The KCCK Featured CD for February is “Concert of the Century” by Dizzy Gillespie and Friends. On November 24th, 1980, Dizzy invited five jazz legends–Milt Jackson, James Moody, Hank Jones, Ray Brown and Philly Joe Jones–to join him onstage in Montreal to pay tribute to the legendary Charlie Parker. A limited quantity bootleg album of the concert soon appeared, and then disappeared, from the marketplace and the tapes lay dormant for over thirty years. The pristinely restored and fully re-mastered disc features beautiful ballads and rollicking jams that give everyone a chance to stretch out. “Concert of the Century: A Tribute to Charlie Parker” is on Justin Time Records. Click here to purchase the CD.
KCCK’s Featured CD for February 2017
Special Programs: Week of January 30 – February 5
Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Corridor Jazz (Steve Grismore)
Steve Grismore with The Beaker Brothers at KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars 2015. Photo by Ann Kinney
Guitarist Steve Grismore has his own trio, but also appears with organist Sal Salomone’s trio and the Beaker Brothers. He was a member of the famed Orquesta Alto Maiz group for ten years. Steve also has been a teacher of jazz music at the University of Iowa for nearly 30 years. His appearances in the Corridor are numerous as well as his performances at many festivals across the country. He even made an appearance at Montreux in 1998.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler (new time)
Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Jazz In Paris — Part One”
Nearly 9 years ago, Craig first presented a series of 3 or 4 shows dealing with jazz in Paris. This week, he begins a new series looking at French jazz artists, as well as Americans living and/or performing in Paris. We’ll hear from Pierre Michelot, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Alain Goraguer, Earl Hines, Henri Crolla, Django Reinhardt, and a host of others…full of lots of surprises!
Night Lights (Classic Jazz) with David Brent Johnson (new) 
Monday, 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Corner the World)
Night Lights, is a weekly one-hour jazz radio program hosted by David Brent Johnson, focusing on jazz from the 1945-1990 era—a timespan that, as Johnson notes, “weirdly parallels Miles Davis on record and the Cold War.”
Covering artists such as Jackie McLean, Charles Mingus, and Nina Simone and themes ranging from jazz recordings of spirituals to avant-garde interpretations of the Great American Songbook, Night Lights also features many lesser-known talents of post-1945 jazz, such as saxophonist J.R. Monterose, trumpeter Freddie Webster, and piano/singer duo Dick and Kiz Harp.
Every program is archived after broadcast for online listening. This week: “SAVOY RECORDS”. http://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/archives/2017/1/
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson (new time)
Monday at 11:00 PM (follows Nightlights)
Remembering Max Roach, Rhythmic Innovator
Max Roach
An innovative drummer, bandleader, composer, and educator, Max Roach is a musical renaissance man. He was Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie’s drummer of choice as they developed bebop in the ’40s, and his innovations forever changed the way drums are played. In the ’50s he co-led (with trumpeter Clifford Brown) one of the seminal groups of jazz, bringing bebop to new levels of sophistication. In the ’60s, he created a range of compositions reflecting the struggle for civil rights.
Gentle Jazz with Bob Naujoks and Ron Adkins (expanded replay at a new time)
Tuesday, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Bob Naujoks) / 9:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight (Ron Adkins)
Wednesday Night Special (new time)
6:00 PM
Jazz Legends at the Iowa City Jazz Festival: Legends of the Bandstand
Cedar Walton
An all-star group of jazz veterans dubbed Legends of the Bandstand –Cedar Walton on piano, David “Fathead” Newman on tenor sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Earl May on bass and Louis Hayes on drums-gave a virtual clinic in the art of swinging with sophistication and verve in their set at the 2002 Iowa City Jazz Festival. Sadly, only Louis Hayes is alive today.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride (new day and time)
Thursday at 11:00 PM
Marilyn Maye: The Queen of Cabaret
Marilyn Maye at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola
88-year old singer and actress Marilyn Maye is a living legend. She’s shared the stage with artists like Count Basie and Charlie Parker, and appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson an unprecedented 76 times. Now, for the first time, May performs at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s most intimate venue — Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Jazz Pianist, Jutta Hipp” 
Craig notes the birth date anniversary of the extraordinary German jazz pianist, JUTTA (YOO-tuh) HIPP. She was born in Leipzig, Germany February 4th, 1925 and passed away April 7, 2003. We’ll hear from her classic Blue Note releases as well as from a number of European recordings…trios, quartets, and quintets, studio recordings, as well as live material, all from the 1950s. Check out this obscure and underrated player!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Featured Album: “Musica Di Natale” by Newpoli 
http://www.newpolimusic.com/listen.php?psi=30
The Christmas Story told through the folk music of Southern Italy, through shepherd songs from the Appenini Mountains to the music of the courts and piazzas of Naples. Two singers and seven instrumentalists bring the stories to life in a dramatic fashion. Newpoli is a group of exceptionally talented musicians, all alumni from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory and Longy School of Music, who specialize in Southern Italian Folk Music from the regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia. Newpoli integrates a wide variety of styles such as Tarantella-Pizzica, Tammuriata, Villanella, Moresca and the Neapolitan Canzone, encompassing music from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:
New Music Monday for January 30, 2017
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Mads Tolling is a two-time Grammy Award winner, and was named last year’s winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Award for Violin. He’s a former longtime member of Stanley Clarke’s band and the Turtle Island String Quartet, and has also played with Kenny Barron, Ramsey Lewis and Paquito D’Rivera. As a burgeoning young master growing up in Copenhagen, listening to a Miles Davis cassette introduced Mads to the ‘60s sounds of jazz, soul and early R&B. He harkens back to that era on his new CD, “Mads Tolling & the Mads Men: Playing the 60s.” It features fun and exciting interpretations of timeless movie themes, popular TV classics, and celebrated songs ranging from “Mission Impossible,” “The Pink Panther” and “Meet the Flintstones” to Georgia on My Mind” and “A Taste of Honey.”
50 years ago, magic was made on the stage of the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, when the timeless cool of Frank Sinatra met the robust swing of the Count Basie Orchestra. “Sinatra at the Sands” has remained a beloved classic ever since, the perfect marriage of old-school pop and big band jazz. Singer, songwriter and saxophonist Curtis Stigers has been bringing those worlds together in his own music for the last three decades, which makes him an ideal candidate to reinterpret Ol’ Blue Eyes’ cherished repertoire for modern ears. On “One More For the Road,” Stigers finds his own version of that elusive Sinatra-Basie chemistry with the virtuosic and ebulliently swinging musicians of the Danish Radio Big Band. Recorded in the band’s headquarters in Copenhagen, the bristling live recording features the DRBB playing vibrant takes based on the original Nelson Riddle and Billy May arrangements, sparking inspired vocal performances from Stigers.
Also this week, pianist, singer and songwriter Ben Sidran is joined by Will Lee, Will Bernard, John Ellis and others on “Picture Him Happy”.
Trombonis
t Michael Dease unveils his latest project, “All These Hands,” featuring Renee Rosnes, Lewis Nash and Etienne Charles.
London-born pianist and composer Dan Costa debuts with “Suite Tres Rios,” which DownBeat describes as fusing “classical structure, American jazz and Brazilan melody in an entrancing homage to Brazil.”
Culture Crawl 226 “Somewhat Familiar with the Script”
Kathryn Van Meter from Seattle directs the rock musical “Next to Normal” at City Circle Acting Company, Feb. 10-12.
Kathryn is just a little familiar with this play. The playwright, Brian Yorkey, is a good friend of Kathryn’s and she was involved in some early readings of the script, and actually choreographed the first full production, which caught the eye of the producer who brought it to Broadway. So she brings a very interesting background to her first shot at directing the show.
Tickets and info at www.coralvillearts.org.
Chris Okiishi, from the City Circle board joins in as well. In addition to assisting with this show, he is directing the Coe College production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which opens Feb. 3. Info on that show at http://www.coe.edu/academics/theatrearts/theatre_productions.
Culture Crawl 225 “Comfort Food for the Ear”
Tim Hankewich and Orchestra Iowa lead off 2017 with a concert called “American Mystics.” It will feature concertmaster Dawn Gingerich in her first guest artist role with the Orchestra, performing Samuel Barber’s famous violin concerto. The other pieces will be familiar to you as well, as they have been either featured in movies or inspired film composers like John Williams.
January 28 at the Paramount Theatre and January 29 at Iowa City West. Tickets and info at www.orchestraiowa.org.
Talking Pictures 1-26-17
Split, The Founder, 20th Century Women with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Scott Chrisman.
This Week’s Shows: Week of January 23 – 29
Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Corridor Jazz (Dan Knight)
Dan Knight
Ottumwa, Iowa native Dan Knight was a fixture in Eastern Iowa music circles for several decades. It was his mentor, Dr. Billy Taylor, who turned him on to becoming a jazz performer. However, jazz piano is not the only thing he has done. A classical composition, Leaves of Grass, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2008. Knight also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland three consecutive times. Though Dan Knight has moved to North Carolina, he will always be an Iowa musician.
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson
Monday at 6:00 PM
Mel Tormé: The ‘Velvet’ Voice of Jazz
Mel Tormé
Like Ella Fitzgerald, Torme’s tender treatment of a ballad was offset with a powerful sense of swing. An accomplished drummer and pianist, he also sang songs much like jazz instrumentalists would play them. With help from friends and colleagues, we’ll examine one of the most fascinating careers in jazz.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Profiles)
“The Amazing Piano of Conrad Yeatis “Sonny” Clark”
Craig will present a variety of selections from one of the hippest jazz pianists from the decade of 1953 to 1962. We’ll hear Sonny as the “house pianist” on many of the greatest Blue Note sessions from that era, as well as a number of own his sessions. Clark was a magnificent player whose legend continues to grow!
New Orleans Calling with George Ingmire
Tuesday at 6:00 PM
“Rampart Street Ramble”
Evan Christopher
This week on New Orleans Calling we get a special invitation into one musician’s journey through the world of the New Orleans jazz clarinet. Evan Christopher moved to the Crescent City after discovering such clarinet legends as Sidney Bechet, Alphonse Picou, and Barney Bigard — and now he’s become part of the clarinet tradition himself, touring the world as a jazz master and as an ambassador for New Orleans music. In addition to giving us a personal guided tour of the instrument from a musician’s perspective, Evan performs a special exclusive show just for us, of all new compositions, live onstage at the historic Basin Street Station.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride
Wednesday at 6:00 PM
Samora Pinderhuges: The Transformations Suite 
Samora Pinderhughes says that jazz has the power to reflect “radical imagination.” To the Bay Area-native, mid-twenties pianist and composer, that means challenging the status quo with his multi-movement “Transformations Suite.” The suite combines theater, music and poetry to examine and explore the history of African American protest movements. Jazz Night in America travels to Berkeley, CA to showcase the “Transformations Suite” and explore Samora’s journey into forming his musical life around activism from his parents to his peers, pupils and mentors.
Wednesday Night Special
7:00 PM (Follows Jazz Night in America)
Hot Latin Jazz For a Cold Winter’s Night – Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band (ICJF)
Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band at the 2016 Iowa City Jazz Festival
Artist Profile by Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern
One of the most influential Afro-Cuban jazz percussionists is without a doubt, Poncho Sánchez. Sánchez has been performing for more than three decades. Apart from his solo career, Sánchez has been featured on many albums including Tito Puente, Freddie Hubbard, Terrence Blanchard, and many others. His “Latin Soul,” received a Grammy award in 1999 for Best Latin Album.
Sanchez’s first big break came when his idol, vibraphonist Cal Tjader, hired him after hearing him play just one set with Tjader’s band. His last album released was, “Chano y Dizzy (2011),” a collaborative album with Terrence Blanchard. Sánchez and Blanchard emit ebullient and passionate playing into this afro-cuban jazz album. Today, Sánchez is internationally acclaimed by percussionists and jazz experts. His albums include the technique of layering Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban, salsa, bop, funk, and rhythm and blues.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
“Jazz In Paris — Part One”
Nearly 9 years ago, Craig first presented a series of 3 or 4 shows dealing with jazz in Paris. This week, he begins a new series looking at French jazz artists, as well as Americans living and/or performing in Paris. We’ll hear from Pierre Michelot, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Alain Goraguer, Earl Hines, Henri Crolla, Django Reinhardt, and a host of others…full of lots of surprises!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Featured Album: “Intensamente Con Canciones de Juan Gabriel” by La India 
La India is one of the best Spanish singers in the Salsa genre who continues to grow and deliver vocals and passion.
India tribute to Juan Gabriel is simply brilliant honoring his music with the help of Sergio George they both have given the fans one of the best albums of India’s career. India delivers passion from her heart and soul in this tribute to her friend and Idol Mr Juan Gabriel.
This album is very-well produced, and La India’s voice sounds amazing! Loved the album, also loved that she covers Juan Gabriel songs, some that were not so popular but made them her own and made it work great! One of my favorite salsa albums right now! Especially “Dimelo” “Ahora Que Te Vas””Me Voy Acostumbrar” and “No Vuelvo a Molestarte”.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/intensamente-con-canciones/id1013067089
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:
New Music Monday for January 23, 2017
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
On November 24th, 1980, Dizzy Gillespie invited five jazz legends—Milt Jackson, James Moody, Hank Jones, Ray Brown & Philly Joe Jones—to join him onstage in Montreal to pay tribute to the legendary Charlie Parker. A limited quantity bootleg LP of the concert soon appeared and then disappeared from the marketplace and the tapes lay dormant for over thirty years. Now, “Concert of the Century—A Tribute to Charlie Parker” has been fully re-mastered and is once again available. The music, ranging from beautiful ballads to rollicking blowfests, demonstrates an adventurous modernism that kept these stalwarts in the forefront of the music throughout their careers.
Multiple Grammy nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenon is one of a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, Zenon has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American folkloric music and jazz. His new CD, “Tipico,” is above all a celebration of his longstanding quartet. “I was thinking about what this band and the guys in the band mean to me as I was writing the music,” he explains. “I kept going back to this idea of us developing this common language that identifies us as a band.” That language has been developing for more than a decade. Pianist Luis Perdomo and bassist Hans Glawischnig have been with Zenon since the turn of the millennium; Henry Cole joined the band in 2005.
Also this week, the U.S. Army Blues Swamp Romp, representing the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and featuring Iowa City’s own MSG John DeSalme, drop their newest CD, “Voodoo Boogaloo”.
Award-winning bassist, composer and vocalist Brandi Disterheft unveils “Blue Canvas,” joining forces with veteran pianist Harold Mabern and drummer Joe Farnsworth.
Saxophonist Jeff Rupert and pianist Richard Drexler, faculty members of the University of Central Florida’s acclaimed jazz studies program, are in a duo setting for “Imagination.”