KCCK Culture Crawl with Dennis Green: Recent Episodes
KCCK Culture Crawl with Dennis Green
Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra presents, “Literary Inspirations & Holiday Favorites,” with special guests Amy Friedl and Tyros Orchestra & MMU Strings. Director Josh Reznicow and board member/violinist Dean Straub are in the studio with the details. It’s Sun Dec. 7, 3pm at Ballantyne Auditorium on the Cedar Rapids Kirkwood campus. Tickets can be purchased at … Continue reading
Riverside Theatre presents Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap,” premiering Nov 28 and running through Dec 14. Director Jon Whitmore and cast members Deucalion Martin (Christopher Wren) and Allison Meyer (Mollie Ralstron) are in the studio with sneak peeks into this iconic whodunit play. Tickets and more info on talkbacks can be found at riversidetheatre.org. Subscribe to … Continue reading
Many decades after its release, “Arsenic & Old Lace” remains one of the funniest plays ever written, and the source for every “sweet old lady with a dark secret” story made ever since. Starlighters presents the show Dec. 5-14. Tickets and more info at starlighters.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture … Continue reading
TKM Theatrical Production’s Tom Milligan and Rod Pierson from The Rod Pierson Big Band are in the studio ahead of “A Swingin’ Christmas with The Rod Pierson Big Band and Craig Boche at the Mic!” This Christmas special is one night (afternoon) only coming up on Sun, Nov. 30, 2pm at The Amana Performing Arts … Continue reading
Cedar Rapids Children’s Theatre, better known as Playtime Poppy, is at Kennedy High School for their holiday show, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Cast members Izzy Westercamp and Saul Ervin talk about putting this beloved show together, which will contain all the songs and scenes you know, plus a few surprises. Dec. 4-6 at Kennedy … Continue reading
At first glance, “Eureka Day,” a comedy about parents at a day school faced with a mumps epidemic, appears to be a tale of political correctness taken to the extreme, with cliché characters. But after a few minutes, you realize it’s a show full of. heart that takes you in unexpected directions that is funny … Continue reading
River Glen is an Iowa native who has been a professional musician for nearly his entire life, having grown up in a family band. Today, he lives full-time on the road, performing solo shows all over the country. When he comes home to Iowa, he plays with a group of friends and collaborators. This will … Continue reading
Leroy Troy is an old-time banjo specialist whose first music experience came from watching country legends like Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe at jam sessions in his home town in Tennessee. He’s gone on to perform on Her Haw, at the Grand Ole Opry, and tour all over the country. He was named National Old-Time … Continue reading
Scot Hughes and Tom Milligan play Felix and Oscar in TKM Productions’ “The Odd Couple” Sept. 26-28 at the Amana Performing Arts Center. Scot and Tom have 8 Odd Couple productions between them! Even though it’s been decades since the play debuted, they say the script and characters make it a fresh watch each time. … Continue reading
Maestro Tim Hankewich returns to the studio as Orchestra Iowa kicks off their 2025-26 season with Masterworks I on Sept. 13, 7:30pm at Paramount Theatre & Sept 14, 2:00pm at Voxman Concert Hall. The program includes works by Korngold, Rachmaninov, and Barber’s Piano Concerto featuring Corey Hamm on Piano. Insights will be held at 6:45pm … Continue reading
It’s blues week at KCCK’s third Jazz Under the Stars concert of the season and joining Dennis in the studio are musicians Dan Johnson, Kevin Burt, and Griffin Shroyer. Griffin’s young artists group, 10th Street Rapids, kicks things off and a massive Kings of ‘da Blues jam session will follow. It’s also the annual KCCK … Continue reading
Today on the Culture Crawl two longtime friends of the station are in the studio ahead of the upcoming album release of Carol Montag’s “Strange Ballet.” Carol and Dan Towey, the studio engineer for the album, share insights into this multi-year project inspired by the events of the devastating Derecho that struck the Cedar Rapids … Continue reading
Josh Sazon returns to the station as the Iowa City Community Theatre gets ready for opening night of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park.” The play’s two leads, Melissa Kaska (Corie) and Ethan Rogers (Paul) join Josh to talk about this classic, witty production. Performances at The James Theater, August 22-23 and 29-30 at 7:30pm, … Continue reading
The season finale for Orchestra Iowa fast approaches and Tim Hankewich says it’s gearing up to be a big one. Bring some chairs and bring the family for Pops On The River: The Ultimate Eagles Experience, Saturday 6/1, 7pm @McGrath Amphitheater. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at www.creventslive.com. You can also call the box …
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The historic Brucemore mansion is gearing up for a fun packed summer and here to tell us all about it is Events and Communications Coordinator, Jennifer Beall. Kicking it off May 31 & June 1 is Hello Summer! in the formal gardens. June 7 will see the Ballet Des Moines on the 1st Ave lawn. …
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Gilded Pear Gallery has two new exhibits open, and it’s a rather unique set up. Works from landscape artists, Audrey Brown and Randy Richmond, will be found in their respective exhibits, but viewers may find overlaps as the two are a couple! Gilded Pear manager, Lauren Tucci, talks about putting the exhibits together and invites …
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The post Culture Crawl 923 “Custody of the Creek” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Some people have a second act, but UI alum Harold Bradley had at least four. Collegiate, military, and NFL football standout, artist, musician, and activist. University of Iowa Chief Innovation Officer Jon Darsee began to dig into Bradley’s background after appreciating four paintings of Iowa Black leaders Bradley painted back in the Seventies. Those …
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Culture Crawl 921 “Any Job-Better Job-Career Job” Inside Out Reentry Community serves people returning to Johnson County after incarceration, and to educate the public to help the formerly incarcerated achieve success in the community. Inside Out will host “Be An Instrument For Change” Sunday, May 19 at 3pm in Chauncey Swan Park, to celebrate music, …
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Culture Crawl 920 “Good ‘Ol Days in the Frat at the Heidelberg” Orchestra Iowa closes its Masterworks season with the landmark piece for orchestra and chorus, “Carmina Burana.” Tim Hankewich says Orff’s landmark work is much more than its best-known segment, “O Fortuna.” Also on the program is Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1, which the …
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Summer is just around the corner and Lisa Barnes is in full swing getting ready for Iowa City’s Summer of the Arts programming. Hear about all of your favorite events including the Friday Night Concert Series, Free Movie Series, Iowa City Jazz Festival, Iowa Arts Festival, Music on the Move, and a new outdoor series …
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The post Culture Crawl 919 “Blake du Jour” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
As the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale approaches the end of their ’23-’24 season, director Gerry Kreitzer makes one more stop at the studio with details on the choir’s final concert, “Americana.” It’s Saturday, May 11, 2:30pm at The Lodge at Usher’s Ferry. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For tickets and more information …
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The post Culture Crawl 918 “Kreitzer Family Reunion” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Iowa City’s multigenerational choir, Family Folk Machine, is getting ready for its final concert of the season, “Dreaming of Justice: Songs for a Crowded Table” coming up on Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. at The Englert Theatre with special guest LaTasha DeLoach. Board members Jean Littlejohn & Jon Ranard are here with all the details. …
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The post Culture Crawl 917 “It’s Not The Waking, It’s The Rising” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
TKM Theatrical Productions presents the Iowa premiere of “Trick of the Light” May 10-12 at the Amana Performing Arts Center. It’s a brand new play by Minneapolis playwright Peter Moore, which appears to be a lighthearted romp about a man who discovers he can turn invisible. But hidden within the comedy are some sharp observations …
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The post Culture Crawl 916 “We’re All Invisible” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Orchestra Iowa’s next Film with Live Orchestra is “E.T,” a movie full of emotion and a soundtrack full of the genius of John Williams. This is not an easy cruise for the Orchestra. The music is very difficult, with few breaks, and Tim Hankewich must keep all the musicians in sync with the video. …
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The post Culture Crawl 915 “70.1 Surround Sound” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Author Larry Tye calls in from Massachusetts to chat about his new book, “The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America.” Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at www.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 www.kcck.org/listen. …
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The post Culture Crawl 914 “Insidious Infiltrator” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
New opera, “Fierce,” is coming to Hancher Auditorium and William Menefield and Andre Perry are in the studio with exciting insights ahead of the Iowa premiere of this landmark production. Friday and Saturday, April 26 & 27, 7:30pm at Hancher Auditorium. For tickets and more information visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at www.kcck.org/culture …
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The post Culture Crawl 913 “Dust Off My Theatre Chops” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Tim Hankewich pops in the studio ahead of the upcoming Orchestra Iowa Masterworks V: Essential Earth featuring Richard Scofano. Concerts will be Saturday 4/20, 7:30pm at Paramount Theatre and Sunday 4/21, 2pm at Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. The maestro also plans to reveal the orchestra’s next season! Tickets at www.artsiowa.com or www.orchestraiowa.org Subscribe …
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The post Culture Crawl 912 “Choreographing Primordial Ooze” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Riverside Theatre presents the world premiere of “Herein Lies the Truth,” by UI Nonfiction MFA candidate Aaron Pang. It’s an autobiographical solo play that tells the story of how an accidentchanged the trajectory of Aaron Pang’s life. Part stand-up comedy and part storytelling, Herein Lies theTruth is a sincere, confused, hilarious, and imperfect story about …
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The Awful Purdies, an all-female group that performs acoustic and bluegrass-tinged songs, performs at CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids on April 27th. Sarah Cram Driscoll talks about the band’s history, as well as their most recent album “The Great Unraveling.” Tickets for the CSPS show at www.cspshall.org. Find the Awful Purdies online at www.awfulpurdies.com/ and …
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Jonesy McElroy & Deb Kennedy with TKM Productions are in the studio ahead of the Iowa premier screening of “Stages” an original miniseries about theatre written and directed by Jonesy. Episode one introduces characters in a village of passionate theatrical enthusiasts. PG-13 rating. Stick around for a talkback after the screening with McElroy and cast …
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The post Culture Crawl 909 “Ooh, I Hope I Get to Portray You Someday” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 908 “When She Picks Up The Wand, Look Out!” Clear Creek-Amana High School presents “The Wizard of Oz” April 11-13. Cast members Sydney Emmel, Lily Schloss, and Evan Streit talk about seeing the movie and other stage productions, and how their take on the classic will bring some new and different things to …
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Singer and songwriter Martha Redbone has had the opportunity to work with talents as diverse as Junie Morrison of Parliament and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s John McEuen. The Englert and Natural Talent Music present her on April 11. Martha and Natural Talent honcho Creighton Gaynor are our guests. Learn more about Martha at wwwmartharedbone.com. …
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The post Culture Crawl 907 “That’s Why they Call It FOLK Music” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 906 “And The Mighty Wurlitzer, Too!” The Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special concert April 7 at 3pm in the Paramount Theatre. It will be a bittersweet event, as this will also be director Ghyas Zeidieh’s final concert at the helm. Ghyas will go out with a bang, …
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Eric Freese & Scott Chrisman with The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival are on air to talk everything film. The festival takes place April 5 through 7 at the Collins Road Theatres and will feature 57 films of varying genres and types. For more information visit www.crifm.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at www.kcck.org/culture or …
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Culture Crawl 854 “That Talentless B@stard” Orchestra Iowa begins its 2nd century this weekend with “Forged in Fire,” featuring the return of violinist Bella Hristova to tackle a landmark Brahms concerto. Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony is also on the program, and Tim explains how greatly the two Masters disliked each other! Bonus: Tim demystifies going to …
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Culture Crawl 853 “Please Don’t Make the Mansion Disappear” Jackson Green has been entertaining area audiences with magic since he was a teenager. (And Dennis has been there for all of it, since Jack is his son!) Jack teams up with Brucemore Artist-In-Residence Gerard Estella to create a new full-length show as a part of …
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Culture Crawl 852 “We’ll Call ‘em Cat Butts” Maggie Vanderwalle paints animals and animal scenes, some realistic, some some not so much, such as the fanciful “battycat.” She is featured in her first solo exhibit at Gilded Pear Gallery, “Animalia,” going on at the same time as Jim Ochs’ posthumous exhibit, that we discussed in …
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Did you know the work of Jackson Pollock as a young kid? Phil Ochs, son of late Iowa City artist, Jim Ochs, sure did. Phil describes growing up surrounded by his father’s art and the “total factory” of his studio in promotion of The Gilded Pear’s posthumous solo exhibit, Jim Ochs: 45 Years of Work. …
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Gerald Kreitzer introduces an exciting 64th season for the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, and it’s quite the line up. First up in October, “Music That Touched Our Souls,” a program of Chorale favorites performed at First Congregational church. In December the Chorale teams up with the First Lutheran Choir and handbells to present part one …
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Eddie Piccard brings a New Orleans-themed show to KCCK’s final Jazz Under the Stars show on Thursday, August 24. A perennial Eastern Iowa favorite, Eddie Piccard grew up in eastern Iowa, and began playing music on his grandmother’s piano. As a young man, he performed in Chicago, Florida and on the west coast. He returned …
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The post Culture Crawl 849 “Remember New Orleans with 3 Horn Players from Wisconsin” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Roots Blues artist Catfish Keith is a multi Blues-award winner, member of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame, and will soon embark on his 52nd tour of the U.K. He brings his trademark Resonator guitar to a show at The James Theater on Saturday, August 19, presented by The Englert. Keith is also up for …
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Saxophonist and UI jazz department head Damani Phillips was entranced with the music of Spyro Gyra from the first moment he heard their pop hit “Morning Dance.” And in the 40+ years since, he has continued to appreciate the depth and texture behind the band’s deceptively approachable music. Damani has teamed up with fellow UI …
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The post Culture Crawl 847 “Don’t Let The Smooth Taste Fool You” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Linn County Blues Society presents “Bourbon & Blues” on Saturday, August 19 at McGrath Amphitheatre. Downbeat Blues Artist of the Year Shemekia Copeland jumped at the chance to headline, after she had to cancel her 2022 appearance due to a family emergency. Also performing are Sugary Rayford and Mr. Sipp, with some special appearances …
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The post Culture Crawl 846 “This Is My Therapy” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Lynne Rothrock and Blake Shaw team up for a show Aug. 11 & 12 at the Opus Concert Cafe. The two first met when Lynne was a teacher at Kirkwood when Blake a student, and they’ve worked together occasionally over the years, but this is their firs full-length collaboration. You’ll hear some old favorites from …
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The post Culture Crawl 845 “Note To Self – Practice Cello” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Diplomats of Solid Sound have been bringing their unique mix of of old school funk, soul, and Americana has appeared in dozens of hit TV shows and movies throughout their 20+ year career. Their music has been streamed more than 50 million times all over the world. They are KCCK’s featured performers for Jazz Under …
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The post Culture Crawl 844 “Civil War Recreationist Band” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Is the answer to the question “Are there a lot of arrangements for concert band featuring bagpipe? So for the final Cedar Rapids Municipal Band concert of the year, director Steve Shanley wrote one that features bagpipist Stuart Barr. Steve promises you’ll recognize a few traditional Scottish melodies in the tunes. Also on the program …
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The post Culture Crawl 843 “There Are Not” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Mike Conrad was first inspired to become a jazz composer during his undergrad years at UNI, working under well-known composers (and performers) Bob Washut and Chris Merz. Today, as a UNI jazz faculty member himself, he continues that tradition, working with a third “generation” of jazz composing students at the University, as well as winning …
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The post Culture Crawl 842 “Wow. Ok. Iowa…Cool” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
For hundreds of Eastern Iowans, Drum Corps was a foundational teenage experience. Cedar Rapids fielded a top-notch ensemble called the Emerald Knights for decades. Emerald Knights alums and other drum corps supporters team up each year to bring some of the world’s top drum corps to Cedar Rapids for the Tournament of Drums. This year, …
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Riverside Theatre presents “Everybody,” a play where the actors don’t know who is playing which part until after they cast lots right before the show begins! This is a new work by acclaimed playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, which riffs off a 15th Century work. In addition to the conceit of assigning roles literally at the last …
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The post Culture Crawl 839 “It’s About Death. But Funny” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Steve Shanley has stuffed just about as many soloists into this week’s Cedar Rapids Municipal Band concert as he can, including Chris Haas on trumpet, Young Artist finalist Christian Maakestad on guitar, and even Steve’s sister Sara on piccolo. Selections include music from the musical “Wicked” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” July 19 at …
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The post Culture Crawl 838 “Piccolo Polka. It’s a Thing.” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 836 “Drawn to Iowa in the Middle of July” Ryan Jeter is the founding sax player of Euforquestra, who moved back to Iowa a few years ago. He has recently formed a new group, Mind@Large, with Jay Foote, a bassist who also recently moved back to Des Moines. The mission of Mind@Large is …
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“It’s going to be a good one,” says Steve Shanley on week six of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band’s 2023 season. Ryan Smith will be featured with a classical saxophone solo and the band will present a challenging piece by Valerie Coleman that mixes styles from Latin jazz to Turkish music. Other selections this week …
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The post Culture Crawl 835 “We Noticed the Costume Change” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Larry Baker managed and owned movie theaters in Oklahoma before moving to Iowa and writing novels. His seventh book, “Harry & Sue,” takes place in just such a theater, populated by a variety of ghosts you will know, such as Marilyn Monroe, Harry Chapin, Mark Twain, Patsy, Cline, and Harry Houdini. But the ghosts, particularly …
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The post Culture Crawl 834 “Steal Shamelessly From Your Past” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Community Concert organizations were created in the 1930s, as smaller communities worked to bring musicians and entertainers to towns of all sizes, not just big cities. The Cedar Rapids Community Concert Association has been doing that very thing for 93 years. Board member John Haack says because the group is all-volunteer, they can keep ticket …
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The post Culture Crawl 833 “We Want Some of that Entertainment, Too!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
This is arguably the biggest week of the year for Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, as the patriotic-themed concerts around Independence Day are always popular. But Muni Band director Steve Shanley says the program will not only include expected favorites like America The Beautiful (featuring the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale), Stars & Stripes Forever, and Armed …
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The post Culture Crawl 832 “Like Christmas Service is for Lutherans” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Trumpeter John Daversa and pianist Tal Cohen are back in Eastern Iowa as faculty for the annual Cedar Rapids Chamber Music Festival, June 26-30 on the Kirkwood campus. They’ll bookend their week here with two “Art of Duo” shows, June 25 at CSPS Hall, and July 1 at the Sound Conservatory in Rock Island. Five …
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The post Culture Crawl 831 “Yes and…” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Steve Shanley, after being out of the country for the first two weeks of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band season, picks up his baton this week for a program that features his friend and mentor David Lang on euphonium. Also, music from Disney’s “Brave,” a Phantom of the Opera medley, and a song with the …
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The post Culture Crawl 830 “Watch Him If You Don’t Want to Watch Me” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Cedar Rapids Opera brings two comedies to the Brucemore outdoor stage June 22-24, “American Gothical,” a delightful take on the creation of Grant Wood’s masterpiece, from the pen of Cedar Rapids native and award-winning composer Robert Lindsay Nassif, and Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi,” in which a family must enlist the help of a scoundrel to help …
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The post Culture Crawl 829 “Goofy & Upbeat…Except For That Guy Dying” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 828 “Jazz Titans Walk into the Studio” Gabriel Espinoza celebrates his latest album “Bosses & Boleros” with a Cedar Rapids performance on June 23 at the inaugural Jazz on 2nd. Gabriel talks about how a Yucatan native ended up as professor of jazz at Iowa’s Central College, and also the joy (and nerves) …
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Riverside Theatre’s Free Outdoor Shakespeare series returns this summer with “Twelfth Night,” one of The Bard’s best-known comedies, spinning a tale of mistaken identity, romance, revenge and other hijinks. Adam Knight and Kathleen Johnson say make sure to come at 6:30 for the “Green Show,” kind of a condensed version of the play to help …
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The post Culture Crawl 827 “One of the Twin Ones” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Dennis Green was present for the very first July 4 fireworks display in downtown Cedar Rapids, which over the past 40 years has grown into the 3-week Freedom Festival celebration. Freedom Festival celebrates its big birthday with the return of some old favorite events, plus some new ones, including Jazz on 2nd, the Festival’s first …
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The post Culture Crawl 826 “Feeling Way, Way Old” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
With Cedar Rapids Municipal Band director Steve Shanley still on vacation, Linn-Mar’s Jen Tiede is guest directing this week. Her guest is bassist and singer Blake Shaw, who took this opportunity to do his first-ever arranging for concert band, which is much larger than a jazz big band, and even more so than Blake’s usual …
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Husband and wife art collectors Dan Shogren and Susan Meyer from the Twin Cities have spent decades building a collection of art, all surrounding urban life in the 1930s. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art hosts their first-ever exhibit, entitled “Work and Society in the 1930s: American Paintings and Photographs.” Dan and Susan, working folks …
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Two exhibits are up at Gilded Pear Gallery, with a reception to see them and meet the artists on June 9 from 5-7:30pm. “Welcome: New Artists” is just what it says, debut exhibits from seven artists, most from the local area. “By Design” displays ideas from four area design firms on different ways to incorporate …
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The post Culture Crawl 823 “They All Talk Together” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Prairewoods’ annual Garden Party takes place on the Prairiewoods grounds for the first time in several years. Executive Director Leslie Wright says there will be tasty food and drink, music from Friend of the Culture Crawl Jonny Lipford, and a chance to explore the serene Prairiewoods grounds. Proceeds go toward supporting and expanding Prairiewoods’ beautiful …
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Iowa playwright Mary Swander’s new work “Squatters on Red Earth” tells the story of the unique relationship between the Mesqwaki nation and the Inspirationists, the original settlers in the Amana Colonies. The two groups mingled and supported each other, so much so that years later, when the Mesqwaki wanted to return to their homeland in …
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Culture Crawl 820 “Quiet Quitting” Cedar Rapids Municipal Band director Steve Shanley opens the 2023 season by… leaving. Steve is traveling in Europe with the Coe bands for the first couple weeks of the season, so the first two concerts will be with guest director’s Aaron Nuss is up first. Aaron is a past Muni …
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The History Center brings back a unique piece of Eastern Iowa history with the new exhibit “Bruce & Nola Bucknell – Partners in Puppetry.” The Bucknells toured all over the United States and Canada with their marionettes, each one handmade by Bruce and costumed by Nola. The Hy-Vee slogan, “A helpful smile in every aisle” …
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Cedar Rapids Children’s Theatre, better known as Playtime Poppy, presents Summer Theatre Adventure, a free summer program open to kids ages 7-14. Auditions will be June 4 at 1:15 in Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Participants will present “It’s Complicated: Fairy Tales from the Ukrainian Steppes,” the week of July 10. More …
The post Culture Crawl 818 “Main The Battlements!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The final concert in Orchestra Iowa’s historic 100th season is “Nordic Passage,” featuring one of the world’s greatest living pianists, Garrick Ohlsson, performing his signature piece, Greig’s Piano Concerto. Also on the program is one of Tim Hankewich’s all-time favorite symphonies by Sibelius, and a new commission by former UNI faculty member Nancy Cobb. May …
The post Culture Crawl 817 “You’ll need 12 Fingers” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Cedar Rapids Downtown District is looking to bring people back downtown for evening entertainment, and the first event is a big one. “Blues Night in the Park” will feature the great Kevin B.F. Burt, along with regional Performas Mathias Lattin, KenValdez, and the Keesha Pratt Band. Food and drink from a variety of refreshment …
The post Culture Crawl 816 “Music Returns To Greene Square!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Summer of the Arts begins its season on May 12 with the first Friday Night Concert of the season, featuring the Iowa Steel Band. The Iowa City-area high school jazz bands headline week two, with BYO Brass, Kid Logic, Ave Growe, the Beaker Brothers, and many more. 2023 is also the 40th anniversary of the …
The post Culture Crawl 813 “Please, No 40 mph Winds” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Family Folk Machine, Iowa City’s Intergenerational choir, begins its 10th anniversary celebration with “Love in the Harmony,” a free concert on May 13, 3pm at the Englert Theatre. The program will consist of some new pieces, along with choir favorites from over the years. Learn more at www.familyfolkmachine.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at www.kcck.org/culture …
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TKM Theatrical Productions presents Neil Simon’s “I Oughta Be In Pictures” May 5-7 at the Amana Performing Arts Center. It’s the story of the relationship between a Hollywood screenwriter and the daughter he left behind as a toddler, who has now searched him out. The play is Neil Simon at his finest, rapid-fire one-liners with …
The post Culture Crawl 812 “There Was Homework” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Orchestra Iowa goes Latin this week with “Havana Nights,” featuring singer Camila Zamora and the legendary Mambo Kings, with a program that will range from Spanish arias to “One Como Va” and the Beatles. Tim Hankewich says this kind of show is a bit of a stretch for the orchestra, but will really show off …
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Fresh from a performance with Orquesta Alto Maiz at KCCK’s Taste of Jazz, Jim Dreier stages a reunion from twenty years of directing the UI’s Latin/Jazz Ensemble. Jim’s former students are coming from as far away as Indiana, Colorado and California to perform. 5pm Friday, May 5 at The Opus Concert Café. Tickets at www.artsiowa.com. …
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Orquesta Alto Maiz, Iowa’s Salsa Band, is still going strong in its 37th year. Original members Ed East and Jim Dreier sat down with us to talk about how the band actually created much of today’s interest in salsa and Latin Jazz. Along the way, members of the band who were, or who became teachers, …
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Leslie Wright is director Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, focused on our relationships with ecology, spirituality, and holistic health. Leslie says, “if the sun is out, we’re open,” and anyone is welcome to come to Prairiewoods and take advantage of a rare opportunity to get close to Mother Nature. Prairiewoods will host “Spirituality in the 21st …
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Katie Roche from the I.C. Public Library Friends Foundation joins us to talk about a couple of upcoming events. On May 4, the Friends Foundation presents their annual “Looking Forward” event, featuring author Raman Alam in conversation with Dr. Tameka Cage Conley at the Englert Theatre. Katie also reminds us that May 3 is the …
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Local favorites the Evan Stock Band and Glass Leaf Company will appear at the Ideal Theater on April 20 with the Omaha-based Kris Lager Band. Both our guests keep busy schedules outside of performing. Evan coordinates youth bands for the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, and Adam Sines of Glass Leaf Company co-owns Up In Smoke …
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Orchestra Iowa presents the next installment in its historic 100th season, “Percussive Fire,” featuring “Dreamachine,” a composition by Cedar Rapids native Michael Daugherty featuring up and coming percussion star Britton René Collins. Tim says the opening piece by Arturo Marquez will literally make you want to get up and dance, and if all this didn’t …
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The jazz unit of Iowa City’s New Horizon Band, the Silver Swing Band, presents its spring concert April 20, 7:00pm at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. You’ll hear tunes ranging from Buddy Rich to Cannonball Adderley to traditional New Orleans, as well as work featuring Silver Swing director, Adolfo Mendonca on piano. Tickets …
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Deb Kennedy and Tom Milligan are TKM Theatrical Productions, presenting “Marriage is Murder,” March 24-26 at the Amana Performing Arts Center. The real-life couple portray divorced murder-mystery writers, reluctantly collaborating and taking their frustrations out on each other during the “writing” of a new piece. Get tickets on the TKM Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085171131736 or …
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Mark Dotson spent more than twenty years incarcerated in Iowa and neighboring states. Early on, he decided to use art to help him deal with the hardships of situation and also to preserve and tell his story. First through drawings and then through journaling. Now living in Iowa City, Mark has been working with Ron …
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Tova Friedman was one of the youngest Holocaust survivors, freed from Auschwitz when she was just six. Out of the hundreds of children from her home town in Poland, she was one of only five children who lived. Tova will be in Cedar Rapids March 26-29 to be the featured speaker in the Thaler Holocaust …
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There are huge barriers to success for a person trying to return to society after being incarcerated. Inside Out Re-Entry Community of Johnson County works to make the transition positive and beneficial to the returning person and the community. Inside Out is holding a fundraiser March 23rd at the Englert, featuring Iowa City native Jeff …
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The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale presents what many call Hayden’s greatest single composition, “The Lord Nelson Mass,” at a concert on March 19 at 2:30pm at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Composed during a time when the famous British commander had just won significant victories against the French, the mass will feature soloists Jessica …
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Cameron Sullenberger, pianist, singer, director, and co-founder of Revival Theatre Company, left a gaping hole in the arts community when he passed away a few weeks ago. His co-founder, Brian Glick reflects on the memory of his friend, before we talk about Revival’s upcoming show, “Million Dollar Quartet.” The musical tells the true story of …
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The Coe Jazz Summit has added a Vocal Jazz division for 2023, under the direction of Coe’s new Vocal Music professor, Luke Lovegood. Jazz Summit is already one of the biggest clinic/competitions in the state, with nearly 100 jazz bands from middle through high school. Steve Shanley says guests for the finale instrumental concert on …
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Harmony School of Music offers music classes to students as young as 3rd grade, focusing particularly on kids who may not otherwise have a chance to learn and play music. Harmony is organizing a full day of music on March 4 at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Library. Harmony director Jessica Altfillisch says there will be …
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Orchestra Iowa’s landmark 100th season continues Feb. 17 & 18 with “American Dreams,” a show designed by Tim Hankewich specifically to showcase pieces of music inspired by the American styles of Broadway, movies, and even bluegrass and funk. Special guests will be the Grammy-award winning Harlem Quartet, and the program will also include the world …
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UNI’s music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia takes on the huge task of putting on the Tallcorn Jazz Festival, one of the region’s biggest jazz festivals. Johnny Hartliep competed at Tallcorn as a Cedar Falls High student, and says that his experience then was one of the things that drew him to UNI. The public …
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The Dandelion Stompers bring back their Fat Tuesday party for Mardi Gras this year, February 21 at Wildwood Saloon in Iowa City. Also performing will be the Swampland Jewels. The show begins at 7pm, but come at 6:30 for a swing dancing lesson with Five Seasons Swing. Tickets at www.wildwoodsaloon.com. Visit the Dandelion Stompers on …
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Artists Jack Hayes and Sam Weis have a combined show of their paintings in the Marvin Cone Gallery in Sinclair Auditorium at Coe College through March 9. Sam, whose friends and fans know has a peripatetic career, also has some paintings on display in the lobby of PCI, as well as a novel coming out, …
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The next event in Orchestra Iowa’s historic Centennial season is “Best of The Beatles,” featuring Classical Mystery Tour, who portray each of the unique eras of The Fab Four. It’s the third time the group has performed with Orchestra Iowa, and it’s always one of the most popular shows. The Orchestra functions truly as the …
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TKM Theatrical Productions, the performing troupe founded by long-time Corridor favorites Deb Kennedy and Tom Milligan, present “The Love List,” Feb. 10-11 at the recently-reopened Amana Performing Arts Center. Clark Skaggs plays Bill, whose friend Leon gives him a form to fill out, listing the quality’s of Bill’s perfect woman. Chaos ensues when a woman …
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The Linn County Blues Society (LCBS) regular meetings have been on a bit of a pandemic pause, even though the organization itself has continued to be active, producing events like last summer’s Bourbon & Blues. Blues fans are invited to join the club for some fun on Feb. 6 at Checkers Tavern in Cedar Rapids. …
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The current exhibit at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is “Through The Lens.” Museum Curator Kate Kunau says the exhibit features the work of some of the most notable photographers in the Museum’s collection, focusing on pieces from 1950 to the present. A new exhibit, “Built This Way” opens Feb. 4. It examines the …
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Riverside Theatre presents “A Walk In The Woods” Jan. 26 – Feb. 12. Written by UI playwriting alum Lee Blessing, it’s the story of two arms negotiators, one American, and one Soviet. Written toward the end of the Cold War, current events have made it timely once again. The play is directed by Riverside’s founding …
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Pianist Dan Knight has recently moved back to Iowa after a decade in North Carolina. He celebrates his homecoming at “An Evening With Dan Knight,” Friday, January 20 at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City. Dan drops some hints about what he has planned for his first Iowa City appearance in more than 10 years, …
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It’s Opera Week on the Culture Crawl, as we talk to the casts of two different Cedar Rapids Opera productions happening in the coming days. Cedar Rapids elementary students get a rare treat over the next few weeks, as they’ll see the world premiere of a new opera for children, commissioned by Cedar Rapids Opera. …
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It’s Opera Week on the Culture Crawl, as we talk to the casts of two different Cedar Rapids Opera productions happening in the coming days. First up, the MainStage production of Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte,” a famous comedy of love and mistaken identity, but this show has a twist – it takes place on the …
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Amy Friedl Stoner is changing things up were final show of 2022. Not only is she bypassing Christmas for a New Year’s Eve show, she’s recruiting a band that dials up the funk and blues. Joining Amy and her music director Luke Viertel are Ian Draves and Hank Welter from Soul Sherpa, plus Natalie Brown, …
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Tim Hankewich always brings his A game to Orchestra Iowa’s “Holiday Spectacular,” but as a part of the Orchestra’s 100th birthday, this year is extra special, with special guest Ann Hampton Calloway, award winning star of Broadway, cabaret and jazz. Only three shows, Dec. 16-18 at the Paramount. Good seats are going fast. Tickets at …
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Carol Montag brings “A Carol Christmas” to CSPS Hall, Dec. 15 at 7:00pm. Joining her for an evening of traditional and fresh Christmas arrangements, as well as some new compositions from the award-winning singer-songwriter. Joining Carol are musicians Cameron Sullenberger, Matt Butler, Greg Kanz, plus a surprise guest! Tickets at www.cspshall.org/a-carol-christmas. Subscribe to The Culture …
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Alisabeth Von Presley brings her annual Christmas show to the Paramount Theatre Dec. 9. “Christmas in the Key of A” is a fun, high energy show of music, comedy, and warmth featuring Alisabeth, her band, dancers, singers, and some surprise guests. More information at www.alisabethvonpresley.com, tickets at www.creventslive.com. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at www.kcck.org/culture …
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Culture Crawl 777 “I’m Gonna Need to Borrow a Winter Coat” Iowa City West High alum, bassist Emiliano Lasansky returns to his alma mater this weekend, along with his friend, trumpeter Julien Knowles to be the featured clinicians and guest artists for West’s annual Jazz Cafè on Dec. 10. Emiliano and Julien are both current …
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The Low Brass takes the stage on December 10 with “Tuba Christmas,” at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Dec. 10 at 4pm. Admission to the concert is free. Any past or present low brass player (except trombones, a faux pax committed by the host) is welcome to participate. There’s a rehearsal prior to the concert …
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Artist Mary Zeran’s new exhibit at Gilded Pear Gallery utilizes just about every medium you can think of, including paint, plastic, paper, wood, and metal. Meet Mary and see her exhibit at Gilded Pear Gallery Dec. 2 from 5:00-7:30. Gallery Manager Lauren Tucci also says don’t miss a fine selection of smaller works on the …
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Culture Crawl 774 “Beer Brought Me” Homebrewed is an Iowa City Blues band organized to give back to the community. Bandleader Pete Damiano says the group has just released its first album, “Devil In My Soul,” and the release party will be a fundraiser for the Holiday Food Drive at Elizabeth Tate High School, the …
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Culture Crawl 773 “Portable Instrument” Roxanne Layton has been a member of Mannheim Steamroller since 1995, performing on recorder and percussion. She is a is a graduate of the New England Conservatory, and attended Ellis Marsalis’s school in New Orleans with Wynton and Bradford. Roxanne joined the band after striking up a friendship with founder …
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Tim Hankewich has just returned from New York, where he served as assistant conductor for the New York Philharmonic’s concert simulcast of “Jurassic Park.” He says that while the Phil is certainly as good as advertised, there isn’t as much space between that orchestra and ours as you might think. Next up for the Orchestra …
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Tim Hankewich’s birthday is Nov. 7, and as a part of Orchestra Iowa’s 100th season, he is giving a rare performance on piano with his friend, world-renowned cellist, Zuill Bailey, as well as the Orchestra’s Madeline Capistron, violin. They’ll perform a program that Tim says is pretty challenging for a “recovering pianist,” including Chopin and …
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Family Folk Machine, Iowa City’s non-auditioned, intergenerational folk choir presents “Carry On: Songs for Living,” Nov.13 , 3pm at the Englert Theatre. Jean Littlejohn and Jon Ranard say the program consists of tunes ranging from They Might Be Giants to Robert Plant, sharing a theme of inclusiveness and offering each other our support during tough …
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Progressive rock group The Beaker Brothers have added a new member. Pianist, guitarist, and singer Steve Protsman went to high school with Steve Grismore, and when Steve P relocated to the Iowa City area, it didn’t take long for Steve G to recruit him for the band. The new lineup of the popular band performs …
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The post Culture Crawl 769 “Preparing For The Last 50 Years” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 768 “Greatest Hits” Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre celebrates its 25th anniversary this season, and is kicking things off with “Norman and Abigail,” October 28 at CSPS Hall. The event pairs baritone Norman Garrett, who made his professional debut with Cedar Rapids Opera, with soprano Abigail Rethwisch, who despite being an Eastern Iowa native, …
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Culture Crawl 767 “One Particular Audience Member” Nicholas Meyer is a UI alumnus who has gone on to write and direct hit movies like “The Seven Percent Solution,” “The Day After,” and pretty much all the “good” Star Trek movies. He’s back in Iowa to appear at ICON, the Iowa Sci-Fi and Fantasy convention, where …
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Culture Crawl 766 “Sur-Realism” Kate Kunau from the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art shares details about two unique exhibits at the museum. “Dreamscape: Surrealism from the Collection,” takes a look at both classic Surrealism (Dali, deChirico, Escher) of the 1930s and 1940s as well as more modern and contemporary artists working in this style. “The …
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The Eastern Iowa Orchid Society presents its annual orchid show and sale, “Orchids Are A Scream!” to the Elks Lodge in Cedar Rapids, October 22 and 23. EIOS member Nile Dusdieker says orchid societies from all over the midwest will be exhibiting their best. With plenty of opportunities for you to learn how to take …
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Miera Kim and Carey Bostian are in the midst of 19 performances of “Fresh Folk,” a show focusing primarily on new compositions (with a little Dvorak thrown in), with folk melodies from a variety of cultures as their base. The tour culminates with two main programs, Oct. 22 at Mt. Mercy’s Chapel of Mercy, and …
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Orchestra Iowa kicks off its 100th season a little late, after the cancellation of Brucemorchestra, with “Cultural Crosroads.” One of the world’s leading violinists, Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin, joins the Orchestra for a towering Tchaikovsky concerto. Also, a world premiere from Cedar Rapids composer Jerry Owen! 7:30pm Oct. 8 at the Paramount, 2pm Oct. 9 at …
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Iowa Brass is a brass band in the British style, i.e., with some British-style horns and performances in a concert band format, but the members tend to have jazz experience. The band will show off its “Jazz Roots” in concert Oct. 15 at the Solon Community Center, where they’ll perform arrangements of jazz tunes made …
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David Payne auditioned for a Nashville production of the play “Shadowlands” on a lark, because as a Britisher, he had the right accent. He was cast as the lead, C.S. Lewis, which has led him to write and perform several shows as the author, whose work includes The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis and Lord of …
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The Metro Marching Band Classic is your only chance to see all seven of the Cedar Rapids-area high school marching bands in one sitting. This year, the Classic will be held at Kingston Stadium, Oct. 10. Gates open at 5:30pm, show at 6pm. Special guests will be the UI Hawkey Marching Band. Advance tickets at …
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Creighton Gaynor’s Natural Talent Music is a relatively new organization designed to promote and raise visibility to local and national Worldbeat, jazz and hip-hop bands. Natural Talent’s “One World” series continues with Jonathan Scale’s Fourchestra Sept. 30 at the Englert. Scales is a next-level steep an artist, taking that instrument well beyond its cruise ship …
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Culture Crawl 758 “Sheila Made It Happen” Michael Conrad brings the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra to The James Theater in Iowa City on Oct. 2 for their first local appearance. The ensemble specifically performs new jazz compositions for big band by Iowa composers. Besides works from familiar Eastern Iowans John Rapson, Chis Merz, Bob Washut, …
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ICON, Iowa’s longest-running sci fi con, returns October 14-16, celebrating its 47th anniversary with a big-time special guest. Writer and director Nicholas Meyer is the Guest of Honor. Meyer, a graduate of the UI Writing program went on to make three of the most-loved Star Trek films, as well as movies including “Time After Time,” …
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Tom Milligan and Deborah Kennedy have been performing in and producing shows in Eastern Iowa for many years. They recently began work with the Amana Society to return live theatre to the Amana Performing Arts Company, former home to Old Creamery Theatre, and incorporated as a non-profit theatrical troupe. TKM Theatrical Productions’ first show under …
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Orchestra Iowa launches its historic 100th season with “Sincerely, Sondheim,” the 25th edition of the wildly popular season opener on the front lawn of Brucemore mansion. Tim Hankewich says this tribute to the legendary composer is a bit of a beta test for a new show that will eventually be performed at places like the …
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Revival Theatre Company presents “Titanic The Musical,” Sept. 23-25 at Theatre Cedar Rapids. The Tony Award-winning show is NOT the same plot as the famous movie, although the boat sinks (spoilers for a 110 year-old event). Directors Brian Glick and Cameron Sullenberger have assembled a huge cast, with 30 named characters, a full chorus, and …
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Jay Wentworth, pastor at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Cedar Rapids, combines his passion for music, food, and community service to come up with the idea behind “Sauce & Songs,” a BBQ sauce cook-off and Blues Jam Sept. 17 at the church. All musicians are welcome to participate in the jam, and even if you don’t play, …
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Culture Crawl 752 “Abstraction is a Little More… Abstract” “Connections” is one of two exhibits up right now at Gilded Pear Gallery, by Laura Young. Laura’s early work was in landscapes but for this exhibit she is presenting abstract pieces, created using a unique, self-developed technique that incorporates collage. Meet Laura, as well as John …
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Blake Shaw is one of Iowa’s first-call bassists, as well as a singer, arranger and composer. He fell in love with the bass when his jazz band director asked him to switch from trombone. He went on to study at Kirkwood, finally receiving his Masters at the University of Iowa. Pretty good for a musician …
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We’ve been trying to present the Iowa Women’s Jazz Orchestra since 2020, and fingers crossed, the third time will be the charm on Aug. 18. After years of being the only, or one of very few women in college and professional jazz bands, IWJO Directors Toni LeFebvre and Kelli Swehla formed this group to provide …
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The post Culture Crawl 748 “3 Years In The Making” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
For decades, the Linn County Blues Society has presented a big summer Blues concert, spotlighting the best local and national talent. Beginning this year, the celebration becomes “Bourbon & Blues,” August 20 at McGrath Amphitheatre. The party begins with Iowa legends Molly Nova & The Hawk, featuring Bryce Janey, and also features Danielle Nicole from …
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Some years ago, Iowa City singer Betsy Hickok was looking for a guitarist to collaborate with. Some friends connected her with Central Iowa musician Ron Roberts (an acoustical researcher at ISU by day). To say the two hit it off is a bit of an understatement, since soon thereafter they were married! The two lived …
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Jill Van Brussel is a costume designer and Theatre professor, currently teaching at Colorado Mesa University, whose cabaret show “Why Do I Own A Thong? (And Other Existential Questions),” examines her life (and all of our lives) through our clothing choices. Jill is a longtime friend of long-time Eastern Iowa performers and producers Patrick Du …
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Cedar Rapids has a rich history in Drum Corps. The Emerald Knights competed and performed for decades, and Slayton Thompson’s Grant Wood Drum & Bugle Corps marched in two presidential Inauguration parades. The tradition continues today with the Tournament of Drums festival, Aug. 5 at Kingston Stadium, when drum corps from around the country and …
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The final week of Cedar Rapids Municipal Band concerts is jam-packed, says director Steve Shanley. Including Leonard Bernstein’s famous Overture to “Candide,” a solo from Young Artist Isabella Anderson, a tribute to Muni Band member and legendary Cedar Rapids music teacher Luman Colton, conducted by his daughter Christie, and another guest conductor, UI doctoral student …
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Singer Lynne Rothrock met guitarist Paul Binkley when she lived in Nashville. He has toured with the band Alabama, and writes the orchestrations for Alabama shows with orchestra. (The Teddy in the show title is Alabama’s Teddy Gentry) Paul joins Lynne for an all-new show featuring the music of singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith, as well as …
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Week 8 of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band season will divide the band into a Woodwind Choir and a Brass Choir, each giving its own program. Leslie Fleer will direct the woodwinds, and Steve the brass. The program will include Mozart, Queen, and the “Quidditch” theme by John Williams from the Harry Potter films, which …
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When Steve Shanley played in the Cedar Rapids Municipal band, he often wondered why the band members weren’t featured more as soloists. Now that he is the director, he sets aside one concert every year to showcase members of the band. This week, Christine Bellomy, clarinet; Caleb Lambert, euphonium, and Thiago Ancelmo, clarinet; will all …
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Poet Cecile Goding first heard her words set to music for a class at the Iowa Writers Workshop. This led her to the idea of creating a new opera inspired by the E.M. Forster short story, “The Machine Stops,” whose setting is a world where people never meet physically, but create relationships through the screen …
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Percussionist Creighton Gaynor has been a part of the Corridor music scene for some years, in bands such as OSG and The Fez, as well as his own group, Jumbies. Jumbies plays in the “Soca” style, short for “Soul Calypso.” Soca originated in Trinidad-Tobago, and fuses traditional Caribbean Calypso with seventies Disco. Jumbies will join …
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Culture Crawl 736 “Juggler’s Equivalent to ‘Play Misty’” Juggler Benjamin Domask-Ruh and Luke Lovegood, new Director of Choral Activities at Coe College, join the Cedar Rapids Municipal band this week. Luke Sings “Bring Him Home” and . Benjamin surprised Steve Shanley a bit, when the internationally award-winning juggler saw Leonard Bernstein’s “Slava” on the program …
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Culture Crawl 735 “They Tune To ‘A’” A team of recent Liberty High School grads are spending part of their summer staging the Jason Robert Brown musical Songs for “A New World.” Deuce Martin, Posey Stoeffler, and Killian Ritland say the process has been fun and challenging, and they’re excited for an audience to see …
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Week 5 of the Cedar Rapids Municipal season will take you around the world and to a galaxy far, far away, with selections from the Star Wars film “Rise of Skywalker,” and Coe professor Rose Bishop featured on “Piccolo Español.” Plus Vaughn Williams, and a spotlight on the clarinet section for a spirited polka. July …
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Culture Crawl 733 “Programs Itself” Steve Shanley says programming the CR Municipal Band concerts the week of July 4 is pretty easy, since there is a wealth of patriotic-themed music that are crowd favorites. For the first time in recent memory, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale joins the band for the national anthem and a …
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Steve Shanley says programming the CR Municipal Band concerts the week of July 4 is pretty easy, since there is a wealth of patriotic-themed music that are crowd favorites. For the first time in recent memory, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale joins the band for the national anthem and a standout arrangement of “America The …
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The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art celebrates the season with Free Summer admission, beginning July 1. You can check out all nine galleries, including the summer exhibitions featuring Tomás and Charlie Lasansky, and Eve Drewelow. Information and Museum hours at www.crma.org.
The post Culture Crawl 732 “Not Just the ‘Wife Of’” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
This week, the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band showcases the winner of their annual Young Artist competition, recent Linn-Mar graduate Arjun Palaniappan on a composition that Steve Shanley says is about as close as you can get to Toto’s “Africa” without having to give David Paich and Jeff Porcaro a writing credit. Also on the program …
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The post Culture Crawl 731 “Just Enough to Not Break Copyright” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A woman achieves the highest honor in her field, and then is torn down by the male-dominated community. Except it’s 1912 and the woman is Marie Curie, asked to not travel to Sweden to accept her second Nobel Prize after allegations of an affair with a married man. …
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The post Culture Crawl 730 “Fights, Whiskey, and Sex” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids is 100 years old this year, and June 23 is Jewish Heritage Night with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Organizer Lena Gilbert has several activities planned before the game. The Jewish community in Cedar Rapids has been around since the late 1800s, and founded or have been involved in many of …
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The post Culture Crawl 729 “Throw Out The First Bagel” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Filmscene brings the documentary “Jazzfest: A New Orleans Story” to Iowa City for a one-week run, June 18-23. Timed to coincide with the runup to the Iowa City Jazz Festival, the film celebrates the 50th anniversary of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2020, with archival video of classic performances, right up to …
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The post Culture Crawl 727 “A New Orleans Story” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 726 “The Old Sorehead” Steve Shanley is a little jealous about this week’s C.R. Municipal Band concert. Linn-Mar High School band director Dan Terrell is guest conductor, and will get first crack at programming music from the recent Disney hit “Encanto.” Orchestra Iowa principal tubist Blaine Cunningham is the guest artist, performing a …
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Steve Shanley is a little jealous about this week’s C.R. Municipal Band concert. Linn-Mar High School band director Dan Terrell is guest conductor, and will get first crack at programming music from the recent Disney hit “Encanto.” Orchestra Iowa principal tubist Blaine Cunningham is the guest artist, performing a piece that will please anyone who …
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Culture Crawl 725 “Joe Pesci-Style” Cedar Rapids Opera turns Gilbert and Sullivan on its head with their new production of “Pirates of Penzance.” Set in 1980s Staten Island, the pirates are a punk-rock band, the women privileged private-school students, and Alex Adams-Leytes as the “model Major-General” is a mobster in bear claw slippers! All staged outdoors …
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Nielo “Daniel” Gaglione met the late John Rapson at a jam session at George’s in Iowa City, and before long, the two became close friends as collaborators. John incorporated Nielo’s French and Mediterranean music influences, as well as his mandole (a North African instrument sharing characteristics with the guitar and the oud) into the landmark …
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The post Culture Crawl 724 “I Was Smelling You” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Cedar Rapids Municipal Band begins its season this week, with concerts Wednesday at The History Center and Sunday at Bever Park. Retired Independence band director David Lang, a world class euphonium player, will be the guest artist this week. He will also play a number on the Alpine Horn, the stretched-out instrument most of …
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The post Culture Crawl 722 “Band Director Chops” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The James Theater in Iowa City is a new venue, opening this month in the Gilbert Street space formerly occupied by Riverside Theatre. Kicking off their grand opening month is the Curtis Taylor Quartet on June 11. Curtis is finishing his first year on the UI jazz Faculty. An Ohio native, the trumpet player has …
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The post Culture Crawl 721 “Surreal Moments” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 720 “Putting the Revival in Revival Theatre” Revival Theatre Company presents “The Color Purple,” June 10-19 at CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids. The cast is a mix of local performers, along with actors from out of the area, including one who spent time in this show’s touring company. Alicia Strong leads the cast …
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The Iowa Arts Festival returns to downtown Iowa City June 3-5. More than 90 artists, including students in the Emerging Artists Center, and musical headliners including Asleep At The Wheel, and self-proclaimed Chicago Blues Kitten, Ivy Ford. Free admission. Full schedule at www.summerofthearts.org.
The post Culture Crawl 719 “Dropping in a Little Thelonious Monk” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The play “God Help Us” was originally written as a vehicle for Ed Asner, but the legendary actor passed away before he could bring the show to Cedar Rapids’ Rich Heritage Theatre. Stepping in is Gregory Harrison, of TV’s “Trapper John, M.D.” and “General Hospital,” who was a close friend of Asner’s. The play takes …
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The post Culture Crawl 718 “He Sucks Up To God” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Wave Cage is a forward-thinking jazz quartet that mixes standards with unique originals. They are getting ready to release their first album, “Even You Can See In the Dark” collaborating with former teachers and other friends, including singer Elly Hofmaier and spoken word artist Caleb Rainey. It’s not out of the question one or two …
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The post Culture Crawl 717 “Piece Things Together in a Satisfying Way” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Orchestra Iowa’s final concert for the season is focused on pieces with a sense of humor, such as Hayden’s “Surprise Symphony,” written expressly to wake up an audience member who habitually fell asleep during Hayden’s concerts. But Tim says that doesn’t mean the pieces are easy to play! He also says violinist Max Hagen’s performance …
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The post Culture Crawl 716 “The Joke is on the Musicians” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale will be joined by a jazz combo to present Paul Winter’s Earth Mass “Missa Gaia,” May 15 at 2:30pm at Sinclair Auditorium. It’s a stunning chorale work by an artist who is perhaps better known for his Jazz and New Age compositions on soprano sax in the Paul Winter Concert. …
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The post Culture Crawl 713 “Actual Animal Sounds Will Be Played” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Friday Night Concert Series returns to a normal schedule post-pandemic, kicking off the summer music season May 13. Lisa Barnes from Summer of the Arts says not only will concerts will be held at the Ped Mall in downtown Iowa City, but also in the Northside neighborhood, on Linn Street. Tribute bands to Prince, …
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The post Culture Crawl 714 “Full Slate” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Cedar Rapids Opera presents “La Voix Humaine” (The Human Voice), May 13 on the CRST 4th Floor Balcony. Director Haley Stamats says the one-woman show consists entirely of one side of a telephone conversation between a woman and man after the end of their relationship. Which presents some interesting requirements in staging, blocking, and singing. …
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The post Culture Crawl 715 “Very French, Very Tragic” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Iowa City’s inter-generational choir, Family Folk Machine, is in concert at the Englert, Sunday afternoon, May 14. The program includes an original song by a composer in the Family Folk Machine’s young songwriters program, which will be set to an original puppet show, created with the help of Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre’s Monica Leo. Plus, a …
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The post Culture Crawl 712 “We Love to Sing Songs About Stuff Like Seeds” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Orchestra Iowa brings back one of its most popular “rock” shows May 7, with “One Vision – The Music of Queen.” The orchestra will back four musicians who’ll bring the music of that classic band to live, including all your Queen favorites, such as “Killer Queen,” “We Are The Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and Tim’s favorite …
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The post Culture Crawl 711 “Get The Tempo Wrong and Everybody Knows” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 710 “Just Add Music” Some of the very first silent movies and Magic Lantern slides were shown to the public at the Graham Opera House in Washington, Iowa, by showman and entrepreneur William Brinton, in the early days of the 20th Century. Decades later, historian Michael Zahs was given a box labeled “Brinton …
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Dave Rosazza founded Shade of Blue as a guitar trio, but soon found himself adding friends on keyboards, saxophone and vocals. When singers Simone Green and Joan Ruffin moved out of the area, it seemed to spell the end of the band, but they have kept the groove alive with a reunion concerts once a …
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The post Culture Crawl 709 “A Little Blue In Everything We Do” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 708 “100%” All of the students who graduated last year from the programs of the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success have gone on to post-high school study, two of them at Princeton, the first Academy students to matriculate to an Ivy League school. The Academy’s fundraising gala will be May 12 at …
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Ron Clark directs the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play “Proof” April 14-17 at Kirkwood Community College. Ron and actor Travis Cooper dissect this unique and emotional play. April 14, 15, 16 at 7:30, and April 17 at 2pm in Ballantyne Auditorium. Tickets available at the door.
The post Culture Crawl 707 “Math Jokes” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Eli Copeland, Brett Ehler, and Max Quanrud from Prairie Jazz I spin some memorable jazz band tunes and talk about their year. Eli, Brett, and Max’s Playlist
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Jennifer Fawcett, an Ontario native who spent several years living in Iowa City. Her plays, such as “Apples in Winter” have been performed multiple times in the Corridor. She has just published her first novel. “Beneath The Stairs” is a literary horror novel, that is to say, it’s scary, but also is driven by its …
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The post Culture Crawl 704 “That Sounds Terrifying! Sure, I’ll Try It” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 706 “Hotbed for Tuvan Throat Singers” Jim Miller is the new Interim Executive Director at CSPS Hall, the original driver behind the wildly popular New Bohemia neighborhood in Cedar Rapids. CSPS is returning to a full performance schedule, with theatre art exhibits, Pints & Politics, a screening of the award-winning Collins Radio Space …
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Orchestra Iowa Board Member Anne Harris Carter joins Tim Hankewich and Dennis Green to discuss what Tim says may be the most important concert Orchestra Iowa has ever performed. “Seven Words of the Unarmed,” composed by Joel Thompson, brings to life the last words of seven Black men who were killed by police or an …
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The post Culture Crawl 705 “Not All Concerts Are Created Equal” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Jennifer Fawcett, an Ontario native who spent several years living in Iowa City. Her plays, such as “Apples in Winter” have been performed multiple times in the Corridor. She has just published her first novel. “Beneath The Stairs” is a literary horror novel, that is to say, it’s scary, but also is driven by its …
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The post Culture Crawl 704 “That Sounds Terrifying! Sure, I’ll Try It” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Celebrated pianist Joyce Yang returns to Iowa to perform one of the most difficult piano pieces ever written, Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with Orchestra Iowa, April 2 and 3. Tim Hankewich, a pianist himself, knows full well the challenge of performing this monumental piece, and says that coming to the pre-concert talks (6:45 in Cedar …
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The post Culture Crawl 702 “Hands Like Nosferatu” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Violinist and composer Josh Henderson is wrapping up a year at the University of Iowa as a Grant Wood Fellow with a brand-new composition inspired by the memory of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens, and pilot Ralph Peterson, who died in the 1959 Clear Lake plane crash later tagged by singer Don MacLean …
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The post Culture Crawl 701 “One More Night” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Michael Bornstein is one of the very youngest survivors of Auschwitz, and through his life was reluctant to talk about what he remembered of the experience until he saw a picture of his liberation from the camp on a Holocaust Denyer website, purported to be proof that the Nazis didn’t kill children. After opening up …
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The post Culture Crawl 700 “Survivor’s Club” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival returns April 1 & 2 after the pandemic layoff, with the original slate of films from the cancelled 2020 festival. Documentaries on Iowa’s real-life Monuments Man, Collins Radio and the Apollo program will be screened along with a huge variety of short and feature-length films. Daily and all-festival passes, …
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The post Culture Crawl 699 “That’s The Guy Who Made It!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
“Niceties” is a play at Riverside Theatre tackling. among other topics, one that is in our daily headlines today, teaching issues of race in American history in the classroom. Jody Hovland, founding artistic director at Riverside, returns to the stage (which actually is a new stage, of course, in Riverside’s new venue), and acts opposite …
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The post Culture Crawl 698 “Bring Down The Power Hammer” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Family Promise of Linn County support dozens of families each year who are homeless or in danger of losing their housing. “Joyful Noises” is an annual fundraiser that features just about the biggest variety of musical entertainment that you can imagine, from blues to bluegrass to barbershop. Saturday, March 26 at the Olympic Theater in …
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The post Culture Crawl 697 “Secret Problem” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Lynne Rothrock and Janelle Lauer bring their “Divas” show to the Olympic SouthSide Theater, March 18 and 19. Lynne and Janelle have very different styles, Lynne performs a lot in the cabaret style, while Janelle sings a lot of rock and R&B. So the show represents a chance for the audience to see them in …
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The post Culture Crawl 696 “What Do These People Look Like From The Front?” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Tim Hankewich from Orchestra Iowa invokes Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll to explain the bizarre love story that is at the heart of Berlioz’s “Symphony Fantastique,” March 11 at the Paramount Theatre. As towering a work as that is, Tim thinks people are going to come away most impressed by a new piece for …
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The post Culture Crawl 695 “Kanye & Kim, But in the 1830s” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 694 “Preserved As Its Own Self” The Gilded Pear Gallery is currently presenting not just one, but two artists in simultaneous solo shows. on the first floor, it’s UNI professor emeritus Crit Streed and “On The Verge.” It’s a two-pronged collection, comprised of Crit’s black and white drawings, and also a series of …
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The Gilded Pear Gallery is currently presenting not just one, but two artists in simultaneous solo shows. In the 2nd floor gallery, it’s “Fiber Optics” from Kristina Fjellman. The Minneapolis-based artist tells us she enjoys how your perception of her airy, 3-dimensional sculptures can change based on light, viewing angle, and even air currents in …
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The post Culture Crawl 693 “Paint In A Three-Dimensional Form” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Two exhibits at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art celebrate Black history and culture, from Iowa artists. “Carl Van Vechten, Man About Town” displays the photographs Van Vechten took during the Cedar Rapids native’s years observing and chronicling the musicians, actors, and writers of the Harlem Renaissance. “Freedom’s Daughters” is a collection of new paintings …
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The post Culture Crawl 692 “Not Cedar Rapids’ Biggest Cheerleader” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Orchestra Iowa presents “Magical Movie Moments: John Williams” Feb. 19 and 20 at the Paramount Theatre. Tim Hankewich explains that Williams has written not just music that is great for movies, but great in and of itself. The orchestra will perform all your favorites from Star Wars, Superman, and more, along with some lesser-known gems. …
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The post Culture Crawl 690 “People Didn’t Think I Was Weird” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Mirrorbox Theatre returns to in-person shows with a world premier, “Cycle Play,” Feb. 17-27 in Theatre Cedar Rapids’ Grandon Studio. Founder. Cavan Hallman is excited not just about this play, but about the recently completed capital campaign to fund a permanent space for the theatre, in Cedar Rapids’ Time Check neighborhood. Playwright Megan Tabaque and …
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The post Culture Crawl 689 “Someone Screaming at You to Live Your Best Life” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale has two big events in the coming weeks. Their sole fundraiser of the year, the Mardi Gras Gala, will be at the Czech Museum Feb. 26, and the Chorale pays tribute to the many composers who call, or have called Cedar Rapids home, in their next concert, March 5 at …
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The post Culture Crawl 688 “Don’t Toss the Wine Bottles” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Adam Knight and Mat Smart have been friends and collaborators since college, and now they’re working together on simultaneous world premieres: the first performance of Mat’s new play, “Eden Prairie, 1971” and the debut of Riverside Theatre’s brand new performance space, in the Crescent building on the Iowa City Ped Mall. “Eden Prairie, 1971” runs …
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The post Culture Crawl 685 “Cool Kids of Iowa City” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Zoom somehow pinned only Chad Sonka’s video and kept it up for this entire interview, so you get to see him listening thoughtfully to Dennis’s questions, instead of the picture switching between them, but Goldie B. Locks sounds like so much fun we’re not going to let that keep us from sharing the video. Goldie …
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The post Culture Crawl 684 “It’s The Chad Show!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Gems of Hope is an Eastern Iowa-based organization that provides gifts of hope and support to cancer patients and their families. “Hope Blooms” is an annual campaign that allows you to send daffodil arrangements, bulbs, or even a stuffed koala to someone whose life has been affected by cancer. Honorary chair Jen Neumann shares her …
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The post Culture Crawl 683 “Sometimes the Horizon is Closer” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Craig Campbell and Priscilla Steele have collaborated throughout their life together. On Campbell Steele Gallery, Liars Theatre, not to mention three children. Now they have published a book inspired by an art installation they created for their orthodontist friend, Dr. William Olin. “The History of Orthodontics Through Time and Space follows the adventures of Buddy …
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The post Culture Crawl 682 “Fixing The World” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Singer-songwriter Carol Montag brings “A Carol Christmas” to CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids Dec. 16, 17, & 18. It’s an all-new show of traditional holiday music, plus some new compositions, including a unique tune inspired by the 2020 Derecho. Information and tickets at www.carolmontag.com.
The post Culture Crawl 681 “It’s a Fruitcake, Not a Brownie!” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
In their 25th anniversary season, Chorale Midwest returns to the first venue the choir ever performed, First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids for their Christmas Concert, Dec. 11 at 7:30 and Dec. 12 at 3:00. The program will include the premiere of a new commission by Matthew Culloton. Tickets and more information at www.choralemidwest.org.
The post Culture Crawl 680 “Coming Home” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
2021 marks the 20th anniversary of “Tuba Christmas” in Cedar Rapids. Organizers Kyle Patrick and Jim Engelbach have been there since the very beginning, and are excited for the return of a live in-person performance, Saturday, Dec. 4, 4pm at Kirkwood’s Ballantine Auditorium. Directing the ensemble, which could number as high at 80 tubas, euphoniums, …
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The post Culture Crawl 679 “Father of Tubas” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Mr. Christmas, Tim Hankewich, works pretty much year-round on Orchestra Iowa’s Holiday Spectacular. This year, the Orchestra’s special guest is singer Amy Friedl Stoner, who will sing some brand new arrangements of holiday classics that make this show the equal of any of the top holiday orchestra shows anywhere in the country. Also featuring the …
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The post Culture Crawl 678 “Local Ingredients” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Artist Mary Zeran opens her latest show at Gilded Pear Gallery with a reception Dec. 3 from 5-7:30pm. “Dance Party” features work that depicts energy, color, and motion. Mary also has an accompanying Spotify playlist where you can hear the music that inspired the work! Visit www.gildedpeargallery.com for the gallery’s holiday hours. You can visit …
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The post Culture Crawl 677 “A Lot Of Flailing” appeared first on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.
Culture Crawl 676 “Almost There…” Ghyas Zeidieh is the new music director of the Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra, reactivated after its pandemic pause and beginning its season Dec. 5 with a concert at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School. A native of Damascus, Syria, Ghyas talks about his first visit to Iowa (after being assured it …
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