KCC DEPARTMENT OF JAZZ STUDIES

Jazz Director
Guest Artists
Music Calendar
Photo Gallery

Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble is a 20-piece big band comprised of college students enrolled for credit. The ensemble performs annual concerts on the Kirkwood Campus and have accompanied national and international guest artists; including Randy Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Christian McBride, Sonny Fortune, Louie Bellson, etc). The jazz group have been participants of several prestigious jazz festivals nationally where they received outstanding recognition. Their schedule also includes a tour of high schools in the state of Iowa and performances at various cultural events in the Cedar Rapids community.  In addition, members have been selected to perform in The “All Star” Community College Jazz Ensemble at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference and also the IAJE Midwest Regional Conference Intercollegiate Jazz Ensemble. The band has several CD recordings with (Red Hot Jazz), (Two Cultures), and (Search). Their repertoire consists of traditional through contemporary music of all styles.

C.R. Jazz Big Band is a unique organization of approximately 20 community members with diverse backgrounds joined together to form a polished and lively set of arrangements and original compositions. The band rehearses Monday evenings (7:00pm) during the fall and spring semesters on the campus of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The repertoire of C.R. Jazz consists of traditional Swing music of the 30’s and 40’s through contemporary jazz of our new millennium. The group performs Big Band dances, concerts and benefits for local organizations and private functions in the Cedar Rapids area. C.R. Jazz has also accompanied numerous national/international artists in concerts including Herb Ellis, Ernie Watts, Jimmy Heath, Larry Coryell, Russell Malone, Houston Person, etc. The band has recorded several CD’s including (C.R. Jazz live), (Dorian Blue) and (Palindrome).

Contact: tim.feldkamp@kirkwood.edu

Kirkwood Jazz Combo (3 – 8 musicians per group) serves as a learning tool for the student pursuing an interest in the jazz idiom. Ensemble playing, jazz improvisation, and jazz arranging are essential ingredients in the course of study. The combos perform annual concerts on the Kirkwood campus and community events in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. Recordings of the groups are included on the Kirkwood College Jazz CD’s. Student personnel have also received outstanding group/individual jazz awards at the prestigious Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Chicago, Illinois and also the University of Kansas Jazz Festival.

JAZZ CURRICULUM

JAZZ IMPROVISATION 1 MUS-191 (2 credit hours)
Studies theoretical principles and techniques used in the jazz idiom.
Provides opportunity for application of jazz theory at the performance level.
Includes scales, chord progressions, melodic patterns, rhythmic elements and jazz standard repertoire. (2/0)

JAZZ IMPROVISATION 2 MUS-193 (2 credit hours)
Continues the study as outlined in Jazz Improvisation I.
PREREQUISITE: Jazz Improvisation I or permission of instructor.
(Note: Jazz Improvisation courses highly recommended for students interested in performing solos in the jazz ensemble and jazz combos).

JAZZ ENSEMBLE MUS-163 (1 credit hour)
Explores various styles of jazz from traditional to contemporary through a performance-oriented class. Audition required. May be repeated for credit. (0/3)

JAZZ COMBO MUS-165 (2 credit hours)
Explores various styles of jazz in a small group setting and emphasizes improvisational techniques. Audition required. (0/2-4)

CR JAZZ BIG BAND
Community Jazz Ensemble performance-oriented group designed to explore various styles of jazz from traditional to contemporary.
Rehearses Monday evenings only. Audition required.