Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes–January 28th

Jazz Notes 1-28-2015

By Norman Provizer

   This week the musical birds will be flying high on Friday when pianist Lynne Arriale, singer Carla Cook and alto saxophonist Grace Kelly join forces to celebrate the music of Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln and Joni Mitchell at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, at 7 and 9 p.m. (303-839-5100). The evening is titled “You Know How I Feel” – lyrics taken from the Simone song “Feeling Good” that opens with line “Birds flyin’ high, you know how I feel.” Arriale is a superb pianist, who has visited Denver a number of times, and Cook, among other things, has been part of the vocal trio called Two Skirts and a Shirt with Allan Harris and Rene Marie (who has a strong Denver connection and is up for a Grammy for best jazz vocal album, as is Denver’s Dianne Reeves).

   An added treat is the presence of Grace Kelly, who at a very early age captured attention, and is now, at 22, one of the top rising-star alto players on the scene. The Massachusetts native was part of the Vail Jazz Festivals student program and her latest CD is titled Working for the Dreamer. When she was all of 16, Kelly (who was born Grace Chung and became Kelly when her mother remarried) made it to DownBeat’s “Critics Poll” – and in the current poll from the magazine, she captured the number two spot in the rising-star alto saxophone category. Bassist Evan Gregor and drummer Ross Pederson round out the group. When you hear the songs of Simone, Lincoln and Mitchell, you’ll know how you feel.

   On Saturday, tenor saxophonist Peter Sommer offers another celebration at Dazzle at 7 and 9 p.m. This one marks the saxophonist’s new CD, Narando Historicas, with tunes connected the writers Rilke and Kerouac and more. The disc on Dazzle Recordings features Ron Miles on Cornet, Eric Gunnison on piano, Kent McLagan on bass and Alwyn Robinson on drums. And that’s the band at Dazzle. Speaking of Kerouac, the annual Neal Cassady Birthday Bash takes place on February 6-8, with David Amram performing on the 6^th at the Mercury Café. Cassady was on the road with Kerouac and he provides a strong Denver connection to the Beat Generation. We’ll have details in next week’s column.

   Also on Saturday, the home Jazz for Jazz Lovers concert series has bassist Charles Burrell on hand to sign his new memoir. Pianist Billy Wallace who, among other things, worked and recorded with Max Roach is also on the program that starts at 4 p.m. (for information and reservations go to frankcn@earthlink.net).

   Returning to Dazzle, pianist Paul Shinn and his trio (with bassist Dominique Sanders and drummer Ryan Lee) is on stage at the club on Lincoln at 7 p.m. Shinn and his group have been regulars at Kansas City’s Green Lady Lounge and his new CD Easy Now was recorded live in that KC spot.

   Over at the Soiled Dove, 7401 E. 1^st Ave., this week, you can catch crossover-jazz sounds from guitarist Chieli Minucci and Special EFX on Saturday at 8 p.m. (303-830-9214) and the rocking and award-winning blues singer Marcia Ball on Monday also at 8 p.m. At Treppeda’s, 300 2^nd Ave. in Niwot, it’s 

it’s trumpeter Jason Klobnak and his quartet on stage on Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m. (303-652-1600). And at Jazz at Jack’s, 500 16^th St. #320 on Sunday, Conjunto Colores kicks off a Salsa series at the club at 8:30 p.m. (303-433-1000).

   After the weekend, Dazzle on Monday and Wednesday at 7 and 9 p.m. has the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA) winter event with groups from the fine student program performing without any cover charge.  On Tuesday, in between the two nights of sounds from the CCJA, there’s “Past, Present and Future” the latest edition of an exploration of “Women in Classical Music” at Dazzle at 7 p.m.

   On a final note: Keep in mind a very special event coming up on February 27 with NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera. The event is a benefit concert for Cuba’s Damas De Blanco (Ladies In White) with the multi-Grammy winner D’Rivera performing with some area-based musicians and students from the University of Colorado at Boulder. It takes place at Mount Vernon Country Club in Golden with shows at 6:30 and 9 p.m. and with Cuban food and drink available. For tickets, go to waltergorrajazz.com/damasbenefit.html

normanprovizer@aol.com