116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars returns with 4 free concerts in August at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids
Iowa’s jazz radio station reunites two groups of college chums, makes the invisible visible, and revisits the great jazz organ trios during KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars that returns Thursdays in August at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids.
Jazz Under the Stars is one of Iowa’s longest-running jazz events, held nearly every year since 1987. The concerts are free and family friendly. Concertgoers may bring their own food and drink, or take advantage of a rotating selection from local food trucks each week. The Noelridge playground will be open for the kids.
If you go
What: KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars
Where: Noelridge Park, 4900 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids or broadcast live on 88.3 KCCK
When: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22
Cost: Free
Details: Bring seating and your own food and drink, or take advantage of a rotating selection from local food trucks each week
The University of Northern Iowa music program birthed two of this year’s headliners.
Group X
Group X, which performs Aug. 15, was formed by a quintet of music students in 2007 and released an album that received significant play on KCCK. In the years since, those students have gone on to become leaders in Iowa music. Mike Conrad — just a freshman at the time Group X was active — is now a music professor at their alma mater, an award-winning composer and leads the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra. Jen Tiede leads the jazz program at Linn-Mar, her now-husband Dave is an in-demand jazz drummer. Joel Nagel directs the Cedar Rapids Washington Jazz Revolutionists.
“Even though we haven’t played together as Group X in a long time, don’t worry,” said Jen Tiede, laughing. “We’ve been practicing.”
BYOBrass
BYOBrass, which kicks off the series on Aug. 1, also sprang out of UNI, formed almost exactly a decade after Group X in 2017. Since graduating, members of this group also have become teachers and professional performers touring all over Iowa and the Midwest with high-energy original music as well as unique takes on familiar pop tunes. The band released its first full album “Now That You’re Here” in 2023.
The Invisible Band
The Invisible Band, which takes the stage Aug. 8, is led by Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ken Duncan. He and the rest of The Invisible Band are also members of The Funk Daddies.
A bit of trivia: The Invisible Band had 15 minutes of fame in 1986, when their “Hawk Rap #7” became a popular tune among Iowa football fans.
Trio Grismore
Closing out the series on Aug. 22 is Trio Grismore. The group is led by guitarist Steve Grismore, co-founder of the Iowa City Jazz Festival and original member of Orquesta Alto Maiz, The Beaker Brother, and many other groups.
Trio Grismore draws its inspiration from the jazz organ trios of Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Jimmy Smith, and Larry Young. Mitch Towne from Omaha fills the organ chair, and Tim Crumley (Eddie Piccard Quartet, Dandelion Stompers) plays drums.
Each concert will open with student ensembles, comprised of middle, high school and college musicians.
Here’s the schedule:
- Aug. 1: BYOBrass. Young Artists: The Sam Ross Quartet — Sam Ross is musician in the Iowa City area pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Iowa. He has been involved in music and has played the saxophone for over 10 years.
- Aug. 8: The Invisible Band. Young Artists: Next Gen Jazz Collective — made up of UI Jazz students who have been playing professionally not only in Iowa City but around the state
- Aug. 15: Group X. Young Artists: Murphy Fisher Quartet — an Iowa City-Based Jazz quartet that plays a mix of original songs, standards and transcriptions and produced an album: “Three Rectangles, Two Circles, A Triangle”
- Aug. 22: Trio Grismore. Young Artists: Ship of Fools — one of six youth rock bands at the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
All concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. at Noelridge Park, 4900 Council St. NE, and are broadcast live on 88.3 KCCK. KCCK also will host its annual album and CD sale during the Aug. 8 concert.
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