The Renewal Jazz Quartet performs jazz standards in a decidedly non-standard fashion as they celebrate the release of their new album Party Time.

Dave Atkinson and Eric Gunnison had been playing together for several years and had issued two duo albums when Mark Simon and Jill Fredericksen joined them one evening for a private concert. Immediately, the quartet felt a mutual synergy and decided to record their forthcoming album Party Time to capture that joyful feeling of musical compatibility.

Gunnison is a well-known pianist throughout the jazz world, particularly as an accompanist for singers, and he currently teaches jazz theory and composition at the University of Denver. Atkinson, a retired tax attorney, has spent forty years perfecting his vibes technique, a skill he first acquired in college as a bebop player listening to fellow jazz vibraphonists. Simon has appeared as a leader or sideman on over 60 albums with both locally and nationally known players. Fredericksen has been an in-demand drummer for the past three decades, supporting countless Colorado ensembles with her rhythmic perfection.

Dave Atkinson – Vibraphone
Eric Gunnison – Piano
Mark Simon – Bass
Jill Fredericksen – Drums