Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

For all who picked up a final three-month extension for the 2021 tax year, the Party is over on Friday when you have to send your yearly love letter to the IRS. But for most folk around here, Friday is important for another reason – the benefit for trumpeter Al Hood at the Newman Center on the University of Denver campus where Hood taught for decades.

Until six months ago, Al was known for his teaching and his playing as part of the host of fine trumpeters connected to Denver. Then there was a walk and ice that produced a fall that in an instant paralyzed Hood from the shoulders down and has produced efforts to help deal with the enormous medical costs involved with this terrible accident and the major extended efforts to find some recovery from that tragic day in January that has caused the trumpeter to leave his teaching position at DU’s Lamont School of Music.

One of those benefits takes place on Friday at the Newman Center on the University of Denver campus at 7:30 p.m. On hand, there will be trumpet men Greg Gisbert and Brad Goode, the H2 Big Band, the Denver Brass, and special guest trumpeter Jon Faddis.

Faddis broke onto the scene as a very young man with a rather amazing skill of imitating his idol, Dizzy Gillespie. And, over time, the Oakland-born player has continued to expand his vision of music, including his time with Charles Mingus and his years leading the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra.

The Vail Fest this year is occurring at that location along with the Jazz Tent and leading up to the Labor Day weekend Jazz Party.

The Jazz Party features the House Band of  John Clayton, Dick Oatts, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Bill Cunliffe, and Lewis Nash – and celebrates the life of the late Jeff Clayton. There are also numerous individual performers and trios led by Cyrille Aimee, Cyrus Chestnut, and Jeff Hamilton.

Over at the Remedy, pianist Matthew Whitaker leads a quintet and Jon Cleary celebrates Mardi Gras in July. See vailjazz.org for schedule details.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass also has July and Labor Day activities, including music at the JAS Café/Aspen Art Museum though a large number of the musical events there are sold out (such as John Pizzarelli and Dee Dee Bridgewater doing Memphis). Again, check out the complete schedule at Jazz Aspen Snowmass. And keep in mind, that the Labor Day Experience is a popular music event that includes Stevie Nicks.

Pictures: this page-Al Hood, Wycliffe Gordon; homepage-Jon Faddis