When it comes to music, March is going out like a lion. On Tuesday and Wednesday, you can hear that roar when an amazing version of the Ron Miles Trio comes to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, featuring two modern musical giants – guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade. This is one event you don’t want to miss.
     By now, everyone in these parts knows trumpeter Miles, who teaches at Metro State. Born in Indianapolis in 1963, Miles grew up in Colorado and continues to call the Bicentennial State home. As the 1990s began to unfold, Miles expanded his reputation when he toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra led by Mercer Ellington. In 1994, he joined Frisell’s quartet and appeared on his first CD with the guitarist in 1996. Along with his work with Frisell, the trumpeter also has also toured with clarinetist Don Byron, keyboardist Wayne Horwitz and others in addition to hitting the road with his own groups. (Byron, by the way, will be in town on April 9 for Metro State’s Jazz Celebration.)
       In 2001, Miles released an absolutely beautiful disc titled Heaven (on Sterling Circle) that had the trumpeter and Frisell in a strikingly minimalist duo setting. While the guitarist was born in Baltimore, he, too, grew up in Colorado. And it was here, studying guitar with Dale Bruning, that one of the most important guitarists in modern music developed his jazz sensibilities.
     Over the years, Frisell has added his unique sound to a wide range of contexts both outside and in; and, in the doing that, he developed the ability to paint sonic landscapes that manage to be both adventurous and rooted. Drummer Blade rounds out the trio; and the native of Shreveport, Louisiana is simply one of best drummers on the current jazz scene. After high school, Blade moved down to New Orleans in 1988 where he quickly became part of the Crescent City’s scene. Starting in the 1990s, Blade worked with the Jazz Futures II, saxophonists Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman and Wayne Shorter and his own Fellowship band.
     This is a monster group that could have as its logo, a pelican heading down a ski slope. The sets Tuesday and Wednesday are at 6 and 8 p.m. ($25, 303-839-5100). Of course, if the music from the MFB trio were the only sounds on tap during the next seven days, it would still be a great week for the music. But that’s not the case. Tonight and Saturday offer the latest concerts in the Summit Jazz “Swinging Jazz” series at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. This event features Ken Peplowski on reeds, Jon-Erik Kellso on cornet, Ehud Asherie on piano, Howard Alden on guitar, Frank Tate on bass and Coloradan Don Grove on drums.
     This group represents mainstream, traditional jazz at its best. Peplowski is a terrific player, who, in fact, transcends labels, as he new CD, Noir Blue, on Capri so well illustrates. Peplowski is one of the top clarinetists on the scene and listening to Noir Blue just reinforces the point. The concerts are at 7 p.m. and there are area bands to kick things off when the doors open at 6:15 p.m. ($44, 303-670-8471). The opening acts are UC-Denver Claim Jumpers on Friday and the Jazz Cookers on Saturday.
     Shifting gears, Saturday also finds the group Eclectica at Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale, for an 8 p.m. concert. The group consists of drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, violinist Tracy Silverman and bassist Steve Forrest. In addition to establishing a groove on Saturday, Wooten and Silverman also hold workshops on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ($18/$20 day of show for concert, $37/$40 for workshop, 303-777-1003).  
     Also this week, the very popular, Canadian vocalist Michael Buble brings his “Crazy Love Tour” to the Pepsi Center at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Among other things, Buble demonstrates just how much life still remains in classic, standard tunes ($49.50-$89.50, 866-461-6556). Additionally, Neil Bridge + 7 is at Dazzle tonight at 7 and 9 p.m. ($10), followed by the Ken Walker Sextet at the club on Lincoln on Friday at 7 and 9 p.m. ($12) and pianist Ralph Sharon’s trio at Dazzle on Saturday at 6 and 8 p.m. ($12). Lastly, the duo of vibraphonist Chris Lee and cellist/vocalist Collen O’Brien is at India’s Pearl, 1475 S. Pearl in Boulder , tonight at 8 p.m. while singer Barbara Paris’ quartet is at Waterloo, 809 Main St. in Lousiville, at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

Normanprovizer@aol.com