Why Jazz Matters: Track 15
by Norman Provizer
Back in 1926, Chicago hosted a six-day long International Jazz Congress that had Paul Whiteman as its honorary chairman. The event is widely viewed as a key precursor of the phenomenon we know as jazz festivals, three of which take place in Colorado in August. It’s also an event that reminds us of an interesting connection or two between Colorado and jazz festivals. First of all, there’s Paul Whiteman who was born in Denver in 1890 and whose father was a jazz educator in the city’s school system, where he influenced musicians who would became famous big-band leaders – Andy Kirk and Jimmie Lunceford. Second, in 1963, Dick and Mattie Gibson created a special offshoot of the jazz festival that was called the Colorado Jazz Party that had a 30-year run and helped launch jazz parties all over the country in its wake.
Sticking with Colorado, during the first two days of August, you can catch a large part of the Telluride Jazz Festival in Telluride and the Denver Vintage Jazz Festival in Northglenn, both of which started on the last day of July. The Telluride fest is in its 39th year and has more and more in the groove band direction in recent years. There’s still guitarist Bill Frisell and his trio, Hammond B-3 player Joey DeFrancesco and his trio and saxophonist Ernie Watts who is the festival’s guest of honor this year. But groove dominates with the M&M’s (John Medeski, Stanton Moore, Rob Mercurio and Papa Mali), saxophonist Maceo Parker, the Soul Rebels, Nth Power, Eddie Robert’s West Coast Sounds with Jennifer Hartwick and Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. A number of those groups will also be playing in the Denver-Boulder area, most notably the M&M’s at Cervantes on August 1.
The second festival, the Denver Vintage Jazz Festival, looks at the music in an entirely different way, essentially defining vintage as the music before the be-bop revolution. The event in the Castle Events Center in Northglenn features bands from New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle, though, I must confess, I am not really familiar with any of them.
The festivals return in mid and late August. Jazz on 2nd Ave in Niwot runs August 13-15 with a full day of free music on the 15th with a host of bands and special guests saxophonist Donald Harrison, Howard Levy (of Bela Fleck’s band) and singer Aisha DeHaas. Then on August 28-30, the focus shifts to Copper Mountain and the crossover, smooth-jazz oriented Genuine Jazz event. Peter White, Denver-native Paul Taylor, Euge Groove, and Kim Waters are among the featured players.
Along with festivals, there’s another theme to the merry month of August – women jazz artists. On August 2, the great, young jazz bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding brings her new, rock-directed band (Emily’s D + Evolution) to the Fox Theater in Boulder. Three days later, on August 5, Spalding’s new group shares the stage with Trombone Shorty out of New Orleans at the Paramount Theater.
Additionally on August 2, trombonist/singer Natalie Cressman is on stage at Baur’s Listening Lounge. Cressman has worked with strong jazz players and those of a more rock persuasion, such as the Trey Anastasio, She is also an alum of the all-female big band, Diva that, performed in Vail at the end of July. Continuing with August 2, pianist Ellyn Rucker performs that evening at the free, City Park Jazz series. Beyond performing, Rucker is the special guest of honor at this year’s City Park series.
Then on August 8, Denver’s five-time-Grammy-winning jazz vocalist, Dianne Reeves, celebrates KUVO’s (89.3 FM) 30th anniversary as the headliner at the PBS station’s “Live at the Vineyard” event at Balistreri Vineyards in Denver. Reeves is a true treasure; and singer Kevin Mahogany is also part of the party. Four days after Reeves sings with her quartet, singer/pianist Diana Krall takes the stage at Red Rocks. For her appearance on August 12, Krall performs with the Colorado Symphony and Pink Martini is also on the program. And to end by switching genders for a moment, the very swinging pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his trio are at Dazzle on August 26-27.
Category: Shop Talk
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
 |
 |
