Culture Crawl 1200 “Not Your Typical Princess”

The final Playtime Poppy show of the school year is “The Princess Who Wouldn’t Wear Pink” April 23-25 at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. It’s the story of a princes who simply doesn’t want any of the duties or trappings of her job, but learns along the way that maybe she can do it her way. Lots of fun and audience participation makes Playtime Poppy a a great introduction to theatre for kids of all ages.

Tickets and more info at playtimepoppy.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.

Podcast (culturecrawl): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Talking Pictures 4-22-26

“Running Man” (2025 R Sci-Fi/Adventure) and “Othello” (2026 Tragedy Marquee TV) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Ron Adkins.

Podcast (talkingpics): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Culture Crawl 1199 “Cutoff Queen”

Kirkwood Vocal Music presents a two-night Cabaret at Opus Concert Cafe April 27 and 28. Director Fred Kiser says his jazz vocal group Jazz Transit is super-sized this year, to the group will split into two, each half performing on one of the nights. Students will also sing solos with a jazz combo.

Tickets at artsiowa.com.

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.

Podcast (culturecrawl): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

2026 Guest DJs-Center Point-Urbana

Vaughn McDonough and Connor Kreutner

Podcast (specials): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Culture Crawl 1198 “Mom Loves Storms”

Mission Creek Day Party is a one-day celebration of literature and music April 25, a partnership between Mission Creek and Blink. Mission Creek Founder Andre Perry join us, with bestselling author Nora Lange, who is one of the featured artists. Nora reads us a segment from her new short story collection “Day Care.”

Details and the full lineup at missioncreekfestival.com.

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.

Podcast (culturecrawl): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

New Music Monday for April 20, 2026

Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Over the past decade, bassist Ben Allison, guitarist Steve Cardenas and saxophonist Ted Nash have developed a unique group sound and approach—one based on improvisation, mutual trust, and an almost uncanny ability to predict each other’s musical moves. Following their previous four albums that focused on music by iconic composers, their new release, “Triological,” is the first to feature original music written by the trio specifically for the album and is the group’s most personal album to date.

“Forever Yours: The Farewell Performances” captures highlights from two transcendent solo-piano concerts given just four months before jazz icon Chick Corea’s passing. Performed in Clearwater, Florida, in October of 2020, they would be the last public concerts Mr. Corea would ever give. Not long afterward, his health suddenly declined and the world lost one of its greatest musicians in February of 2021.

                                     

Also this week, pianist Bill Mays revels in surprise, harmonic wizardry and melodic invention on his new trio recording, “Soundscape”; Southern California-based singer and songwriter Alex Robinson unveils her debut release, “I Really Oughta Tell You”; and saxophonist Walter Smith III reprises his acclaimed Twio concept with the long-awaited release of “Twio, Vol. 2,” featuring Joe Sanders and Kendrick Scott, plus special guests Ron Carter and Branford Marsalis.

v

This Week’s Shows April 20 – April 26

undefinedJazz Corner of the World (Encore)

Mondays at 6:00pm

More Live Weather Report

Craig continues our listen to live Weather Report with more top-notch material from this classic ensemble. We’re treated to an incredible playlist of work not heard during Craig’s previous presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Night Special

Wednesdays at 6:00pm

Corridor Jazz Concert, Night One 

21 of the area’s best high school jazz bands worked with a professional musician to rehearse and record a chart, then perform together at two nights of the Corridor Jazz Concert. This week, we hear the concert from the Paramount Theatre stage in Cedar Rapids.

 

 

 

 

 

Red clay album by Freddie Hubbard in 1970

Saturdays at 12:00 noon

Herbie Hancock as a Sideman

Aside from his 50-plus albums as leader, Herbie Hancock has also serves as pianist on some 160 releases by other artists. In this first of several shows, we’ll hear from some of his many stellar dates for others (like Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Miles Davis, Grant Green, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and more).

 

 

 

 

 

KCCK’s Midnight CD   (April 20 – April 26)

Every Night at Midnight

KCCK features a new album every night, played from start-to-finish.

Three Track Mind by the Gary Versace Trio on Monday; Jackson Plays Dylan by Javon Jackson on Tuesday; The Sorceress by Audrey Ochoa on Wednesday; Torch Bearers by Brian Lynch on Thursday; Bulldog by the CD Woodbury Trio on Friday; Thunder in the House by Eliza Neals on Saturday; The Lively Air by Aubrey Johnson on Sunday.

This Week In Jazz April 19 thru April 25

Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion, percussionist Candido Camero, bassists Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers and Avishai Cohen, trombonist Slide Hampton, guitarist Mundell Lowe, keyboardist Dave Grusin and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Miles Davis’ “Birth of the Cool” (1949), Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert” (1958), Freddie Hubbard’s “Fastball: Live at the Left Bank” (1967), Jim Hall’s “Concierto” (1975), Milt Jackson’s “A London Bridge” (1982), Gene Harris & the Philip Morris All-Stars “Live” (1995), Charles McPherson’s “The Journey” (2014) and many others, Mondays through Fridays and at noon on JAZZ MASTERS on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.