Live & Local: Dawn Clement on the new album Dawn Clement / Steve Kovalcheck / Jon Hamar

Dawn Clement is a pianist, vocalist, educator, and composer based in Denver. In her work, she’s a sonic explorer – reaching beyond and bringing listeners to new places. While she holds the torch in jazz tradition, she is, at the same time, a trailblazer in the landscape of modern creative music. As a collaborator, she shines and is in high demand touring and recording across the US. She has previously performed with jazz luminaries including Jane Ira Bloom, Ron Miles, Matt Wilson, Rene Marie, and Juliana Priester as well as recorded with säje on their GRAMMY-nominated debut album. She is also a member of Esthesis Quartet, a group founded in 2021 with flutist Elsa Nilsson, drummer Tina Raymond, and bassist Emma Dayhuff.

Her latest collaboration is with a few old friends: Guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and Bassist Jon Hamar. She was telling Carlos Lando and Abi Clark of The Morning Set on Thursday’s “Live & Local” that Hamar was a “musical brother” of the Pacific West where she is initially from and that he connected her to Kovalcheck when she initially moved to Denver in 2008. Of this album and recording process she shared, “I personally feel like it’s, for me, some really authentic playing. They allowed me to sound most like myself. We all brought music to the table and our music really fit together… improvisational, listening, sonic space, patience, all without the drums – it’s really unique and really special.”

Dawn Clement / Steve Kovalcheck / Jon Hamar was released in September of 2024 and is available wherever you listen to music. Check out our in-studio chat about this album, upcoming release parties, and what’s coming up this musical season for Dawn.

The CD release party took place on Thursday, October 24 at Classic Pianos. If you missed, it, they will continue the celebration Friday, October 25 at the Greeley Country Club starting at 7 p.m. presented by the Northern Colorado Jazz Club “Peak View Jazz.”

Stay connected to Dawn Clement; follow her on socials at @DawnClementMusic.

Catch “Live & Local” every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. MT on KUVO. Tune in to The Morning Set on weekdays from 7 – 10 a.m. by going to KUVO JAZZ 89.3FM or via the stream or the KUVO App.

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