Chris Cooke

Jazz host

Chris Cooke has been a voice on public radio in Omaha since 1989. Working at KVNO-FM during college, Cooke hosted a weekend progressive jazz show on the station in addition to working as an on-air announcer. In November 1992, Cooke signed on at KIOS-FM and has been there ever since. He has hosted the Tuesday and Thursday editions of Jazz in the Afternoon since 1996 and has hosted Last Call since that year. A long time fan of jazz music, Cooke enjoys talking with the musicians who make jazz music and presenting those conversations with listeners. When not hosting or listening to jazz, on record or in person, Cooke maintains a busy schedule as a self-employed web design consultant.

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10:42 pm
Sat February 25, 2012

Last Call Review: Patrick Butler / Solar Sailing / butlerjazz.com

Guitarist Patrick Butler and legendary keyboarist Ricky Williams reunite in the studio after 35 years on this solid jazz funk date. Solar Sailing has all of the ingredients you would want from a recording of its kind.  Butler and Williams were much in demand players in New York in the 1970s, supplying live music to dancers in the New York Club scene until the wee hours. Now they have reunited to record a studio session which captures the excitement of this old school danceable funk.

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10:41 pm
Sat February 18, 2012

Last Call Review: Tom Wetmore / Desired Effect / Crosstown Records

Electric pianist Tom Wetmore makes his debut with an impressive electric jazz recording which does not disappoint. Wetmore's energetic band includes the very talented Jaleel Shaw whose saxophone provides a stimulating conversational partner to Wetmore's electric piano. An all-original program of nine numbers ensures a satisfying listen for the jazz enthusiast. Tom Wetmore is a pianist, composer, and bandleader working in the New York City area.

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10:38 pm
Sat February 11, 2012

Last Call Review: Ornette Coleman / Something Else!!! / OJC Remasters

Ornette Coleman's emergence in 1958 on Contemporary Records album Something Else!!! was the dawn of a career which would present a revolutionary new approach to playing jazz music and influence countless forward- looking jazz artists. Recorded February 10, 22 and March 24, 1958, in Los Angeles, this recording was the first of two albums made for Les Koenig's influential West Coast label.  It is without doubt an essential recording to have in a jazz library. Last Call will feature music from this recording this month.       

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5:01 pm
Fri February 10, 2012

Last Call Review: Frank Macchia's Swamp Thang / frankmacchia.net

Sure to warm up even the coldest of winter nights, the latest disc by Frank Macchia is a pleasure.  Swamp Thang presents a band of the same name lead by Grammy Nominated Compser Macchia. Wild groove music with crazy chromatic melodies come together with a dose of Cajun and a dash of humor.   The Swamp Thang band, led by Frank Macchia on saxophone, features  John Rosenberg on piano, organ and keyboards, Ken Rosser and Eric Jensen on electric guitars, Tom Lockett on electric bass and Frank Briggs on drums and percussion.

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12:05 pm
Tue February 7, 2012

Jazz CD of The Month: Chick Corea / Eddie Gomez / Paul Motian / Further Explorations / Concord

Another one of those live recordings that lets you feel that you are there.  Further Explorations is a 2 CD celebration of the music of Bill Evans with two of the former band mates of Evans on stage. There's Eddie Gomez, the legendary bassist who was with the Bill Evans trio for eleven years, 1966-1977.  Paul Motian is also on the stage, one of the most influential jazz drummers of the last 50 years who was with Evans from 1959 through 1964 .  Chick Corea, one of the most dynamic and creative pianists in all of jazz since Evans, joins Gomez and Motian.

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Music
11:01 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Christopher's Jazz in the Afternoon Top Ten list of 2011:

Artist / CD Title / Record Label
Kurt Elling / The Gate / Concord Jazz
Bobby Sanabria & Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra / Tito Puente Masterworks Live !!! / Jazzheads
Ambrose Akin­musire / When The Heart Emerges Glistening / Blue Note
Giacomo Gates / The Revolution Will Be Jazz / Savant
Jessica Williams / Freedom Trane / Origin Records
One For All / Invades Vancouver / Cellar Live
Johnny Mandel / The Man and His Music / Arbors Music
Pat Martino / Undeniable / High Note

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Music
10:33 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

LAST CALL BEST OF 2011:

GRETCHEN PARLATO /  THE LOST AND FOUND /OBLIQ SOUND

DWIGHT TRIBLE / COSMIC /KATALYST ENTERTAINMENT

BEN ALLISON / ACTION -REFRACTION /PALMETTO

JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY / THE RACE RIOT SUITE / GROOVE MARKETING

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON / THE MOSAIC PROJECT / CONCORD

ERIC HARLAND /VOAYGER: LIVE BY NIGHT / SPACE TIME RECORDS

ERNEST DAWKINS NEW HORIZONS ENSEMBLE / THE PRAIRIE PROPHET / DELMARK

BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES / ROCKET SCIENCE /EOM

WADADA LEO SMITH'S ORGANIC / HEARTS'S REFLECTIONS / CUNEIFORM

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Album Reviews, Jazz Interviews
9:04 am
Mon December 12, 2011

An Interview with Dwight Trible

Jazz vocalist's tremendous artistry is demonstrated on "Cosmic".

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Last Call

The Last Call started on KIOS in January 1996.   Since that time Chris Cooke has been the host for this late night jazz program.  It is one of the few radio programs that present the very best of adventuresome jazz-music which generally falls outside of the mainstream of the genre, but includes some of the most creative and innovative music ever recorded by musicians anywhere. The program's host brings along with him several decades of experience and insight into jazz music as he steps into the studio to host each program.

Jazz in the Afternoon with Chris Cooke

For over thirty years, Jazz in the Afternoon has brought you mainstream jazz here on KIOS FM. Every Tuesday-Friday from 1:00-3:00PM Chris Cooke and Mike Jacobs present the wide spectrum of jazz recordings dating back to the "golden age" of jazz in the 1920's through it's evolution in swing, bop, Latin and other styles right up to today's new releases. We also have a strong commitment to keeping you up to date on the local scene bringing you artists from the Omaha, Council Bluffs and Lincoln areas and partnering with local non-profit organizations to publicize major jazz concerts in our area with music and interviews. Straight-ahead and in the pocket. Jazz in the Afternoon is your ticket to great jazz music during the weekdays here at KIOS. Have a question or comment?

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