I must say that I responded with stunned surprise upon reading that Wanderlust is “the only working jazz group in central Iowa.”

Had I known that my partner and friends all died or moved away, I would not have shown up to teach this morning.

Actually, they are quite alive and still live here. Hence, central Iowa has much to offer jazz fans.

I suggest you tune in to WOI’s “Third Thursday” program at 7 p.m. each 3rd Thursday of the month. This month’s program features the Stu Calhoon Trio from Des Moines.

Stu plays regularly throughout central Iowa.

If live music is your bag, check out Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Maiz, playing at the Beaverdale Fall Fest Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m.

Hammond B-3 organ fans can catch the Sam Salomone Quartet at the Court Avenue Brewing Company on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 7-11 p.m.

If you want to jam, the opportunity awaits you at Java Joe’s in Des Moines the first Sunday of every month at 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, check the Des Moines Register’s Datebook for the Susie Miget Group, the Moe Band, the Bob Washut Trio, the Steve Grismore Quartet, Frank Tribble and Friends, the Andy Classen Quartet, Justin Appel, and the Des Moines Big Band (just to name a few).

Area musicians represented by these bands have performed with internationally renowned artists such as Paul Winter, the Count Basie Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson, Chase, Ritchie Cole, Kenny Rankin and even Michael Bolton.

You may also want to purchase CDs by local artists, including Sam Salomone (featuring Ritchie Cole), the Tribble-Leaverton Project, Alto Maiz, and the Des Moines Big Band.

Stick around next summer and you can see a different jazz band (for free) each day at Des Moines’ Jazz in July.

Many of these great local musicians are also educators. Bob Washut, director of the nationally renowned jazz program at UNI, regularly takes his student jazz band to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Susie Miget is proprietor of a Des Moines school for jazz improvisation known as Creative Music. Many others are music faculty at central Iowa high schools and colleges.

Jazz is alive and well in central Iowa. You just have to look for it.

Beth Jorgensen

Graduate assistant,

English