Lauren Stangl, a freshman at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, has been chosen as the winner of the 2017 Corridor Jazz Project CD Cover design. Lauren will receive a $100 cash prize from KCCK-FM and the design will adorn the cover of the “The Corridor Jazz Project X”, a compilation of recordings from the top jazz bands from Jefferson, Kennedy, Prairie, Xavier and Washington High Schools in Cedar Rapids, Linn Mar and, Marion in Marion; Iowa City High, Solon High School, Mt. Vernon High School, and Lisbon High School. Receiving Honorable Mention in the contest were eight other students:
- Kayla Donahue, Kennedy
- Kylie Easton, Kennedy
- Emma Eltze, Kennedy
- Marissa Lofton, Kennedy
- Alissa Tiedemann, Prairie
- Jennifer Sanchez, Jefferson
- Hannah Montgomery, Jefferson
- Jozlyn Wright, Jefferson
Lauren’s original piece, and those receiving Honorable Mention will all be exhibited during the Corridor Jazz Project concert, March 6 at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. The Corridor Jazz Project is a jazz education and mentoring program for jazz band students at the high schools in the Creative Corridor. The program, developed as a part of the education outreach of Jazz 88.3 KCCK, matches each school’s top jazz band with a professional jazz player, who performed as a guest soloist with the band. The subsequent recordings have been collected and will be released on a compilation CD. CDs will be made available to each school to sell and keep the proceeds. CDs will be available at local retail outlets as well. Support for the Corridor Jazz Project comes from MidWestOne Bank, and West Music. For more information, contact Dennis Green, dennis@kcck.org or 319.398.5446
o of rising-star New York singers Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner & Melissa Stylianou—has won hearts far and wide with its insouciant swing, sweet-tone harmonies and charming stage presence. Dubbed by DownBeat as “a beacon of jovial esprit,” the group channels the inspiration of vintage vocal trios into a package that’s utterly up to date. Having beguiled audiences from New York to New Orleans prior to its first album, the trio has since won fans from coast to coast, across Canada and even in Israel. Now Duchess presents its second disc, “Laughing at Life.” The recording includes beloved songs by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles, as well as lesser-known numbers given the infectious Duchess spin. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, clarinetist Anat Cohen and saxophonist Jeff Lederer are among the guests.
Veteran jazz pianist Brian Dickinson has been a mainstay on the Toronto jazz scene for over thirty years. As well as leading his own various ensembles, he has also worked and recorded with Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Jerry Bergonzi and Tom Harrell among many others. “The Rhythm Method” is his engaging and swinging new album, the eleventh as a leader. It includes 10 original and incredibly creative tracks and features Kelly Jefferson on tenor sax, Neil Swainson on bass, Ted Warren on drums and Luis Deniz on alto.
ek, the Organic Trio’s latest disc, “Saturn’s Spell,” takes the classic Hammond B3/guitar/drums format to orbits of musical exploration not often traversed in this setting.
nveils his newest disc, “Shades of the Bay”.
presents the inaugural installment in a series of records with the prime living sources of jazz world inspiration on “Masters Legacy Series, Volume 1 Featuring Jimmy Cobb