“Gladiator II” (2024) and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” (2024) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Scott Chrisman.
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Clean Up Your Act 12-4-24
Tne EPA says Iowa’s 2024 list of impaired waters is incomplete.
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Culture Crawl 1008 “Musicians Love to Plee-ay”
Orchestra Iowa and Ballet Quad Cities present their annual performance of “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 7 at the Paramount Theatre. Tim is extra grateful for the community support of the Orchestra’s recent purchase of a new celesta, because the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fair just wouldn’t be the same without it! And in fact, that piece is the first to feature that unique instrument.
Tickets and more information at www.orchestraiowa.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.
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Clean Up Your Act 12-3-24
Kirkwood Community College adopts a multi-year climate action plan.
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KCCK’s Featured Album for December 2024
The KCCK Featured Album for December is “This Year at Christmas” from the supergroup Band of Other Brothers. In the spring of this year, acclaimed pianist Jeff Babko received a text from veteran bassist Will Lee that simply read “Band of Other Brothers needs to do a holiday record.” Babko immediately wrote a new piece and the rest of the project fell into place. Saxophonist Jeff Coffin contributed multiple ideas to the mix and added in the collective brilliance of bandmates drummer Keith Carlock and guitarist Nir Felder to create an utterly jubilant take on the Christmas tradition. “This Year at Christmas” is on Ear Up Records. Purchase
Culture Crawl 1007 “Leonard Bernstein’s Phone Number”
Something on the order of 100 low brass players will descend on the Cedar Rapids Public Library Dec. 14 for “Tuba Christmas,” which is exactly what the title says: many, many tubas playing Christmas music. This year’s guest director is Toni Lefebvre, who teaches at College Community and directs the Iowa Women’s Jazz Orchestra.
Organizers Jim Engelbach and Kyle Patrick say any player is welcome, from kids just learning their instrument to adults who maybe haven’t played for years. Any low brass instrument, including tubas, sousaphones, baritones, euphoniums, etc. is welcome. But leave your trombone at home. As Kyle and Jim put it, “No slidey things.”
Dec. 14, 3pm at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Performers should arrive at 11:30 to register, pay a small registration fee and rehearse. Jim and Kyle will be at West Music in Cedar Rapids on Dec. 7 with music books if you’d like to get some practice in advance.
Concert admission is free.
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.
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New Music Monday for December 2, 2024
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Celebrated pianist and composer Donald Vega is getting into the holiday spirit with his new album, “All is Merry and Bright.” Echoing the traditions of holiday albums by Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole, the 2023 Guggenheim Fellow and Julliard professor presents a vibrant collection of holiday classics and cherished tunes thoughtfully arranged to encapsulate the warmth and joy of the season.
In the Spring of 2024, acclaimed pianist Jeff Babko received a text from friend and fellow Band of Other Brothers member, bassist Will Lee, that simply read, “Band of Other Brothers needs to do a holiday record.” Babko immediately wrote a new piece in about 15 minutes and, from this first seed, the rest of the forest rapidly grew into “This Year at Christmas,” the utterly jubilant take of the Christmas tradition by the jazz supergroup. Saxophonist Jeff Coffin contributed multiple ideas to the mix and added in the collective brilliance of bandmates drummer Keith Carlock and guitarist Nir Felder to create a melting pot of ideas, influences and interpretations that stays blanketed in the familiarity of the holiday season.
Also this week, pianist and arranger George Kahn returns with The Jazz & Blues Revue to light up your celebrations with “Holiday Soiree”; contemporary jazz trumpeter Rick Braun launches into the holiday spirit with “It’s Christmas”; and pianist Ben Paterson’s new album, “Cookin’ in the Couve,” boasts Paterson’s A-team rhythm section of Neal Miner on bass and Aaron Seeber on drums.
This Week In Jazz December 1 thru December 7
Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of lyricist Ira Gershwin, producer Lester Koenig, pianists Dave Brubeck and Wynton Kelly, saxophonist Marshall Royal, bassist Art Davis, guitarist Jim Hall and more.
We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Gerry Mulligan’s “Reunion with Chet Baker” (1957), Art Farmer Quartet feat. Jim Hall “Live at the Half-Note” (1963), Paul Desmond’s “Skylark” (1973), Stanley Jordan’s “Cornucopia” (1988), Tal Farlow/John Abercrombie/Larry Carlton/Larry Coryell/John Scofield’s “All Strings Attached” (1986), Diana Krall “Live In Paris” (2001) and many others Mondays thru Fridays at noon on Jazz Masters on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.