A Most Wonderful Time of Year | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

It’s that time of year when musical performances celebrating the music of the holiday season are definitely in vogue. At Dazzle this week, for example, there are three different groups offering “Holiday Shows” over the next seven nights. The seasonal activity begins at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, on Thursday when the Adam Bartczak Republic does its play on holiday-season sounds and more at 6 and 8 p.m. (303-839-5100).

Bartczak’s Republic big band has a solid list of fine area-based musicians on stage and can keep yout attention even if you haven’t read Plato. A smaller group led by trombonist Bartczak, called Democracy is also continuing its weekly performance at Nocturne, 1330 27^th St., on Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. (303-295-3333).

Along with Bartczak’s Republic, another big band at Dazzle, the Denver Jazz Orchestra does its “Holiday Show” on Sunday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. This 19-piece group is led by Andrew Hudson and Jerry Noonan and serves as a good reminder of just how many quality big bands are on tap in Denver.

The last of the three holiday shows at Dazzle this is an outing by pianist Purnell Steen and his Le Jazz Machine on Wednesday at 6 and 8. Steen, who knows how to put together a set of music, has Max Wagner on saxophone, Derek Banach on trumpet, Ron Bland on bass and Kevin Smith on drums. There are also some added parts to the Machine for this evening, singer Myra Warren, guitarist Ed Stephens and vibraphonist Dave Atkinson.

In between the holiday shows at Dazzle, the club on Lincoln hosts a return engagement by the deep-throated tenor saxophonist Houston Person. Though Person was born in South Carolina in 1934, his playing is strongly rooted in what is frequently described as the fat Texas Tenor tradition – think James Clay and Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine and David “Fathead” Newman (remember Texas is a state of mind).

At Dazzle, the popular Person, who spent so many years partnered with the late Etta Jones, has Jeff Jenkins on piano, Ken Walker on bass and Paul Romaine on drums. Person is known for his blues-filled style and his effective ballad playing, but he has played and recorded with a wide array of players. His current release is Chemistry, a reunion duet with bassist Ron Carter on High Note. Person plays at 7 and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. And don’t be surprised if he works in some holiday sounds. After all he recorded a Christmas album with friends in 1994 (that also included the tune “Happy Hanukah My Friends”) and another Christmas album in 1997 with Etta Jones.

Some other sounds around include: pianist Paul Shinn’s quintet at Caffe Sole, 637 R S. Broadway in Boulder, on Thursday at 7 p.m. (303-499-2985) and now drummer Claire Church and her quartet at La Cour, 1643 S. Broadway in Denver, at 7 p.m. Saturday. Shinn, by the way, will also be with saxophonist John Gunther for the late night set (10:30 p.m.) at Nocturne on Saturday. Also on Tuesday, singer Barbara Paris with the Billy Wallace Trio does Christmas at the St. Julien Hotel in Boulder, 900 Walnut St., at 6:30 p.m. (720-406-9696).

Jazz at the Brown Palace Atrium continues it no cover, no minimum policy on Friday and Saturday afternoons. This Friday its John Kite-piano, Jean-Luc Davis-bass, Ben Makinen-drums and Tom Gershwin-trumpet. On Saturday it’ll be John Kite-piano, Jean-Luc Davis-bass, and Ben Makinen on drums. The perform from 4:30 until 7;30pm on both days.

Do you like coffee, tea and jazz? if so, Vic’s Coffee Shop on 2680 Broadway, Boulder serves up free jazz from Noon until 2pm every Sunday featuring the Scott Martin Trio and others musicians who show up to jam with them. If you like open jam sessions, Todd Reid leads the Tuesday night jam at Dazzle beginning at 9:30p-now in its 11th year. Also, coming on strong is the open jam night at the Crimson Room in the historic Larimer Square. Every Thursday night starting at 9:30 and continuing til ’round about Midnight featuring the Stu MacAskie Trio and invitees.  The Crimson Room is a NYC style bistro downstairs through the big red door at 1403 Larimer St.

The Altitude Jazz and Beyond ensemble performs this Saturday from 7 ’til 10pm this Saturday at Le Cour Bistro and Art Bar at 1643 S. Broadway-Denver, no cover, no minimum. 

There are two final notes. First, there is a new and re-imagined version of Porgy and Bess, titled The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess directed by the multi-talented donnie l. betts is at the Aurora Fox Theater, 9900 E. Colfax in Aurora until January 1 (303-739-1970). And second, there’s an interesting proposition from Baur’s Listening Lounge. For membership in the Music Appreciation Society and the Denver Eclectic Concert group, Baur’s is offering a vinyl recording of the Grande Orquesta Naverre live at Baur’s in 2015. If you are interested contact baursmagic.com  

Comments and submissions: rmanprovizer@aol.com