The Frog and Toad survey helps the Iowa DNR track various species of amphibians and monitor the health of wetlands at the same time.
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Culture Crawl 1051 “My Crib Was In The Light Booth”
Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre presents “Swiss Family Robinson” April 17-19 at Washington High School, a fun packed hour-long production based on the classic story. Zhen E Rammelsberg (Managing Director) and Sheryl Payton (Board President) are in the studio to talk your ear off about upcoming Playtime Poppy programs and productions.
Shows are Thursday 4/17 at 5pm, Friday 4/18 at 5pm & 7pm and Saturday 4/19 at 11am & 2pm.
For tickets and more info visit 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.
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Culture Crawl 1050 “I Wore It Out Back When You Could Do That”
Tim Hankewich is back ahead of Orchestra Iowa’s fifth Masterworks concert of the season, “A Solemn Devotional” Saturday, April 12, 7:30pm at Paramount Theatre and Sunday, April 13, 2:00pm at Voxman Concert Hall. From Mendelssohn to Mozart to exciting announcements, this is one Orchestra Iowa concert you won’t want to miss.
Tickets and more info can be found at artsiowa.com or 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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Talking Pictures 4-9-25
“My Dead Friend Zoe” (2025 Amazon Prime) and “Hell of a Summer” (2023) with Ron Adkins, Phil Brown and Scott Chrisman.
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Culture Crawl 1049 “Intersection Between Literature & Music”
MusicIC Festival presents Sarah Kirkland Snider & Ellen McLaughlin’s Penelope featuring Grammy-nominated artist Shara Nova April 26, 7:30pm at The James Theatre. Festival founder, Tricia Park, and festival executive director, John Kenyon, are in the studio ahead of this one night only performance based on Homer’s Odyssey from the perspective of Penelope.
Tickets are limited so get yours now at musicic.org or iowacityofliterature.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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2025 Guest Djs Marion
Ethan Johnson and Jamon Buhr took time out from preparing for the Iowa Jazz Championships to spend an hour on KCCK. It’s been a big year for Marion. The school opened a new auditorium and got to perform two new commissions, one of which was their Corridor Jazz Project tune.
What’s next? The Universal Jazz Championships on Proxima Centauri B, of course!
Ethan and Jamon’s Playlist:
- Count Basie, “Li’l Darlin'”
- Joe Pass, “Cherokee”
- Duke Ellington, “Portrait of Louis Armstrong”
- Herbie Hancock, “Maiden Voyage”
- Sungazer & Plini, “Whalefall”
- Marion High School Jazz Band One featuring Anthony Williams, “Comandante/Comandanta”
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New Music Monday for April 7, 2025
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
While growing up in Oklahoma, one album that became saxophonist Sharel Cassity’s personal guiding light was Christian McBride’s “Getting’ To It.” After moving to New York City in 2000, she worked her way up in the performing scene and eventually came to play alongside each member of the rhythm section featured on that album. Cassity decided to assemble that same rhythm section for the making of her new release, “Gratitude.” It includes the eight-time Grammy winning bassist and composer McBride, drummer Lewis Nash, and pianist Cyrus Chestnut as well as trumpeter Terell Stafford, and trombonist Michael Dease, a longtime collaborator of Cassity’s.
Award-winning jazz artist Pureum Jin brings together a group of up and rising female saxophonists and NYC’s most sought-after rhythm section for a full steam of straight-ahead jazz filled with sparkling reed ensemble work through her new group The Empress. With Pureum herself as the leader, the group features Grammy-winner Lauren Sevian, rising star Erena Terakubo, and the versatile Chelsea Baratz, supported by Steve Ash on piano, Joey Ranieri on bass and Pete Van Nostrand on drums. The group’s debut album, “Square One,” showcases the driving force and the movement of women in jazz as well as Asian musicians on a jazz scene that has developed tremendously in recent years.
Also this week, drummer and U.S. Navy musician Jonah David releases his debut album, “Waltz for Eli,” recorded last year while he was a percussion instructor at the Naval School of Music; Omaha-based organist Mitch Towne, who performed at last summer’s Iowa City Jazz Festival, steps into the spotlight with his debut recording, “Refuge”; and guitarist, composer and arranger Russ Spiegel embarks on the release of his seventh album, “Nitty Gritty.”
This Week’s Shows April 7 thru April 13
Jazz Corner of the World (Encore)
Mondays at 6:00pm
Booker Little Birthday Celebration
Craig notes the birth date anniversary of trumpet genius Booker Little, Jr. This seminal figure in jazz history passed on at the very early age of 23. We’ll hear examples of his brilliant artistry with the likes of Eric Dolphy, Max Roach, John Coltrane, Teddy Charles, and others.
Wednesday Night Special
The Harlan, Iowa Jazz Combo
Wednesdays at 6:00pm
Student Openers at Jazz Under the Stars
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, when we celebrate talented student jazz performers. This week, we feature the Harlan Jazz Combo, Yesternite, the Kirkwood Jazz Combo, and Nexxus Brass. Each ensemble opened for a Jazz Under the Stars headliner,
Jazz Night In America
Thursdays at 11:00pm
The Limitless Omar Sosa
Cuban pianist Omar Sosa found his true path as an artist in early adulthood. A mysterious dream from his uncle guided him on the mystical path of the Santería, a ritual-intense and ancient religion from the Caribbean with roots from mother Africa. By following the ways of Elegguá – the owner of roads and doors in this world — he has unleashed his unlimited potential as an improvisor.
Jazz Corner of the World
Saturdays from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm
Herbie Hancock’s Birthday
Join host Craig Kessler as he celebrates the 85th birthday of the legendary Herbie Hancock by spinning a tasty variety of his music, including some classic charts for Blue Note Records, some work with his group Mwandishi, recordings for Columbia, Verve, and so much more!
KCCK’s Midnight CD
KCCK features a new album every night, played from start-to-finish.
Memphis Blue by Rodney Jordan on Monday; Threads (Disc One) by Max Leake on Tuesday; Beneath the Skin by Nnenna Freelon on Wednesday; Mad Scientist Music by the Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra on Thursday; Roasted by Hughes Taylor on Friday; Young Fashioned Ways by Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Saturday; Just Us by Bob James & Dave Koz on Sunday.