KCCK Culture Crawl with Dennis Green

It's week 7 of the Cedar Rapids Muni Band season and Steve Shanley is here with the details. The band will be in Ellis Park on Wed, Jul 16, and in Bever Park on Sun, Jul 20. Music begins at 7:30pm.  Shanley is also at KCCK's Jazz Band Camp this week with performances on Fri, … Continue reading

Rick Treiber, founder and board member at Green Castle Aero Club, is in the studio ahead of a series of outdoor concerts being held at the airport.  Kevin B. F. Burt on Sat Jul 12, Tanya English Band on Sat Aug 9 & Vandello on Sat Sep 13. Concerts are 6:30-9:30pm, bring a blanket/picnic/lawn chair, … Continue reading

It's indoor week for the CR Muni Band and Steve Shanley is back with the rundown. A double header on Wednesday, Jul 9 with the New Horizons Band at the newly renovated Marion High School Auditorium starts at 6:30 PM and the Sunday, Jul 13 concert will be held at Kirkwood's Ballantyne Auditorium at 7:30 … Continue reading

Jazz musicians Matt Landon and Emma Reynolds have been busy at work organizing the return of the Burlington Jazz Festival. It's July 25 & 26 nestled across a handful of downtown venues (within walking distance). A Trivia Night Fundraiser will be hosted Monday, July 19, 7-9pm at the Art Center of Burlington.  All festival performances … Continue reading

Steve Shanley, director of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, is back with the patriotic lineup for week five of the band's season. Pieces being performed include the world premiere of a long lost Cedar Rapids march, a sweet Neil Diamond tune, and a new military services medley including the Space Force Theme.  Join the Muni … Continue reading

Summer is a great time to visit Prairiewoods Retreat Center in Hiawatha. The Center offers a variety of programs that range from yoga to cooking to a Day of Self-Renewal. Or leave your phone in the car and just explore their trails. Find out more at www.prairiewoods.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or … Continue reading

Week 4 of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Season features guest vocalist Kelsey Madsen, a tribute to past director Morgan Jones, and a John Phillips Sousa march that is rarely played for a unique reason. 7:30pm June 25 at Johnson School and June 29 at Ellis Park. If you can't attend in person, watch the livestream … Continue reading

Robin Crow from Playtime Poppy Children's Theatre is in the studio ahead of this year's Summer Theatre Adventure, “Rascals Under The Big Top.” Kids aged 9-14 spend the week learning their roles at the new Eastern Iowa Arts Academy and put on a performance at the end of the week. It's Jun 23-27 with the … Continue reading

Creighton Gaynor is in the studio ahead of the first concert in the One World Music Series put on by his organization, Natural Talent Music. Playing this show is Irish band Blame Not the Bard and Mediterranean fusion band KERAK. The show is Fri Jun 27, 7:30 PM at The James Theater in Iowa City.  … Continue reading

Guitarist Molly Miller joins us today ahead of upcoming gig at The Ideal Theater & Bar in Cedar Rapids with her trio (Andre de Santanna on bass and Tamir Barzilay on drums).  It's June 19 (Juneteenth!) starting at 7:30 PM with local musician Nassor Cooper opening. To purchase tickets visit idealtheaterandbar.com.  For more info about … Continue reading

Riverside Theatre presents “Free Shakespeare in the Park: Romeo & Juliet” June 13-29 at The Festival Stage in Lower City Park (City Park Road). Adam Knight (Director), Mark Worth (Romeo) and Dale Leonheart(Juliet) are in the studio with the details.  For more info and the full performance schedule visit riversidetheatre.org.  Subscribe to The Culture Crawl … Continue reading

Steve Shanley is back for week two of the CR Municipal Band's 75th season. The band plays at Noelridge Park, Wednesday 6/11 and at Bever Park, Sunday 6/15 at 7:30 PM. The Cedar Rapids Youth Flute Ensemble will perform at 6:30 PM before the Sunday night show at Bever.  Performances will be live-streamed on the … Continue reading

Founded in 1956 and still touring today, the Glenn Miller Orchestra sets off on their June 2025 tour with one of the first stops being in Iowa! Music director Erik Stabnau videos in with tidbits about the band and insights into the tour.  It's the Glenn Miller Orchestra at Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, … Continue reading

BYO Brass members Dan Benson & Paul Lichty are in the studio ahead of their festival and event filled summer schedule. From Bossa to funk to big band sounds, these guys have something for everyone.  Event calendars and links to more info can be found at byobrass.com and paullichtymusic.com.  Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at … Continue reading

Julia Jessen, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at Cedar Rapids Art Museum, and Dennis Green team up for the museum's upcoming June Art Bites: All that Jazz: Photographs by Carl Van Vechten and George T. Henry.  Julia and Dennis will be talking about the exhibition Wednesday, June 4, 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM at CRMA. … Continue reading

Ed English and the rest of The Beaker Brothers Band will be performing at the Inside Out Reentry Community Spring Concert “Be an Instrument for Change” Annual Fundraiser, June 1, 3pm at Chauncey Swan Park in Iowa City. He and Dai Gwilliam from the Inside Out fundraising committee are in the studio to talk about … Continue reading

Spring has sprung and the grounds at Prairiewoods are bursting with life! Leslie Wright is back in the studio ahead of the Annual Prairiewoods Garden Party: Growing Our Roots. Enjoy a night of music, food and nature while raising funds to support Prairiewood's mission.  It's Saturday, June 7, 5-8pm. Tickets at prairiewoods.org.  Subscribe to The … Continue reading

It's almost summer and you know what that means… Iowa City Summer of the Arts! Executive Director Lisa Barnes is in today with all the details and a stellar line up. It's  The Iowa Arts Festival, June 6-8.  For more information and schedules visit summerofthearts.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture … Continue reading

Local musician Wes Shirley is in the studio ahead of a new concert experience focused on spotlighting songwriters. The first in the series features local artists Sarah Cram Driscoll and Joel Sires. It's “CR Songwriter Series” June 6, 6:30pm at the Cedar Rapids Public Library Whipple Auditorium.  Tickets and more info can be found at … Continue reading

Lyn Curry from Vocal Artists of Iowa is in the studio ahead of upcoming concert series “Elemental Springs” Saturday, 5/17, 3pm at Voxman Concert Hall in Iowa City & Sunday, 5/18, 3pm at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids. For more information visit vocalartistsofiowa.com. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” … Continue reading

Orchestra Iowa (almost) closes this season out with “Masterworks VI: A Booming Finale” coming up Saturday, May 17, 7:30 pm at Paramount Theatre & Sunday, May 18, 2pm at Coralville Center for Performing Arts. Insights held in the Encore Lounge at 6:45pm Saturday night and 1:00pm at West Music Sunday afternoon. Tim Hankewich also hints … Continue reading

Adam Springer & Drew Hurn from the Wonderful Smiths along with Nick Dusil from Iowa Giving Crew are in the studio ahead of a benefit concert coming up May 17, 7pm at the Ideal Theater with Wonderful Smiths and The Mamiltons. All proceeds will go towards Iowa Giving Crew.  Tickets at idealtheaterandbar.com. To keep up … Continue reading

Dr. Gerry Kreitzer is back in the studio ahead of the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale's season finale, “Music That Touched Our Souls” coming up Sunday, May 18, 2:30pm at First Lutheran Church.  For tickets and more information visit crchorale.org.  Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture Crawl” in your favorite podcast player. … Continue reading

Joe Lock and Stacie Eastman from the Eastern Iowa Health Center are in the studio today ahead of “Just For the Health of It” coming up Sunday, May 18, 2-5pm at Big Grove Brewery Cedar Rapids. Funds raised during this event will go towards a new pharmacy servicing members of the community and other community … Continue reading

Summer of the Arts Executive Director Lisa Barnes is here ahead of “Forever Young: A Bob Dylan Tribute Fundraiser” May 10, 2pm at the Englert Theatre. Stick around for some great Summer of the Arts programming too! For more information and upcoming events visit summerofthearts.org. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or search “Culture … Continue reading

Artist Saw Naing Lin watched first-hand as his home village in Burma (now Myanmar) was destroyed, sending him and his family to a refugee camp, where he taught art to kids and teens. Eventually, he and his family made their way to the U.S. and settled in Cedar Rapids, to be near their friend John … Continue reading

The Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra exclusively performs new jazz music created by Iowa composers. The group performs May 7 in Ballantyne Auditorium on the Kirkwood campus. Also performing will be the Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble, directed by Chris Navarette, who will sit in with the IJCO on trumpet. Tickets are $10, available in advance at Kirkwood.edu/ballantyne … Continue reading

Iowa BIG students Gavin Cornwell and Nyomi Kelso along with The History Center program manager Jenny Thielman are in the studio ahead of “The Quest,” a city-wide team based race of puzzles and challenges that delve into the history of Cedar Rapids. It's May 3 with an 8:30am check in at The History Center. To … Continue reading

Chicago Blues Hall of Famer Michael Charles is back in Iowa on tour with “Guitars, Music and Miles 2025” with a show at The Ideal Theater at 8pm on Saturday, May 3. Get your tickets now at idealtheaterandbar.com.  To keep up with Michael Charles visit his website, michaelcharles.us. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture … Continue reading

Family Folk Machine's spring concert, “LOVE” will take place Sunday, May 4, 2pm at the Englert Theatre. Director of the choir, Jean Littlejohn, talks about the concert and the wide range of genres this intergenerational machine has prepared for their season finale.  This event is free to the public. More information can be found at … Continue reading

The Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra gears up for their spring concert, “Marching to the Future,” coming up Sunday, April 27 at 3pm in Kirkwood's Ballantyne Auditorium. Josh Reznicow reflects on his first year as the orchestra's conductor and shares pieces of his vision for this community centered ensemble marching forward.  Tickets to the concert are … Continue reading

The Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund (THMF), established in 1995 by Dr. David and Joan Thaler, providessupport for education about the Holocaust to residents and students at colleges in the Linn Country area. Thaler planning committee chair Amy Belice & Holocaust survivor Rodi Glass meet via zoom with Dennis in this segment of the Culture Crawl.  … Continue reading

Riverside Theatre presents “The Lifespan of a Fact” by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell (based on the book by John D'Agata & Jim Fingal). Director of the show, Adam Knight, and cast member Martin Andrews (John D'Agata) are in the studio ahead of the plays opening night and Iowa City debut. The … Continue reading

Clear Creek Amana High School presents “Newsies” at Clear Creek Amana HS Performing Arts Center April 24-26. In the studio to break things down we have Karley Griffin (Medda Larkin), James Cavanary (Joseph Pulitzer), Makayla Ratliff (Tommy Boy), and behind the scenes with CCA marketing is Hayden Bailey.  Shows will be Thursday 4/24 at 7pm, … Continue reading

The U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors appear at Iowa City West for concert on Friday, April 18. Staff Sgt. Emily Perkins is the group's vocalist and tells us that the show will encompass many of the different eras and sub-genres of jazz for a fast-paced, entertaining show. Admission is free, but Emily recommends reserving a ticket … Continue reading

Crooked Path is back with Rob Bell‘s new play “We'll Get Back to You“ as they raise funds and get ready to take the play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August. In the studio we have director Kristin Hanggi and one of the cast principles, Chris Okiishi.  The show will run April 4-19 at … Continue reading

Jazz music meets Chamber music as Miera Kim and Carey Bostian of Red Cedar have commissioned leading Iowa jazz players Blake Shaw and Dan Padley to write new music for this “all strings but different strings” group, dubbed the Crossover Quartet. Also on the program will be some new arrangements of jazz standards, along with … Continue reading

Scott Chrisman & Eric Freesem are in the studio ahead of the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival coming up April 4-6 at the Collins Road Theatres. There's something for everyone, so head over to their website (crifm.org) and check out the festival schedule and film synopses.  For tickets and more info visit crifm.org.  Subscribe to … Continue reading

As the grounds of the Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center begin to come to life, Leslie Schwarting and the staff at Prairiewoods prepare for their 24th annual event, “Spirituality in the 21st Century.” This year's event, “The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality & Our Quest for an Inspired Life,” will focus on mental health … Continue reading

Kirkwood Community College presents “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson, a five person play that explores the life of hearing impaired female astronomer Henrietta Leavitt as she defies odds in the early 1900s. In the studio to talk about the show are cast members Madeline O'Donnell (Henrietta Leavitt), Reuben Thomas (Margaret Leavitt), and Lyova Merkle (Peter … Continue reading

Cedar Rapids Opera is gearing up for “Song of the Nightingale,” a contemporary opera by Lisa Despain and Melisa Tien. Here to tell us more about it is Zara Zemmels (Collector), Sophia Formella (Nightingale) & Simon Brea (Curator). This family friendly, short (by opera standards) production will be at Kirkwood's Ballantyne Auditorium March 22 at … Continue reading

TKM Productions presents “Over the River & Through the Woods” by playwright Joe DiPietro. Tom Milligan and Adam Burnham are in the studio with the rundown on this cleverly hilarious play. It's March 29-30, Friday & Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm at The Amana Performing Arts Center.  For tickets and more info visit … Continue reading

Educator and singer Mary Jane Knight is releasing an album entitled “Rising Free” at a concert on March 23 at Riverside Theatre. Mary Jane says the album is a deeply personal collection of original mantras and musical pieces that have benefited her own life journey, but the album is designed for any listener looking for … Continue reading

Young Footliters Imagination Studio presents “Penguin Goes to Flight School,” a musical based on the children's book Flight School by Lita Judge. Director Keegan Colletta Huckfeldt and cast members Ella Schmitz and Lucy Polyak are in the studio to fill us in on all the details. The show is suited for kids (and adults) ages … Continue reading

Under the direction of Dr. Gerry Kreitzer, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale has been preparing for their upcoming performance of the Grammy-nominated three-part Oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson, Considering Matthew Shepard. The music celebrates and honors the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man who was brutally attacked and murdered in 1998.  … Continue reading

Miera Kim & Carey Bostian with Red Cedar Chamber Music have been busy this year with their violin and cello concert program, Cultural Passport. This program highlights folk music representing cultures from around the world and covers a range of compositional styles.  Upcoming performances for the public will be Saturday 3/8, 12pm at Marion Library, … Continue reading

A.J. Plummer & Jason Wright in the studio today ahead of their upcoming cabaret show at Opus Concert Café, In My Imagination, Friday 3/14 and Saturday 3/15 at 7:30pm. The space is tight and tickets will go fast! Tickets and more info can be found at artsiowa.com. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or … Continue reading

Kirsten Brooks and Franco Machado-Pesce are in the studio amidst Riverside Theatre's production of “Native Gardens” by Karen Zacharías, directed by Kirsten Brooks. This immersive play deals with property lines, feuding neighbors, and… acorns? The show is open through March 16. Get your tickets now at riversidetheatre.org.  Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or … Continue reading

The Swampland Jewels team up with the Dandelion Stompers for a Fat Tuesday concert March 4 at Wildwood Saloon in Iowa City. Forrest Heusinkfeld and Nate Basinger talk about the band's “Gulf Coast” sound and reveals plans for an album later this year. Advance tickets at www.wildwoodsaloon.com. Subscribe to The Culture Crawl at kcck.org/culture or … Continue reading

The Avita Duo is comprised of the mother-daughter team of Ksenia Nosikova, chair of the piano department at the University of Iowa, and Katya Moeller, currently studying at Juilliard. The duo performs March 4 at Opus Concert Cafe prior to their first ever New York performance later in March. Tickets for the Opus show at … Continue reading

Orchestra Iowa performs their second concert in as many weeks, with “A Lyrical Journey,” featuring one of Tim's favorite symphonies, Brahms 4, special guest pianist Lorraine Min performing Saint-Saëns, and a piece by composer Caroline Shaw, whose music is also featured in a new documentary on Leonardo de Vinci. March 1, 7:30pm at Paramount Theatre … Continue reading