Jazz pianist Laurence Hobgood performs Thursday, March 16, at Holiday Inn & Suites in Davenport and 6 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Redstone Room in Davenport. He spoke with KCCK’s Bob Stewart.
Special Programs: Week of March 13 – 19
Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Corridor Jazz (Tim Daugherty)
Tim Daugherty performing at Opus Concert Cafe in Cedar Rapids
Keyboardist Tim Daugherty should be a familiar name to many. From his emergence with the Daugherty-Davis & McPartland group in the early 1980s to his current steady gig as a musician on cruise ships, he has been enjoying his musical career. The original trio lasted a decade and was an Eastern Iowa favorite, and they even had a three-week tour in Russia and another in Mexico before they disbanded. Daugherty and Dennis McPartland continued their association to the twenty-first century.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Birthdate Anniversary of Jazz Trumpet Master, Blue Mitchell”
Craig celebrates the birthday of Richard Allen “Blue” Mitchell (3/13/30 to 5/21/79). We’ll hear many recordings that feature Blue as a leader, for Blue Note, Riverside, and Mainstream Records. We’ll also hear him as a side man with the likes of Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, bluesman John Mayall, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, and a host of others. Uplifting music from one of the true jazz greats!
Night Lights (Classic Jazz) with David Brent Johnson
Emily Remler
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—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. Every program is archived after broadcast for online listening. This week: “Jazz Women of the 1980’s – Geri Allen, Jane Ira Bloom, Emily Remler and others”. http://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/archives/2017/1/
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson
Monday at 11:00 PM (follows Nightlights)
Thelonious Monk: ‘Thelonious Himself’
The sound of Thelonious Monk is one of the most recognizable in modern jazz. By the “plunk” or “thunk” of a single chord, his piano and compositions are unmistakable. An original on and off the bandstand, he was the launch pad of bebop, and also created a body of work in its own orbit. This show celebrates Monk’s lasting contributions, with help from his collaborators and admirers including drummer Max Roach, producer Orrin Keepnews, and writer Stanley Crouch.
Wednesday Night Special
6:00 PM
Local on the 8s live at the Opus Concert Café
Local on the 8s
Local on the 8s, a group of musicians from across Iowa, utilizes a compelling combination and mixture of progressive rock, jazz, R&B, hip hop and funk music. Performing the music of Trombone Shorty, Roy Hargrove, Kneebody, Christian Scott, Snarky Puppy and many others, Local on the 8s offers high energy music, steeped in tradition and sophistication that will make anyone dance. Local on the 8s seeks to erase the lines between the mainstream and the underground – straight ahead and rock/funk. Band Members are: Eric Thompson, drums / cymbals; Ben Soltau, bass; Michael Jarvey, and Jon Snell, keys; Steve Grismore and Andy Parrot, guitar; Robert Espe, saxophones and Brett Messenger, trumpet / flugelhorn.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride
Thursday at 11:00 PM
Catherine Russell Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Catherine Russell
Catherine Russell remembers her late mother, singer Carline Ray, in a performance honoring the vocal jazz trio tradition. Russell is known for her work with Steely Dan and David Bowie, but also as an interpreter of blues and early jazz music. For this episode of Jazz Night in America, she hones in on this style with arrangements originally reworked by Sy Oliver for Carline Ray. Also, Russell shares stories of her mother’s journey in jazz through coming up in the 1940s as a black woman.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Jazz in Paris – Part Two”
Craig presents another tasty program featuring a wide variety of jazz artists from France, as well as visiting artists in France. We’ll hear French mainstays Michel de Villers, Blossom Dearie (both as a pianist, and as a vocalist with Les Blue Stars), Jean-Claude Fohrenbach, Rene Thomas, Toots Thielemans, and many others. We’ll also hear recordings from American ex-patriots and visitors….like Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke, Chet Baker, Max Roach, and several others. Magnifique!!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Featured Album: “El doble de amigos / Twice as Many Friends” by Sol y Canto 
El doble de amigos/Twice as Many Friends, the first family recording by popular Latin group Sol y Canto, is twice as much fun. This collection of original songs and fresh, bilingual interpretations of favorites from Latin America and the United States is a joyous celebration of music, language, culture and childhood. The songs are fun and infectiously danceable with lyrics that invite singing and dancing along. Featuring a rocking horn section and a children’s chorus, Sol y Canto has created an irresistible recording with true multi-cultural appeal. Children will enjoy the flawless blend of English and Spanish and whether they are being exposed to either or both languages for the first time they will come away with a variety of new words and an appreciation of two wonderful cultures. Includes suggested activities to accompany the songs.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/el-doble-de-amigos-twice-as-many-friends-mw0000692196
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:
New Music Monday for March 13, 2017
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Heads of State made their debut recording in 2015, just months after they played together for the first time as a quartet at Smoke in New York. Now, with another year of playing together under their collective belts (on top of the nearly five decades of relationships shared by the various members), they return with the aptly-titled “Four in One.” The quartet of living legends, featuring saxophonist Gary Bartz, pianist Larry Willis, drummer Al Foster, and their latest addition, bassist David Williams, offer a jubilant, tremendously swinging sophomore release that pairs original compositions by all four members with pieces by some of the icons that have mentored them.
Award-winning trumpeter Al Muirhead has long been an iconic figure on the Canadian jazz scene. He was playing in the Regina Symphony and dance bands by age 12 and has since played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Rosemary Clooney and Diana Krall. Al recently came to wider prominence in North America with his debut album. Now at the age of 81, he’s making up for lost time with his third release in just two years, “Northern Adventures.” Featuring five different small ensembles of both old and new friends, the disc brings together a veritable who’s who of Canadian jazz, including pianist Don Thompson, guitarist Reg Schwager, trumpeter Guido Basso and saxophonist Mike Murley.
Also this week, Seattle-based guitarist Frank Kohl unveils his fourth album as leader, “Rising Tide,” joined by his New York City quartet featuring bassist Steve LaSpina and his brother Tom Kohl on piano.
Throttle Elevator Music reunites with tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington for a fifth recording, “Retrorespective”.
Peter Drew has put together an all-star big band
to feature his compositions and his arrangements of some classic jazz tunes on “Where & When.”
Clean Up Your Act 4-4-17
The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium
Branford at KCCK
“The only way to play this music well is to sound like crap until you don’t sound like crap any more.”
Branford Marsalis talks about developing a “sound” (and why that idea is silly), the transition between playing in a small group and with a symphony orchestra, and even his Twitter “feud” with Kurt Elling in this interview with KCCK’s Hollis Monroe prior to Branford’s appearance with Orchestra Iowa.
Culture Crawl 236 “He’ll Have to Re-explain Everything These Two Rubes Said.”
Orchestra Iowa welcomes jazz legend Branford Marsalis to the Creative Corridor March 10 and 11 for two concerts, Friday at Hancher and Saturday at the Paramount. In between, there will be a free Q&A session with Branford, March 11 at 10am in the Opus Concert Cafe.
Airing just before Branford himself stops by the KCCK studios, Tim and Dennis are pretty sure that the jazz master will have to correct everything they said about the relationship between jazz and classical music.
Hear for yourself Friday or Saturday! Tickets at www.artsiowa.com or www.orchestraiowa.org.
Talking Pictures 3-9-17
All About Eve and Logan with Hollis Monroe, Denny Lynch and Scott Chrisman
Special Programs: Week of March 6 – 12
Short List with Bob Naujoks
Monday – Friday at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM
Corridor Jazz (Damani Phillips)
Damani Phillips at the 2016 Iowa City Jazz Festival
This week The Short List profiles the outstanding alto saxophonist Damani Phillips. He teaches both jazz music and African-American studies at the University of Iowa. He may be better known as the instrumentalist who plays with the groups Ritmocano, and the Dap Squad, as well as his own. He has several recent and fine albums available also. Originally, he studied to be a classical saxophonist, but he turned his head to jazz and was coached by some of Detroit’s jazz veterans, including trumpeter Marcus Belgrave.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Tribute To Bassist Bob Cranshaw”
Craig salutes the memory of recently departed Bob Cranshaw. Bob was best known for his long association with Sonny Rollins, but he also provided the “rock solid” bass for literally hundreds of famous jazz recordings over the years. We’ll hear great records of Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Duke Pearson, Nat Adderley, and so many more. A very important musician who will be greatly missed!
Night Lights (Classic Jazz) with David Brent Johnson 
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—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. Every program is archived after broadcast for online listening. This week: “Jazz Her Way: Nancy Wilson in the 1960’s”. http://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/archives/2017/1/
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson
Monday at 11:00 PM (follows Nightlights)
Billie Holiday: ‘Lady Sings the Blues’
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was the consummate jazz singer. She could take any song and make it her own. She could re-work a melody, sing a lyric with impeccable diction, add her unique phrasing and embrace it with the raw emotional intensity of her life experience. All of the great bandleaders loved Lady Day: Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw. Billie’s personal battles are legendary — with a racist society, with men, with drugs — and it was that pain that fueled her songs. But she worked at her craft, found her own voice, and inspired countless singers and musicians. This show focuses on Billie’s music and its impact on jazz. Interviewees include her longtime accompanist Bobby Tucker, biographer Robert O’Meally, Abbey Lincoln, and Joni Mitchell.
Wednesday Night Special
6:00 PM
Christopher Merz with the Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble (new)
Chris Merz
Saxophonist Christopher Merz, has served as Director of Jazz Studies and Director of the award-winning UNI Jazz Band One at the University of Northern Iowa since 2002. Under his direction, the band has traveled to Thailand as well as the east coast of the US, and has recorded 13 CDs featuring many original compositions and arrangements by student and faculty writers.
The 2006 recipient of the CHFA University Book and Supply Outstanding Teaching award, Merz was the 2016 recipient of the John L. Baker Faculty Development award, and was inducted into the Iowa Jazz Educators’ Hall of Fame in 2015. He is a Past President of Jazz Educators of Iowa (JEI), and the founder and director of the UNI Combo Camp, an annual event for high school jazz students and music educators, which takes place each June.
His recording credits include Steve McCraven, Darius Brubeck, John Rapson and Jon Snell, as well as his own projects; Counterculture, the Chris Merz/Bob Washut Duo, The X-tet, Equilateral, and Christopher’s Very Happy Band. His 1997 release with the X-tet, Mystery is My Story, prompted Dave Brubeck to write, “I am very pleased with this wonderful band. Naturally I would admire a group like yours that, to me, is a grand extension of what we were doing…when we were the ‘new thing’”. Current projects include Colossus Central (an exciting new big band led by UNI alum Michael Conrad) and the quartet, Christopher’s Very Happy Band., which performs Merz’s originals exclusively. An accomplished composer/arranger for large jazz ensembles, Merz has received commissions from university and high school big bands throughout the country, and is published through UNC Jazz Press and ejazzlines.
Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride
Thursday at 11:00 PM
Celebrating Betty Carter
In this episode of Jazz Night in America, we hear stories from alumni of “the school of Betty Carter,” an esteemed collection of singers bound together by the thrall of Carter’s titanic influence on jazz. One of the most powerful voices in the American musical tradition, her lasting legacy is celebrated by vocalist Charenee Wade along with many past members of Carter’s band through the years.
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM and Monday, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Birthdate Anniversary of Jazz Trumpet Master, Blue Mitchell” 
Craig celebrates the birthday of Richard Allen “Blue” Mitchell (3/13/30 to 5/21/79). We’ll hear many recordings that feature Blue as a leader, for Blue Note, Riverside, and Mainstream Records. We’ll also hear him as a side man with the likes of Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, bluesman John Mayall, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, and a host of others. Uplifting music from one of the true jazz greats!
Tropical Heat (hosted by Kpoti Senam Accoh)
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Featured Album: “Xenophonia” by Bojan Z 
Xenophonia is an album of the Serbian jazz pianist Bojan Z released in 2006 at Label Bleu. The name of the album, built from “xenos”, “the stranger” in Greek, is a reference to the situation of Bojan Z as a Franco-Serbian.
On this album Bojan Z plays the “xenophone”, instrument of his invention, a sort of Fender Rhodes trafficked, with a temperament different from that of the piano, close to that of “Arabic” music. Bojan adds to this instrument many effects pedals (distortion, phaser …) which ends up bringing it closer to an electric guitar. Bojan Z goes so far, on Wheels, to play “note à note” on his instrument a solo of RM Točak, star of the Serbian rock.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/xenophonia-bojan-z-label-bleu-review-by-ian-patterson.php
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at: