Summer of the Arts

Steve Grismore Trio
2025-07-06 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: This trio has been together for several years now and really focuses on music by my favorite guitarists including John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, John Abercrombie, Pat Martino and more. We also play jazz standards and a few original tunes of mine. We have played clubs all over the state and several special events such as KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars, the Iowa City Jazz Festival, the Quad Cites Polyrhythms 3rd Sunday Jazz, and many more….
This rendition of the Steve Grismore Trio features Drew Morton on bass and Justin LeDuc on drums and cymbals.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.gizmojazz.com/
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2025 Jazz Brunch Fundraiser - SOLD OUT
2025-07-06 10:00 - 11:30 | The University of Iowa School of Music – Voxman Building, 93 E Burlington St,, Iowa City, 52240, United States
Join us for a smooth Sunday morning filled with live jazz and delicious brunch at the 2025 Jazz Brunch featuring the Carson Parker Trio!
Whether you’re a longtime jazz lover or just looking for a chill way to spend your Sunday morning before the festival kicks off, this event hits all the right notes.
Tickets: SOLD OUT!

Bring your friends, bring your appetite, and come support the arts with us. Seating is limited — get your tickets early and get ready for a beautiful morning of music, food, and community connection.

Jam Session with the Blake Shaw Quartet
2025-07-05 22:00 - 23:00, 2025-07-04 21:30 - 23:00 | Wilder, 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Just because the Jazz Fest ends for the night doesn’t mean there’s not more music! Head to Wilder at The Graduate Hotel to hear the sounds of Blake Shaw and one his many bands. In any way, shape, or form the band takes, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Iowa City Fireworks
2025-07-05 21:30 - 22:00 | Old Capitol Museum, 21 N. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52242, United States

Stefon Harris and Blackout
2025-07-05 20:00 - 21:30 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by Hilton Garden Inn

About: Stefon Harris is a four-time Grammy-nominated jazz vibraphonist, educator, app developer, and thought leader. He has been heralded as “one of the most important artists in jazz” (Los Angeles Times) and is a recipient of the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award and the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center. He has been named Best Mallet Player eight times by the Jazz Journalist Association and Best Vibes Player in DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll. Harris currently tours with his Grammy-nominated band, Blackout, and has released eleven albums as a leader. He has also recorded and performed with The Classical Jazz Quartet, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, the SFJAZZ Collective, Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Max Roach, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Buster Williams, Dianne Reeves, Common, and Pablo Zeigler.

Harris’ band, Stefon Harris & Blackout, is a pioneering force in contemporary jazz. With influential albums like Sonic Creed (named Jazz Album of the Year by WBGO – the world’s #1 jazz station) and Urbanus (Grammy-nominated), Stefon Harris & Blackout showcase a dynamic interplay of intricate arrangements and soulful improvisation, solidifying their status as trailblazers in the modern jazz landscape. Their performances promise an electrifying fusion of tradition and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on audiences and further shaping the evolving narrative of jazz expression. They recently released Sonic Creed II: Life Signs (Motema Music), which is the highly anticipated sequel to their critically acclaimed album, Sonic Creed.

Along with performing, Harris has taught at universities throughout the world, led curriculum development at the Brubeck Institute, served as a part of the jazz faculty at New York University, and formerly served as the Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts at Manhattan School of Music. He is currently Artistic Advisor of Jazz Education at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the Director of the Harmony Lab at Express Newark, and a tenured Associate Professor of Music at Rutgers University – Newark.

In 2013, he founded The Melodic Progression Institute (MPI) and created a revolutionary ear training app called Harmony Cloud which is widely used by musicians across multiple genres.

As a thought leader, Harris leads transformative presentations on corporate leadership and team empowerment for Fortune 100 companies using jazz as a metaphor. His 2012 TED Talk, “There Are No Mistakes on the Bandstand,” has gained nearly 900,000 views. Through these presentations, Harris is committed to the proliferation of empathy through the arts and empowering others with the necessary tools to articulate their authentic voices through music.

Contact Information:
Web: https://concord.com/artist/stefon-harris-blackout/
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Ed East Jazz
2025-07-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: After a 5-year hiatus, Ed East resurfaces. His new works reflect the urgency to speak in his own voice. Whether as a soloist or accompanied by the very best Iowa has to offer, Ed delivers. His multi-instrumentalism is now more present, more evident and more purposeful. Ed East is back on stage, where he belongs.

Contact Information:
Web: http://edeastmusic.com/
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Mark Lettieri Group
2025-07-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Mark Lettieri is a six-time nominated, five time GRAMMY winning guitarist, composer, producer, and instructor based in Fort Worth, TX. He creates acclaimed guitar-based instrumental music, and is a member of leading instrumental bands Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. As a session musician proficient in a multitude of styles, he has recorded and performed in virtually every genre of popular music with both independent and major-label artists.

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lettieri came to Texas via Texas Christian University (TCU), studying advertising and public relations, and competing in track and field. A passionate guitarist since middle school, he began his music career in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area upon graduating from TCU.

In addition to his recording, and performing career, Lettieri is involved with the development and demonstration of various musical equipment with a number of brands. Recently, he teamed up with Paul Reed Smith Guitars to create his signature model electric guitar, the Fiore, released during Winter NAMM 2021. Also in 2021, he collaborated with Apple, Inc. to create a package of downloadable guitar loops for the digital audio workstations Logic Pro and Garageband. Previously in 2018, he launched his signature overdrive pedal, the MeLody, with J. Rockett Audio Designs. He serves as a clinician on behalf of these and other brands he endorses.

An avid lover of food, travel, and doing his best to keep an active lifestyle, he resides with his wife, daughter, three cats, and a hamster.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.marklettieri.com/
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The Alayna Ringsby Trio
2025-07-05 17:00 - 18:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: The Alayna Ringsby Trio is comprised of pianist Alayna Ringsby, drummer Chris Clausen, and bassist Vivian Shanley. Alayna is an emerging jazz pianist and educator based in Bloomington, Indiana. She holds a degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Jazz Studies and Performance at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Hailing from Iowa, Alayna has performed regularly throughout the state with her own trio and duo ensembles, and with ensembles such as the Des Moines Big Band, the NOLA Jazz Band, and the Iowa Women’s Jazz Orchestra. Since arriving in Indiana, she has quickly become a part of the local jazz scene. She has performed in various small groups across the state, played in ensembles under the direction of Brent Wallarab and Wayne Wallace, and recently started co-leading a Thelonius Monk tribute band.

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Jocelyn Gould Quartet
2025-07-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: 2021 JUNO Award winner Jocelyn Gould “has quickly become an “international favorite with her hard swinging, imaginative approach and technical mastery” (Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz Magazine). Her joyful energy has captivated audiences around the world and her passion for music is as infectious as her unique ability to connect with audiences. Jocelyn has absorbed the influences of the jazz guitar greats and has woven them into an exciting personal sound, citing Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Joe Pass, and Kenny Burrell as primary influences on the guitar.

Jocelyn has spent the last several years touring internationally as a leader. Jocelyn’s 4th album, Portrait Of Right Now, was released in October 2024. This album has earned her 3rd JUNO Award nomination for Jazz Album Of The Year, adding to her 2021 win. 2025 will see Jocelyn touring in North America, Europe, and Japan.

Jocelyn is endorsed by Benedetto Guitars and is a Birdland Artist.

Contact Information:
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Aviana Gedler Trio
2025-07-05 15:00 - 16:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Aviana Gedler is a jazz singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with a passion for music and performance artistry. As the 1st Place Winner of the Ravenscroft Jazz Prize, 2nd Place Winner of the 2024 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and two-time winner of the Downbeat Magazine awards for best Vocal Jazz Soloist in the community college division in both 2021 and 2022, she has developed her voice and improvisational ear in the worlds of swing, bossa nova, bebop, modern jazz, and many more, and has spread her artistry across her home state of Iowa, with performances at Noce Jazz & Cabaret, Turner Jazz Center, and Hoyt Sherman, to name a few. She has performed alongside many other renowned musicians and ensembles, including Gabriel Espinosa, Kim Nazarian, Nate Sparks, and the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra, and has performed at summer festivals such as the Iowa City Jazz Festival and Jazz in July in Des Moines.
Since earning her Associate of Applied Arts degree in professional music at the School for Music Vocations in Creston, Iowa, under the direction of Tobi Crawford and Grammy-nominated Dr. Jeremy Fox, Aviana currently studies jazz performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts with Jason Moran, Dominique Eade and Hankus Netsky. She has entered the New England scene, playing at Wally’s Jazz Cafe, the Mad Monkfish, and has performed at the Regattabar alongside the NEC Jazz Orchestra. Aviana continues to write and perform her music and continuously looks for any opportunity to collaborate with those around her. Aside from music, in her free time, Aviana enjoys eating food, reading, running, and petting her cats, Iris and June.

Contact Information:
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Mike Conrad Trio
2025-07-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Mike Conrad is a composer and improviser currently serving as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Iowa. He has been recognized for his arranging and composing with four ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and seven awards from Downbeat Magazine, as well as many other accolades. Conrad’s music has been performed all over the world, including a 2017 concert by the Metropole Orkest in the Netherlands, a 2014 Carnegie Hall Premiere, and a performance at the US Presidential Inauguration in 2013.
As a pianist and trombonist, he 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. Aside from his own projects like the All Angles Orchestra, the Mike Conrad Trio, and the co-led big band COLOSSUS, Conrad has enjoyed performing and/or recording with Alexa Tarantino, Dave Chisholm, the Bob Washut Dodectet, Christopher’s Very Happy. Band., the Max Wellman Big Band, and many other groups. Some of his more recent projects include a reimagination of Beethoven’s 3rd symphony in collaboration with the Berlin-based Stegreif Orchester, and a suite of four Iowa-inspired big band pieces for the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra, which he founded. Conrad’s latest jazz trio project, “Reconnect,” features Katie Ernst on bass and Cassius Goens III on drums.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.mconradmusic.com/
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The Levi Temple Sextet
2025-07-05 13:00 - 14:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: The Levi Temple Sextet, led by trombonist and composer Levi Temple, brings to the Iowa City Jazz Festival a refreshing and modern palette of jazz compositions from Levi’s 2025 release How We Got Here. With influences of hip-hop, R&B, ECM, and traditional jazz, Levi’s music lends itself to all music fans alike while remaining compositionally rooted in the jazz practice. Levi is proud to share the stage with close friends and colleagues Sean Kiefer (trumpet), Tyler Utter (saxophones), Oisin Leopold (piano), Vincent Valadez (bass), and Jackson Schou (drums), all of which are featured on the SkyDeck Music release. Levi hails from Monticello, IA and holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa, of which all members of the group are either students or alumni.

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North Corridor Jazz All Stars
2025-07-05 12:15 - 12:55 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by West Music

About: The North Corridor All-Star is made up of musicians from high schools along the north I-380 corridor and is under the direction of Coe College music professor, Steve Shanley. Individuals in this group have been recognized as members or alternates of the prestigious Iowa All-State Jazz Band, and all are pursuing private jazz studies. They are honored to be a part of this year’s festival and look forward to performing a mix of original compositions and standards.

Contact Information:
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Culinary Delights and Beverage Garden
2025-07-05 11:30 - 22:00, 2025-07-04 17:00 - 22:00 | Iowa Avenue, 105 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Beverage Garden sponsored by Big Grove Brewery
Grab food from one (or more) of many vendors, then stop by the Beverage Garden!
Parents/Guardians: please note that you can bring minors into the Beverage Garden.
Last call in the Beverage Garden: 30 minutes before closing
Sales stop in the Beverage Garden: 15 minutes before closing

Artist Booths and Fun Stops Open
2025-07-05 11:30 - 20:30 | Clinton St., 10 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Check out the artist booths and Fun Stops on Clinton Street, as you go to and from the Main and Side stages! The artists feature a variety of items, and local organizations provide a range of activities at Fun Stops.

United Jazz Ensemble
2025-07-05 11:30 - 12:10 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by West Music

About: Every Summer, this collaborative high school jazz combo comes together to prepare for their performance on the main stage at the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Directed by Aaron Ottmar, Ryan Arp, and Brian Zeglis, the band is comprised of students from City, Liberty, and West high schools from the Iowa City Community School District. For 25+ years, this group has served as one of the signature elements of the Jazz Festival’s commitment to jazz education in the public school setting. The opportunity for these students to perform at the Jazz Festival not only deepens their growth as musicians but also fosters wonderful collaboration between all three high school jazz programs.

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Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra featuring Joel Frahm
2025-07-04 20:00 - 21:30 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Ryan Middagh is an innovative bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and educator who has traveled the globe sharing his unique blend of talents and musical influences with audiences and music students. A passionate advocate for jazz education at all levels, he pursues creative programming and is devoted to reaching diverse communities through jazz.
An active jazz composer and arranger, Middagh has received numerous commissions from musicians and ensembles throughout the United States. He has written for Grammy-winning artists, DownBeat award-winning educational ensembles, and his work has been recorded by prominent collegiate and professional ensembles.
Equally skilled as a soloist, collaborator and band leader, Middagh performs at jazz festivals around the world, including tours and performances on behalf of the U.S. State Department. While at home, he is a top-call studio musician in Nashville and performs in a wide array of genres. In addition to leading his own jazz small groups, he directs the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra which released their debut record “Live From Nashville” in the fall of 2019 followed by their second album “Tenor Madness” in 2025 which has gained international critical acclaim.
Middagh is an artist and clinician for Yamaha Saxophones, JodyJazz Mouthpieces, D’addario Reeds and is the Director of Jazz Studies of the DownBeat award-winning program at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.

Contact Information:
Web: https://ryanmiddagh.com/
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About: Born in Racine, Wisc., in 1969, saxophonist Joel Frahm studied classical piano and bassoon before taking to the tenor saxophone when he was 14 years old. In 1985, his family moved to Hartford, Conn., where he attended the jazz program at the high school. It was here that he and pianist Brad Mehldau first crossed paths and got to know each other.
After graduating high school, Frahm went to Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School for the Arts and from there earned his B.A. in Jazz Performance at Manhattan School of Music.
His natural and advanced ability for his age quickly led to a strong presence that attracted attention in New York. Initially, he worked with various blues and jazz bands meeting a coterie of like-minded musicians who were already a bit more established than he including but not limited to such artists as drummer Matt Wilson and pianist David Berkman; he would work and record with both on numerous occasions. A player with varied musical sensibility and both traditional and modern leanings, Frahm began working with a wide variety of jazz mainstays – both those of different generations as well as a number of peers and colleagues closer to his own age. For instance, Frahm worked with elders and icons such as Maynard Ferguson, Betty Carter and Dewey Redman as well as Lee Konitz, Pat Martino and Andrew Hill. He also worked with near contemporaries or contemporaries such as Wilson, Larry Goldings, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Allison, Ingrid Jensen, Dena Derose and Kyle Eastwood.
He also developed a reputation as a saxophonist who can accompany and work with singers – a quality that he exploits and mines to this day. In addition to working with the aforementioned pianist-vocalist DeRose and tonight’s bandleader Diane Schuur, a quick check of the Frahm discography underscores the point. Among the vocalists he has shared the bandstand and the studio with are: Cyrille Aimee, Rondi Charleston, Laine Cooke, Dana Lauren, Chris McNulty, Jane Monheit, Janis Siegel, Tessa Souter and Joan Stiles.
In 2004, Frahm, collaborating with Mehldau, released Don’t Explain, for the Palmetto label. No one was surprised that the two collaborated – other then by the music itself, which was just that: surprising and entertaining. At the time, Thomas Conrad, the veteran critic writing for Jazz Times, said in part, “…Frahm and Mehldau are notably successful in avoiding the primary risk of saxophone and piano duo recordings, which is their tendency to become austere, non-swinging recitals between contrapuntists. They conduct unhurried conversations over songs, closely listening and responding, like on ‘East of the Sun.’ But they also provoke, like on ‘Oleo,’ where they push one another so far from their starting point that their joint exercise in free thinking is conducted among faint shadows of Sonny Rollins’ idea. And the hook-up between these two classmates is deep: On Ornette Coleman’s ‘Turnaround,’ they function in and out of one another’s thoughts.
In the decade-plus, since, Frahm has become one of the more in-demand saxophonists – certainly standing among the top-tier players in New York as well as globally. He’s since released a number of recordings under his own name – mostly for the Palmetto, Anzic and Smalls labels. Additionally, his contributions to others’ recordings now exceed the 100-title mark. In 2018, Joel was a part of two Grammy- nominated CDs, Freddy Cole’s My Mood Is You, and Dafnis Prieto’s Back To The Sunset, which won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Ensemble recording. In 2020, Brad Mehldau’s “Finding Gabriel” won the Grammy for Best Jazz Recording, on which Joel was a featured soloist. Joel is also a highly sought after educator who has been an artist in residence at universities and jazz workshops around the world. Joel recently joined the faculty at the Texas State University jazz program and hopes to grow his saxophone studio into a desired place of study for aspiring improvisers.

Contact Information:
Web: https://joelfrahm.com/home
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Summer of the Arts Festivals:
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Carson Parker Trio
2025-07-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Carson Parker, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, has emerged as one of the Midwest’s most captivating young jazz pianists, blending a mix of jazz, blues, and funk into his distinctive style. Carson’s talent has taken him to some of the region’s greatest venues, including Chicago’s Fulton Street Collective, Clara Chicago, Opus Concert Cafe, Des Moines’ Noce Jazz Club, and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Carson is grateful to be influenced by many teachers and mentors including Nate Sparks, Nick Rueckert, and Dr. William Menefield. His versatility as both a solo artist and collaborator has allowed him to work with musicians including trumpeter Sean Jones, drummer Isaiah Spencer, trumpeter Benny Bennack III, vocalist Max Wellman, drummer Jerome Gillespie II, and singer-songwriter James Tutson. In 2023, Carson achieved the honor as the sole pianist of the National Jazz Band of America. Now an established professional, he continues to play for audiences across the Midwest, both with his ensemble and as a sought-after sideman.

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Alyssa Allgood Quartet
2025-07-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Strauss Community Stage – Iowa City Jazz Festival, 16 N Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Named a “Rising Star Female Vocalist” in the 2024 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll and voted “Best Individual Jazz Musician” in the 2024 Chicago Reader Poll, Alyssa Allgood has captured attention for her dynamic vocal command, sophisticated songwriting, and captivating performances. Showcasing modern sensibilities, Allgood is a fearless vocalist known for her confident musical interaction, fierce improvisation, and vulnerable expression. Downbeat Magazine has praised her “boldness, swagger, and surefooted musicianship” while the New York City Jazz Record has recognized her “force, clarity and jazz integrity.”

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.alyssaallgood.com/
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Artist Booths and Fun Stops
2025-07-04 17:00 - 20:30 | Clinton St., 10 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States

Sam Ross Quartet
2025-07-04 17:00 - 18:00 | Oaknoll Side Stage-Iowa City Jazz Festival, 25 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
About: Sam Ross is a young musician in the Iowa City area currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance and Minor in Business Administration at the University of Iowa. He has been involved in music and has played the saxophone for over 10 years. During the first half of those years, he spent time studying under saxophonist Debbie Yarrow and later with multi-instrumentalist Suzanne Smith. While in high school, Sam made it into the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association (SEIBA) competition in both his sophomore and junior years and in his senior year made first chair tenor in the SEIBA jazz band as well as Allstate band. In 2024, Sam performed at the 2024 JEN Conference in New Orleans, LA. Earlier in 2025, Sam Ross was accepted into the live competition of the esteemed North American Saxophone Alliance regional competition for jazz saxophone in South Dakota. His primary instructor and mentor is Dr. Damani Phillips, jazz saxophonist and head of the jazz department at the University of Iowa. During his time as a musician, Sam has performed with many professional musicians such as world-renowned pianist Benny Green, pianists Steve Shanley and William Menefield, trumpeter Curtis Taylor, guitarists Steve Grismore and Craig Erickson, bassists Blake Shaw and Ben Soltau and drummers James Dreier and Jerome Gillespie.

Contact Information:
Web: https://srossmusic.com/home
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Kevin Burt
2025-07-02 18:30 - 20:00 | Old Town Plaza, 405 N Front St., North Liberty, 52317, United States
Sponsored by City of North Liberty

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

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Diplomats of Solid Sound
2025-06-27 18:30 - 21:00 | Ped Mall Stage, 210 Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by Graduate by Hilton Iowa City

About: Diplomats of Solid Sound is an American band and song writing powerhouse. Their mixture of old school funk, soul, and Americana has appeared in dozens of hit TV shows and movies throughout their 25 year career. With more than 50 million streams, the Diplomats have a dedicated following in Europe and North America.
The Ladies:
Sarah Cram – vocals
Katharine Ruestow – vocals
Abbie Sawyer – vocals
The Gents:
Nate “Count” Basinger – organ, piano
Forrest Heusinkveld – drums, percussion
Eddie McKinley – tenor saxophone
Douglas Roberson – guitar
Nolan Schroeder – baritone saxophone
Marty Christensen – bass

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.diplomatsofsolidsound.com/
Other links: www.facebook.com/diplomatsofsolidsound
www.instagram.com/diplomatsofsolidsound
www.twitter.com/diplosolidsound

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Eat for the Arts at The Vue Rooftop
2025-06-26 16:00 - 22:00 | Vue Rooftop, 328 S. Clinton Street Suite A, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Get ready for an elevated dining experience—literally! Join us Thursday, June 26 at The Vue Rooftop and enjoy stunning views, delicious dishes, and craft cocktails… all while supporting the Summer of the Arts mission to keep the arts FREE and accessible for everyone in our community.
15% of all sales that day will be donated to the Summer of the Arts, helping us continue to offer family-friendly concerts, movies, festivals, and more all summer long.
Bring your friends, book a table, and toast to a good cause. Together, we can keep the arts thriving in Iowa City!

Blake Shaw Trio
2025-06-25 18:30 - 20:00 | Mercer Park, 1317 Dover St, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Society

About: Blake Shaw is a composer/arranger, bandleader, double/electric bassist, vocalist, private lessons teacher, and jazz professor at Cornell College and Mt Mercy College. Originally from Lisbon, Iowa, Blake has earned an Associate of Arts degree from Kirkwood Community College as well as a Bachelor of Music (‘13) and Master of Arts (‘17) degree both from the University of Iowa. He has called Iowa City, IA home for the past 14yrs where he has provided insight on festival boards for around half that time for the Iowa City Jazz Festival as well as the Iowa City Pride Fest where he serves as Entertainment Director. Shaw is a frequent performer and band leader in many different groups across Iowa and the US. He can also be found teaching private lessons to young dedicated classical and jazz double bass players. Shaw has had the pleasure of playing with jazz greats like Carmen Bradford, Wycliffe Gordon, Rachel Eckroth, Dave Pietro, O’had Talmor, and Dick Oatts. He’s also been in groups opening for bands like Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Lake Street Dive, Donny McCaslin, Margaret Glaspy, John Raymond and the Real Feels, Bridget Kearney, Caroline Smith, The Marcus King Band, and Euforquestra. You may go “like” all of his cute pics on instagram @theeblakebass.

Contact Information:
Web: https://blakeshawbass.bandcamp.com/music
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/blakeshawbass

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
2025-06-21 21:00 - 23:00 | Iowa City Municipal Airport, 1801 Riverside Dr., Iowa City, 52246
Sponsored by Faithful Companions Pet Cremation Service and The Kirkwood Room
Runtime: 1hr 43 min
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Ferris Bueller, Mia Sara
Plot: Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny skill at cutting classes and getting away with it. Intending to make one last duck-out before graduation, Ferris calls in sick, “borrows” a Ferrari, and embarks on a one-day journey through the streets of Chicago. On Ferris’ trail is high school principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), determined to catch him in the act.
Watch the trailer HERE!
*Start times are an estimation based on sunset and are subject to change

Back to Our Roots Fashion Show AND Leradee & the Positives
2025-06-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Ped Mall Stage, 210 Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by Axiom Consultants
6:30 PM-7:15 PM: Back to Our Roots Fashion Show, produced by Andre Wright and Wright House of Fashion
7:15 PM-9:00 PM: Leradee and the Positives performance

About: Back to Our Roots, a vibrant fashion show celebrating culture, heritage, and creative expression through fashion and art!
Hosted by: Tayshauna McGeeSpoken word by: C?ue
Expect bold fashion, powerful poetry, and a joyful atmosphere rooted in community and creativity.

Contact Information:
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About: Leradee & The Positives is Roots Reggae with a taste a dancehall. With members hailing from within the U.S. and internationally, playing soul soothing, conscious and uplifting tunes. Warm, electrifying with dynamism is another way to describe us.

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

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!

Dave Zollo
2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:30 | S.T. Morrison Park, 1513 7th St, Coralville, IA, 52241, United States
Sponsored by City of Coralville

About: Since bursting onto the midwestern music scene with the band High and Lonesome in 1992, David Zollo has had a busy career. Along with constant touring, in the U.S and Europe, with High and Lonesome (1992-1998) and his current band, The Body Electric (1998-present) Zollo has recorded 7 records of his own material. Despite the many things Zollo has done during his career, it is as a live performer that many feel he’s at his best.

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.davezollo.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/david.zollo/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBWcDyxS4LM

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
None yet!
