Over the course of a multi-faceted career that has spanned four decades, Dee Dee Bridgewater has put her own unique spin on standards as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-inventing jazz classics. For her latest recording, Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater, the singer honors iconic jazz figure Billie Holiday. Bridgewater performed the role of Holiday in a theatrical production staged in Paris and London in the mid-’80s. More than being a tribute album of retreaded Holiday tunes, Bridgewater says, “Billie deserves to have her music heard in another light, and I didn’t set out to imitate her.” Key to the fresh approach is pianist Edsel Gomez, who wrote new arrangements for the twelve songs on the disc.

Guitarist Paul Meyers has performed or recorded with a host of jazz greats in his career to date, including Ron Carter, Mel Lewis, Kenny Werner, and Kenny Barron. James Gavin of the New York Times calls Meyers, “one of the most eloquent jazz guitarists since Kenny Burrell.” Of his new CD, Paul Meyers Quartet featuring Frank Wess, guitarist Rodney Jones says, “In an era of over-processed and over-thought music, Paul Meyers has produced a beautiful CD of music from the heart. In combination with jazz legend Frank Wess, Paul brings forth a genuine work of art and musical magic.”

Also new, reed man Ken Peplowski weaves through beautifully arranged and seldom heard tunes by Ellington, Strayhorn, and Berlin, and originals by himself and band mates Shelly Berg and Joe La Barbera on Noir Blue; flutist Mark Weinstein brings together the best of the new generation of Cuban jazz musicians in a feast of rhythms and virtuosity on Timbasa; and Jay D’Amico’s Nocturne: Jazz Under Glass represents the pianist’s latest effort at composing and interpreting his own music.

Ellington a la Pizzarelli – Singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli celebrates the music of Duke Ellington with his new CD, Rockin’ in Rhythm, his first ever Ellington recording. Pizzarelli was still a very young man when Duke passed away in 1974, but thanks to his father, veteran guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, he would eventually learn much about jazz’s most important composer. Like Ellington, Pizzarelli crafts his performances to spotlight the talents of his quartet and, on several tracks, the Swing Seven Horns arranged by Don Sebesky. .

This is from a listener on our Face Book page.

This is THE BEST jazz station I have ever listened to! I’ve been all over the country and have yet to find a station playing such a wide variety of jazz. It is disappointing to drive into Tampa or Dallas and all you can find is “Smooth” or “Lite” jazz. Heck I couldn’t even find a good salsa station in Florida! KCCK pla…ys it all. They also partner with the Iowa City Jazz Festival which is one of the best free multi-day jazz festivals in the US of A. Check out their website and listen for yourself! – Brian Hill.

I never worked for Eliot Keller, but I think I would have enjoyed the experience if I had.

The head man at Cedar Rapids radio stations KZIA and KGYM died in December of complications from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

I became acquainted with Eliot through the Cedar Rapids Broadcasters’ Community Ascertainment Meetings. Once each quarter the broadcasters in Cedar Rapids bring in leaders from various walks of life to tell us what they view as the problems and issues facing the community. We use this information to help determine what issues we should cover in our news and public affairs programming. When a guest would start getting off topic, we could always count on Eliot to steer him or her back on topic. No matter how early I arrived at those meetings (held in a conference room at KMRY Radio), Eliot was always already there…enjoying his meal from the nearby Hardee’s.

The first many of us learned of his illness was when Eliot showed up at one of the meetings with a cane. Someone asked him what it was for and he matter-of-factly stated that he had Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was the last meeting he would attend.

In a day of conglomerate ownership of broadcast stations, Eliot and partner Rob Norton helped keep some local ownership in place in Cedar Rapids. KCCK and KMRY are the only other locally owned radio stations in Cedar Rapids. And Eliot and his wife Sandy were supportive of KCCK. They attended some of our events…namely Jazz at Riverside and Jazz to the World at the Englert in Iowa City. And you would also find Eliot at the Iowa City Jazz Festival.

Others knew Eliot through his work in promoting and trying to bring together the communities of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Still others knew him through his efforts to bring passenger rail service to Iowa City. He’ll be missed by all those people.

George Dorman – KCCK News and Operations Director

The Englert was nearly full last Saturday with a full menu of great Latin Jazz. I’m a born people watcher…and I have to tell you…when you boast that it’s going to be a Brazilian Night…it brings out the area’s Brazilians in a big way…and that made me even happier.

The best known Brazilian in the house was Rodrigo Ursaia from New York, finishing up a UI residency. He played with Jazz Repertory Ensemble, the Latin Jazz Ensemble and Johnson County Landmark bands. Each band touted some terrific soloists and were supported by faculty players like Jim Dreier and Steve Grismore.

Ursaia gave some interesting histories of the Antonio Carlos Jobim tunes that he had selected for the evening, and some comments on the dynamics of Brazilian life in the 50s

He commented that Jobim was aware of the barrio and what that reality is like. It was all reflected in some complex music and it was a great program. The head of the UI Jazz department, John Rapson gave us some suggestions on artists to seek out to hear more of this great music. He suggested we seek out Rosa Passos, a vocalist who often works with Ursaia.

One thing is for sure…jazz musicians love playing…they love each other…and Ursaia was a wonderful addition to the terrific Latin jazz program at Iowa. I appreciated the faculty praising each other, showing respect and support of one another. What a class act!

There are two groups of people who are already tired of Christmas music before most of us have even started our shopping: Anyone who works in retail, and…. DJs.

Personally, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with holiday music for years. As a young radio announcer, I would watch with a sinking feeling as the program director hauled a scarred cardboard box into the studio with the word “XMAS” scrawled on the side in faded block letters. This sight signaled four endless weeks of format-busting tedium, as even the most contemporary station’s playlist suddenly sprouted Perry Como, Bing Crosby and the Boston Pops. For a young DJ who prided himself on being on music’s cutting edge…. pure torture.

Had you asked me in those days, I would have told you the only Christmas song worth the vinyl on which it was pressed was Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” As time passed, a few other tunes made my “tolerable” list: Bing Crosby and David Bowie’s “Little Drummer Boy,” Santa Baby” (Eartha Kitt’s original, not Madonna’s horrifying remake), and the Russian and Chinese Dances from the Nutcracker (although that may have been due more to Disney’s “Fantasia”).

But in 1984 a record arrived that changed how I, and millions of others, perceived Christmas music forever.

(Click here to read more)

With another Veterans Day, we note that several KCCK staffers are veterans of military service.

KCCK Morning Man, Talking Pictures co-host and Got-a-Minute’s Mark Yother was in the Air Force for three years. He was editor of the base newspaper at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado, then worked in radio and television with the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN) for a year.

News Director George Dorman spent two years in the Army, including a year in Korea –part of the time as a reporter/photographer for the 2nd Infantry Division newspaper.
He also worked weekends as a radio newscaster and occasional television sportscaster for the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN).

Big Band Memories co-host Cary J. Hahn served four years in the Navy, broadcasting on Armed Forces Radio aboard the USS Hancock aircraft carrier during Vietnam service and on the island of Kodiak, Alaska.

Our other BBM co-host, Murray Kent, was a news and sports announcer for American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) and an FM radio music host.

Gentle Jazz and Short List producer Bob Naujoks spent his entire two-year army tour at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., managing an enlisted men’s service club.