Des Moines Community Jazz Center

06/07/2026

NEW RELEASE SUNDAY ON STRAIGHT NO CHASER

We have a stack of new releases to share with you tonight. In addition to those pictured here, we’ll sample new tracks from musicians new to the show including flutist Michel Gentile, clarinetist Virginia MacDonald and pianist Yvonne Rogers. Plus, we’ll remember the music of several musician who passed away in May. Listen in tonight, 5 to 8 PM CST, on KFMG-FM — 98.9 FM in Des Moines and streaming at kfmg.org.

06/06/2026

BOTTOM LINE: Lucy Yeghaizaryan is a converocalist, meaning she has the unique ability to make each song she approaches an intimate conversation with her listeners. On her new release Hey Love! she puts that magical touch on ten familiar and not so familiar tunes. Her warmth and charm, plus the accompaniment of a stellar ensemble, makes Hey Love! a welcome addition to her growing discography.

LA RESERVE (RELEASED JUNE 19, 2026) On her last recording, Beyond the Golden Door, Armenian born Lucy Yeghaizaryan brought her intimate and elegant vocal styling to the music of her culture. With h…

06/04/2026

JAM WITH CJC ON SUNDAY!

Join middle to high school students for an old-fashioned jazz jam session this Sunday, June 7, 2 to 4 PM, at The Cave in downtown Des Moines. Sponsored by the Community Jazz Center of Greater Des Moines (CJC), the sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, call 515-279-6452.

06/03/2026

BOTTOM LINE: Born in Serbia, raised in Canada and now living in New York City, guitarist Vladimir Redzic makes his recording debut on First Time Around. The tunes, mostly from the Great American Songbook, are timeless. The performances are tasty and refined. This is jazz that thrives on simplicity, sophistication and swing. Let’s hope there is a second time around in the future.

SELF RELEASED (RELEASED MAY 25, 2026) Guitarist Vladimir Redzic’s debut recording reminds us that jazz does not have to be complicated or controversial to make a statement. Redzic’s statement on Fi…

06/02/2026

BOTTOM LINE: With “In Search Of …,” Canadian clarinetist Virginia MacDonald is no longer in the shadow of other bandleaders. She is casting her own shadow as a trailblazer on the clarinet. This set of six originals and two standards prove what trombonist Michael Dease has to say about her — “she is redefining the creative possibilities of jazz clarinet for a new generation.”

CELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED MAY 29, 2026) Searching for a clarinetist who approaches the instrument with modern (almost sax-like) sensibilities? You’ll find it on In Search Of…, the debut release from C…

06/01/2026

BOTTOM LINE: Mahaka Records does it again! Whirlpool, featuring Matt Lavelle, Chad Fowler, Ken Filiano and Bobby Kapp, lives up the label’s mission of publishing aggressively beautiful music while connecting geographically and culturally disparate musicians. It’s a delightful example of the power, joy and beauty of modern improvised music.

MAHAKALA RECORDS (RELEASED MAY 15, 2026) Four musicians are about to go through a revolving door. The musicians are trumpet/clarinet player Matt Lavelle, stritch/alto flute player Chad Fowler, bass…

05/31/2026

STRAIGHT NO CHASER REMEMBERS SONNY ROLLINS

Spend three hours with Straight No Chaser tonight as we remember the music of jazz great Sonny Rollins who passed away last week at the age of 95. We’ll play some of his recordings plus many of his compositions performed by people he influenced. For a retrospective on a jazz giant, tune in tonight, 5 to 8 PM CST, on KFMG-FM — 98.9 FM in Des Moines and streaming at kfmg.org.

05/30/2026

BOTTOM LINE: The Rob Garcia 4 becomes five with the addition of trumpeter Shane Endsley on Sizzle Ensemble. The addition of the trumpet and the change in piano players to Gary Versace adds a new dimension to this set of 13 varied tunes including ten Garcia originals and a well-crafted arrangement of Thelonious Monk’s “Epistrophy.” It has a little bit of everything to offer and everything is played with verve.

CONNECTION WORKS  (RELEASED MAY 29, 2026) As my wife often says, “Abe, you’re doing too much!” After listening to the Sizzle Ensemble, I might say the same thing to Rob Garcia . Garcia and his…

05/29/2026

BOTTOM LINE: More than ten years ago, Downbeat named flutist Michel Gentile as a “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition.” If that didn’t put him on your jazz radar, Light of Day certainly will. It’s Gentile’s finest recording to date documenting his “talents” as a flutist, composer, arranger and bandleader.

CONNECTION WORKS  (RELEASED MAY 29, 2026) According to one resource, chamber jazz can be identified by its formal compositions, acoustic ensembles, unconventional instrumentation and global in…

05/27/2026

BOTTOM LINE: If you are curious about the name of Sue Cahill’s Evanstonia, it is nod to her hometown of Evanston, Illinois. As she explains, Chicago’s classical broadcasts, jazz programming and restless creative energy left an indelible imprint on her skills as a masterful bassist and compelling composer. It is certain to leave an imprint on jazz listeners who are yearning for something beyond the traditional, standards-driven piano trio format.

SELF PRODUCED (RELEASED MAY 29, 2026) With the release of Evanstonia, you can add Sue Cahill to the list of woman bass players currently on the scene. What might separate Cahill from the others is …