Event to be headlined by Iowa jazz group BYOBrass
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (April 22, 2026)–Kirkwood Community College’s radio station Jazz 88.3 KCCK will host its annual Taste of Jazz fundraiser this Friday, April 24, at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center. The event will feature a headline performance by BYOBrass.
The event begins at 6 p.m. and raises funds for KCCK’s jazz education programs, which serve thousands of students at no cost each year. The Iowa Bandmasters Association has called the programs “the crown jewel of jazz education in Iowa.”
“Some of the members of BYOBrass did our programs as students, and many of them now teach music locally and around the state,” said KCCK General Manager Dennis Green. “More than most, they personally know the value that KCCK’s education programs provide.”
BYOBrass is a collective of musicians and educators from across Iowa, formed by a group of friends who met while attending the University of Northern Iowa. The ensemble blends influences from jazz with genres such as house, indie rock, hip-hop and New Orleans-style brass band music.
Also scheduled to perform is a student jazz ensemble led by Linn-Mar High School junior Everett Sams, a three-time Jazz All-Stater and alumnus of KCCK’s Jazz Band Camp and the Corridor Jazz Project.
In addition to live music, Taste of Jazz will feature a silent auction, food prepared by the Kirkwood Culinary Arts Program, and a wine and beer tasting with local vendors.
To find out more about Tast of Jazz, go to kcck.org/taste.
Jazz 88.3 KCCK, operated by Kirkwood Community College, marked its 50th year of operation in 2025. More information about KCCK is available at kcck.org.
*****EVENT*****
What: Taste of Jazz
Where: The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW in Cedar Rapids
When: Friday, April 24, at 6 p.m.
Cost: $100 per person, tickets can be purchased at the door