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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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. … Continue reading

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, … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading

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 … Continue reading