The Music of Ennio Morricone | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

On Saturday and Sunday, guitarist Dave Devine celebrates the music of Ennio Morricone at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln. And it’s not the first time Devine has tipped his musical hat to the composer who crafted the soundtracks for Sergio Leone’s “Spaghetti Westerns” like A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. At Dazzle, Devine is joined by Shane Endsley on trumpet, Tania Katz on vocals and accordion, Bijoux Barbosa on bass, Patrick Lee on piano and Dean Oldencott on drums. Both Endsley and Devine teach at Metro State and the march through the music of Morricone registers high on the entertainment scale. Devine is on stage at 7 and 9 p.m. on Saturday and at 7 p.m. on Sunday (839-5100).

Speaking of the guitarist, not all that long ago Devine travelled to Providence to record with drummer Brian Blade’s Fellowship Band – and, while he was there, he also played a concert with the drummer’s superb band. Blade’s invitation to Devine to record as part of the Fellowship Band is just one more reminder of the quality of the players living in these parts.

In addition to Devine’s “Spaghetti Western” adventure, there are a number of other area-based groups doing interesting music at Dazzle. On Thursday, electric bassist Matt Skellenger celebrates has birthday with his world-music oriented group that’s on stage at 7 and 9 p.m. And the following night, Friday, finds tenor saxophonist Peter Sommer holding his 40^th birthday bash at Dazzle at 7 and 9 p.m. with a septet that includes players such as trumpeter Al Hood and drummer Paul Romaine.

Then on Tuesday, bassist Matt Smiley leads a large, 11-piece ensemble at Dazzle playing the music of John Coltrane at 7 p.m. On the schedule is Cotrane’s expansive Ascension. Saxophonist Sommer, recovering from his birthday bash, is among the collection of fine area-based musicians pushing the envelope with Coltrane. Also at Dazzle, the after-school Soundhouse program has its groups Soul Conference and Groove Trader on Monday at 7 p.m. on Monday, while flutist Dorothy Pino has her bossa nova group is there at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Over at Nocturne, 1330 27^th St., the lineup through February has drummer Dru Heller on Tuesdays, the H2 Big Band on Wednesdays, pianist Adam Bodine on Thursdays, trumpeter Tom Gershwin on Fridays and trumpeter Greg Gisbert’s Syndicate on Saturday. On all of the nights, the shows start at 7 p.m. (303-295-3333).  And speaking of February, while the month is short on day, it will very long on music. The national acts that are coming through town during that short month, at Dazzle alone, make for a rather incredible list. Just the tip of that musical iceberg includes Regina Carter’s Southern Comfort group, Kurt Elling, bassist Gary Peacock’s trio, and the groups led by pianists Hal Galper and Aaron Goldberg. And remember that’s just the tip.

Submissions and comments: Normanprovizer@aol.com