversary of Harold Land
Craig celebrates the birthdate anniversary of “west coast” jazz giant, Harold Land. He’ll spin outstanding selections from Land’s 15 dates as a leader, and from his dozens of appearances as a sideman with the likes of Bobby Hutcherson, Gerald Wilson, Hampton Hawes, Curtis Counce, and, of course, his time with Clifford and Max! This is the stuff — from one of the best saxophonists ever!!
Jazz Profiles with host Nancy Wilson
Monday at 11:00 PM
Norman Granz: Jazz Genius Behind The Scenes
Norman Granz has no equal as an impresario in jazz and popular music. He founded Verve and Pablo records. He created Jazz at the Philharmonic, a touring concert series that was helpful in promoting the careers of Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Lester Young, and Art Tatum. As a jazz producer, he has probably done more than anyone to bring modern jazz to a wider audience. This show celebrates Granz’s outstanding achievements while exploring the shrewdness and audacity of his producing style. Interviewees include Granz, pianists Oscar Peterson and Benny Green, drummers Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson, and others.
Wednesday Night Special 
6:00 PM
A Dan Knight Swingin’ Christmas at Riverside Theatre
Join us as we relive one of KCCK’s fondest Holiday memories. For two nights in 2004, legendary Iowa pianist Dan Knight, along with guitarist Bob Dunn, student musicians Nick Kaufmann on bass and Paul Kreswick on drums, and singer Betsy Hickok, played to sold-out audiences of merrymakers in Iowa City’s Riverside Theatre. It was a delightful present, indeed, as Dan and friends played both treasured songs and new favorites. Bells were ringin’, and the crowd was singin’, as the Dan Knight Quartet got the whole house swingin’ … just in time for Santa Claus! It’s a treasure we’re happy to share!
Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride
Thursday at 11:00 PM
Happy Holidays From The JALCO
Swing into the holiday season with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s take on Christmas classics. Wynton Marsalis leads the band in some holiday treasures, some new classics, and some old chestnuts to keep you warm and swinging all through the holidays. Catherine Russell joins the orchestra to sing some of her favorites, too.
Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler 
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
2018 Holiday Season Special
Craig brings you a tasteful mix of jazz seasonal favorites and contemplative jazz introspection, to help eliminate the tensions of the season. Join Craig for a celebration of the holiday season!!
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:
New Music Monday for December 18, 2017
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Saxophonist Kamasi Washington’s new EP, “Harmony of Difference,” premiered as part of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2017 Biennial alongside a film by A.G Rojas and also featuring artwork by Kamasi’s sister, Amani Washington. It’s an original six-part suite that explores the philosophical possibilities of the musical technique known as ‘counterpoint,’ which Kamasi defines as “the art of balancing similarity and difference to create harmony between separate melodies.” Each of the first five movements is its own unique composition, while the sixth fuses all five compositions into one simultaneous performance. Echoing this fusion, Amani created five paintings focused on raw shapes and colors, each inspired by one of the first five movements of the suite. She then combined these paintings to create a sixth: an abstract depiction of a human face.
Steve Slagle’s follow-up to his much acclaimed “Alto Manhattan” is titled “Dedication,” which once again has a double meaning. Each of the nine songs are specifically dedicated to a person or thing directly related to this music. The disc most clearly represents where his music is heading and has as a special guest his long-time friend, guitarist Dave Stryker, on several tracks as well as Cuban conguero Roman Diaz. The saxophonist again has Bill Stewart on drums, Lawrence Fields on piano and a bassist he has worked with and known quite a while, the great Scott Colley, to form the core quartet.
Also this week, Triocity, the collective trio of drummer Rich Thompson, bassist Jeff Campbell and woodwind player Charles Pillow, all long-time faculty members of the acclaimed Eastman School of Music, unveils “I Believe in You”.
Singer Jackie Allen offers up a collection of songs written by her bassist Hans Sturm on “Rose Fingered Dawn”.
Guitarist Tom Guarna is joined by bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade for “The Wishing Stones.”
Talking Pictures 12-13-17
Marshall and Disaster Artist with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Phil Brown.
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Culture Crawl 314 “Nothing Says Christmas Like a Kick line of Hockey Players”
Tim Hankewich from Orchestra Iowa spends all year creating a unique and fun Holiday show, that combines tradition with the unexpected. This year’s “Holiday Spectacular” is no exception. It includes a visit from the jolly elf himself, legendary jazz pianist Eddie Piccard.
Plus the Mighty Wurlitzer organ, Discovery Chorus, Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Espressivo Strings… And yes, for the Canadian in all of us: a kick line of hockey players singing “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.”
Three shows at the Paramount Theater, Dec. 16-17. Tickets at www.artsiowa.com.
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Clean Up Your Act 1-9-18
Global electronic waste continues to increase.
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