The City, Front Range or Mountains-Music is Everywhere | Norman Provizer’s Jazz Notes

In her 2012 memoir Natural Woman, songwriter/singer Carole King, who was born in 1942, remembers getting into the Village Vanguard in New York at the way-too-young age of 15. A she writes, “It was a propitious moment that expanded into a couple of hours of grace during which I witnessed two sets of jazz by players I didn’t know. The music was hot, cool, and mind-blowing.” Also when she was 15, the Brooklyn-raised tunesmith sold her first song. King’s career would keep on going but not so much in a direction influenced by jazz. Still her giant hit album of 1971, Tapestry, featured to sound of saxophonist Curtis Amy; and, 1974, she had a hit with the song “Jazzman” that had Tom Scott’s saxophone on prominent display.

As the lyrics to the song (by David Palmer) put it: “Jazzman take my blues away; make my pain the same as yours with every change you play. Oh lift me, won’t you lift me with ev’ry turn around; play it sweetly, take me down, oh Jazzman.” If you are wondering why the sudden interest in the incredibly successful songwriter King, it’s because the national touring company of the play Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is at the Buell Theater in the Denver Performing Arts Complex through July 31 (303-893-4100).

Frequently this play that opened for previews on Broadway in 2013 is labeled a “jukebox musical” since its entertaining but thin storyline is fleshed out by list of songs associated with King (with or without the lyrics of her first husband Gerry Goffin) and with those of her friends and songwriting rivals, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil whose tune “On Broadway” certainly helped out George Benson.

This is not a musical that pushes any envelopes and one that does not at all mine all of the drama of King’s life including the abuse she suffered at the hands her second husband, guitarist Rick Evers. But it is a warm, humorous and entertaining journey through music that is anything but ephemeral. And the performers who play the roles of the various groups singing King songs don’t let you down. Now only if “Jazzman” had been included in the show.

Continuing on the jazz front, two musical series this summer have an impressive list of performers. In Vail, the Jazz at Vail Square series on Thursday has Canadian trumpet player and singer Bria Skonberg on stage on Thursday at 6 p.m. Skonberg well captures the spirit of hot jazz, though it is certainly hard to confuse Canada with New Orleans. On July 28 and 29, Skonberg also travels down to Denver for sets at Dazzle. Back in Vail on Wednesday, the fine pianist Michel Camilo brings his trio to the Vail Club Series at the Mountain Plaza Lodge at 9 p.m. (vailjazz.org). On July 28, Camilo’s trio switches to the stage at Vail Village Square before moving to Aspen for the JAS series on July 29. Camilo will appear at the Aspen Art Museum.

Like Vail, Jazz Aspen Snowmass has an impressive series that tales place at the Little Nell, the Art Museum or the Cooking School of Aspen. On Thursday, the band the Django Festival Allstars is at the Little Nell at 7 p.m. (jazzaspensnowmass.org). On Friday and Saturday, Poncho Sanchez is at the Cooking School of Aspen; and on July 29, pianist Camilo is at the Aspen Art Museum. 

At the Caffe Sole on Friday, 637R S. Broadway in Boulder, singer Teresa Carroll has the father and son team of pianist Vlad Gershevitz (the dad) and drummer Aleks Gershevitz (the son) along with guitarist Bill Kooper in tow. The music is at 7 p.m. (303-499-2985). On Saturday, singer Carroll is back at the Caffe Sole with the Dave Fulker Quintet.

In Denver at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, there are two special shows. On Thursday, it’s a evening of “Harmony Through Music: A Celebration of Unity” with a number of players including guitarist Dave Devine, singer Ed Battle and keyboardist Jeff Jenkins. The celebration runs from 7 until 10 p.m. (303-839-5100). Then on Friday, Dazzle has a “A Tribute to Jack McCutchan” presented by pianist Purnell Steen. Drummer McCutchan passed away earlier this year.

Other players at Dazzle are: the Convergence sextet on Saturday at 7 and 9 p.m.; Matt Savage on Sunday at 6 and 8 p.m.; the Joshua Trinidad Trio on Monday at 7 p.m.; the Ian Levy Quartet at 7 p.m.; and the Dexter Payne Quintet visiting the sounds of Brazil on Wednesday at 7 p.m. 

On Saturday, the Gift of Jazz Collective continues its July series at the Gallery in the Denver Performing Arts from 3 until 5 p.m. Come Sunday at 6 p.m., the City Park Jazz summer series continues with SuperCollider with special guest keyboardist Erik Deutsch who has Denver ties and an ever growing national reputation. Lastly, on Saturday, the Westminster Latin Fest takes place at the Irving Street Library and Park, 7392 Irving St., from noon until 8 p.m.

Comments and submissions: Normanprovizer@aol.com