Jazz News: Denver Comes Alive at Cervantes’, Music Appreciation at The Savoy, Image Award noms
This is Jazz News, a look at what’s news in jazz, music, and the arts.
This year marks the 22nd anniversary of Cervantes’ Masterpiece and Cervantes’ Other Side. This coming weekend is a huge pair of shows under the banner “Denver Comes Alive,” inspired by New Orleans Jazz Fest by Dark and Brooklyn Comes Alive. This Friday, Poppa Funk & the Night Tripper salute Art Neville and Dr. John, featuring guys named Porter, Neville, Cleary, and others. The opening acts are stacked with funk and world music players. On Saturday the 18th, the players reorganize into a show called Crescent City Classics. Also on Saturday, Worship My Organ, Joey Porter’s Vital Organ, and more.
Moving over from The Mission Ballroom the last few years, the concept is to put music on both more intimate stages over two nights and encourage fans to drift back and forth between the venues through that doorway back by the bar. (Shout out to Andrew O’Brien at Live for Live Music.com for his coverage (SOURCE: Live for Live Music /News /Denver Comes Alive at Cervantes)
The Music Appreciation Society is enjoying their new home base at The Savoy at 27th and Arapahoe. Last month’s concert with actor/singer/songwriter Chris Thomas King was a sellout. Their 2025 schedule includes Jovino Santos Neto with Martin Kuuskmann in a show called BasoonNova, and later in the spring, vocalist Alexis Cole and Chilean guitarist Camila Meza. (SOURCE: MAS Presents)
The 56th NAACP Image Award nominations are out. In the category “Outstanding Jazz Album,” the nominations are:
- Etienne Charles - “Creole Orchestra” (Culture Shock Music)
- Javon Jackson and Nikki Giovanni - “Javon & Nikki Go to the Movies” (Solid Jackson Records)
- Samara Joy - “Portrait” (Verve Records)
- Kirk Whalum - “Epic Cool” (Artistry Music)
- Matthew Whitaker - “On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute” (MOCAT Records) (first Image nomination)
The NAACP Image Awards are on BET and CBS on February 22. (SOURCE: NAACP Image Awards)
