Jazz Choices Remain Plentiful | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

You can find a wide variety of sounds on tap as we move through August headed to the Labor Day weekend. Up at Cooper Mountain Resort, the Genuine Jazz and Wine runs from Friday into Sunday with players such as saxophonist Everette Harp, pianist Bobby Lyle and guitarist Nick Colionne. This is the 34^th edition of the crossover-oriented event that has settled into its home at Cooper Mountain (coppermountaingenuinejazz.com). While that festival is going on in the mountains, Dazzle in Denver, 1512 Curtis, is offering the imposing guitarist Charlie Hunter in a little different trio setting. That trio features singer Lucy Woodward and drummer Damon Grant and is on stage on Friday and Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. (303-839-5100).

Then on Sunday, the great pianist Chick Corea brings his Akoustic Band to the Paramount Theater, 1621 Glenarm. The Akoustic Band with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl has been one of Corea’s groups since the late 1980s, formed in the wake of Corea’s Elektric Band. The Paramount show is at 8 p.m. (303-892-7016). 

Moving back into the mountains, Friday finds Dianne Reeves at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ JAS Café series at the Aspen Art Museum with all the shows sold out. But keep in mind, Reeves will be at the Newman Center in Denver for a Holiday show on December 6. After Reeves plays Aspen, the mighty trio of bassist Christian McBride, pianist Benny Green and guitarist Russell Malone is at the Art Museum on Saturday with all of those shows sold out as well (aspenjazzsnowmass.org). And on Thursday, Jazz in Vail Square has singer Veronica Swift with pianist Emmet Cohen’s trio. The music in the tent in the square starts at 6 p.m. (vailjazz.org). That show too is listed as sold out.  

In Lafayette, at the performance space Muse, 200 E. South Broadway, singer Barbara Paris is doing Swinging for Survivors, a benefit for victims of trafficking. The event is Friday at 7 p.m. (720-352-4327). Other artists at Dazzle during the week include well-known saxophonist Rich Perry who is performing with saxophonist Rico Jones’ quartet on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Perry played with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra as well as the Vanguard Orchestra and Maria Schneider’s orchestra. Also La Pompe Jazz’s gypsy jazz sound is at Dazzle on Tuesday at 7 p.m., followed by pianist Neil Bridge and Steve Denny who have a group on stage on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and saxophonist Noah Becker who hits the stage at 9 p.m.

On Thursday, Dazzle has guitarist Pierce Murphy’s Tribute to Getz and Gilberto featuring Dan Gomby on saxophone at 7 p.m. and guitarist Brant Williams Jazz Tribute to Nirvana, an idea that certainly worked for the Bad Plus, at 9:30 p.m. The Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto album with pianist Tom Jobim and singer Astrid Gilberto came out in 1964 and contained tracks such as “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Corcovado” and “Desafinado.”

This past week, the Rebirth Brass Band out of New Orleans performed as part of the free concert series at the large-scale Levitt Pavilion at Ruby Hill. And if you are in the mood for more brass bands, the Mercury Café, 2199 California, offers Brass Hysteria at 8 p.m. with four of Denver’s brass bands, white handkerchiefs not provided. On Sunday, the Mercury Café moves into swing with the Spicy Pickles, La Pompe Jazz and David Booker at 8 p.m. (303-294-9281). And on Friday at 2pm pianist Walter Gorra celebrates his new CD In Due Time with his quartet live in the KUVO Jazz Phyllis A Greer Studio with special guests.

As always, you can add into the mix of your musical choices the outstanding spot Nocturne (303-295-3333), as well as La Cour (303-777-5000), Boulder’s Caffe Sole (303-499-2985) among other places that feature jazz.

Comments and submissions: normanprovizer@aol,com