Big Mo Pod Show 018 – “King of The Segway”

John and Noah return once again for their weekly rambling about blues, musical traditions, and the emotions that music stirs within their souls. This installment covers a choice selection of tracks for John’s July 19th show, covering a variety of tunes all with different flavors of blues. Tune in to the episode to see which tracks our hosts selected and what they had to say about each! Songs featured in the episode: 

  1. Tony Joe White – “Lustful Earl and the Married Woman” 
  2. Koko Taylor – “Wang Dang Doodle” 
  3. Doyle Bramhall – “Dimples”
  4. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown – “Slap It”
  5. Larkin Poe – Bluephoria” 

Listen to ‘da Friday Blues with Big Mo each week at 6pm, and catch the podcast for a behind the scenes look at the show! 

Culture Crawl 944 “No Easy Way”

Nancy Andreason & Jenifer Vick are back in promotion of the upcoming Tournament of Drums 2024. It’s Friday, Aug. 2, 7 pm at Linn-Mar High School Stadium. Tickets are $20 for general admission seats and $25 for reserved seats (children 5 and under are free). You can purchase tickets at colts.org or at the stadium box office on the day of the show, with the box office opening at 4 pm and gates opening at 5:30. 

For more information visit www.tournamentofdrums.com (www.iowamusicandarts.org) 

Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. Listen Live at 10:30am most weekdays on Iowa’s Jazz station. 88.3 FM or kcck.org/listen.

 

Culture Crawl 943 “Gap Year”

It’s official, Bluesmore is back on the books for 2025! But before you start thinking too far ahead, Linn County Blues Society has an upcoming fundraising event you won’t want to miss. Backyard Blues Fest is slated for Saturday, July 27, right in The Ideal Theater’s own backyard. Headliners include Kris Lager Band, The Beaker Brothers, Kobe Williams & The Fantasy, and The Ice Breakers. Get your tickets now for a fun evening of blues, food, drinks, and community.

Saturday, July 27 at The Ideal Theater. Tickets $20 ADV/$30 Day of Show. Gates open at 4PM, all ages until 9PM/18+ after 9PM.

For tickets visit www.theidealtheaterandbar.com

For more info visit www.lcbs.org 

Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. Listen Live at 10:30am most weekdays on Iowa’s Jazz station. 88.3 FM or kcck.org/listen.

 

Talking Pictures 7-17-24

“Longlegs” (2024) and “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Scott Chrisman.

Clean Up Your Act 7-17-24

Climate scientists say extreme weather is happening more often in the Midwest and Great Plains.

Culture Crawl 942 “Shepherds”

Mentorship is an extremely important part of learning to play music. Young musicians learn not just notes and rhythms from their elders, but  how to treat themselves and other musicians. Slayton Thompson has been a mentor to two generations of musicians. He encouraged a young Steve Shanley nearly 30 years ago, and more recently, pianist and composer Jon Snell, a Cedar Rapids native who now lives in New York City.

Steve commissioned Jon to write a piece featuring Slayton on harmonica. The world premiere of “Kingdom Making” is the featured piece this week with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, performing in a new venue, Hughes Park on Wednesday, and Bever Park on Sunday. Also on the program will be a piece saluting the Olympics and a medley from “How To Train Your Dragon.”

Plus, free ice cream for the all kids attending the Wednesday concert!

All shows at 7:30pm. Livestream at facebook.com/crmuniband. More information at crmuniband.org.

Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. Listen Live at 10:30am most weekdays on Iowa’s Jazz station. 88.3 FM or kcck.org/listen.

New Music Monday for July 15, 2024

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify 

Nearly 50 years into his fruitful career, the renowned saxophonist and clarinetist Ken Peplowski has released over 70 recordings as a soloist and close to 400 releases as a sideman. He is celebrated for his work with a diverse array of artists including Charlie Byrd, Benny Goodman, Hank Jones and Peggy Lee among many others. Facing financial, emotional and physical challenges during the COVID pandemic, he found solace in his music. He started a successful weekly streaming show and recorded dozens of episodes, many of them featuring the ensemble presented on his new album, “Live at Mezzrow.” Recorded at the famed New York City jazz club last year, the band includes pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Martin Wind and drummer Willie Jones III.

“Reflections in Two Shades” is a major step forward in Lee McKinney’s career for it not only has him playing drums in a world-class quartet but it features his compositions. For the notable project, the Dayton, Ohio-based McKinney was particularly happy to have the great altoist Greg Abate on board. “Greg and I have been friends for over 20 years and he is a masterful player…A piano friend of mine from Oregon, Matt Cooper, was my first choice and was fortunately available…I was also lucky enough to get one of the best bass players in this area, Chris Berg.”

                                                                

Also this week, “Windows Through Time” is pianist Mariah Parker’s latest exploration into the depths of Latin jazz with her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble; pianist Sergio Pamies fuses the traditional jazz language with the flamenco music of his childhood in Granada, Spain on his fourth disc as a leader, “Time to Say”; and “You’ll Hear It” captures the rich life and legacy pianist George Colligan has built over thirty-plus years in jazz.

 

 

This Week’s Shows July 15 thru July 21

Kenny Barron: Kenny Barron At The PianoJazz Corner of the World  (Encore)

Mondays at 6:00pm

The Piano Artistry of Kenny Barron

Craig surveys the lengthy career of piano great Kenny Barron. We’ll hear gems with groups led by Kenny, as well as a variety of recordings that feature Kenny as a sideman with Cindy Blackman, Freddie Hubbard, Dave Holland, Arthur Blythe, Stan Getz, Sonny Fortune, and many others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wednesday Night SpecialThe Road Scholars: Spyro Gyra Tribute – Dan Moore

Wednesdays at 6:00pm

Road Scholars at Jazz Under the Stars

We continue to set the groove for Jazz Under the Stars 2024 with a listen back to all the great acts from our 2023 party in the park. This week, it’s Road Scholars. Saxophonist Damani Phillips leads an all-star band in a loving tribute to the music of Spyro Gyra.

 

 

 

 

Kurt Elling presents "The Big Blind: A Jazz Radio Drama ...

Jazz Night in America

Thursdays at 11:00pm

Kurt Elling’s “Big Blind” 

Step into the world of 1950s Chicago for a tale of love, suspense, and show business in Kurt Elling’s jazz radio drama The Big Blind. Hear music and performances from the production’s world premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center as Elling guest hosts this special edition of Jazz Night in America. 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Corner of the WorldSteeplechase Records - Jazz Messengers

Saturdays from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm

Steeplechase Records

Craig spins a delightful sampling of the prestigious Danish label Steeplechase. The label was founded by Nils Winther, while a student at the University of Copenhagen, back in 1972, and over the years has produced well over 1,000 choice releases by top-notch recording artists like Jackie McLean, Dexter Gordon, Teddy Edwards, Sheila Jordan, Horace Parlan, and many others.

 

 

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Every Night at Midnight Each night, KCCK lets you hear a new CD played start-to-finish.

Brian Landrus Plays Ellington & Strayhorn by Brian Landrus on Monday; Measured Response by Josh Lawrence on Tuesday; On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute by Matthew Whitaker on Wednesday; Relentless by Rob Parton’s Ensemble +9 on Thursday; Barnyard Smile by Damon Fowler on Friday; Good Intentions Gone Bad by Chris Cain on Saturday; Rainmaker by Ben Sidran on Sunday.