Vivian Shanley, of Cedar Rapids, performs at Jazz Under the Stars in 2022.
KCCK’s Jazz Under The Stars celebrated the station’s 50th anniversary last year by reuniting some of Iowa’s best-known jazz, blues and R&B performers. Iowa’s Jazz Station kicks off its second half-century this August by presenting a group of rising stars who are shaping the face of the Iowa jazz scene.
“We knew that after celebrating KCCK’s 50-year anniversary in 2025, this would be the year we look to the future,” said KCCK general manager Dennis Green. “We’ve presented many of these performers as students or in different groups, but none have ever headlined our series before. I think I can guarantee that after hearing these bands as well as the outstanding student ensembles we’ll have each week, you’ll agree that the future of music in the Midwest is in very good hands.”
Here’s a look at this year’s performers.
Aug. 6: The Joey Schnoebelen Quintet
Schnoebelen credits the guest artists he met through KCCK’s Corridor Jazz Project while a City High student with fanning the flames of his interest in performing. He balanced studies in music and accounting at the University of Iowa with a prestigious touring gig with The King’s Brass. He is now associate principal trumpet with the Dubuque Symphony and also performs with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony and Ten of Soul.
Aug. 13: Paul Lichty Jazz Orchestra
Lichty is one of Central Iowa’s most prolific musicians and composers. The Paul Lichty Jazz Orchestra’s (PLJO) debut album, “Dark Soul,” was released in 2021 and can be found on all streaming platforms. Lichty is also music director and trombonist for BYOBrass, “The Domita Show” and jazz chair of the Iowa Pride Ensembles. He balances these duties while also working as a band director at Winterset Junior High School. He is a recipient of the CJC Des Moines Hall of Fame “Next Generation” award which recognizes an up-and-coming musician who has made an impact on the music scene in Des Moines.
Aug. 20: Vivian Shanley Quartet
Bassist Vivian Stanley was literally raised on KCCK. She played her first jazz solo as a middle schooler at Jazz Band Camp, and her first professional gig was as a Jazz Under the Stars Young artist. A Cedar Rapids Washington alumna, she has just finished her undergrad degree at Lawrence University. She is a “Downbeat” magazine award winner and a recipient of the Jazz Education Network’s (JEN) Women in Jazz Scholarship, as well as multiple Young Artist awards. Shanley is also a co-founder of Lawrence University’s Jazz and Gender Equity Initiative.
Aug. 27: Vandello
This may be Vandello’s first time at Jazz Under The Stars, but the band has been leaving their mark on the Midwest music scene for more than a decade. Noelridge Park becomes the world’s largest speakeasy as Vandello bring their vintage vibes with a modern attitude to a lively show full of tasty originals and unique cover tunes.
More details
Each concert begins at 6:30 p.m. at Noelridge Park, 4900 Council St. NE, and will open with student ensembles composed of middle, high school and college musicians. Concerts are broadcast live on 88.3 KCCK. KCCK will also host its annual Album and CD Sale during the Aug. 21 concert.
Food and refreshments will be available for purchase at the concerts. Attendees are also invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and their own picnic.
In case of inclement weather, listen to KCCK for cancellation or rain/heat location info at 88.3 FM, online at kcck.org, or follow @jazz883kcck on Instagram or Facebook.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.thegazette.com ’
