Jazz News: Sunset Lofi Jazz Café series to kick off in 2026; The first full length biography of Cootie Williams out now; The 68th Annual GRAMMY Nominees are in
This is Jazz News, a look at what’s news in jazz, music, and the arts.
The Orchestrator, AKA Brandon Theis, is bringing a new jazz series to Denver. This Guinness world record winning saxophonist and 2x Best of Denver Westword recipient was recently awarded a grant through the 2025 DENVER CREATES Fund presented by Denver Arts and Venues and Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs (DCCA). He plans to invest this in more jazz and community through his Sunset Lofi Jazz Café, which invites all ages to experience live jazz in newly activated spaces across Denver starting in January 2026. Brandon told KUVO: "It means a lot to feel included and do something for the city of Denver, it feels more than me."
Stay tuned:
Saxophonist and Author Steve Bowie has published the first full length biography of Cootie Williams, jazz giant and star of Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman Orchestras. Concerto for Cootie: The Life and Times of Cootie Williams, now released, dives deep into the life of this influential swing era trumpeter. John Edward Hasse, curator emeritus of American music at the Smithsonian Institution stated “Among the eight hundred musicians who played in Duke Ellington’s orchestra, Cootie Williams left one of the most enduring legacies. Steven C. Bowie delivers the meticulously researched and compelling biography that fans of Ellington, trumpet, and jazz have long awaited.” Steve Bowie also hosts and produces an Ellington-themed podcast called Ellington Reflections.
Details:
The GRAMMY Nominees are in for the 68th annual GRAMMY Awards. Categories like Best Instrumental Album will be up for GRAMMY consideration along with 94 other categories. Nominees in the Best Instrumental Album category include:
(For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.)
- Trilogy 3 (Live) by Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
- Southern Nights by Sullivan Fortner Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore
- Belonging by Branford Marsalis Quartet
- Spirit Fall by John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade
- Fasten Up by Yellowjackets
KUVO JAZZ will continue to dig into the music featured in the Jazz, Latin, and Blues categories as we get closer to the 2026 GRAMMYS ceremony set to take place Sunday, Feb. 1.
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