“There are amazing artists and musicians doing incredible things right here."
University of Northern Iowa Professor and award-winning jazz composer Mike Conrad enjoyed leading COLOSSUS Central, Iowa’s premiere large jazz ensemble, from 2013 to 2015. Since returning to Iowa to join the UNI Jazz Faculty, Conrad resurrected the group under a new name and with a new mission: to showcase the best jazz musicians and jazz composers that the state of Iowa has to offer.
This band is dedicated to playing original music by Iowa writers. Conrad and the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra want to show people in Iowa and beyond that they “don’t need to look to New York City or Chicago for beautiful, high-quality, creative music. There are amazing artists and musicians doing incredible things right here.”