Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

When I first heard the music of composer/arranger Chie Imaizumi, I was instantly captured by the honest, beautiful and creative sounds she created. And when she moved to Denver, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to her music with a small, big band that trumpeter Greg Gisbert helped put together for her. As happy I was with Chie’s arrival here from New York in 2007, I was sorry to see her move on to California after the release of her second CD on Capri Records in 2010, A Time of New Beginnings.

I thought of Chie recently when I was checking out the Dazzle site, which contains a touch of music from some 66 Denver-related players or groups, including a rendition by Imaizumi’s trio of her composition “Dukessa” (with Gisbert and drummer Tommy Campbell). Along with her previous Capri disc Unfailing Kindness, her music continues to be vital sounds you should check out.

This week there are sounds coming from the Nocturne stage live at 6 and 8:15 pm. On Thursday, it’s pianist Jack Dunlevie revisiting the music from the 1964 Oscar Peterson album We Get Requests, followed on Friday by pianist Annie Booth. Then on Saturday, the third pianist at Nocturne this week, Dawn Clement, is also up at 6 and 8:15 pm. Clement, who teaches at Metro State, is paying tribute to the 1962 Capital album by singer Nancy Wilson and saxophonist Cannonball Adderley.

Back to Dazzle, the club has Adam Bartczak Fridays with the Paranoid Image septet at 7 pm and Stafford Hunter Saturdays with trombonist Hunter’s Funk Experience doing the music of Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard. The Experience includes trumpeter Greg Gisbert and pianist Solomon Chapman.

And over at the Muse Performance Space in Lafayette, trumpeter Adam Chasnow is on stage on Friday at 7 pm, while the band Connecting Flights occupies the stage on Saturday also at 7 pm.

Jazz Notes 2-4-2021
Norman Provizer