Des Moines Community Jazz Center

10/18/2026

CJC Big Band live!

Featuring the Dallas Center-Grimes 8th Grade Jazz Band under the direction of Steve Britt!

CJC BIG BAND presents IOWA SWINGS

10/18/2026

CELEBRATING OCTOBER’S JAZZ BIRTHDAYS

Join the party tonight on Straight No Chaser as we play the music of artists born in the month of October. In addition to those pictured here, you’ll hear from organist Larry Young. trumpeter Clifford Brown, drummer Art Blakey and many others. Listen in tonight, 5 to 8 PM CST on KFMG-FM — 98.9 FM in Des Moines and streaming at kfmg.org.

10/17/2026

BOTTOM LINE: Baritone saxophone great Pepper Adams once observed that studying just one player to shape your sound is plagiarism, while studying many players is research. Pianist Tyler Henderson has done his research, drawing on pianists such as Bud Powell, George Cables and Kenny Barron, among others. The Long Game reflects those studies while bringing a fresh approach to a sound that remains familiar to hard-bop piano trio fans.

CELLAR MUSIC 21826 (RELEASED OCTOBER 9, 2026) Since relocating to New York City from his native Canada, pianist Tyler Henderson has absorbed what he calls “The New York Sound.” According to Henders…

10/16/2026

Did you know Iowa's musical legacy extends far beyond the Swing Era?

This particular arrangement by Iowa jazz composer David Sharp and music educator - As If We Never Said Goodbye is one of the featured works on our upcoming IOWA SWINGS: The Music of Iowa Composers and Musicians concert.

This selection is presented in memory of our former lead trumpet player, Dave Williams.

Join us on October 18.

New Hope United Methodist Church
2 PM
Free admission

Featuring the Dallas Center-Grimes 8th Grade Jazz Band under the direction of Steve Britt!

10/16/2026

A MUST SEE CONCERT FOR CLARINETISTS, BASSISTS, DRUMMERS AND FANS OF PURE JAZZ!

Tickets are available at the door — $30 CASH or CHECK.
For more information, call 515-279-6452

10/15/2026

Did you know one of the most famous swing tunes ever recorded has Iowa roots?

Glenn Miller's In The Mood became an icon of the Swing Era and remains one of the most recognizable big band classics today.

Join us October 18 for IOWA SWINGS: The Music of Iowa Composers and Musicians as we celebrate the remarkable impact Iowans have had on America's musical heritage.

10/14/2026

BOTTOM LINE: The smile on Jocelyn Gould’s face on the cover of So Delighted says it all. The guitarist has good reason to be pleased with a session that pays homage to the organ-trio tradition through a combination of five standards and five originals, enhanced by several guest soloists. Although two tracks that add another guitarist to the mix seem out of place, the rest of the session is a delightful addition to Gould’s discography and to the genre she celebrates.

JOCELYN GOULD MUSIC 1026 (RELEASED OCTOBER 9, 2026) For her fifth recording, Canadian guitarist Jocelyn Gould returns to a time when few sounds in jazz were more soulful and joyful than the organ t…

10/14/2026

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SUNDAY'S CONCERT

Experience pure jazz at Caspe Terrace in Waukee.
Order tickets online at jazzatcaspe.weebly.com
Reserve tickets by calling 515-279-6452

10/11/2026

A MIXED BAG SUNDAY ON STRAIGHT NO CHASER

Enjoy three hours of jazz featuring tracks from some new releases, some items from the vault as well as remembering the music of artists who recently passed away. Join me tonight for another session of Straight No Chaser — 5 to 8 PM CST on KFMG-FM at 98.9 FM in Des Moines and streaming at kfmg.org.