Mike Conrad & the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra at the Redstone Room -- January 16.
Sunday, January 16, 5 p.m.
The Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA
On January 16, no fewer than 17 gifted Midwestern musicians will perform in Davenport's Redstone Room as featured guests in Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Jazz Series, with Mike Conrad & the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra proving that jazz lovers don’t need to look to New York City or Chicago for beautiful, creative, high-quality music.
Currently serving as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies & Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa, Conrad is a composer and improviser who has toured China, played at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and appeared at various jazz festivals and venues all over the United States. Among the ensembles he has performed with are the Alexa Tarantino Quintet, Dave Chisholm’s Calligraphy, and Christopher’s Very Happy Band, and Conrad has been recognized for his arranging and composing with four ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and seven DownBeat Awards, as well as citations and commissions from organizations such as the Bundesjazzorchester of Germany, the West Point Jazz Knights, and the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.
Conrad’s arrangements have been performed all around the world, including in a 2014 premiere at Carnegie Hall and a performance at President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2013. Some of his recent career highlights include Conrad's participation in the 2017 Metropole Orchestra Arrangers Workshop with Vince Mendoza and winning second prize in the “Spheres of a Genius” composition competition through the Vienna Radio Symphony. In addition to serving as frontman for Mike Conrad & the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra, the artist currently directs Jazz Band Two and teaches courses and lessons in Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Pedagogy, Jazz Methods, Jazz Theory, Jazz Piano, Jazz Composition, and Jazz Arranging.
Performing an evening of original music by Conrad, Bob Washut, Chris Merz, John Rapson, and other extraordinary jazz talents from the Iowa region, 16 first-rate musicians will join their frontman in Polyrhythms' January 16 concert event: on saxophones, Robert Espe, Jen Tiede, Chris Mertz, Nolan Schroeder, and Simon Harding; on trumpets, Cory Schmidt, Dave Rezek, Jon Ailabouni, and Steve Wheeler; on trombones, Anthony Williams, Rich Medd, Joel Nagel, and Zack Morton; and joining Conrad on rhythm section, Steve Grismore, Drew Morton, and Dave Tiede.
Mike Conrad & the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra play the Redstone Room at 5 p.m. on January 16, admission to the concert is $15, and more information and reservations are available by calling (309)373-0790 and visiting Polyrhythms.org.
