Jazz Concerts Go Multi-National This Week | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

This week, there’s music being served with a connection to the foreign lands of Germany, Cuba, the Virgin Islands and Berkeley, California. On Thursday, German drummer Jochen Rueckert comes to Dazzle, 1512 Curtis, with a sparkling quartet consisting of Walter Smith III on saxophone, Mike Moreno on guitar and Joe Martin on bass. Rueckert has led his own group for almost a decade and also put in extensive stay with the Marc Copland Trio along with the groups led by fellow German guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldano.

Like so many groups appearing at Dazzle, the drummer’s quartet is filled with players whom you would go to see on their own. Saxophonist Smith, who went to Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, for example has a number of discs out under his own name including the most recent release TWIO with fellow saxophonist Joshua Redman and drummer Eric Harland. He can also be found on CDs from trumpeters Ambrose Akinmusire and Terence Blanchard and drummer Harland.  Together with the in demand bassist Joe Martin and the Houstonian Mike Moreno (who has played with a variety of folk, including pianists Jason Moran and Robert Glasper both of whom went to Houston’s arts high school, the quartet plays Dazzle on Thursday at 6:30 and 9 p.m. (303-839-5100).

Speaking of Redman, the saxophonist is in Boulder on Saturday with his quartet that has Aaron Parks on piano, the Virgin Islander Reuben Rogers on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. That group is at the Boulder Theater, 2030 14^th St., at 8 p.m. (303-786-7030). And keep in mind that Redman’s cooperative quartet Still Dreaming that includes Denver’s Ron Miles is one of the five nominees up for a Grammy in the best instrumental jazz category on Feb. 10. A second nominee in that same category is the latest from saxophonist Tia Fuller who was raised right here in Aurora.

This covers Germany and Berkeley (where Redman grew up and went to high school before moving east to Harvard). Next up is Cuba. On Monday and Tuesday, pianist Jesus “Chuchito” Valdés brings his trio to Dazzle at 7 p.m. on Monday and 6:30 and 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Chuchito is not just one of the long list of Cuban pianists who have become part of the international jazz scene, he is a member of that list with deep roots in the music from grandfather Bebo Valdés to dad Chucho Valdés. You get strong Latin sounds blended with a fluid jazz voice from the latest Valdés on the jazz scene.

Dazzle also has guitarist Dan Schwindt and company on Friday at 9:30 p.m. to kick off a first-Friday- of- the- month appearance by this soul-oriented band and the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra with singer Robert Johnson doing sounds from their disc Invitation and Stevie Wonder. And over at Nocturne, 1330 27^th St., pianist Peter John Stoltzman’s New Standards Project begins its Friday night visit that runs through February at 6:30 and 9 p.m. (303-295-3333).

And not to ignore drummer Eric Harland, he will be in town on Feb. 7^th as part of saxophonist Ben Wendel’s Seasons band that will also have pianist Aaron Parks on hand. 

Comments and submissions: normanprovizer@aol.com