Close Out 2018 with Your Choice of Live Jazz! | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

Before you know it, it will be 2019 and the jazz scene in Denver will again kick in to high gear. But before we get there, the final days in December offer some sounds to keep in mind, starting with an appearance of tenor saxophonist Freddy Rodriguez Sr and his Jazz Connection at Dazzle. 1512 Curtis, on Saturday at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Rodriguez is among the fixtures on the city’s jazz scene whose name is associated with the sounds emanating from El Chapultepec.

For this stop at Dazzle, the saxophonist has a band that includes son Freddy Rodriguez Jr. on keyboards, Andrew Hudson on bass and Tony Black on drums. Dazzle is a different environment than the Pec and it will be good to see that when you say Freddy Sr. is on stage at Dazzle he will actually be on a stage (303-839-5100).

The same night that Rodriguez is at Dazzle, trumpeter Pete Olstad, who spends time living in Denver, is at Nocturne, 1330 27^th Street, at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Over the years, you could find Olstad in the trumpet section of the big bands led by Woody Herman, Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson, along with Blood, Sweat and Tears. And on Saturday, you can catch him at Nocturne. Also at Nocturne this week, there’s saxophonist Keith Oxman on Thursday and the Big Swing Trio with pianist Andy Weyl on Friday. Those sounds start at 6:30 p.m. (303-295-3333).

Back at Dazzle, Thursday finds pianist Lincoln Marcove doing solo sounds in honor of veterans at 1:30 p.m., the Mama Roux quartet playing at 6:30 p.m. and saxophonist Rico Jones and his band on stage at 9 p.m. Then, on Friday, the Ken Walker Sextet is at the club on Curtis, at 6:30 p.m. Come Sunday, Dazzle has three superb pianists – Jeff Jenkins, Art Lande and Eric Gunnison – doing their solo thing starting at 7 p.m.

For New Year’s Eve on Monday, Dazzle has the Gypsy Swing Revue at 6:30 p.m. and the gala with Jack Hadley with the Revue at 9 p.m. At Nocturne, the New Year’s gala has saxophonist Peter Sommer and his quintet with Shane Endsley on trumpet at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. And over at Jazz at Jack’s, 500 16^th Street, Dotsero brings in the New Year on Monday starting at 6 p.m. after the What’s Cookin’ band performs on Sunday at 6 p.m. (303-433-1000).

At La Cour, 1643 S. Broadway, Sweet Street Jazz brings in the New Year on Monday starting at 6 p.m., while saxophonist Jones plays there on Sunday (303-777-5000).

Then get ready. From the start of January through the start of April, there is a deluge of great music. During this three month period at Dazzle alone, you can hear in January: the Ernie Watts/Brad Goode band; M.F. Productions Latin Jazz All Stars; singer Roberta Gambarini; the knockout organ trio of Peter Bernstein/Larry Goldings/Bill Stewart; and German drummer Jochen Rueckert with saxophonist Walter Smith III, Joe Martin and Moreno.

In February at Dazzle, you can hear: bassist Ben Allison’s Think Free band with Steve Cardenas on guitar, Allan Mednard on drums and Shane Endsley on trumpet; saxophonist Ben Wendel’s Session Band with Aaron Parks on piano, Gilad Hekselman on guitar, Matt Brewer on bass and Eric Harlan on drums; and the big Bad Plus.

Come March, Dazzle keeps going with: singer Veronica Swift with pianist Benny Green’s trio; pianist Cyrus Chestnut with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White; saxophonist Chris Potter’s trio with drummer Harlan and James Francies; trumpeter Tom Harrell’s quartet with pianist Danny Grisset, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Jonathan Blake; and the threesome of Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow. And, right at the start of April, singer René Marie caps off this incredible run of players.

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