New Music Monday for March 5, 2018

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

Originally from the Minneapolis area, flugelhornist John Raymond moved to New York City after spending some time studying music in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He was able to establish himself on the New York scene playing alongside well-known musicians like Billy Hart, Orrin Evans and Kurt Rosenwinkel. But Raymond was increasingly drawn to creating and leading a band of his own in a flugelhorn-led trio with guitar and drums a la Jim Hall and Art Farmer. By the time he moved to the City, he had already been drawn to guitarist Gilad Hekselman, whose lyrical style was perfect for Raymond’s musical direction. Drummer Colin Stranahan would cement himself as the bedrock of the trio, now known as Real Feels. The majority of the music on their new CD, “Joy Ride,” was written during a self-imposed summer retreat in which Raymond spent hours composing each day.

 

 

     Jemal Ramirez is a San Francisco-based drummer and bandleader who is called “Mr. Ramirez” by 200 public school music students daily, keeping him busy as a band director and percussion teacher in San Jose, California. His resume includes performances with Eric Reed, Joshua Redman, Marcus Shelby, Dayna Stephens and other notable jazz musicians. His own high-powered ensemble features the acclaimed vibraphonist Warren Wolf, saxophonist Howard Wiley and trumpeter Mike Olmos. Jemal’s new disc, “African Skies,” also includes one of the final performances of bassist and Iowa native John Shifflett, who passed away just a few months after the recording sessions.

 

Also this week, four-time Grammy Award winning producer and keyboardist Charlie Peacock unveils his fourth jazz album, “When Light Flashes Help is On the Way,” featuring bassist Felix Pastorius drummer Ben Perowsky and reedman Jeff Coffin, among others. 

 

 

 

 

 

Trumpeter Craig Fraedrich, now retired after 31 years with the elite U.S. Army Blues, is joined by current or former ‘Blues’ brothers in his Jazz Trumpet Ensemble on “Out of the Blues”.

 

 

 

 

 

Saxophonist Ken Fowser dishes up another batch of original compositions for his seventh release as a leader, “Don’t Look Down.”

 

 

 

Kirkwood Board of Trustees to meet March 8, 2018

The regular meeting of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees will take place March 8, 2018. Time, place, and meeting agenda can be found at this link.

KCCK’s Featured CD for March 2018

The KCCK Featured CD for March is “25th Anniversary Project” by the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. The inspiration for the all-female ensemble came from Stanley Kay, one time manager and relief drummer for Buddy Rich. He was leading a band in which Sherrie Maricle was playing drums and wondered if there were other women players who could perform at the same level. The foundation for DIVA was poured in 1992, and what emerged is the dynamic musical force that holds forth to the present day, with Ms. Maricle still at the helm. The “25th Anniversary Project” is on Artist Share Records. Purchase the CD.

Talking Pictures 2-28-18

Game Night, Molly’s Game and S Is for Stanley with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Scott Chrisman.

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First Friday Jazz March 2

Big Fun with guitarist Steve Grismore will perform at First Friday Jazz at the Opus Concert Cafe Friday, March 2, at 5 p.m. The first set will be broadcast live on KCCK. The First Friday Jazz Series features an eclectic mix of jazz, Latin, contemporary music and more in an intimate, upscale environment. For a $12 cover, enjoy live music and drink specials at the Opus Concert Café bar, on the first Friday of every month. Purchase tickets.

Corridor Jazz Project Concert – March 6

This year, The Corridor Jazz Concert will be in the beautiful new Voxman Hall of Music at the University of Iowa. Thanks to John Rapson and the University of Iowa, admission is free, no tickets required!

The concert will be in two sessions, 5:30 and 7:30. Come for one or both. The students, teachers, and guest artists have worked hard on these charts, and every band is playing at its best. Don’t miss THE jazz event of the season!

Here’s the performance schedule:

5:30pm

  • 5:35 Linn Mar, featuring Amy Friedl Stoner, vocals
  • 5:50 Washington, featuring Steve Shanley, keyboard
  • 6:05 Kennedy, featuring Eric Thompson, drums
  • 6:20 Jefferson, featuring Bill Carson, clarinet
  • 6:35 Solon, featuring Alicia Strong, vocals
  • 6:50 Mt. Vernon, featuring Rod Pierson, sax

7:30pm

  • 7:35 Marion, featuring Damani Phillips, sax
  • 7:50 Xavier, featuring Bob Dunn, banjo
  • 8:05 Lisbon, featuring Dan Cassady, trombone
  • 8:20 Iowa City High, featuring Nick Leo, piano
  • 8:35 Iowa City West, featuring Ed East and Jim Dreier, percussion
  • 8:50 Prairie, featuring Ryan Hoagland, drums

Culture Crawl 328 “Featuring… Us!”

Suzy McGrane-Hopp, owner and Lauren Tucci, inventory manager at Gilded Pear Gallery in Cedar Rapids, come out from behind the cash register for a show of their own work in an exhibit called “GuILT,” March 2-30. The show will feature new work from each artist, abstract paintings from Suzy, and ceramics from Lauren.

 

It’s the kickoff to the seventh anniversary of the Gallery, and while both artists admit to feeling a little shy about promoting their own work, they’re excited to share what they’ve been working on.

 

Subscribe to the Culture Crawl podcast at www.kcck.org/culture or search KCCK Culture Crawl to subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

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Special Programs: Week of February 26 – March 3

Short List with host Bob Naujoks    

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

Vocal Short List: Dolly Dawn

The Vocal Short List this week features Dolly Dawn, an immensely popular singer in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Her real name is Theresa Stabile and she was the cousin of bandleader, Dick Stabile. However, Dawn got her start and her fame with George Hall who had a society orchestra at the Taft Hotel in New York, and also a six-day a week live program on CBS radio. The band was undistinguished, but when Dolly Dawn came aboard the focus shifted to her, and later she became the first female vocalist to lead her own band. Her career lasted through the early 1950s, with a short 1980s revival. If you appreciate some “sweet” sounds, hear The Short List daily at 8:30am and Saturday morning at 7:00 on 88.3 KCCK or on demand at kcck.org.

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler

Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Birth Date Anniversary Celebration for David “Fathead” Newman”

Craig celebrates the birthday and career of the great David Newman. We’ll hear dazzling saxophone and flute from throughout his lengthy career, from his early days (late 40s and 50s with a variety of jazz and blues artists), to his years with the one and only Ray Charles (’54 into the early 60’s), Fathead’s treasured Atlantic releases, on into his later years in a variety of settings.  One of the truly underrated and overlooked jazz masters!!

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Profiles with host Nancy Wilson    

Monday at 11:00 PM 

Ellis Larkins: The Patient Pianist

Pianist Ellis Larkins’ elegant playing style was described as a rainbow of interwoven musical textures. His layered technique created a warm and intimate palette of sound that brought out the full artistic potential of his partners in jazz — Coleman Hawkins and Ella Fitzgerald among them.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Night Special   

6:00 PM   

Carmen Bradford at the 2011 Iowa City Jazz Festival

Carmen Bradford is the third generation of jazz greats. Her father is trumpeter Bobby Bradford. Her mother is singer Melba Joyce. Her grandfather is former Ink Spot Melvin Moore. With that pedigree, it was no surprise she caught the ear of Count Basie and sang with his Orchestra for nine years. She’s worked with a who’s who of jazz giants – from Thad Jones to Frank Foster. She brought her incredible passion for the Great American Songbook to the 2011 Iowa City Jazz Festival, and wowed the crowd with her energy. Join us for a night with Carmen Bradford on KCCK’s Wednesday Night Special.

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Big Fun at the Opus Concert Café

Iowa’s Jazz Station and Orchestra Iowa bring you First Friday Jazz with Big fun, a jazz-funk group led by guitarist Steve Grismore. Advance tickets at artstowa.com. Join KCCK for jazz at 5pm on the first Friday of every month at the Opus Concert Café in downtown Cedar Rapids. The first set is broadcast live on Jazz 88.3.

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Night in America with host Christian McBride

Thursday at 11:00 PM

Christian Scott in New Orleans

Spend enough time in New Orleans and you come to understand it as a place for every kind of convergence. The culture hums in an endless exchange, with history forever close at hand. Christian Scott understands this to his core: he grew up immersed in ritual Mardi Gras Indian traditions, and distinguished himself as a jazz trumpeter by his early teens. He’s now shaping his own artistic reality, creating what he calls “Stretch Music” — a proud hybrid of styles and approaches, with a strong underlay of groove. In this episode of Jazz Night in America, we’ll join him for an electrifying “stretch” of music and culture.

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler  

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

Contemporary Records in 1958

Craig journeys back 60 years to look in on the various recording sessions that took place at Lester Koenig’s Contemporary Records label in 1958.  We’ll hear wonderful examples of “West Coast”-style jazz from great artists like Hampton Hawes, Shelly Manne, Harold Land, Andre Previn, Sonny Rollins, and others.  Don’t miss it!!

KCCK’s Midnight CD

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

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