Three new schools join the Corridor Jazz Project as the program celebrates its fifteenth year at a massive concert March 8th at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids.
The Corridor Jazz Project is a jazz education and mentoring program for jazz band students, created by Jazz 88.3 KCCK, the public radio station operated by Kirkwood Community College. The Corridor Jazz Project is one of very few school Fine Arts events that found a way to continue during the pandemic pause.
“In 2020, The Corridor Jazz Concert was the last high school jazz event held in the entire state, days before the COVID shutdown,” says Dennis Green, KCCK general manager. “Last year, we produced an online video concert in lieu of an in-person event, traveling to each school and recording student musicians in a safe and socially-distanced fashion. We felt very fortunate that in a year when so many programs were cancelled, the students were still able to look forward to having the Corridor Jazz Project.”
In addition to returning as an in-person event, two things make this year’s program special. Three new schools participate for the first time: Anamosa, Clear Creek-Amana, and West Branch. And after the success of 2021’s video recordings, KCCK will release video recordings of each band on DVD instead of an audio CD.
The Corridor Jazz Project matches a high school jazz band with a professional jazz player, and records each performance using a professional audio and video recording team. Corridor Jazz DVDs are made available to each school to sell and keep the proceeds. They can also be ordered online at www.kcck.org.
The concert will be presented as a part of the Cedar Rapids Community Concert Association (CRCCA) season, returning to the Paramount Theatre for the first time since 2019. The concert will be presented in two “sessions,” to accommodate those who are not able to attend for the entire evening. Ticket holders can attend one or both sessions for the same $15 price, and also come and go if they need a break.
Performing at 5:30 p.m.:
- Cedar Rapids Washington High School Revolutionists, featuring Joe Perea
- West Branch Jazz Ensemble, featuring Steve Shanley
- Lisbon High School Jazz Band, featuring Joseph Schnoebelen
- Clear Creek-Amana Jazz Ensemble, featuring John Carlson
- Liberty High School Jazz Ensemble, featuring Jim Dreier
- Cedar Rapids Xavier High School Jazz Band One, featuring Luke Sanders
- City High School Jazz Ensemble, featuring Crystal Rebone
- Solon High School Jazz Orchestra, featuring Saul Lubaroff
Performing at 7:30 p.m.:
- Prairie High School Jazz One, featuring Anthony Williams
- Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School Jazz Band One, featuring Toni Lefebvre
- Linn-Mar High School Colton Center Jazz Ensemble, featuring Simon Harding
- Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School Jazz Ensemble, featuring Peter Hart
- Center Point-Urbana Jazz Band, featuring Lynne Hart
- Mount Vernon High School Swingin’ STANGS, featuring Tim Crumley
- Anamosa High School Jazz I, featuring Kevin Boehnke
- Marion High School Jazz Band One, featuring Peter Hart
Tickets are $15, and available at the door or in advance at www.kcck.org.
Support for the Corridor Jazz Project comes from MidWestOne Bank, the Cedar Rapids Community Concert Association, Orchestra Iowa, Hills Bank, The Strauss Family Fund for Jazz Education, The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Kirkwood Community College, and West Music.
Jazz 88.3 KCCK is Iowa’s only jazz radio station, operated as a part of the community outreach of Kirkwood Community College.
For more information, visit www.kcck.org or call (319) 398-5446.