The J Dilla Foundation was changed to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in January 2015 to honor Maureen Yancey-Smith Son for his legacy and to coincide with the induction into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Madukes has dedicated her life to the upliftment of youth and encouraging their interest in education through music and the arts. Madukes is an advocate of the Hip-Hop Education Center@ NYU. Madukes and the J Dilla Foundation was presented with the “Extra Credit Award” for “Best National Organization in 2015 and continue with THE J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT with VH1 Save The Music Foundation .
The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation has expanded with chapters in Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Las Vegas, Australia, LA, NYC, Miami, Surbia, VA,TX, ect (Coming Soon) 2023
THE MISSION:
If we don’t take charge of opening doors for our youth, their future will always be at risk. The mission is very simple: It’s for and about the Children! The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation and all it’s members will strive to make a better tomorrow for todays youth. Madukes is at work daily in keeping the legacy alive.
The Legacy: James Dewitt Yancey JAY DEE / J.DILLA)
DILLA’s legacy is celebrated in over 30 major cities worldwide during the month of February commemorating his birth & death
(February 7, 1972 – February 10, 2006).
All donations added to ticket sales throughout February will be donated to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation.
James Dewitt Yancey, better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer and rapper who emerged in the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, as one third of the music group Slum Village. He was also a member of the Soulquarians, a musical collective active during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Although his life and career were short, J Dilla is widely considered to be one of the most influential producers in the hip-hop genre. It was described in The Guardian that “his affinity for crafting lengthy, melodic loops peppered with breakbeats and vocal samples took instrumental hip-hop into new, more musically complex realms.”
ManyColors pays homage to the great J Dilla with an inspired soul-hop stew of fresh jazz harmonies embedded in a lo-fi soundscape with an irresistible rhythmic pocket. An emergent four-piece band, ManyColors opens up new musical space by using a hip-hop format to explore chords and motifs usually reserved for jazz.
Come see ManyColors pay tribute to “The King of Beats” in an intimate setting right in the heart of downtown Denver.
Throughout January, all of the Donations added to ticket sales go directly to the Trujillo Family. You can also donate directly to their GoFundMe page.
Dazzle and the Colorado Jazz Family are fundraising on behalf of the Trujillo Family. The Trujillos are closely tied personally and professionally to Jazz in our community. Mi Vida Strings is their family business that makes and repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. There have already been a few professional collaborations at Dazzle’s new venue. Now, it’s time for a personal collaboration: fundraising for the Trujillos as they rebuild their home.
Directly from the Dad, Eric Trujillo’s Facebook post:
Hello dear family and friends. We had a house fire yesterday. Everyone is safe. All pets are safe. We have temp lodging. We are thanking God for His protection and provision!!! Our shop Mi Vida Strings is open for business and we plan to proceed as normal. Our kids are finishing up this semester of school as we speak. We have a dear friend who is insisting on a GoFundMe on our behalf. But I wanted you all to hear it from us first. We have called as many as we can, so we apologize if you didn’t hear from us personally, please know that if we could reach everyone individually we would. But this is our best way to communicate with as many people at once. Pray for us. And rejoice with us. And know that we are trusting God with every detail of our lives. And He is faithful.
(I snapped a couple of photos yesterday morning of our tree ornaments. Good news is, I know who made them, and they can be remade. )
Friends, please help by giving $10 – $1,000. Every little bit counts and together we can make a big difference.
A bit about the Trujillo’s:
Eric- A luthier, who is a craftsperson who builds and repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. A business owner, together with his wife of many years, of Mi Vida Strings
Michele- Just celebrated her 21st birthday just 5 days ago. Her Etsy shop, Michele’sMiniMercado is still open, but the majority of the inventory and supplies are lost. Most items are handcrafted by Michele. Keep an eye on the shop for updates.
Both Eric and Michele are alumni of MSU.
Daniel- Already an accomplished vibraphonist currently attends Standley Lake HS. He launched his vibes debut earlier this year at Dazzle and has plans to attend college in the fall of ‘24. He’s also a longtime CCJA student.
About Maiya- Born on April 30th, International Jazz Day! Currently a sophomore at MSU in Denver, she is an artist in many ways: Art Major, violinist and bassist.
About Lanae- An 8th grader and budding trumpet player and upright bassist. She is still fundraising for her Costa Rica trip….coming up in May 2024! She’s going with her Spanish class on their traditional 8th-grade trip. Maiya participated in this, Daniel was set to go but COVID, and now it’s Lanae’s turn. Those fundraising links are expired, but you can designate fund for her trip with comments in the GoFundMe campaign.
Funds will be used at the family’s discretion. It is undetermined if the fire is a complete loss or a near complete loss. Either way, the Trujillo’s need to replace everything they did not have with them.
Other Ways to Support
If you would like to give cash or gift cards instead, there are collection locations that will be updated as necessary:
The out of pocket expenses are starting to be revealed as we peel back the layers of insurance policy limits. We have some close friends that have volunteered to help us thru the insurance process. In the meantime, we are getting settled in our temp rental home. The T5 plus all 3 pets are under one roof and for that we are so grateful. We just passed the one month mark of the house fire. The first few weeks were a mixed bag of shock, denial, love and help. Last week was tough with insurance limits news AND we had a theft from our home garage. The process of reporting this to law enforcement, insurance and insurance vendors became its own problem. Here’s the deal though. “We ain’t goin’ out like that!” The Lifter of our heads has lifted them once again and we were renewed spiritually, physically and emotionally this weekend. We continue to be humbled by those that are giving and reaching out. And once again want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts! (Pic was a gift today from Judy Fredericksen. Circa 2005. Mercury Cafe. Eric, Michele and Maiya.)
1/10/24: From Michele Trujillo
Update: we are out of the hotel and in our rental home. I found this quilt at Goodwill. Best or worst find ever? We own several beautiful quilts thanks to Eric’s mom.(they are in abatement jail right now.) So I spotted this one, and first thought “all that hard work and it’s just sitting at goodwill? I have to buy it! And appreciate it! Plus look at all the music material.” Take home, wash, dry, fully unfold….boom I see people in the middle. Then I see foo fighters and 2008. Hysterical laughs erupt. Kids are going crazy. Maiya texts a friend….he says those are your “Foo FIRE-Fighters” guardians of the new home!!! Humor. There’s nothing like it. And now we are creating endless lore about the subjects.
1/3/24: From Michele Trujillo
What a generous offer from Dazzle for those that have donated to our fundraiser! We are overwhelmed (in a good way) with all the love and kindness that has been shown to us. And for all the precious generosity of your hard earned money, we are truly humbled and grateful. We will move from the hotel to a rental this weekend. We will be there until our home is livable again. And we will be there thru Daniel’s final semester of High school. And Lanae’s final semester of 8th grade. 2024 was already shaping up with many family events, and now the rebuilding of our home. One day at a time, one step at a time…holding to God’s unchanging hand. Thank you all so much!♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
1/2/24: Update from Dazzle
As a thank you to everyone who has donated or donates before Jan. 6 at 10am, you get a complimentary pair of tickets to Moon.unit at Dazzle on Jan. 6 at 6pm, doors open at 5pm.
Email [email redacted] to have your name put on the guest list.
12/28/23: Update from Eric & Michele Trujillo
From Eric and Michele – we are overwhelmed with gratitude for each and every person who has reached out in compassion to help our situation! The generosity of our community has uplifted us, carried us, and surrounded us. It reminds me of a song called “Lacking Nothing” that was sung in our church, based on Psalms 34. Showers of blessings and good things have been in steady supply since the fire. And we are so thankful. We are taking everything one day at a time, and trying to stay on top of all the to-do’s. The kids are on Christmas break, which has been a mercy, as we can be together as a family and support each other. We are in temp housing and will be for quite some time. All our immediate needs are being met, but we are in this for the long haul, and we know many of you are in the “long haul” camp with us. And that gives us so much strength. God bless each and everyone of you. Every gesture, no matter how small, has made a difference! Thank you from the bottom of our heart and soul.
12/27/23: Update from Dazzle
We are so grateful to both CBS & Fox who ran stories on the Trujillo family’s loss over the last week.
Thank you so much for getting us close enough to $25,000 that we doubled the goal to $50,000!
Generally, it takes 1.5-2 years for families to rebuild and move back into severely damaged homes and there are lots of cash expenditures necessary to get through that time. From basic necessities like underwear (and all of the clothes that cover it) to down payments / deposits for tradespeople to rebuild the home, there are many expenses to come.
Please continue to share this GoFundMe far and wide.
Sometimes it can be hard to visualize where you seat will be just by looking at the map. Here are some helpful pictures so you can see where your seat will be and what your view of the stage is from there. The lighted up logo is the stage.
Meeting your out-of-town friends at a Dazzle show? The Renaissance Hotel is now also offering a Dazzle Staycation Package.
The Dazzle Ticket Package includes:
Corporate Room Rate
2 Premium Banquette seats for a Dazzle performance for $20 each. (Local shows only)
Valet Parking for 1 vehicle
2 Complimentary drinks at their Teller Bar per stay
Dog-friendly Hotel (for a small cleaning deposit)
This gorgeous and historic hotel, created from the former Colorado National bank building, is an architectural marvel. It’s also dog-friendly. Treat yourself to a weekend getaway and a Show! The Renaissance Hotel is located just three blocks away from Dazzle at 918 17th Street, Denver. Use this link to Book your corporate rate for Dazzle Ticket Package. If you have questions or need help with the link, please do not hesitate to ask. We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you soon!
Perfect for people coming from out of town for a Dazzle show, or a weekend getaway in the city.
Dazzle & Hotel Teatro have teamed up to offer you the Staycation you’ve been waiting for! Through March 31st, treat yourself to a luxurious stay at The Hotel Teatro and a Show at Dazzle that night. You will receive:
20% off your Hotel Rate (best available)
20% off Tickets to the show just for booking together
no Destination fee (normally $27)
$15 Valet parking (normally $57)
Easy walk to your room after the show!
Use the promo code “Dazzle” to book your Dazzle Staycation Package at the Hotel Teatro Website. www.HotelTeatro.comand contact host@dazzledenver.com to let us know that you booked the staycation and we’ll take 20% off your ticket price. The Hotel Teatro is conveniently located across Arapahoe Street from Dazzle.
Join the club with a Dazzle Membership and start taking advantage of the perks awarded to our Members.
From our Pick of the Pec basic membership level to the top Big Horn level, becoming a Member is the best way to make the most of your experience at Dazzle.
Please note: Gift cards may not be redeemed for Memberships
To purchase or inquire, contact Kelley at Kelley@DazzleDenver.com or 720.862.9170.
Dazzle Membership Packages
Pre-sales are for touring shows and big local shows, such as New Year’s Eve.
If you want the earliest pre-sale, five Sponsorships are left ($1,000 each) and you get your name engraved on the artwork, ‘The Bassist.’
Memberships are good for 12 months from the date of purchase. If you purchase the Big Horn level and already have tickets to touring shows within the next few months, call Kelley to discuss an appropriate start date for your Dazzle Membership.
Prices listed include tax and processing.
To purchase or ask questions, contact Kelley@DazzleDenver.com or 720.862.9170.
Upcoming Pre-sale Extravaganza
On Monday, Oct. 30 Dazzle begins its ‘Pre-sale Extravaganza’ with (almost) all Winter and Spring performances released every few days for two weeks (updated 10/25/23). Get your membership before it begins.
Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary Tour feat. Gerald Clayton, Kendrick Scott, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Matt Brewer
John Scofield
Donny McCaslin
Kenny Garrett
P.C. Daniel Trujillo
PICK OF THE PEC
$250
Pre-sale period for Members takes place 24-48 hours after the Sponsor’s pre-sale and before the general public.
To put the pre-sale in perspective, usually 4-8 tickets are sold during the Sponsor’s pre-sale.
TWO Member tickets per year for performances $50 and under. Member tickets ensure you get the best seats available for the performances you choose.
20% Discount on tickets for local performances. (Limit two discounted tickets per artist; Member tickets may not be used with discounted tickets.)
Dedicated Dazzle Concierge to handle ticketing requests.
Emailed updates and notices regarding music, food, and wine specials.
COLORADO RIVER
$500
All the benefits of Pick of the Pec.
TEN Member tickets per year for local performances (limit two Member tickets per artist).
CHARLIE’S SEAT
$1,500
All the benefits of Pick of the Pec.
Unlimited Member tickets per year for local performances (limit two member tickets per artist).
BIG HORN
$3,000
All the benefits of Pick of the Pec.
Unlimited Member tickets per year for ALL performances, including touring shows (limit two Member tickets per artist).
Additional tickets to touring shows may be purchased for a 20% discount (limit two per artist).
We are in the process of creating a code for the 20% discount on tickets. You will receive this code in an email and use it on two tickets per artists for local shows.
If you are a Big Horn Member, you will get an additional code to use for touring shows.
Booking Shows with Member Tickets
You will receive the contact information for a Dazzle Concierge.
Look at the website to see what seats are available for the show you want to see.
Contact your Concierge with the name of the show and seat(s).
The Concierge will confirm and put your name on the guest list at the front door.
What are Member Tickets?
Member tickets are the tickets included in your Membership.
Every Member level includes the Pick of the Pec’s two Member tickets per year for performances $50 and under. Each level beyond that has more Member tickets. See the descriptions above for details.
What is the difference between the Membership Packages and Sponsorship?
Sponsorships were offered for $1,000 to help pay for the buildout of the new venue. There are only TWO left.
Sponsors received invitations to Sneak Peeks to watch the venue develop from having white walls and no furnishings to the striking space it is today.
The two biggest Sponsor benefits that are still available are:
Your name (or the name of your choice) is engraved on The Bassist, an artwork by Brett Matarazzo, that hangs on the West wall.
Pre-sale access before Members.
Membership Packages all include pre-sale access before the general public, 20% discount tickets for local shows (limit two discount tickets per artist), and the other benefits listed under Pick of the Pec.
The levels beyond Pick of the Pec are various ticket packages, where you are pre-purchasing tickets to use at the shows of your choice. Different Membership Packages give you different shows to pick from.
Dazzle at the Arts Complex is thrilled to announce its first week-long Residency with internationally renowned jazz trumpet touring and recording artist Greg Gisbert. Greg’s influence on the Jazz community transcends generations as he enters the 5th decade of his electric career. He prefers to work in the background, connecting people, giving advice, and introducing fellow musicians to new musical styles. He gives freely and is appreciated by musicians around the world. This week is Greg’s opportunity to spotlight both the best that Denver’s musicians have to offer and include some international talent to spice things up.
Photo Credit: Adam Cory
Each show in the Residency has a completely different musical style, intergenerational artistic pairings, and Greg’s neverending mentorship as he brings internationally renowned and new-to-Denver musicians to Dazzle’s stage.
There is an overarching theme of Mental Wellness, Community Support, and Awareness for each of the shows in the Residency. Dazzle is amplifying these messages by making the United Suicide Survivors the Nonprofit of the Month. Donations can be added to all tickets purchased throughout September.
(Click on each show for a complete description and bios of the artists.)
Electric Gizz was founded & created By Greg Gisbert & Mickey Lenny (AKA Michael Lenssen). Joining them tonight will be Sonya Walker (keyboards) Conner Terrones (Bass & Guitar) and introducing newcomer to Denver Jaik Hakkarinen (Drums/percussion).
Grammy-nominated Art Lande is considered one of the premiere improvisational jazz pianists today. He began piano at age 4, studied at Williams College & moved to San Francisco in 1969. He has mostly carved out his own singular path throughout his career, taking the innovations of Bill Evans several steps further. In 1973 he recorded with Jan Garbarek and Ted Curson and in the mid-1970’s had started his own jazz school. In 1976 he formed the quartet Rubisa Patrol which recorded for ECM and lasted until 1983. After teaching for three years in Switzerland, Lande in 1987 moved to Boulder, Colorado. He appears in many of the “Who’s Who in Jazz” encyclopedias available today for his role in the development of “Chamber Jazz.”
Chie Imaizumi, Randy Brecker, Greg Gisbert, Peter Olstad, David Bernot, John Gunther, Zach Rich, Allison Young, Mike Abbott, Sonya Walker, Mark Simon, Paul Romaine, Leo Corona
The Gift of Jazz proudly presents a grand reunion show with Chie Imaizumi and Randy Brecker. Click the show title above for the official show description. The information below is not part of the official show description.
The themes of Mental Wellness, Community Support, and Awareness stem from these two days. The artists and Dazzle hope to encourage others to seek help without fear of stigma and increase the understanding that we all deal with mental wellness issues to various degrees. Sometimes these issues are easy for us to see but not easy for us to understand. Not all wounds are visible, but that doesn’t make them any less real or minimize their need for healing.
“These two days are a pure expression of healing, recovery, love, and support. Music is an oasis for both the musicians and the audience.” ~Greg Gisbert
The worst part about mental wellness issues is that many people consider asking for help to be a sign of weakness. It’s quite the opposite. It’s okay to not be okay. We just happen to be going through difficult times.
Chie’s compositions are story and emotion based. She is even orchestrating special music for September’s shows. Chie’s music takes the listeners on a journey through the many emotional worlds we have all experienced including darkness, loneliness, struggle, fear, hopelessness, and anger then through the worlds of joy, happiness, love, forgiveness, trust, hope, triumphs, peace, and genuine human connection.
“Since I know how these emotions feel, I’d like to inspire others to know they’re not alone, by expressing my real, raw, and vulnerable feelings through my artistic creations, music.” ~Chie Imaizumi
Greg Gisbert Bio
Jazz trumpeter Greg Gisbert’s eclectic career is in its 5th decade. His resume includes recordings, tours, multiple television performances / movie & TV soundtracks with such icons as Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Horace Silver, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Buddy Rich, Clark Terry, Sarah Vaughn, Mel Torme Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis, Maria Schneider, Dizzy Gillespie all stars w/ John Lee, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Chie Imaizumi (producer) & more.
Gisbert has held professorships & artist in residence as well as a highly respected featured guest artist for dozens of colleges & conservatories most notably Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, U of Miami, CU Boulder & is currently a faculty member of the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts.
From 1989-2000 & 2010-2015, he was highly in demand on Broadway & in the studios of NYC.
Greg Gisbert moved HOME to Denver in 2015 & brings his vast world-class experience, creativity & enthusiasm with him.
A version of this article was published on AllAboutJazz.com on June 12, 2023.
The harp is far from a common jazz instrument and the list of famous jazz harpists is a short one. In fact, the list of significant jazz harpists probably numbers about two: Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. There have been a few others here and there, but none that had the impact of those two. But wait, there’s a new contender on the scene: Brandee Younger. Sunday night at Dazzle, Younger stated her case for expanding that short list of significant jazz harpists.
The harp brings a different sound to jazz. Often associated, in popular culture, with angels floating among the clouds, it seems antithetical to jazz’s often boisterous, gritty, slice-of-life soundscape. But the scope and sounds of jazz are wide and if a player can make an unusual instrument work somewhere within the big jazz tent, he or she will be welcomed.
At age 39, Younger has been playing for several years in a variety of contexts ranging from classical to hip hop. She’s also worked as an educator at several institutions of higher education including New York University and the New School, among others. But it was her albums on Impulse! that started to catch the attention of many in the jazz world, Somewhere Different (Impulse! 2021) and Brand New Life (Impulse! 2023).
Sunday night at Dazzle, Younger brought all her myriad influences with her along with bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Allan Mednard. She filled her set with tunes from those aforementioned albums, alternating with songs by her harp heroes, Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby (who else?). She began her set with “Rama, Rama,” a composition by Alice Coltrane. This one had an ethereal, floating atmosphere tailor made for the heavenly sonics of her pedal harp. Her original, “Love and Struggle” from Somewhere Different followed. This one, as befitting the title, had a bit more of an edge to it. Another original, “Unrest” followed. She explained that she wrote that song during the pandemic and was inspired by events happening right outside her window.
Another Alice Coltrane piece followed, “Turiya and Ramakrishna” and then her own “Moving Target” from Brand New Life. That one incorporated a busy rhythm section, especially the drum part. The hyperactive rhythmic activity contrasted nicely with the relaxed harp floating overhead. She then incorporated her other heroine, Dorothy Ashby, into the act with her composition “You’re a Girl for One Man Only,” which also appears on Brand New Life.
A solo piece followed, Stevie Wonder’s “If It’s Magic” also from Brand New Life. Younger explained that it was Ashby that played the harp part on Wonder’s original recording which appeared on Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla, 1976). “Spirit U Will” was from Somewhere Different and had one of the sharper edges of the evening, again creating tension with the rhythm section while the harp drifted above the fray in a gauzy reverie.
Perhaps Younger’s biggest challenge of the evening was the Denver Nuggets. Making their way to the NBA finals for the first time in team history, Game 2 of the series began only a few blocks from Dazzle shortly before Younger’s first set. She thanked the audience more than once for choosing her band over the game. Indeed, the first set sold out, even in the face of championship hoops. But the Nuggets have played dozens of games in Denver this season. What Denver hasn’t seen is jazz harp played like this. It was a one-of-a-kind evening.
