Every city has its jazz heroes, and Des Moines is no exception. For the past 25 years, the Community Jazz Center of Greater Des Moines (CJC) has honored these heroes with its Annual Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Awards. This year’s event is scheduled for the evening of Sunday, October 26, at Noce in downtown Des Moines.
Hall of Fame honors for 2025 will be awarded to trombonist/
educator/arranger Paul McKee and guitarist Willie Shay.
Special Recognition Awards will be given to saxophonist/educator Michael Giles, singer Gina Gedler and Trilix, a local marketing agency that supports the organization.
The Next Generation Award, which focuses on up-and-coming musicians who are making an impact on music in Des Moines, will be presented to trombonist/educator Jackson Churchill.
The Bobby Dawson Award, presented to a student musician who has been involved with the CJC monthly jam sessions, will be awarded to saxophonist James Vogelaar, a junior at Northwest High School in Waukee.
This year’s Hall of Fame will be held October 26, 2025 at Noce, 1326 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines. The Hall of Fame event will kick off at 5:00 p.m. with a reception and dinner. The awards ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m. which will include performances from this year’s winners as well as past Hall of Fame winners and special guests.
Admission is $20 for advanced tickets and $25 at the door. Food and drinks will be available for an additional charge. Proceeds from this event fund the Community Jazz Center’s youth activities.
Tickets can be ordered online at www.cjc-dsm.org. They are also available by calling 515-279-6452 or emailing
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The CJC Hall of Fame is always a very special night jam packed with live jazz performances and tributes that you won’t want to miss!
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