Giveton Gelin
2021-07-03 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Pursuing jazz is difficult, especially in the Bahamas. Since 10-years-old, Gelin taught himself to play the trumpet simply by emulating his favorite records. After years of self-tutelage, bass player Adrian D’Aguilar, began to mentor him; thereby, providing him the tools to play jazz. Later on, the Nassau-born trumpeter would study with Dr. Eddie Henderson at the Oberlin Conservatory. The same year, he received recognition at the Young Arts Foundation and Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program. Thereafter, he continued his studies at the Juilliard School– expecting to graduate in 2021.
After only a year, the trumpeter has played with pioneers of the NY jazz scene such as Curtis Lundy, Harold Mabern, Winard Harper, Sullivan Fortner, Ben Wolfe, and Jon Batiste. Additionally, the 20-year-old trumpeter has received tutelage from some of the world’s greatest trumpeters including Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Ralph Peterson, and the late Roy Hargrove. His artistic vision is to pay tribute to his ancestors as well as unify others by incorporating universal human experiences into sound. Through his quintet, Gelin brings forth a new narrative to jazz music.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.givetongelin.com/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Peterson/Thaker Quartet
2021-07-03 15:00 - 16:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: The Peterson/Thaker Quartet is comprised of talented young artists from around the state. Members of this group have studied with some of the most talented jazz artists on the scene today, and continue to advance the music while also staying in the line of tradition.

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Immanuel Wilkins
2021-07-03 16:00 - 17:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Immanuel Wilkins is a saxophonist, composer, educator, and bandleader from the greater Philadelphia area. While growing up, Wilkins honed his skills in the church and studied in programs dedicated to teaching jazz music like the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. After moving to New York in 2015, he proceeded to earn his bachelor’s degree in Music at Juilliard (studying with the saxophonists Bruce Williams and the late, great Joe Temperley) while simultaneously establishing himself as an in demand sideperson, touring in Japan, Europe, South America, The United Arab Emirates, and the United States and working and/or recording with artists like Jason Moran, the Count Basie Orchestra, Delfeayo Marsalis, Joel Ross, Aaron Parks, Gerald Clayton, Gretchen Parlato, Lalah Hathaway, Solange Knowles, Bob Dylan, and Wynton Marsalis to name just a few. It was also during this same period that he formed his quartet featuring his long-time bandmates: Micah Thomas (piano), Daryl Johns (bass) and Kweku Sumbry (drums).
Being a bandleader with a working group for over four years has allowed Wilkins to grow both as a composer and as an arranger — and has led to him receiving a number of commissions including, most recently, from The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, The Jazz Gallery Artist Residency Commission Program (a collaboration with Sidra Bell Dance NY, 2020) and The Kimmel Center Artist in Residence for 2020 (a collaboration with photographer Rog Walker and videographer David Dempewolf). Being emerged in the scene at a young age and sharing the stage with various jazz masters has inspired Wilkins to pursue his goal of being a positive force in both music and in society. This includes quite an impressive resumé as an educator. In addition to teaching at NYU and the New School, he has taught and given master classes and clinics at schools/venues like Oberlin, Yale and the Kimmel Center. Ultimately, Wilkins’ mission is to create music and to develop a voice that has a profound spiritual and emotional impact.
By studying the humanity and the cultural specificity of jazz, Wilkins aspires to bring people together through his art. His debut recording, Omega —produced by Jason Moran— was released by Blue Note Records in 2020 and has received uniformly rave reviews. In addition to being voted “Best New Jazz Artist” in the Jazz Times Critics’ Poll and “Best New Talent of 2020” by Musica Jazz, Wilkins’ Omega has appeared on numerous “Best of 2020” lists — most notably,” it was named NPR Music’s “Best Debut Jazz Recording of 2020” and the New York Times number one Jazz Recording of 2020. Wilkins began 2021 on a very positive note. He was nominated for a NAACP Image Award (Best Jazz Instrumental album) and won the prestigious LetterOne Rising Stars Jazz Award.

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.immanuelwilkins.com/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Jim Buennig
2021-07-03 17:00 - 18:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: A native of Geneseo, Illinois, Jim Buennig is a saxophonist, educator, composer, and recording artist based in Iowa City, Iowa, specializing in a range of musical styles with his main focus being jazz. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and also holds degrees in jazz studies from the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University.
Jim is currently on faculty at The University of Iowa, Cornell College, and Black Hawk College. His music has been described as “perpetually in the groove” and “a solid dose of pure jazz for serious listeners that want to hear some new stuff done right.”
Buennig released two EPs in 2020: “Only One to Go,” a collaboration with pianist Seth Fromal, and “Bench Warmers Vol. 1,” a collection of previously unreleased tracks. His entire library of recordings is available for purchase on bandcamp.com.

Contact Information:
Web: https://jimonsax.bandcamp.com/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Bonegasm
2021-07-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Bass trombonist, Jennifer Wharton takes her enthusiasm for the horn seriously and hopes to spread her joy to the public with her infectiously fun ensemble, Bonegasm. According to leader Jennifer Wharton, a “bonegasm” is a climax of musical excitement, characterized by feelings of pleasure centered in the ears and experienced as an accompaniment to hearing a group of trombone players. She is a regular in two of the best large ensembles in jazz, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and the Alan Ferber Big Band. These playing experiences led to her to create a band that would commission composers to write and arrange music for the often overlooked trombone.

Contact Information:
Web: https://jenniferwharton.com/music/bonegasm/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/bonegasm
https://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferwharton

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Wave Cage
2021-07-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Wave Cage combines jazz composition, atmospheric synths, and driving beats to create their own blend of electrified, synth-heavy jazz fusion. Jazz Weekly pronounced them “Soulful space cadets”, while the River Cities’ Reader described their sound as “evoking the smooth melodies and diverse textures of early Weather Report; the ambitious, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arrangements of groups such as Jaga Jazzist; and the more genre-agnostic trip-hop beat decisions of such projects as Thievery Corporation and Zero 7.

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/wavecageband
https://www.instagram.com/wavecageband
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHon_JcGDBMm3M6i3c7mkLQ

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Cory Wong
2021-07-03 20:00 - 21:30 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by: Premier Guitar and KCCK Jazz Radio

About: Music motivates at the most primal level.
As much as he treasures his roles as a guitarist, composer, and producer, Cory Wong fashions himself “a hype man,” first and foremost. Living up to this classification, he slings a Stratocaster and hurls “dad jokes” from the stage with the same panache, poise, and power.
Straight out of Minneapolis, Cory positioned himself as music’s answer to motivational speakers like Tony Robbins since emerging in 2011. Head-spinning rhythm guitar wizardry, technical ebullience, laugh-out-loud jokes, and radiance on stage established him as both a sought-after collaborator and celebrated solo artist alike. He lent his talents to television programs such as The Voice at the dawn of his career. After an impromptu meeting at the weekly jam hosted by Prince’s rhythm section (where the Purple One often either performed or watched), he crossed paths with Vulfpeck who welcomed him as a frequent collaborator and member of the band. Solidifying a fruitful partnership, the group named their most popular instrumental track “Cory Wong,” in tribute. Lighting up the stage in the band everywhere from Red Rocks Amphitheatre to Madison Square Garden, he remains a cornerstone of Vulfpeck’s storied gigs.
“The guiding light is to impart a feeling of joy,” he leaves off. “I want people to experience instrumental music in a different way. This is hype. It’s more than just guitar.”

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.corywongmusic.com/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

City of Iowa City Fireworks
2021-07-03 21:30 - 22:00 | Old Capitol Museum, 21 N. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52242, United States
An annual tradition at the Iowa City Jazz Festival, Saturday night’s performances will end with fireworks from the City of Iowa City! The best viewing is available on the Pentacrest in front of the Old Capitol or at the intersection of Clinton Street and Iowa Avenue.

James Tutson & the Rollback
2021-07-09 18:30 - 21:30 | Chauncey Swan Ramp, 415 E Washington St,, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by O’Brien Family McDonald’s

About: Iowa City’s James Tutson and his 5 siblings were the entirety of the church choir growing up. He was raised singing southern gospel every Sunday in a tiny chapel in front of a 10 person congregation. This heritage of soul music permeates his vocal styles and anchors his songwriting even as he crafts his current work telling stories of the modern world and his life journey. He is known for emotive/”raw” vocal performances, tight musical arrangements, and resonant songwriting, which has been described as a “gift for exploring the intersection between joy and sorrow”. James’ career has taken him to local backyards, dive bars, theater stages, music festivals, and NBC’s The Voice. James was named one of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts, Iowa Fellows and has had the privilege of performing with great artists like Lake Street Dive, The Dip, The War and Treaty, Marc Broussard, Joanna Connor, Five for Fighting and more. He has recorded seven studio albums including his most recent “Fool For You”

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.jamestutson.com/
Other links: https://www.instagram.com/jtutson/
https://www.instagram.com/jamestutsonandtherollback/

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Winterland
2021-07-10 18:30 - 21:30 | Northside Market Place, Market Street, Linn Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Specializing in the Grateful Dead’s catalog and sound from 1969 through the late 1970s, Winterland pulls you back in time to a place where the Dead’s rhythm and blues, folk and country roots were still deeply embedded in their music even as they explored the wild and experimental outer reaches of psychedelic rock. More importantly, though, Winterland channels the music of the Grateful Dead with uncanny authenticity, a sublime fidelity to the Dead’s musicianship, tonality and, in particular, emotional relationship with the audience. Walk into any given Winterland show and witness firsthand: every face is radiant, reflecting the elation of sharing — with the band and with each other — the pure, innovative, beautifully complex music of the Dead. This interconnectedness, which breaks down the barriers between people and music and allows everyone to become collaborators in an elusive web of fleeting, living art, represents an essential unity of musical experience. In other words, what Winterland has attained has proven to be a microcosm of the feat that the Grateful Dead of the late ‘60s to the late ‘70s achieved and escalated to a full-fledged cultural phenomenon. It is a thing of subtle and wily magic, not to be missed.

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/winterland73/

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Who Framed Roger Rabbit
2021-07-10 21:00 - 23:00 | Chauncey Swan Park, 405 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA, 52240
This film is presented in partnership with FilmScene in the Park and the City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department.
Sponsored by: SERVPRO
Run time: 1hr 44min Rating: PG
Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy
Plot: Down-on-his-luck private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) gets hired by cartoon producer R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) to investigate an adultery scandal involving Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), the sultry wife of Maroon’s biggest star, Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer). But when Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), Jessica’s alleged paramour and the owner of Toontown, is found murdered, the villainous Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) vows to catch and destroy Roger.
Watch the trailer HERE
*Start times are an estimation based on sunset and are subject to change*

Kevin Burt
2021-07-14 18:00 - 20:00 | IA
Locations:
6:00 p.m. – Wetherby Park, 2400 Taylor Dr. Iowa City, IA 52240
7:00 p.m. – Twain Elementary, 1355 Deforest Ave. Iowa City, IA 52240

About: For nearly 3 decades, Kevin Burt, Iowa Blues Hall of Fame member (class of 2019), has been mesmerizing audiences with his powerfully smooth and soulful vocal. Paired with his unique harmonica and guitar presentation along with his quick wit, Burt engages with his audience touching their souls while tickling their funny bones.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.kevinburtmusic.com/
Other links: www.facebook.com/KevinBurtMusic
https://www.instagram.com/kevinburtsblues/
www.twitter.com/KevinBurtMusic

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

City Park AND Brick Street Ramblers
2021-07-16 18:30 - 21:30 | Dr. Suzanne Stock Ped Mall Stage – Iowa Arts Festival, 210 S Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by Hawkeye Title & Settlement

About: Based out of the Iowa City area, City Park is a group of life-long, like-minded musicians who had mostly sacrificed their craft over the years to the usual responsibilities of life. Influenced by bands like Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, and more, City Park has evolved their unique sound into rich, foot-stomping, mining-the-depths, hootenanny music with heart. Though hard to pin down, their sound can be best described as a fusion of roots/Americana/alt-country/rock/blues.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.cityparktheband.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/CityParktheband/

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!
Sponsored by The Graduate Hotel

About: Brick Street Ramblers is an Iowa City-based eight-member group of traditional jazz musicians playing “the world’s happiest music,” Dixieland.

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/Brick-Street-Ramblers-216736205924720/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFYcNon97Dg

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Zootopia
2021-07-17 21:00 - 23:00 | Mercer Park, 1317 Dover St, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
This film is offered in partnership with the City of Iowa City Department of Parks and Recreation.
Sponsored by CHOMP
Entertainment: Ace Jones
Run time: 1hr 48min Rating: PG
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
Plot: From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a wily fox who makes her job even harder.
Watch the trailer HERE
*Start times are an estimation based on sunset and are subject to change*

Eat for the Arts at Short's Eastside
2021-07-21 11:00 - 20:00 | Short’s Eastside, 521 Westbury Drive, Iowa City, IA, 52245, United States
Eat for the Arts at Short’s Eastside on Wednesday July 21! 15% of your purchase will be donated to support free arts programming.

Cedar County Cobras AND The Savage Hearts
2021-07-23 18:30 - 21:30 | Dr. Suzanne Stock Ped Mall Stage – Iowa Arts Festival, 210 S Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by KCJJ Radio

About: Cedar County Cobras play American Roots & Blues music from the last century. The music takes on an “old time” blues feel that would most likely be found in a juke-joint down a gravel road in rural Iowa. Arriving with an upright bass, foot-drum, mandolin, and a collection of guitars this duo plays music that is best described as “boot-stompin” delta blues and roots blues.

Contact Information:
Web: https://cedarcountycobras.com/
Other links: https://cedarcountycobras.com/press-kit

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

About: Hailed as a “firecracker educator and performer” after founding the Wintergrass Festival’s Musicians of Excellence education program, Annie Savage is an international clinician whose Free-Strings Method (www.free-strings.com) offers students, classrooms, and festivals alike a joyful experience with music at the nexus of cultural relevance, creativity, and lifetime musicianship. A renowned fiddler, vocalist, and concert harpist, Savage has shared the stage with artists from Aretha Franklin to John Williams to Ricky Skaggs. She teaches with one foot in the classroom and the other in the music industry.

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.savagefiddler.com/
Other links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YdH54cVKi4

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

The Wiz
2021-07-24 21:00 - 23:30 | Chauncey Swan Park, 405 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA, 52240
This film is presented in partnership with FilmScene in the Park and the City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department.
Sponsored by Hilton Garden Inn
Run time: 2hr 16min Rating: G
Starring: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell
Plot: When Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) tries to save her dog from a storm, she’s miraculously whisked away to an urban fantasy land called Oz. After accidentally killing the Wicked Witch of the East upon her arrival, Dorothy is told about the Wiz (Richard Pryor), a wizard who can help her get back to Manhattan. As Dorothy goes in search of the Wiz, she’s joined by the Scarecrow (Michael Jackson), the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell) and the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross).
Watch the trailer HERE
*Start times are an estimation based on sunset and are subject to change*

DJ Freeze Dance Party
2021-07-30 18:00 - 21:30 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: The Incredible DJ Freeze of Claszic Soundz Entertainment has been entertaining as a mobile DJ for over 30 years. As a former child musician of multiple instruments, DJing became the natural extension of that gift, years of training and an absolute LOVE for music. This is his third year hosting the Soul & Blues Fest Friday night Dance Party. We’re excited to party with the community again this year!

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/claszicsoundzDJ32

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

DJ Freeze Afterparty at Eden Lounge Nightclub
2021-07-30 22:00 - 23:30, 2021-07-31 22:00 - 23:30 | Eden Lounge Nightclub, 217 Iowa Ave., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
This is an after hours event offered by DJ Freeze. Venue cover charge may apply.

About: The Incredible DJ Freeze of Claszic Soundz Entertainment has been entertaining as a mobile DJ for over 30 years. As a former child musician of multiple instruments, DJing became the natural extension of that gift, years of training and an absolute LOVE for music. This is his third year hosting the Soul & Blues Fest Friday night Dance Party. We’re excited to party with the community again this year!

Contact Information:
Web:
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/claszicsoundzDJ32

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Black Business Owner's Forum
2021-07-31 10:00 - 11:30 | The Graduate Hotel, 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by: Pearson and fix! Coffee
Location: the Wayne Ballroom at The Graduate Hotel (see venue information below)
The Soul and Blues Festival Black Business Owner’s Forum will consist of a panel of 4 local business owners, followed by the interactive networking session where business owners, potential entrepreneurs and others will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with each other about their businesses as well as share any advice or tips on starting and maintaining a business in Iowa. Representatives from local banks and Tracy Jon Sargeant, founder of the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa and the BIPOC Business Accelerator Program will also be on hand.
The event organizers plan for this to be a chance for the Black business community to come together to talk with one another and forge relationships for future Black Business initiatives in Iowa City and surrounding areas.
Panelists
Erin Mushekuru, Invigorating Services
Andre Perry, The Englert Theatre
DeAngelo Seay, Dunn Bros. Coffee
Candice Smith, I Heart Black Business

Black Author's Panel (Virtual Event)
2021-07-31 11:00 - 12:30 | IA
Sponsored by Pearson
This event coordinated by Prairie Lights Books & Café.
Register for the event HERE.
Moderator
Arnold Daniels Jr. is a former U.S. State Department Liaison. He is an Anthropologist, entrepreneur, educator and volunteer with the African American Museum of Iowa. Mr. Daniels has taught Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Cultural Geography, English, History, and Sociology at several East Coast colleges and universities. A longtime resident of Washington, D.C., he now makes his home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Panelists
Venise Berry, Ph.D.
Book: Racialism and the Media: Black Jesus, Black Twitter and the First Black American President (2020)
Prof. Berry received a BA (1977) in journalism and an MA (1979) in communication studies from The University of Iowa. Her PhD was awarded in 1989 in radio, TV, and film at the University of Texas in Austin. Her professional media career began in radio news but has expanded into teaching, media research, and criticism, as well as fiction, script, and nonfiction writing.
She is the author of three national bestselling novels, So Good, An African American Love Story (Dutton/Penguin, 1996), All of Me, A Voluptuous Tale (Dutton/Penguin 2000), and Colored Sugar Water (Dutton/Penguin/Putnam 2002). In 2003 she received the Creative Contribution to Literature award from the Zora Neale Hurston Society. All of Me received a 2001 Honor Book Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Also in 2001 she was recognized with an Iowa Author Award from the Public Library Foundation in Des Moines.
Berry’s research is in the area of African American Cultural Criticism. She is developing a theory called “racialism,” which involves the influence of the media on African American images and messages. She is published widely in academic circles with numerous articles based on her research in the area of media, youth, and popular culture.
Jerald Walker
Book: How to Make a Slave and Other Essays (2020)
A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Jerald Walker has published in magazines such as Creative Nonfiction, The Missouri Review, The Harvard Review, Mother Jones, The Iowa Review, and The Oxford American, and he has been widely anthologized, including five times in The Best American Essays. Walker is the author of Street Shadows: A Memoir of Race, Rebellion, and Redemption, recipient of the 2011 PEN New England/L.L. Winship Award for Nonfiction and named a Best Memoir of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, and The World in Flames: A Black Boyhood in a White Supremacist Doomsday Cult. His latest book, How to Make a Slave and Other Essays was a Finalist for the 2020 National Book Award in Nonfiction. He has received fellowships from the James Michener Foundation and the National Endowment for
the Arts.
Walker’s doctorate is in Interdisciplinary Studies, combining the fields of African American literature, African American history, and creative writing. Prior to arriving at Emerson, he was an Associate Professor of English at Bridgewater State University.

Dr. Mary E. Hicks
Essay: “The Middle Passage,” in Four Hundred Souls: a Community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain The middle passage stands as one of the greatest examples in history in which dehumanizing suffering is inflicted on fellow human beings.
Dr. Hicks is an assistant professor at Amherst College. Her current book project, Captive Cosmopolitans: Black Mariners and the World of South Atlantic Slavery, 1721-1835 (forthcoming with Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture for The University of North Carolina Press), examines the maritime dimensions of the African Diaspora, with a particular focus on eighteenth and early nineteenth century colonial Brazil. By concentrating on the seafaring activities of enslaved Africans and creoles, her work integrates the economic and cultural histories of the Bight of Benin and Salvador da Bahia during the era of the late slave trade, and uncovers the heretofore unexamined commercial agency of subalterns in the South Atlantic World. Enslaved and free seamen in these culturally hybrid urban milieus, she argues, spearheaded exchanges of material goods, medicinal and navigational knowledge across the Atlantic Ocean.
More broadly, Hicks’ research seeks to interrogate the multiplicity of connections between coastal West Africa and Brazil through the lens of mutual cultural, technological, commercial, intellectual and environmental influences. Furthermore, she aims to redefine how historians understand experiences of enslavement and the middle passage. In addition to investigating the lives of African sailors, her current work also explores the cultural and religious lives of enslaved and freed African women in Salvador da Bahia. Her published work includes: “Financing the Luso-Atlantic Slave Trade: Collective Investment Practices from Portugal to Brazil, 1500-1840,” in the Journal of Global Slavery and “Transatlantic Threads of Meaning: West African Textile Entrepreneurship in Salvador da Bahia, 1770- 1870,” in Slavery & Abolition.

Kevin Burt
2021-07-31 12:30 - 13:30 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: For nearly 3 decades, Kevin Burt, Iowa Blues Hall of Fame member (class of 2019), has been mesmerizing audiences with his powerfully smooth and soulful vocal. Paired with his unique harmonica and guitar presentation along with his quick wit, Burt engages with his audience touching their souls while tickling their funny bones.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.kevinburtmusic.com/
Other links: www.facebook.com/KevinBurtMusic
https://www.instagram.com/kevinburtsblues/
www.twitter.com/KevinBurtMusic

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Ship of Fools, Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
2021-07-31 13:30 - 14:00 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Ship of Fools is one of the many Rock Bands from the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy in Cedar Rapids IA. Bringing a mix of soulful blues and driving rock, this ensemble is sure to knock your socks off! With vocalist and guitar player Aidan Gray, his little brother and bass player Tristan Gray, Carter Buske on guitar, Evan Wazac on keys and vocals, and Ethan Head holding down the drums, they put on a high energy show that will leave you wanting more!

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.easterniowaartsacademy.org/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

String Prophets
2021-07-31 14:30 - 15:30 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: As a double entrant into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame and the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bob Pace is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter with a love for variety. His songs range from emotional and poignant to humorous and giddy. Along with Kathryn Severing-Fox, the world-class fiddle player, the two make up an acoustic guitar and violin duo that incorporate humor and audience participation in spades. In addition to their original music, the duo plays bluegrass, folk, jazz standards, gypsy jazz, Texas Swing, country, and their favorite—the blues!

Contact Information:
Web: https://bobpacemusic.com/music/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Ivy Ford Band
2021-07-31 17:00 - 18:15 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Ivy Ford is a Chicagoland-based multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. She has a diverse collection of musical influences but strong roots in blues and soul. In 2015 Ivy Ford’s career kicked off after opening for Buddy Guy in Chicago resulting in making a permanent impression that supported her place in the industry. In less than a decade, she has had several international performances including two tours in France and Belgium and performs bi-coastal in the United States regularly and in the Midwest region. Currently, Ivy Ford has three full original albums all of which have been self-produced and are accompanied by other released singles.
Some honorary mentions of Ivy Ford’s accolades includes numerous nominations for both her recordings and songwriting as well as performances. Several publications and top magazines including Frances, “Soul Bag,” and “Blues Matters,” in the UK have printed extensive interviews and support in her upcoming works. Ivy Ford is known for her musicianship and skill as well as her energy and experience she shares with her audience when she performs lives bringing an authenticity that is timeless.

Contact Information:
Web: https://ivyfordmusic.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/IvyFordMusic/

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

JC Brooks Band
2021-07-31 19:00 - 20:15 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: The JC Brooks Band came from humble beginnings, dreaming about getting the cool kids to shake it at the Empty Bottle and since have collected a wide range of fans around the globe. The JC Brooks Band has shared stages with a staggering array of artists, from legends like Robert Plant, Buddy Guy, Chicago and many more. Erupting with raw emotion, JC Brooks unleashes his soulful shouts and heart wrenching falsetto over the relentless rhythm of guitarist Alec Lehrman, drummer Kevin Marks, bassist Theodore Berry IV, keyboardist Jeremy Tromberg and percussionist-extraordinaire, JoVia Armstrong.

Contact Information:
Web: https://jcbrooksband.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/JCBrooksBand/

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Nora Jean
2021-07-31 21:00 - 22:15 | Main Stage – Soul & Blues Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Nora Jean is all about love and passion for the blues. Though she began early in her childhood, Nora’s big break came in 1985, when Jimmy Dawkins saw her performing at a local Chicago club and hired her on the spot. For the next seven years, she toured the world, refined her performing skills and acquired an international fan base. And every year between 2005 and 2009 she was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year category. No matter what comes, fame or obscurity, wealth or poverty, she is born to be a blues singer, and sing the blues she would.

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.norajeanblues.com/
Other links:
Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Office Closed
2021-08-02 | IA
It’s a lot of work to put on our festivals, and so we’re taking a day after the Soul & Blues Festival!

Kevin Burt
2021-08-04 18:00 - 20:00 | IA
Locations:
6:00 p.m. – Lucas Elementary, 830 Southlawn Dr. Iowa City, IA 52245
7:00 p.m. – City High School, 1900 Morningside Dr. Iowa City, IA 52245

About: For nearly 3 decades, Kevin Burt, Iowa Blues Hall of Fame member (class of 2019), has been mesmerizing audiences with his powerfully smooth and soulful vocal. Paired with his unique harmonica and guitar presentation along with his quick wit, Burt engages with his audience touching their souls while tickling their funny bones.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.kevinburtmusic.com/
Other links: www.facebook.com/KevinBurtMusic
https://www.instagram.com/kevinburtsblues/
www.twitter.com/KevinBurtMusic

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!
