It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas Music | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

Back in 1989, I was in Denver for a job interview. It was my first visit to the Centennial State and I did what I do whenever I am in a new city – check to see if there is any jazz around. One of the items I came across was a listing saying that Joe Bonner was playing piano at the bar in the Wynkoop Brewpub. Like any jazz fan, I knew who Bonner was. Could this be the same player who worked with tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and who was on the very first release from the famed label Black Saint (Black Saint by tenor saxophonist Billy Harper in 1975)? So I wandered over to Wynkoop and discovered that the pianist there was thee Joe Bonner (who died in Denver in 2014).

My opinion of Denver as a jazz city went up several more notches before too long. After moving here, I went by El Chapultepec and heard that pianist playing there was Billy Wallace. Once again, I thought, could this be the Billy Wallace who worked with drummer Max Roach and I knew from his playing on Roach’s 1957 album Jazz in ¾ Time? It was that Wallace and it was just this past week that the pianist passed away at 88 years of age.  As the year moves to a close, it’s quite natural to take a moment to remember all those players who gave us so much before they passed from the scene.

Returning to music this week, the 20-piece Denver Jazz Orchestra (DJO) led by Andrew Hudson and Jerry Noonan is at Dazzle, 1512 Curtis, celebrating the Holidays on Sunday at 6 and 8:30 p.m. The very big, big band covers music from the big-band era along with more contemporary sounds (303-839-51000). Other activities at Dazzle include a performance of Balinese music by Gamelan Tunas Mekar on Friday at 6 p.m. followed by classic Christmas animated shorts scored for synthesizer and guitar by the Moon Atomizer duo at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, the four singers that make up the Soul Diva Review perform at 7 p.m., while pianist Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine offer a Holiday show at Dazzle on Wednesday at 6 and 8:30 p.m.

At Caffe Sole, 637R S. Broadway in Boulder, the band Ginga serves up Brazilian sounds with Argentine singer Andrea Zorzutti on Friday at 7 p.m. (303-499-2985). And at Nocturne, 1330 27^th St., on Friday, Santa Clara trumpeter Josh Reed is in town to work with a quartet at 7 p.m., while on Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Nocturne has two nights of the Great Holiday Songbook doing Charlie Brown and more with singer Teresa Carroll on Wednesday and singer Heidi Schmitt on Thursday (303-295-3333).   

Of course, because of the Holiday Season, places such as Dazzle and Nocturne, have a number of private parties going on. So be sure you check the schedules of the clubs.

Additionally, keep in mind that on December 27 at Dazzle, there’s a Fuller Family reunion to celebrate the 70^th birthday of bassist Fred Fuller. Daughters Tia Fuller and Shamie Royston, son-in-law Rudy Royston and son Ashton Fuller will all be at hand. Also, due to illness, singer Dianne Reeves has had to cancel her Holiday tour that includes her scheduled stop in Boulder on Saturday.

Comments & submissions: normanprovizer@aol.com