This Week In Jazz April 6 through April 12

Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of songwriter E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, singers Billie Holiday and Carmen McRae, percussionists Mongo Santamaria, Victor Feldman, Pete LaRoca, and Steve Gadd, pianist/composer Claude Bolling, multi-instrumentalist Joe Defrancesco and more.

We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Birk’s Works” (1957), Freddie Hubbard’s “Hub Cap” (1961), Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ella in London” (1974), Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers feat. Wynton Marsalis’ “Album of the Year” (1981), Tony Bennett’s “MTV Unplugged” (1994), Kim Nalley’s “She Put a Spell on Me: Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone” (2004) and many others Mondays through Fridays at noon on Jazz Masters on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.

Big Mo Pod Show 057 – “It’s Like Cookin”

On this episode of the pod show Noah and John take you on a behind the scenes journey through how John builds his Friday night shows, discussing the ingredients he chooses in a blues dish. Tune in to learn how he does it! Songs featured in the episode: 

  1. Freeworld – “Give Until You Live” 
  2. Koko Taylor & Willie Dixon – “Insane Asylum” 
  3. Shawn Pittman – “Blame It On Me” 
  4. Janiva Magness & Joe Bonamassa – “Masterpiece” 
  5. Robert Finley – “Country Boy” 

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!

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2025 Guest Djs-CPU

Kyle James, Connor Kreutner, and Shay Massner represented Centerpoint-Urbana as Guest Djs. The Centerpoint-Urbana jazz band’s competition season was highlighted by a Division One at the IHSMA State Jazz Festival, 2nd Place at Lisbon, and 5th place at NEIBA.

Unfortunately, several members of the band were sick on March 10 and the band couldn’t perform at the Corridor Jazz Project concert. We missed them, but were extra glad to have band members in studio, talking about jazz band, marching band, and… for some reason, pulled pork.

Kyle, Connor, and Shay’s playlist:

  • Maynard Ferguson, Chameleon
  • Billie Holiday, God Bless the Child
  • Stevie Wonder, God Bless the Child
  • Trombone Shorty, Buckjump (feat. The Rebirth Brass Band, 5th Ward Weebie)
  • Herbie Hancock, Watermelon Man
  • Trombone Shorty, Backatown
  • Count Basie and His Orchestra, The Wiggle Walk
  • Center Point-Urbana Jazz Band featuring Rich Wagor, Crunchy Frog

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Tickets for Taste of Jazz featuring Karrin Allyson on Sale now!

 

Tickets on Sale Now!!

Each spring, KCCK, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, the Kirkwood Culinary Arts Department, and Kirkwood’s Hospitality Arts Department collaborate for a night of wine and beer, food and music on the Kirkwood campus at The Hotel At Kirkwood Center.  All to benefit KCCK’s Jazz Education Programs.

The event features wine and beer tastings, heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert and a silent auction. 

And of course great live music!

 

 

Culture Crawl 1048 “For Anyone Who Has Had a Job”

Crooked Path is back with Rob Bell‘s new play “We’ll Get Back to You“ as they raise funds and get ready to take the play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August. In the studio we have director Kristin Hanggi and one of the cast principles, Chris Okiishi. 

The show will run April 4-19 at The James Theater in Iowa City, Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2pm.

A special one-day workshop with playwright and bestselling author Rob Bell will take place 10am-5pm at The James Theater on Saturday, April 5th. 

Tickets and more info can be found at croojkedpaththeatre.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.

 

 

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Talking Pictures 4-2-25

“The Woman in the Yard” (2025) and “The Residence” Season 1 (2025 Netflix) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Monica Schmidt.

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2025 Guest Djs-Xavier

Cate, Aaron, and Sophia from Xavier (and the pineapple)Cate Brown, Aaron Stadelmann, and Sophia Mittlestat from Xavier kicked off our 2025 parade of guest Djs. This year, Xavier Jazz Band One received their 10th consecutive Division I rating at the State Jazz Band Festival, 3rd place at Tallcorn and Coe, 2nd place at Liberty, and 2nd Place at the NEIBA District Jazz Festival!  This earned them a spot to compete in the Iowa Jazz Championships on April 8. 

But most importantly, after years of hearing about JBO’s pineapple mascot, for the first time ever, we had it in-studio!

Cate, Aaron, and Sophia’s playlist:

  • Etta James, At Last
  • Dave Brubeck, Blue Rondo a la Turk
  • Ramsey Lewis Trio, The “In” Crowd
  • Maynard Ferguson, Chameleon
  • Herbie Hancock, Watermelon Man
  • Cedar Rapids Xavier High School Jazz Band One feat. Toni LeFebvre, La Luz En Ti

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Kirkwood Board of Trustees to meet April 10, 2025

The regular meeting of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees will take place April 10, 2025.  Time, place, and meeting agenda can be found at this link.