Our 2025-2026 Season

All concerts begin at 7:30pm at the Turner Jazz Center, 25th and Forest Avenue

Thurs. October 2: Kansas City, Here We Come

Presenting Tunes Made Famous by KC Legends
Kansas City, where Bob Brookmeyer, Coleman Hawkins, Melba Liston, Pat Metheny, Bennie Moten, Charlie Parker, Ben Webster and Count Basie’s Orchestra first honed their craft, is renowned for its vibrant jazz history, especially from the 1920s to the 1940s. That era saw the development of a distinctive Kansas City jazz style characterized by hard-swinging rhythms, bluesy melodies and extended improvisations. The flourishing African American community at 18th and Vine provided a fertile ground for this unique sound to take shape. Travel with us!

Thurs. November 13: Oh Canada!

Performing A Tribute to Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass
Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass was a highly acclaimed big band famous for its distinctive Canadian sound. The band, led by Rob McConnell, a skilled valve trombonist and arranger inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1997, was a pioneer in the world of big band jazz, earning 17 Grammy nominations and three wins. The band was known for tight ensemble work, innovative arrangements and powerful sound. McConnell’s arrangements were characterized by shifting harmonies, lush textures and interesting tempo changes. Join us!

Thurs. December 18: All That Holiday Jazz!

Featuring Anita Jackson
A native of St. Louis, over the course of her stellar career, Anita Jackson has toured or recorded as a background vocalist with Bette Midler, Patti Austin, Mariah Carey, Chico DeBarge, Erykah Badu and Cissy Houston. A graduate of the American Music and Drama Academy in New York, her performances are marked by her rich voice and radiant personality. Anita has been a featured player with the  St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre and has received numerous accolades for her brilliant performances. Don’t miss this one!

Tues. February 10: Jazz for Lovers and Friends

Featuring Connie Evingson
Minnesota-born and raised, Connie Evingson has a catalog of acclaimed albums that encompass a wide spectrum of genres. From jazz to Broadway standards to covering Peggy Lee or The Beatles, the Twin Cities-based singer has an adventurous spirit that, like her music, knows no boundaries. Her ten albums have all charted in the Top 50 in the United States and Canada, and can be heard on radio stations around the globe. Come feel the love!

Thurs. March 26: All We Need Is . . . The Beatles

 Performing Big Band Arrangements of the Beatles
It’s hard to describe all the ways this group of mop-tops affected music. They hit America like a cannonball and kept on rolling throughout the sixties. Innovators in song length, album programming, multi-track recording, eastern music fusion and social commentary, they wrote beautiful tunes that made us dance and made us think. It’s not surprising that jazz arrangers have made delicious meals out of their immense catalog of songs. We’re going to have an absolute blast performing Beatles with a big band point of view! You're going to want to be in the room!

Thurs. May 21: Mike Conrad

Introducing Compositions by Pianist/Trombonist Mike Conrad
Iowa is lucky to have Mike Conrad. A gifted pianist, trombonist and composer, he currently teaches at the UNI School of Music where he was named Teacher of the Year for 2024. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Mike has four ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, seven Downbeat Awards and other awards and recognitions from around the globe. His compositions have been presented from Beijing to the White House with stops in Carnegie Hall and Berlin. He is in high demand both as a pianist and as a trombonist. Don't miss this triple threat!