Wed, 07/29/2015 - 1:14 pm

Trombone player, composer, and vocalist Natalie Cressman has captivated audiences with her natural ability to meld her diverse background with her career. Natalie has merged her talent and jazz skills with her seemingly flawless storytelling ability. Natalie’s unique performance will entrance you and leave you wanting more. The Music Appreciation Society is proud to welcome Natalie to the Baur’s on Sunday, August 2nd at 8 PM.

Her latest album Turn the Sea portrays a unique yet accessible sound that audiences of indie, jazz, and Latin-groove based music can enjoy. Natalie’s distinctive ability to take on audiences in a relevant light can be partially attributed to her time spent touring with jam band pioneer Trey Anastasio who introduced her to the Jazz world, and Cressman grabbed the opportunity by the horns.

Natalie’s musical youth was spent in San Francisco, CA. Her mother and jazz vocalist, Sandy Cressman, introduced Brazilian music to Cressman, while her father and veteran of the legendary band Santana, Jeff Cressman taught her Trombone. In 2009, she attended the Manhattan School of Music, and in 2010 she toured with Trey Anastasio.

“I first met Natalie when she was 18, and I was instantly floored by how melodically and naturally she played and sang. Natalie is the rarest of musicians. Born into a musical family and raised in a home filled with the sounds of Brazilian music, Jazz, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, she is seeping with innate musicality. Musicality is in her DNA,” says Trey Anastasio.

She has played with Latin Jazz, Latin-rhythm, and Avant-Garde Jazz musicians such as Eduardo Cambone Orquesta Candela, Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, and Peter Apfelbaum. Presently, early 20-year-old Cressman works with The New York Hieroglyphics and Sparkler, both Apfelbaum’s ensembles.

Natalie’s first album (Unfolding) is best described as the brightly lit beacon of her originality as, “The mix of Cressman’s confident voice, tart trombone and crack songwriting establishes the artist well down the road from an already fully-established sound on Unfolding.” (allaboutjazz.com).

Her second and most recent album, Turn the Sea follows with glowing reviews once again from Trey Anastasio, “Natalie is standing on the precipice of an incredible life in music, and if this album is any indication of where she’s headed, then I’ll be listening every step of the way.”

Baur’s Listening Lounge is proud to present one of the most eclectic voices and original songstresses in the music scene in Denver for th first time. You will be swayed by Cressman’s synthesis of vocals and melding of indie music, Latin-Jazz-and Avant-Garde groove . Get Inside The Music with Natalie Cressman Sunday, August 2nd.

August 2, 2015  ::  8:00 PM
Baur’s Listening Lounge
Light Up The Night With Natalie Cressman & band – Trombone Playing Vocalist from the Bay Area
$30 GA, $25 student, $35 at door
1512 Curtis Street
Denver, CO
www.baursmagic.com

Wed, 04/20/2022 - 6:32 pm

April is International Jazz Month. Where better to celebrate than Dazzle? A bit late, but here are the jazz shows for International Jazz Month, culminating with Same Cloth feat. Brionne Aigné & Dax Oliver performing two shows on International Jazz Day, Saturday, April 30th

Koki Renwick Senior Recital
Wednesday, April 20 - 7pm

Koki Renwick is a young trumpet player from Denver School of the Arts. Although only a senior, he has already racked up a large resume, including Telluride Student All-Stars (2021), Colorado All-State Jazz Band (2020, 2021, 2022), Denver School of the Arts Jazz Workshop Orchestra, UNC Jazz Festival, Vail Jazz Festival, and more. Bringing to the stage some of his closest friends and mentors, he is excited to present interpretations of standard repertoire and some of his own original music. A night to remember, Koki is honored to present his senior recital at Dazzle Denver, a club that has fostered his growth since the beginning.

Koki Renwick – Trumpet
Lazlo Torok – Vibraphone/Piano
Gonzalo Teppa – Bass
Jonah Minkus – Drums

DPO With A Twist
Thursday, April 21 - 6:30pm

Twist transforms the chamber concert experience into a night of intimate music, dinner & drink featuring musicians from the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. The evening kicks off with 3-4 Trio, a string & piano ensemble lead by concertmaster Katherine Thayer. Next, it’s the World Premiere performance of Improvisations by Tim Higgins. Based on E. E. Cummings poems, this piece features bass trombone, saxophone and piano. A dynamic brass quintet closes out the evening.

Katherine Thayer - Violin
Shirley Marecak - Cello
Mike Marecak - Cello
Peggy Lyon - Piano
Daniel Morris - Bass Trombone
Nate Wilson - Saxophone
Ani Powel - Piano
Evan King - Trumpet
Darian Freeman - Trombone
Zach Maupin - Horn
Darren DeLaup - Tuba

John Primer Special Guest of The Delta Sonics & Ken Saydak
Friday, April 22 - 6:30pm & 9:15pm

John Primer is a Living Chicago Blues Icon!
He is a two time Grammy Nominated Artist and the last guitar player for Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon & Magic Slim! A Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and a Legendary Chicago Blues Hall of Fame Artist. John Primer is the Real Deal! You Can’t Paint The Blues Without The PRIMER!

CCJA Spring Concert
Sunday, April 24 & Monday, April 25 6:00 pm

Our CCJA ensembles meet in three 10-week and 5-week sessions throughout the school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) in the format of weekly rehearsals where CCJA students and faculty play and perform together as they study jazz improvisation, technique, style, theory, and history. Students are encouraged to express themselves improvisationally and through composing/arranging for their groups. At the end of each session, CCJA students perform for the public, often at noted area jazz venues, such as Dazzle at Baur’s! Over the past twenty years, the program has attracted incredible young players who have become integral musicians in their respective school groups, members of the Colorado All-State Jazz Band, and recipients of impressive scholarships to major collegiate music programs across the country. Students in CCJA connect with other like-minded players in the area while honing their craft, making music, and having fun.

JJ Mazza Senior Recital
Thursday, April 28 - 7:00 pm

JJ Mazza is a young Downbeat award winning drummer in the Denver area. A senior at the Denver School of the Arts, JJ has already put together an impressive resume, including: YoungArts Winner (2022), Denver School of the Arts Jazz Workshop Orchestra, Colorado All-State Jazz Band (2019,2021), Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Competition and Festival (2019,2020), UNC Jazz Festival, Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge, ASTA National Orchestra Festival, Five Points Jazz Festival, and more. In 2022, it is time for Mazza to present his senior recital. It will be a review of all the music that has inspired him over the years, as well as a presentation of his own original compositions. Joining him will be some of his closest and most trusted collaborators and teachers. It will be a very meaningful night to remember and JJ is so honored to present it at Dazzle, a club which has meant so much to him over the years.

JJ Mazza – Drums
Lazlo Torok – Vibraphone
Greg Tanner Harris – Piano
Hunter Roberts – Bass

Joseph Lamar: SIN + Strings
Friday, April 29 - 10:00 pm

Joseph Lamar is a singer, songwriter, producer and more. His work unites the cerebral and the visceral, the secular and the spiritual, the micro and the macro. His work is an evolving mystery of complex thoughts and theses. On his concept album SIN. [act I], he advances his paradigm shifting doctrine with equally groundbreaking sounds. His newest release Sin Act 1 [naked virgins] features minimal versions of songs from SIN. [act I].  
For this set, Joseph will sing songs from SIN. [act I] accompanied by piano, guitar/bass and strings.

Joseph Lamar - Voice, Writer, Piano
Kendall Burks -  Guitar, Bass
Xadie James - Cello
Autumn Pepper - Viola
Joe D’Esposito - Violin
Rihanna Fairchild - Violin

Monday, May 2 - 6pm

The Jazz and American Improvised Music Students at MSU Denver join together for an evening of blissful improvisation and jamming, featuring the one and only Monique Brooks Roberts (Spring 2022 Resident Artist)

Orchestral Quintet
Wednesday, May 4 - 7pm

Drummer Paul Mullikin is a graduate of Denver School of the Arts and Lamont School of Music, and is a recipient of a Downbeat Magazine Award, and a Presser Scholar award. In 2016, he was featured in KUVO’s ’30 under 30′ series. Having relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 2021, Paul is thrilled to return to Dazzle to share this eclectic set of music. The Orchestral Quintet performs ‘Classical’ works- Baroque, Chamber, Choral, Modern- presented through the lens of improvisation and modern Jazz. These timeless works of genius offer inspiration aplenty- from Ravel’s lush harmonies, Bach’s elegant precision and Stravinsky’s polyrhythmic madness.

Paul Mullikin -  Drums
Sean McGowan - Guitar
Gabriel Mervine - Trumpet
Andrew Rose - Bass
Jeff Jenkins - Piano

Lessons In Your Home Spring Recital
Saturday, May 14 - 10am, 12pm & 2pm

Lessons In Your Home, a local music school without walls, is hosting their annual Spring Recital featuring students ranging from beginners to advanced performing on a variety of instruments.

Lessons In Your Home Spring Recital
Sunday, May 15 - 10am, 12pm & 2pm

Lessons In Your Home, a local music school without walls, is hosting their annual Fall Recital featuring students ranging from beginners to advanced performing on a variety of instruments.

East High Instrumental Ensembles
Tuesday, May 17 - 6:30pm

The music of May 17th will consist of the East High School 5th Hour Jazz Combo, 6th Hour String Orchestra & the 7th Hour Instrumental Ensemble

Neil Bridge & Karen Lee… Presenting Their 10 Piece Band!
Wednesday, May 18 - 7pm

“Our show is about love, through the joy of music that flows between band & audience in a LIVE performance!” Neil Bridge has accompanied so many world class jazz musicians. As educator, he created/directed the DPS City Wide HS Jazz Combo. They won The Downbeat Award for #1 HS Jazz Combo in the U.S. Neil’s wife/muse Karen Lee says “I am deeply thrilled to be singing!”

Neil has upheld the highest standards in musicianship and music education…as well as swinging without remorse! Truly a long-time giant of Denver’s jazz scene, Neil and his muse, Karen Lee Bridge, will remind you with his classic arrangements and impeccable taste, of why we love this most American of music styles.” Ricky Rodriguez Denver City Park Jazz Festival 2013

Neil Bridge - Piano…
Bandleader, arranger, composer, former DPS Music Educator
Karen Lee - Vocalist
Ron Bland - Bass
Howard Hernandez - Percussion
Leo Munoz Corona - Percussion
Todd Reid - Drums
Bob Rebholz - Sax and Flute
Derek Banach - Trumpet
Kevin Bollinger -Trumpet
Zach Rich - Trombone

GAMEJazz Broadway & the Movies
Thursday, May 19 - 7pm

G.A.M.E.jazz brings you a night of the most beautiful and recognizable songs ever written – jazz arrangements of classic tunes from Broadway and the Movies by some of our time’s greatest composers: Cole Porter, Lerner & Lowe, the Gershwins, Henri Mancini, Antonio Carlos Jobim, to name a few. Doug Roche on Piano, Ron Bland on Bass, Todd Reid on Drums and Jan Cleveland on Vocals will be joined by special guest artist Bob Rebholz on Flute/Saxophone. If you love the music from My Fair Lady, Peter Pan, Charade, Porgy and Bess, Summer of 42, and the Thomas Crown Affair, you’ll love this show.

Bob Rebholz – Flute & Saxophone
Jan Cleveland – Vocals
Ron Bland – Bass
Doug Roche – Piano
Todd Reid – Drums

Lessons In Your Home Spring Recital
Sunday, May 22 - 10am, 12pm & 2pm

Lessons In Your Home, a local music school without walls, is hosting their annual Fall Recital featuring students ranging from beginners to advanced performing on a variety of instruments.

Denver South High School Student Showcase
Monday, May 23 - 7pm

Denver South High School Orchestra and Sough High Vocal Jazz

Denver South High School Jazz Band with Slavens Jazz
Tuesday, May 24 - 7pm

East High Instrumental Ensembles
Wednesday, May 25 - 6:30 pm

The music of May 25th will feature the 3rd Hour Jazz Ensemble & the 4th Hour Jazz Ensemble

Keith Oxman Quartet
Thursday, May 26 - 7pm

This group has been playing on the Denver Jazz scene together for 30 years. This group is on numerous recordings with guest artists including Curtis Fuller, Charles McPherson, David Liebman and Houston Person. This performance will be recorded live.

Keith Oxman - Tenor sax
Jeff Jenkins - Piano
Ken Walker - Bass
Todd Reid - Drums

Ken Walker Sextet
Friday, May 27 - 7pm

The Ken Walker Sextet is an iconic and beloved jazz group which has played together for more than two decades. The music is always swinging, often funky, and sometimes even profound. The repertoire ranges from jazz standards, to post bop tunes, original compositions, and always, always inspired by Eddie Harris!  Hearing the band is always an experience to remember!

Ken Walker – Bass
Paul Romaine – Drums
Dave Corbs – Guitar
Jeff Jenkins – Piano
Al Hood – Trumpet
Peter Sommer – Sax

Sarah Mount & The Rushmores
Friday, May 27 - 10pm

Lead by local saxophonist who hails from the Mile High City, Sarah Mount and the Rushmores has been delivering improv driven hard funk and soul to the Denver area for the last four years. They will bring the usual line up with original music, and unique covers featuring guest artists every show. Catch ’em every last Friday of the month!

Emily Sparklechicken Hatch - Vocals
Noah Matthews - Bass
Dom Fante - Drums
Kyle Driscoll - Guitar
Blake Mobley - Keys
Alex Cazet - Tenor Sax
Sarah Mount - Alto Sax
Special guests:
Bri Janay - Vocals
Louie Letdown - MC

Same Cloth
Friday, May 28 - 6pm & 9pm

Same Cloth is a Denver based project led by prolific keyboardist Solomon J. Chapman Sr. and inventive vocalist JoFoKe. Embarking upon a new musical journey, this charismatic duo combines their peculiarities to share meaningful art. Performing original music and creatively arranged covers, Same Cloth collaborates with musical colleagues on bass, guitar and drums to intensify their musical vision. As a unit, Same Cloth combines the diverse traditions of Black American Music to create an energetically eclectic and emotionally elevating live music experience. Hear Same Cloth’s debut single, “No Good” and keep up with them at Linktr.ee/SameClothBand.

JoFoKe – Vocals
Solomon Chapman Sr. – Keyboards
Matt Campbell – Drums
Will Gaines – Bass
James Tré – Guitar

Mon, 05/16/2022 - 12:12 am

Havana-born pianist Robert Fonseca released Yesun, his ninth solo album, on 18 October.

“Yesun is the album I’ve always wanted to make,” says Fonseca of a record that combines everything from jazz and classical music to rap, funk, reggaeton and electronica, ripping up the rulebook along the way. “All my influences are here. All the sounds and vibes that make me who I am.”

It’s a trio album whose 12 original tracks are bolstered by Fonseca’s bandmates, drummer Raúl Herrera and double bassist Yandy Martínez Rodriguez. Guests include American saxophonist Joe Lovano, French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, Cuban rapper/singer Danay Suarez and bolero diva Mercedes Cortés.

Yesun delves even deeper into the music of Fonseca’s homeland, weaving in beats, spoken word, analogue keyboards, Fonseca’s sonorous vocals and more.

“I am presenting a Cuba without borders,” says Fonseca. “I’m building bridges between my AfroCuban roots and other styles of music and doing some of the crazy things I love doing live.”

Fonseca has been at the forefront of the renaissance in Cuban music for nearly three decades, releasing a catalogue of acclaimed solo albums between joining the legendary Buena Vista Social Club, touring with crooner Ibrahim Ferrer (1927 – 2005) then with singer Omara Portuondo. His 2007 album Zamazu proved him a performer/composer in his own right. 2012’s Grammy-nominated Yo featured guests including Fatoumata Diawara, the Malian singing star with whom Fonseca subsequently embarked on an acclaimed live collaboration.

Fonseca’s goals are the same: “I try to be a better musician so I’m always practicing, composing, experimenting,” he says. “I like breaking new ground.”

Yesun is a wordplay title symbolising water. Water drawn from the well of AfroCuban history and given with a modern, forward-looking twist. For in the same way that water, the giver of life, has vast reach and shape-shifting power, so does Fonseca’s music flow from ancient to modern, embracing challenges, prompting growth. Opening a channel for young musicians in Cuba, who take inspiration from his cross-genre adventures and wild success abroad.

Tracks include ‘La llamada’ (‘The Call’), with its propulsive piano, tempo changes and the celestial voices of female quartet Gema 4. ‘Kachucha’ pulses with Afro-centric pride, blending compulsive rhythms with sonic effects, deep baritone vocalese and Maalouf’s liberating trumpet playing.

‘Cadenas’ kicks off prog-rock style before a tempo shift brings in a cha-cha vibe, sung exhortations and some truth-spitting spoken word from Danay Suarez: “She’s talking about how important it is to fight for one’s soul.”

‘Por Ti’ is a masterclass in classical composition. ‘Aggua’ is a call to party. ‘Motown’ showcases the trio’s remarkable telepathy. ‘Stone of Hope’ finds Fonseca singing bossa nova-style over a looping bassline that recalls the yambú form of Cuban rumba.

‘Mambo pa la Nina’ is a crazy happy mambo fuelled by modern electronica and the sort of vintage-sounding Moog and Hammond organ played by two of Fonseca’s heroes, Herbie Hancock and Joe Zawinul.

Fonseca pours water on his AfroCuban roots in ‘Ocha’ and subverts more clichés in the process. ‘No soy de esos’ is a melodic instrumental that confirms Fonseca out as musician of sensitivity and substance. ‘Clave’ is a funky paean to the basic pattern underpinning AfroCuban music, and the endless possibilities it enables.

Yesun, then. An album by a Cuban virtuoso determined to make music his way, and modernise Cuban music in the process.

“This is me,” says Roberto Fonseca. “This is who I am.”

Thu, 06/02/2022 - 5:46 pm

Dazzle’s 2022 Keeping It Cool Lineup includes 2 GRAMMY® Award-Winning Artists, 4 Blues Music Award-Winners, a Colorado Hall of Famer, 7 GRAMMY® Award Nominations, 15 Blues Music Awards, and an additional 3 Blues Music Awards Nominations amongst them.

Keeping It Cool highlights some of this summer's biggest shows at Dazzle at Baur’s, with a strong Blues influence. Colorado artists mix with national tours to bring the best of live music to Denver with straight-forward jazz along with all the other notes.

Tickets for these shows and more can be found at https://dazzledenver.com/upcoming-events/

Ben Markley Big Band ft. Ari Hoenig

June 8 - 7pm

The Ben Markley Big Band with internationally acclaimed drummer Ari Hoenig will be performing their album release performance of “Ari’s Funhouse!” The repertoire will consist of pieces from some of Ari’s most well known albums including The Painter, Bert’s Playground, and Punk Bop.

Ari won a BMW Welt Award (an international competition for best band led by a drummer) .

Ari Hoenig – Drums

Ben Markley – Piano

Evan Gregor – Bass

Steve Kovalcheck – Guitar

Wil Swindler – alto sax

Scott Turpen – alto sax

Jim Pisano – tenor sax

Heath Walton- tenor sax

Sam Williams – bari sax

Pete Olstad – Trumpet

Jake Boldman – Trumpet

Dan Jonas – Trumpet

Gabe Mervine – Trumpet

Adam Bartczak – Trombone

Paul McKee – Trombone

Zach Rich – Trombone

Jon Gauer – Bass Trombone

Kind Folk

June 9 - 7pm

Since its inception in 2014, Kind Folk, comprised of trumpeter John Raymond, alto saxophonist Alex LoRe, bassist Noam Wiesenberg, and drummer Colin Stranahan, has endured against all odds to create poignant, thoughtful music.

Their new album, “Head Towards The Center,” explores a reflection of themes born out of the changing tides the global pandemic brought: longing, joy, heartache, and hope. Beyond this, the album showcases the resilience of the group and their tenacity to continue creating despite their collective circumstances. More than ever, it’s clear that the whole of Kind Folk is greater than the sum of its parts.

Colin Stranahan won Thelonious Monk Drum Set competition in 2012

John Raymond – trumpet

Alex LoRe – alto saxophone

Noam Wiesenberg – bass

Colin Stranahan – drums

Keyon Harrold

June 10 - 7pm

While Ferguson, Harrold’s hometown, looms large in his album The Mugician, it examines our troubled times through a far wider lens than any one tragedy. Sweeping and cinematic, the music draws on elements of jazz, classical, rock, blues, and hip hop to create something uniquely modern, unmistakably American. Guests including Pharoahe Monch, Gary Clark, Jr., BigK.R.I.T., Guy Torry, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Robert Glasper add to the record's eclectic nature, but it ultimately triumphs as a unified, cohesive whole both because of Harrold’s virtuosic skill as a trumpeter and songwriter and because of his relentlessly optimistic belief in brighter days to come.

Harrold played all of the trumpet parts for the soundtrack of Miles Davis biopic “Miles Ahead” which won a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

ELIANE ELIAS

June 15 & 16 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Multi-GRAMMY® winning pianist/singer/composer Eliane Elias’ distinctive musical style has emerged as one of the most unique and immediately recognizable sounds in jazz. Elias blends her Brazilian roots and alluring voice with her virtuosic instrumental jazz, her classical and compositional skills, while she consistently displays her pianistic mastery and ability to integrate the many artistic roles she takes on.

Elias’ latest album Mirror Mirror (Candid Records) just won a GRAMMY® for Best Latin Jazz Album and is a lifelong musical dream come true—an extraordinary piano duet recording of Eliane with the late legendary jazz great Chick Corea, and famed Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. While her highly successful recordings have predominantly featured her alluring voice and piano mastery, the piano has always been her first love and working with these two incredible icons was a rare opportunity to record in a two-piano setting, something she hasn’t done in many years.

Eliane Elias – Piano

Marc Johnson – Bass

Leandro Pellegrino – Guitar

Tiago Michelin – Drums

Ron Ivory's One on One and The MilesApart Band

June 30 - 7pm

One on One is a quartet which showcases Motown, Classic Soul and Old School Rhythm and Blues “Just the way you like it”. This quintessential quartet formed in July 2003 by its leader and one of its lead vocalists Ron Ivory features songs from the 60’s thru the 90’s with a dash of today’s contemporary music. Includes songs by artists such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Whispers, The Contours, Al Green, The O’Jays, The Spinners, The Dells, Wilson Pickett and many more.

“It’s not just entertainment, it’s an experience” ~Ron Ivory

Ron Ivory-Lead Vocals & Keyboards

Linda Styles-Lead Vocals

Henry Hudson III-Vocals, Saxophone

Jimi Alexander-Vocals

Robin Garcia-Keyboards, Saxophone & Flute

Ben Mitchell-Guitars

Lam McCrary-Bass

Greg Canchola-Drums

Otis Taylor

July 2 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Otis Taylor grew up in Denver, but like the old blues song said, he was born in Chicago in 1948. According to Taylor his parents were both jazz fans. My dad worked for the railroad and knew a lot of jazz people. He was a socialist and real bebopper. His mother loved everything from Etta James to Pat Boone. The first instrument Taylor learned to play was the banjo, but he soon rejected the banjo for its association with the racist American South. Taylor would eventually return to the banjo upon discovering its African roots.

Like so many musicians in Denver, Taylor drew inspiration from time spent at the Denver Folklore Center founded by Harry Tuft, where he first heard Piedmont, Delta, country, and Chicago blues artists like Son House, Muddy Waters, and Mississippi Fred McDowell. He learned to play guitar and harmonica and while still in his teens he formed a band called the Butterscotch Fire Department and later the Otis Taylor Blues Band.

Otis Taylor has won 12 Blues Music Awards and countless others.

Rico Jones

July 7-9 - 7pm & 9:30pm

(7th is with local cats, 8-9 is the all-star band)

Rico Jones is steadily becoming one of the top young saxophonists of his generation. Raised in Denver, he studied at Denver School of the Arts and with the Colorado Conservatory for Jazz Arts (CCJA). He headed for New York City for his undergraduate and graduate works at the Manhattan School of Music, where he has earned a remarkable six Downbeat student awards. While in New York, he has performed as a leader with such notable artists as Jeff “Tain” Watts, Bobby Watson, Yasushi Nakamura, Ari Hoenig, Lage Lund, Kush Abadey, Sullivan Fortner, Colin Stranahan, Rick Rosato, Rich Perry, Dave Kikoski, and many others. Rico is joined by a truly all-star lineup of New York musicians for this run of shows.

Rico Jones- Saxophone

Vincent Herring- Saxophone

Max Light- Guitar

Joe Martin- Bass

Dan Weiss- Drums

The Delta Sonics

July 15 - 7pm

The Delta Sonics music takes a Chicago Blues base and seasons it with Swing, Delta, N’awlins R&B and some early Rock n’ Roll . They were Westword’s best blues band in Denver the last six of eight years. The band made the semi-finals in the Memphis (International Blues Challenge) in 2012 and have been featured at many of the major festivals in Colorado and Wyoming .

Al Chesis- Harmonica / vocals

Bob Pellegrino – guitar

Alissa Chesis -bass

Stefan Flores- drums

Awards: Best blues band in Denver - Westword Magazine Music Showcase 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016, Colorado Blues Society International Blues Challenge Winner & Representative in Memphis IBC 2012, Bob Pelligrino won “best slide guitar player” 3 years in a row from Colorado Blues Society

Nelo & Kerrie Joy Present: Dop $h!t w/Friends

July 16 - 7pm & 9:30pm

In the spirit of friendship, Nelo & Kerrie Joy bring to you a night of joy, community, love….and dope $h!t with friends. See you there, friend!

Samara Joy feat. the Pasquale Grasso Trio

August 5 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Samara Joy is a singing star in the ascendancy, with a voice as smooth as velvet and endless charm. The young vocalist attracted attention in 2019 after winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Now, the 21-year-old announces her self-titled debut release, which puts her spin on jazz standards from the Great American Songbook. Produced by Grammy-nominated veteran Matt Pierson, she’s joined by jazz guitar virtuoso Pasquale Grasso and his trio (Ari Roland and Kenny Washington) for a release that furthers Joy’s reputation as one of America’s most promising young jazz vocalists.

Samara Joy- Vocals

Pasquale Grasso - Guitar

Ari Roland- Bass

Kenny Washington- Drums

Samara Joy was Winner of 2019 Sarah Vaughn international vocal competition, best vocalist at JaLC’s Essentially Ellington

Benny Benack III Quartet

August 10 - 7pm

Trumpeter and Vocalist Benny Benack III has already become a leading voice in Jazz for his generation, and at 31 years old, his trademark ebullience and energy onstage assures his audiences he’s got “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” still to come! His sophomore album of that title featured the likes of Christian McBride and Ulysses Owens Jr. and even had a viral smash hit w/his vocalese rendition of “Social Call” ft. Veronica Swift that’s been transcribed and covered by artists around the world. Finishing 3rd in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition and being voted #5 Rising Star Male Jazz Vocalist in the most recent Downbeat Critics Poll proves Benack’s chops as a crooner are just as viable as his trumpet playing, making him the rare true double threat.

Benny Benack III: Trumpet/Vocals

Julius Rodriguez: Piano

Alex Claffy: Bass

Joe Peri: Drums

Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes’

August 16 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Joel Ross continues refining an expression that’s true to his sound and his generation. Ross has topped the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star category for vibraphone — graduating beyond the Rising Star to well-honed artist in 2021 — as well as the Jazz Journalists Association Critics Poll for Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He recently became one of the youngest artists to earn a coveted Residency Commission from The Jazz Gallery and a spot in The Jazz Gallery All Stars band through which he performed live at The Kennedy Center.

Joel Ross- Vibraphone

Jeremy Corren- Piano

Kanoa Mendenhall- Bass

Jeremy Dutton- Drums

Emmaline

August 19 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Emmaline is a 22-year-old singer and songwriter possessing a smoky, jazz-infused, genre-fluid voice admirable as much for the range of traditional sounds she draws upon, as for her startling freshness—fresh, as in new and innovative as well as in attitude and sly humor. Her songs are bold in statement and soft in feel, her flow supple and precise. She prides herself in being one who has listened with deep intention to her heroes—Anita O’Day and Billie Holiday, Erykah Badu and D’Angelo—and has already learned to rise above questions of category with a healthy sense of musical identity and forethought.

Emmaline has headlined countless, sold-out shows at some of the country’s most notable jazz clubs such as The Jazz Standard (New York City), Scullers (Boston), Blues Alley (Washington D.C.), The Jazz Kitchen (Indianapolis), and Keystone Korner (Baltimore). She has performed in a wide range of situations on stage and online—with big bands and orchestras, singing Jessie J’s “Domino” (à la Billie Holiday) for Postmodern Jukebox and “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” with the world renowned Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra —and has amassed a substantial social media following.

Harp Tribute to James Cotton with The James Cotton Band

Aug 25 - 7pm & 9:30pm

The iconic harmonica man James Cotton passed away in 2017 at the age of 81. Cotton’s considered by most the last great harp titan of the generation that produced Little Walter( who James replaced in Muddy Waters Band), Sonny Boy Williamson 2( who raised Cotton from 12 yrs old), Jr Wells, Big Walter and many more. James’ career spanned more than six plus decades and put him on the map of All Time Blues Greats!

The James Cotton Blues Band is Rico McFarland, Tom Holland( guitars), Cros Charles Mack (bass), Mark Mack (drums), plus Mark Hummel playing and singing James’s role as front man. Hummel produced The Blues Harmonica Blowouts (Mayall, Musselwhite, Huey Lewis, Lee Oskar, Magic Dick) for 30 years that featured Cotton on seven national tours as part of that event. James commented “Mark is All About The Music”. Mark has a Grammy nom in 2013 and two Blues Music Awards, 30 albums to his credit.

Kyle Rowland -“Blues harmonica player of the year” and “Blues New Artist of The Year” in 2009 from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame, Kyle Rowland, has been dominating the stage since the tender age of 10 years old. With help from a few of his heroes such as James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Lazy Lester and many others he learned the tricks of the trade.

Rico McFarland & Tom Holland-guitars

Cros-Charles Mack-bass

Mark Mack-Drums

Mark Hummel-Harp

Kyle Rowland-Harp

Al Chesis-Harp

The Cash Box Kings

Aug 26 - 7pm & 9:30pm

Hailing from the ‘Windy City,’ Alligator Recording artists the Cash Box Kings are keeping REAL DEAL, old-school Chicago blues alive and thriving. With their top shelf musicianship and trademark good humor, The Cash Box Kings are a one-of-a-kind blues band and bona fide blues royalty.

In the words of MOJO magazine, the band is “flawless.” Mixing tough Chicago and Delta blues, jumping proto-rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, soul and steamrolling “bluesabilly” (their original mix of Chicago blues and Memphis rockabilly), they attack every song they play with contemporary authority and old school authenticity. “One of the best blues bands in the land. Any of these musicians could have played with the great bands of the golden blues era. Together they keep a sound alive that many thought was no more.” – Living Blues Magazine “Unflinching blues distilled to its essence and steeped in tradition.”-Chicago Tribune “One of the top blues bands of this era.”- Blue Music Magazine “The Cash Box Kings rule the roost!” Dan Aykroyd

Oscar Wilson: Vocals

Joe Nosek: Harmonica and Vocals

Gerry Hundt: Guitar and Vocals

John W. Lauler: Bass

Derek Hendrickson: Drums

Kenny Saydak: Piano, Organ

Sat, 06/11/2022 - 9:42 am

Denver it is time to Move to the Music. Welcome to the Dazzling Age of Denver’s music scene.

Dazzle presents an explosion of Large Ensemble performances, most Monday evenings at 7:00 PM, starting July 11th.

Music engages the senses, ignites creativity and imagination, and spurs meaningful interactions between us. Community music-making has long been a part of the arts-and-culture fabric in Colorado, from big band to mariachi. It is great playing, relatable songs, and rhythmic flows that inspire people to feel the beat and get on their feet.

Each of these large ensembles are made up of a combination of full-time, professional musicians and highly skilled amateur musicians, playing side by side to create music. From tapping your foot and nodding your head all the way to fully enjoying the dance floor, these large ensembles will make you feel the music throughout every cell in your body.

Since 1860, The Denver Municipal Band is the oldest continuous-playing professional concert band in the U.S. Swing rose from blues and jazz, and Colorado played a key part in that evolution. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington all pioneered the music here, with performances at Elitch Gardens and the Rainbow Music Hall during the 1930s to the ‘60s. These legendary groups all nurtured young stars and future bandleaders, which Dazzle hopes to continue doing by bringing this weekly series to Denver.

Experience the music as it evolves to reflect today’s diverse community with Large Ensembles featuring young composers Annie Booth and Ben Markley, continuing Colorado’s traditions of Big Bands, and Mariachi Alma Del Folklore, the first and only all-female mariachi group in Colorado.

It’s time for Colorado people to get moving again, to invent new dances inspired by the hot rhythms of Colorado’s new Big Ensembles. The time is now. Jump into the elation of swing music. Immerse yourself in that beat and reignite the joy of movement as a community.

Come ready to jump up, surge forward, crowd the bandstand, and raise a cheer. Let music feed your soul.

July 11- H2 Big Band: A Message of Healing to Al Hood
July 18 - Denver Jazz Orchestra
July 25 - Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra
Aug 1 - TBA
Aug 8 - Annie Booth Big Band
Aug 15 - Zaremba Jazz Fellowship
Aug 22 - Mariachi Femenil Alma del Folklore
Aug 29 - Flatirons Jazz Orchestra
Sept 19 - Gavin Worland Big Band
Sept 26 - Denver Municipal Jazz Band
Oct 3 - Hugh Ragin Creative Ensemble
Oct 10 - East meets South: A Collaboration of Bands

Mon, 09/26/2022 - 4:49 pm

On September 30th, Dazzle and Purnell Steen & the Five Points Ambassadors are thrilled to present the 'Friday Lunch Bunch: Celebrating Charles Burrell's 102nd Birthday.' Charles will be there as we pay tribute to a man who spent most of his professional life paving the way for Black musicians and personally mentoring many of them throughout the years, including his niece five time GRAMMY (TM) Award-winning soloist Dianne Reeves and his (and Purnell's) cousin, the late, great George Duke.

Charles Burrell fell in love with classical music at the age of twelve when he heard the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 on his crystal radio. He began training as a bass player in his Detroit middle school orchestra. His dedication to his art and his musical ability enabled Charles to become, age 29, the first African-American in the world to be hired under contract by a symphony orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1949, and then the San Francisco Symphony in 1959. Returning to Denver, Charles continued playing with what is now the Colorado Symphony until his retirement in 1999. One of a very few “crossover musicians,” those who added Jazz and Blues to their repertoire, Charlie also became a staple in the Denver Jazz scene starting in the 1950s, regularly performing at Five Points’ famous Rossonian Lounge, among other venues. He has performed with many of the Jazz Greats including Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. In 2017, Burrell was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

For over 30 years, Purnell Steen and the Five Points Ambassadors has been dedicated to preserving and playing the Jazz and Blues music of Denver’s legendary Five Points neighborhood. You can learn more about them here.

Students and staff from the new Charles Burrell Arts Campus, an Aurora Public School, will also be in attendance to present their namesake with a birthday card made by and signed by the students.

Shhh... other national award-winning musicians may take the stage for a song or two, but that's an unconfirmed rumor.

The Friday Lunch Bunch performs at Dazzle every Friday from 11:00am - 2:00pm. Tickets include music, food, and gratuity.