A Magnificent Musical Start For 2016 | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

In 1976, tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Ed Blackwell joined forces to form the group Old and New Dreams. Now 40 years later, Dewey Redman’s saxophone-playing son, Joshua Redman, is collaborating with cornetist Ron Miles, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade to revive the spirit of the Old and New Dreams quartet with the Still Dreaming band that performs together for the first time at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (303-839-5100) before heading to the Jazz Standard for its New York debut.

The idea to have the band play for the very first time in Denver, as Miles explains, emerged from a phone conversation among the four players. Redman had suggested that an initial stop in upstate New York might be a good idea when Blade mentioned Dazzle in Denver where the drummer has played on numerous occasions and is also where Miles lives. So that set up the three nights at the club on Lincoln that quickly sold out. All of the members of Old and New Dreams worked with Ornette Coleman and combined Coleman’s compositions for his acoustic groups with individual efforts from all of the quartet’s members. (Coleman himself had moved into the more fusion Prime Time sound.)

That’s the approach of Still Dreaming as well, combining some Ornette tunes with compositions from the Old and New Dreams members and from the members of Still Dreaming. This is a major jazz event launching a true all-star group right here in Denver.  Like Ed Blackwell, drummer Blade is from Louisiana, while bassist Colley was a student of bassist Charlie Haden. Redman’s connection to Old and New Dreams that recorded four albums during its lifetime (two on Black Saint and two on ECM) is a matter of family. Additionally, Blade was part of Joshua Redman quartet along with being in a number of projects with bassist Colley. The drummer is also part of the cooperative trio led by Ron Miles.

In fact, the Denver-based Miles notes that the only time he has played with Redman was when both were part of a disc from Denver-born clarinetist Ben Goldberg, Subatomic Particle Homesick Blues. But what I remember is that back in 1992, the year after of Joshua Redman won the Thelonious Monk saxophone competition following his graduation from Harvard with a Phi Beta Kappa key in one hand and an acceptance letter from Yale Law School in the other, he appeared in Colorado at both Jazz Aspen Snowmass and the Telluride Jazz Festival. I was standing next to him at Telluride when Ron Miles came on stage with Fred Hess’ group. As soon as Miles began soloing, Redman turned away from the person with whom he was chatting and looked at the stage saying, “Who is this guy?” While all the shows (7 and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 6 and 8 p.m. on Sunday) are listed as sold out, it just might be worth trying to see if anything opens up.  

And, of course, it’s not the only thing happening around town. On Thursday, John Gunther offers a new edition of his musically-globe-trotting Safari Trio at Dazzle starting at 7 p.m. In 2009, Gunther who teaches at the University of Colorado in Boulder, released a Safari Trio CD titled Surrender with Brad Sheptar and John Hadfield on drums. This time around Gunther, who plays saxophone, flute and clarinet and is part of the Convergence sextet, is leaning more Latin with Victor Mestas on piano and Gonzalo Teppa on bass.

After Still Dreaming, pianist Paul Shinn has a trio at Dazzle on Tuesday at 7 p.m. , followed by the Unsupported Personalities septet on Wednesday at 6 and 8 p.m.

At the Jazz for Jazz Lovers house concert on Sunday at 4 p.m., it’s singer Terri Jo Jenkins singing Burt Bacharach tunes (303-400-5288). On January 17, Jazz for Jazz Lovers has saxophonist Rich Chiaraluce also at 4 p.m. But before that performance, Chiaraluce is at La Cour, 1643 S. Broadway, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (303-777-5000). 

Moving to Nocturne, 1330 27 St., trumpeter Greg Gisbert’s Syndicate is on tap on Saturdays at 7 p.m., while drummer Dru Heller’s quintet is there on Tuesdays at 7 p.m., the H2 Big Band on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and pianist Adam Bodine’s trio on Thursday s at 7 p.m. (303-295-3333). And on Tuesdays, you can catch Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles at Baur’s, 1512 Curtis, at 7:30 p.m. (303-615-4000).

Over at the Soiled Dove Underground, 7401 E. 1^st Ave., the crossover quartet Quantum is on tap on Friday at 8 p.m. (303-830-9214). And before you know it, next week will be here with trumpeter Wallace Roney’s quintet at Mount Vernon Country Club on January 14. That quintet has Lenny White on drums (303-526-0616).

Comments & submissions: Normanprovizer@aol.com