Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes for April 23

Jazz Notes 4-23-2015  By Norman Provizer

The week in music begins with a visit by saxophonist Dick Oatts to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, on Thursday at 7 and 9 p.m. (303-839-5100). Born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1953, Oatts headed for New York in 1977 and quickly became a part of the famed Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra. He was with the big band when it continued as the Mel Lewis Orchestra and then as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

Over the years, the saxophonist worked and recorded with a wide range of players including Ray Mantilla’s Space Station, trumpeter Red Rodney, saxophonist Joe Lovano and singer Nneena Freelon. He also had a long-standing musical relationship with pianist Gary Dial and has released a number of discs on the Stepplechase label. At Dazzle, Oatts has Ben Markley on piano, Ken Walker on bass and Chris Smith on drums.

On Friday, bassist Walker is back at Dazzle with his own sextet for the band’s monthly stop at club at 7 and 9 p.m. Trumpeter Al Hood is a member of the strong area-based Walker sextet and he will be back at Dazzle on Wednesday at 7 p.m. as the co-leader (with pianist Dave Hanson) of the H2 Big Band.

Another visitor to town this week is pianist Lenore Raphael who is at Caffe Sole, 637R S. Broadway in Boulder on Saturday at 7 p.m. doing “Mostly Ellington” (303-449-2985). Raphael is a fine player and she is bringing guitarist Howard Paul with her. Bassist Walker and drummer Todd Reid round out the quartet. On Thursday, Raphael will be in the KUVO performance studio with guitarist Paul for a live performance on the air at 4 p.m.

Saturday also finds the trio of saxophonist John Gunther, Hammond B-3 player Jeff Jenkins and drummer Jim White paying tribute to the sounds of Stanley Turrentine and others at Dazzle at 7 and 9 p.m. Also on Saturday, singer Bonnie Lowdermilk salutes Ella Fitzgerald with Eric Gunnison on piano on what would have been the great singer’s 98^th birthday (303-295-3333). The Ella tribute is at Nocturne, 1330 27^th St., at 6 p.m. The regular artist-in-residence series continues at the new spot at 8 p.m. 

Come Sunday, there’s a live, in the studio recording from trumpeter Tom Gershwin and his quintet sponsored by the Gift of Jazz. To reserve a spot, contact giftofjazz.com. Also at 4 p.m. on Sunday, the Jazz for Jazz Lovers series continues at 4 p.m. with singer Trish Hartley and her quartet (for information and reservations, call 303-400-5288).

Later on Sunday, Rekha Ohal and her quartet with guitarist Dan Schwindt are at Dazzle doing the music of Radiohead at 7 p.m. And on Tuesday, jazz ensembles from MSU Denver under the direction of trumpeter/cornetist Ron Miles are on stage at Dazzle at 7 p.m. Interestingly Miles was recently in Europe for a tour with the Bad Plus (doing the band’s recreation of Ornette Coleman’s classic disc Science Fiction). Next month, Miles, who heads Metro State University’s new major in Jazz and Improvised American Music, will be at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York as part of guitarist Bill Frisell’s performance of “Up and Down the Mississippi Traveling Highway 61.”  And to tie things together, the Bad Plus has recorded Radiohead’s “Karma Police,” influenced by pianist Brad Mehldau’s earlier recording of the Radiohead tune. Think of that and the positive comments on Radiohead from people like saxophonist Chris Potter and singer Jamie Cullum – and Ohal doing Radiohead’s music makes more sense than you might have imagined.

Normanprovizer@aol.com