Jazz is Independence, See It Live! | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

Since it’s move to the Baur’s Building in downtown Denver, Dazzle has continued to raise the jazz bar in town with appearances, during its first month in operation, by people such as drummer Brian Blade and his Fellowship Band, saxophonist Chris Potter and his quartet, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and his quartet and singer Catherine Russell. That trend is clearly continuing into July when the club will have organ man Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Evolution, guitarist Pat Martino’s trio, saxophonist Charles McPherson’s quintet, pianist Christian Sands’ trio, pianist Manuel Valera’s trio and trumpeter Byron Stripling with singer Carmen Bradford serving up “Ella and Louis.”

But before any of that occurs, the month of July begins on Saturday with a special treat by the name of Marc Ribot. Guitarist Ribot, who was born in Newark, made it across the water to New York City in 1978. During the last half of the 1980s, Ribot was part of the out-of-the-ordinary group John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards setting, in some ways, the stage for a later career in which he would occupied many musical boxes. After all, he could work with producers ranging from T Bone Burnett to John Zorn and musicians from Brother (or, if you prefer, Captain) Jack McDuff to Chuck Berry.

As a leader, he has had bands from the noise-bop Ceramic Dogs to a trio (with the all-too-long neglected Henry Grimes on bass) and the Los Cubanos Positzos (or, the Prosthetic Cubans). His current release The Young Philadelphians – Live in Tokyo combines Ornette’s funk oriented Colemanisms with 1970s Philly soul in the company of Prime Timers Jamaaladeen Tacuma on bass and Calvin Weston on drums along with fellow guitarist Mary Halvorson. He also has explored the sounds of the solo guitar on a number of discs and he will be going solo on Saturday at Dazzle at Baur’s, 1512 Curtis, at 6:30 and 9 p.m. (303-839-5102). He is anything but ordinary and his stop here should be something else. Ribot is also playing at the Aspen Art Museum, 637 Hyman Ave in Aspen, on Friday at 8 p.m. doing his solo music for the 1921 Charlie Chaplin movie The Kid.

Speaking of Aspen, JAS (Jazz Aspen Snowmass) at the Little Nell has drummer/singer Jamison Ross on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. Ross played in Denver on June 26 and is a more mainstream bright new light on the scene. He sings on 10 of the 12 tracks of his inaugural CD (Jamison) on Concord and is currently working o his second CD (jazzaspensnowmass.org). In talking with Ross, the drummer noted that bassist Derrick Hodge is now living in Denver. The Grammy Award winning bassist has covered the scene working and/or recording with Terence Blanchard and Robert Glasper to Common, Q-Tip , Mos Def and Kanye West. Here’s a big welcome to the outstanding Philly-born musician.

Leading up to Ribot, Dazzle on Thursday has Yo Mama with saxophonist Anisha Rush. This is a band that could be called the All XX Chromosomes, featuring, as it does, four women – Rush, Clare Church, Annie Booth and Kim Bird. The quartet plays at 7 p.m. Then, on Friday, Dazzle has a new group led by vibraphonist Greg Tanner Harris labeled Cloudhouse. The quartet (with Matt Fuller, John Grigsby and Kevin Matthews) has trumpeter Shane Endsley as a special guest. Endsley, of course, along with teaching at MSU Denver is part of the striking group Kneebody.

On Sunday at Dazzle, a band called Chronologue, with players who came together while students at MSU Denver (and influenced by Kneebody, Donny McCaslin and such), is on stage at 6 p.m. And on Wednesday, Dazzle has a “Celebration of Arabic and Jewish Music” with the groups Zuruna and Hal Aqua and the Lost Tribe starting at 7 p.m.

Some other items around town are guitarist David Honig’s New Standards Trio is at the Rialto Café, 934 16th St., on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (303-893-2233), singer Terri Jo Jenkins and M-Squared at the Historic Elitch Theater, 4655 W. 37th Ave., at 6 p.m. on Friday along with a showing of LaLa Land and the Gypsy Swing Revue turns Caffe Sole in Boulder, 637R S. Broadway, into a “Hot Club” of jazz on Friday at 7 p.m. (303-499-2985). Sunday’s free City Park Jazz event at the park’s pavilion features pianist Purnell Steen and his Le Jazz Machine band covering the sounds of Five Points and other spots. And on Saturday, the Rebirth Brass Band out of Nawlins’ is at the Caribou Room in Nederlands, 55 Indian Peak Dr., at 9 p.m. (303-258-3637).

Also remember the lineup at Nocturne, 1330 27th St., for July and August (303-295-3333). Wil Swindler and the Goodrattle Hard Bop Quintet plays on Tuesdays, the Ben Markley Trio on Wednesdays, Adam Bodine’s Wildcard Sessions Thursdays, Trio + 1: An Ode to Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry on Fridays and the Peter Sommer Quartet doing the sounds of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on Saturdays. The music starts at 7 p.m. each night.

Submissions & Comments: normanprovizer@aol.com