JAZZMAN JOE VIDEOS - Singers Summit with The Community Jazz Center Big Band at Java Joe's in Des Moines on Mar 18, 2018

"The (Community Jazz Center) was formed by Willie Thomas, a nationally known trumpet player, in March of 1988. It's mission was to provide young musicians an opportunity to interact and share their gifted talents with area students. Since the departure of Mr. Thomas, the CJC has thrived under the leadership of Phyllis Leaverton. Long-time volunteer, Abe Goldstien took over the reins of the CJC in August 2017 and has many new and exciting plans for the future of CJC!

"The main objective of the CJC is to provide young musicians an opportunity to develop their talents and enjoy music in a non-competitive environment. The structured monthly jam sessions are beneficial in this way - to both student musicians and professional musicians alike."
- from The Greater Des Moines Community Jazz Center website

Jazzman Joe from the video's YouTube page: "JAVA JOE'S COFFEEHOUSE, 214 FOURTH STREET IN DES MOINES, IOWA, WAS THE SITE FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL SINGERS SUMMIT. VARIOUS VOCALIST FROM THE METRO ENTERTAINED, ACCOMPANIED BY THE COMMUNITY JAZZ CENTER BIG BAND."

IHEARIC PODCAST - Episode 16: March Concert Preview (03/25/2018)

Hey folks, this is a short one as everyone in the iHearIC inner circle was busy at the Composers' Workshop concert at Voxman (program here if you're interested: https://uiowa.edu/cnm/cnm/cnm/cnm/concert-season-52/concert-15-0).

Tonight's show was a quick preview of the performers gracing us with their art at this Friday's iHearIC concert at the Java House in downtown Iowa City. The show starts at 8pm and we'd love to see you there! Here's the facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/601537416848409

In case you miss this week's concert, tune in to the radio show next week (7pm Sunday on KRUI - 89.7FM if you're nearby and using a radio, krui.fm to stream online) to hear a few recorded selections.

After this week, we'll have two more concerts this season:
April 20, 8PM at The High Ground Cafe
May 5, 2PM, location TBA

This episode features music by:
Christine Burke (https://www.burkechristine.com / https://soundcloud.com/burkec2)
Christian Cripe (https://www.facebook.com/Official-Christian-Cripe-502198536839410)
Will Yager (https://soundcloud.com/will-yager / https://twitter.com/willyager)
Collidescope (https://acollidescope.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/collidescopemagick / https://twitter.com/collid_e_scope)

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IOWA - Episode 26: AIBU

This week I hung out with AIBU, her incredible talent of covering songs and making them "original covers" is beautiful. Joining her Quervo, who plays guitar and backs her vocals. Quervo was my first repeat customer as he calls it. These two had a lot of fun jamming out in the studio playing their original song, and covers from Bob Marley to Lorde.

This Podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm All Recordings done by Johnathan Free, at [88.5 KURE Ames Alternative]

"I sing anything, good music is good music. But I guess I prefer a lot of indie songs...

"Just a Yaady doing covers of songs to try and make your brainy parts happy �"
- from her Facebook page

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IOWA is a podcast produced and hosted by Richard Sutton. We feature any new episodes the Wednesday after they were recorded.

IHEARIC VIDEOS - Lwa Live and in Pitch Darkness at The Englehart Theater in Iowa City on Oct 25, 2010

"Hailing from from Iowa City, Lwa usually consists of 2 core members who use a battery of electronic devices (from the hand built to the scavanged from garage sale, university surplus, etc) to produce strange aural landscapes. From the duo's inception in '03, their focus has shifted from cathartic, impenetrable tidal noise to dark skeletal pop structures with the collaboration of NIMBY's homemade electric drums, to their current mode. Collecting a great number of field recordings, the duo now focus on restrained and minimal tones emulating and embellishing the base of field recordings.

"Through out these years, the group has been active in their community, though touring is rare. They've played with many like-minded sound artists such as: Tim Hecker, Greg Davies, Kent Williams, Rene Hell, C. Spencer Yeh, Wet Hair, Boris, The Tanks, Melt-Banana, Outer Space, Moth Cock, David Daniell, Wolf Eyes, Raglani, Hair Police, Awesome Color, Sightings, Mountains, Gowns, and many, many other talented out-artists.

"Their recorded output is rare, since they primarily focus on a preparing a different set for each of their gigs. There have been a few tapes, CDRs, and a split lathe 10 inch. All in limited quantity. There exist several studio outings, though the bulk of their work has been documented in various live settings."
- from their page on Last.fm

IOWA MUSIC SHOWCASE PODCAST - Episode 62: Music of Sump Pump Records, Part 2 of 2

This episode, we just continue presenting some of the different and various artists that you can find on the Des Moines record label, Sump Pump Records.

You can catch the first part here - http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/2018/03/episode-61-music-of-sump-pump-records.html

Sump Pump Records NOT only produces their own records, but distributes a shit ton of Iowa music that you can find on their web page right here - http://sumppumprecords.com/promoted-1/

And they also feature videos from their records - http://sumppumprecords.com/videos-1/ - and a list of shows their bands are performing - http://sumppumprecords.com/events/

And in case, you didn't read the little history we presented last episode, here's how they describe themselves on their "About us" page on their website:

"SUMP PUMP RECORDS WAS FOUNDED IN 1998 BY DAN HUTCHISON, BRIAN WIKSELL AND BILL HEARD. WE RELEASED A VINYL 7" EP FOR WHY MAKE CLOCKS IN 1998 AND A FULL-LENGTH CD FOR CHAD O'NEALL IN 2000...THEN WE GOT PREOCCUPIED WITH OUR BANDS.

"NOW, IT'S A 5 WAY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DAN, BRIAN, WILL TARBOX, CHUCK HOFFMAN & TOM REELITZ RELEASING RECORDS WITH A DIY APPROACH, BY OURSELVES AND OTHER BANDS WE LOVE."

Artwork by Stutterin Jimmy

IMSC Ep 62 - Song 1: "Motorcycle" by The Vahnevants

"The Vahnevants have carved out their place among their Des Moines garage rock contemporaries by filtering the familiar through their devil-may-care delivery and refreshing lack of attention to detail. It’s textural and rooted in nearly 60 years of rock subgenres and culture. The result gives The Vahnevants’ music its signature timeless warble and warmth, and what a worthy warble it is."
- from a review by Ali Henkle on the DMMC website

Credits:
Jared James Vaughan III
Micah Sturdevant
Ryan C. Meier
James Dean Brittenson

micah & jared made these recordings
micah & jared were telepathically manipulated by ryan
ryan made these recordings
satan made it stick.

Photo by Cady Colosimo

IMSC Ep 62 - Song 2: "Punk Funk" by Zuul

"HEAVY METAL THUNDER"
- from their Facebook page

Credits:
JL Bolinger - guitar/vocals
Ian Koehler-- guitar
Denny Richards - bass
Alex Watts - drum

Recorded by ZUUL & Crystal Sherman
Engineered by Crystal Sherman
Recorded in our basement
Tips & Tricks from Jon Hansen
Mastering by Jon Hansen

IMSC Ep 62 - Song 3: "Dead End" by Traffic Death

"Traffic Death is a high speed, violent crossover band that has a tendency to crash into a sudden doomy halt. Based out of Des Moines, Iowa. Four veterans of the extreme metal and punk scene came together to form a unique style of music with frequent feel and tempo changes that fuses together several sub-genres of metal and punk, creating a style that's almost impossible to pinpoint.

"Forming in late 2013, Traffic Death has already released a full length LP 'Don't be a Projectile' as well as the recently released EP "Terror on the Freeway" while already having third release ready for pressing.

"Before even forming the members had already collectively amassed hundreds of shows in experience in their previous bands. Featuring ex Black Market Fetus members, Nate Phillips on vocals and Andrew Smeltzer on bass. Dark Mirror guitarist Garan Drozd and NGDS drummer Brian Greenfield."
- from their Facebook page

Credits:
Garan Drozd - Guitar
Andrew Smeltzer - Bass
Brian Greenfield - Drums
Nate Phillips - Vocals

Recorded and Mixed July/August 2017 By Jeff Stone at Third Scoop Studios, Des Moines, IA
Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering, Chicago, IL
All Songs and Lyrics By Traffic Death

Ep 62 - Song 4: "Testimonial" by Eric Kennedy

"Eric Kennedy performs mostly solo and sometimes as a duo with his friend Tim. He is also fond of eggs on toast...

"Eric Kennedy is part of Squidboy and was in Why Make Clocks and Delirious Conniptions."
- from his Facebook page

Credits:
Recorded by Dan Hutchison on the same Tascam 414 MKII 4 Track cassette Portastudio.
Recorded & Mixed between April 2013-Feb. 2014 by Dan Hutchison @ Sump Pump Recording, Des Moines, IA
Mastered by Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering, Boston, MA

Ep 62 - Song 5: "Little Light in the Big Rust" by Matthew James & The Rust Belt Union

"Sounds of the worked and tired, blue collar and swollen hands over broken homes and poverty. American music reminiscent of the 1970’s country and blues bands with stories from the hard life sewn into the smooth and sometimes chaotic melodies. A raw, lamenting howl driven by thunderous drums marching to the upright bass and soothed again by the moans and cries of a pedal steel. We like to call it Midwest Junk Soul."
- from a review by Kyli Selburg on the DMMC website

"Matthew James is a singer songwriter from the dirty mitten, Michigan. He has been howling in microphones since 2000 and recording hand made lo-fi junk since 2006 with the formation of The Back Home in Michigan Band. He spent a few years touring with Rickett Pass, rambling around the country and has settled in Des Moines to produce his next full length album. 'Impromptu Musicals for the Skeptic'." - from his Bandcamp page

Credits:
Matthew James - Acoustic Guitar / vocals
Wrex Hill - Drums
Nathan M Emerson - Pedal Steel
Larry Kaster - Upright Bass
Nick Maurer & Brad Hanson - Electric Guitar
Matt Miller - Organ

Butchie by: Greg Welts
Engineered by: Nick Maurer
Mastered by: Carl Saff
Produced by: Matthew James

Ep 62 - Song 6: "One Less Thing to Worry About" by Tom Armstrong

"One of several old-fashioned style honky-tonk musicians to emerge on the US scene in the new millennium, this San Francisco, California, USA-based singer-songwriter’s recreation of the sound of late 50s/early 60s country music is so heartfelt that it manages to avoid pastiche. Armstrong learned to play the guitar in his early teens and began playing in rock bands at high school. In 1984, he joined the Des Moines, Iowa-based indie rock outfit the Hollowmen, going on to make two unsuccessful records with them during the late 80s. Following a short stint at art school, Armstrong resurrected his music career in the mid-90s by reinventing himself as a traditional honky-tonk artist. His debut, Sings Heart Songs, recorded in 1996 but not released until three years later, was a charming collection of self-written material that with little difficulty could be listened to as a lost recording session by a legendary honky-tonk singer such as Lefty Frizzell or Ray Price. Indeed, the retro cover art was a near identical copy of a Price album also called Sings Heart Songs. The album and its equally beguiling follow-up, Songs That Make The Juke Box Play, received excellent reviews in both the independent and mainstream press."
- from his AllMusic page

Credits:
Tom Armstrong - vocals, acoustic & electric guitars
Dave Berzansky - pedal steel
Les James - drums, percussion
Brian Whelan - vocals, piano, bass

Produced by Rob Douglas
Engineered by Pete Curry
Recorded at Pow Wow Fun Room, Los Angeles, CA July 2010-Feb 2011
Mastered by Tom Gennert, Prairie Sun Studios, Cotati, CA
Written by Tom Armstrong, Downstate Song Company, ASCAP

photo by Toby Burditt
https://www.modelmayhem.com/1956618

IMSC Ep 62 - Song 7: "I Remember Darling" by Dexter Romweber

"Dex Romweber is nothing less than an icon of the American music underground. Pioneering the template for the stripped to-the-essentials guitar/drums duo format in the (should be) world famous psycho-surf-rockabilly-garage-punk combo Flat Duo Jets—so often emulated, so rarely duplicated—Dex continues his resurgence with the new album Is That You In The Blue? With sister Sara on drums, the Dex Romweber Duo is a potent combo that’ll get your leg twitching with the beat and your heart racing -and sometimes breaking- with the feral excitement of music. If it don’t, you might want to consider turning in your 'I Heart Rock n Roll' badge. Seriously.

"In Dex, you have someone who burrows into the guts of American roots music with a uniquely alchemical mania; he’s a man clearly bored with, or oblivious to, genre constraints. With a mix of originals and obscure nuggets from rock and roll’s dusky back closets, the DRD romps through the sweaty cinder block studios of Memphis of the 50’s, channels street corners on the wrong side of town with existential blues and instrumentals that’d find a home in a Tarantino spy flick."
- from his Facebook page

Ep 62 - Song 8: "Stoned and Feathered" by Telekinetic Yeti

"Telekinetic Yeti is a 2 piece Stoner Rock/Doom band based out of Iowa that was formed by Alex Baumann and Anthony Dreyer in March of 2015. They have been impressing audiences across the US with their high energy performances and thunderous live sound. They dropped their first official music video on January 1, 2017 which racked up 79,000 views by the end of the year. They released their debut full length album "Abominable" on March 17, 2017, which has received many rave reviews by metal/rock websites, and ranked on several best albums of 2017 lists. In 2017 they also toured most of the US and parts of Canada alongside sludge metal legends 'Weedeater' as well as stoner rock legends 'Truckfighters.' They are kicking off 2018 with a Winter US/Canada tour with 1000Mods from Greece."
- from their home page

Credits:
Alex Baumann - guitar/vocals
Anthony Dreyer - drums

Recorded at flat black studios in iowa in 2016.
Mixed by Luke Tweedy
Mastered by Carl Saff.
Written by Telekinetic Yeti

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IOWA - Episode 23: Moonrabbit

Last Week Joshua and Sascha from Moonrabbit came by the studio and we played some tracks off their upcoming EP!! These guys had some hilarious stories to tell and it was a blast getting to talk to them.

This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm. All Recordings done in the Studio at [88.5 KURE Ames Alternative].

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IOWA is a podcast produced and hosted by Richard Sutton. We feature any new episodes the Wednesday after they were recorded.

CULTURE MYTH - Day 3: Oklahoma City

Written by Chad Taylor. Originally appeared on the Culture Myth website on March 20, 2016.

There's nobody here. That's not even that big of an exaggeration: the crowd is so small, that at one point Sara Routh makes everyone go around the room and introduce themselves. And yet, this place is what you wish every show could embody.

The venue. Holy shit, the venue. JJ's Alley Bricktown Pub is a tiny, dirty, glorious clusterfuck of kitsch. The walls are covered with such a jumbled, eclectic collection of doll heads, signs, doors, toys, glasses and various random fuckery as to be nearly overwhelming in their incomprehensibility. The first thing one does when entering JJ's for the first time is gape.