Touring Shows List Updated Monthly
These are the touring shows that are coming to Denver. All of the other shows on our website are top local musicians.
Garaj Mahal
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz funk fusion
When you hear your first Garaj Mahal note, leading into an innovative fusion of funky jazz with a tasty world music flare, all other thoughts leave your mind as the music takes you on an unforgettable voyage. Fans return to experience the band again and again because they know they will always hear something new and progressive from four first-class musicians.
Featuring guitar and sitar virtuoso Fareed Haque, world-renowned bass master and educator Kai Eckhardt, Garaj Mahal combines a century of musical experience to create a sound that’s always new, freshly infused with a wide spectrum of musical expression, and always smoking hot.
Touring extensively since their formation in 2000, Garaj Mahal continues to earn critical acclaim and a growing fanbase thanks to their ability to deliver serious "shut-up-and-listen" grooves while simultaneously bringing the dance
floor alive. Their collective musical experience allows them to constantly push the envelope of composition and improvisation. Garaj Mahal’s sound â a convergence of jazz-style improvisation, mystical Middle-Eastern atmospheres, and danceable American funk – attracts music lovers from all parts of the spectrum and creates a
profoundly unique experience.
Each band member dedicates every drop of his education, history, and life-long passion for music to their audience every time they step on stage. The band member’s virtuosity is no surprise when you look at even a few of the amazing artists they’ve performed and/or recorded with over the years, including Dizzy Gillespie, John McLaughlin, Sting, Cassandra Wilson, Dave Holland, Bela Fleck, Chick Corea, Steve Smith, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Les Claypool, Trey Anastasio, Umphrey’s McGee, MMW, Steve Kimock, and Michael Manring. Garaj Mahal’s output is the result of years spent honing their musical relationship on the road and following the bandâs return from an extended hiatus, Garaj is already accumulating rave reviews around the country.
Fri., September 6 – 6:30PM
Fri., September 6 – 9PM
Sat., September 7 – 6:30PM
Sat., September 7 – 9PM
Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Ron Carter Foursight Quartet
Ron Carter – Bass
Renee Rosnes – Piano
Jimmy Greene – Tenor Sax
Payton Crossley – Drums
Mon., September 9 – 6:30-PM
Mon., September 9 – 9PM
Tues., September 10 – 6:30PM
Tues., September 10 – 9PM
Wed., September 11 – 6:30PM
Wed., September 11 – 9PM
Thur., September 12 – 6:30PM
Thur., September 12 – 9PM
Annie Booth Trio Album Release: Here, There & Everywhere: The Beatles Songbook (live)
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Album Release Show: Here, There and Everywhere: The Beatles Songbook (Live)
Join the Annie Booth Trio at Dazzle Denver for a celebration of the release of their latest album, Here, There and Everywhere: The Beatles Songbook (Live). Recorded in front of a live audience in summer 2023, the latest album from award-winning pianist and composer Annie Booth and her trio features twelve tunes from The Beatles songbook, re-arranged and explored in the dynamic jazz piano trio format. Annie is joined by her dear friends and bandmates of 15 years, bassist Patrick McDevitt and drummer Alejandro Castaño.
Annie Booth, piano
Patrick McDevitt, bass
Alejandro Castaño, drums
Fri., September 13 – 6:30PM
Fri., September 13 – 9PM
Sat., September 14 – 6:30PM
Sat., September 14 – 9PM
Johnny Rawls
Show Description
Musical Style: Blues, Soul Blues
Johnny Rawls is a soul blues legend. In fact, the term âsoul bluesâ was invented to describe his music. With a career spanning more than 50 years, heâs done it all. Heâs an internationally recognized recording artist, music producer, and songwriter who tours extensively throughout North America and overseas.
The Blues Music Awards, Blues Blast Awards, Living Blues Awards, and the W. C. Handy Awards have all acknowledged Johnny with multiple awards and nominations, including Soul Blues Album of the Year and Soul Blues Artist of the Year. Living Blues Magazine described him as a âsoul-blues renaissance manâ when he was featured on the cover in 2002. Johnny is honored to be mentioned on two markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail â one in Hattiesburg, MS marking the Hi-Hat Club, and another in Rocklin ME marking the migration of blues from Mississippi to Maine.
Sun., September 15 – 6:30PM
Keyon Harrold
Show Description
When Keyon Harrold is listing the influences that he turned to during the creation of his rich and evocative new album Foreverland (January 2024 / Concord), he cites the likes of Radiohead, Fleet Foxes, Fela Kuti, John Coltrane, and, for a second, he becomes vulnerable â the list is too basic, too serious music listener starter pack. But, out of that moment of insecurity, he spins an indelible flex: âYou are what you eat, and I have a pretty strict diet in dope shit.â
Taking in Keyon Harroldâs career to-date, itâs clear that the âworld-class trumpeterâ (Essence) and composer is very serious about that diet. Heâs a jazz musician but in the most expansive sense, working with a list of dream collaborators: generational legends Keith Richards and Diana Ross; rap stars like Mac Miller and Nas; neo-soul icons Erykah Badu and DâAngelo; and modern soul stars Black Pumas and Leon Bridges. His circle of regular collaborators is formidable and includes his music industry mentor Common (who hired him for his first touring gig), his New School classmate Robert Glasper, and GRAMMY winners Maxwell, PJ Morton, Gregory Porter, and YEBBA.
Thereâs also his extensive touring and recording work with pop music royalty, Jay-Z and Beyonce. And, while itâs perhaps lazy to compare Keyon to Miles Davis, the connection is a little more apropos than at first glance: Harrold contributed all of the trumpet playing in Don Cheadleâs GRAMMY-winning Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead, playing to match Cheadleâs on-screen performances.
Keyon has recorded two acclaimed solo records, 2009âs Introducing Keyon Harrold and 2017âs breakthrough release The Mugician, which established Keyon as âa certified legend in the gameâ (Okayplayer). Featuring Pharoahe Monch, Gary Clark, Jr., Big K.R.I.T., Guy Torry, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Robert Glasper, the record garnered praise from The New York Times (âstirringâŠconsolidates elegy and exhortationâ) and Billboard (âequal parts music and magicâ).
However, the origins of Foreverland begin not at the crest of a professional and artistic high but in the doldrums of COVID-19 lockdown. A pandemic birthday found Keyon adrift. It was a period of stagnation, of exhaustion in the wake of challenges both universal (global health catastrophe, racial injustice) and personal (the passing of his mother, the highly publicized and racially charged assault of his 14-year-old son).
Looking for a break and a fresh perspective, a recommendation from his brother and a friend had him headed to Vegas. But instead of the tables, Keyon hit the studio. After months of isolation, it was invigorating to reconnect with friends after so long apart. This camaraderie was the creative spark Keyon needed. The sessions were loose and exploratory, but with an artistic focus he hadnât felt in years.
The resulting music was mesmerizing. Keyon embraced a less-is-more attitude: âIt was almost minimalist in a way. I wanted it to sound as if itâs easy but thereâs more complexity deep within, to pull melody and beauty out of the abstract.â He allowed harmonic structures to vamp, slowly thickening harmonies for maximum emotional impact.
âEach song has a harmony that evokes a mood,â Keyon says. âI invite you to live in this tonality with me. Itâs not about a million notes a second, itâs about finding the right mood to open peopleâs chakras. The color of each mood gives me solace â it allowed me to reignite the hopes I had, to begin digging out of a down period.â
With live music on pause, the rare luxury of time allowed Keyon to sculpt these largely improvised sounds into a shape that evoked and conveyed each emotion he was grasping at. It was a deliberate and thoughtful process. Says Keyon: âIt took me a long time to say what I want to say, to really hone in on what I do. I want to make songs that hit like pop radio but have a depth of color and character, to embrace the genius in simplicity.â
Foreverland is reflective, immediate and uplifting. Keyon harnesses the raw expression of those original Vegas takes and creates a dreamy yet tactile landscape of sound. It provides the perfect canvas for his playing, his tone projecting a creamy clarity but navigating ambiguous waters with an open-hearted hopefulness. âWhat I can offer as a musician who plays an instrument with no words is an honest conveyance of emotion,â says Keyon. âSome of these notes, I play them because thereâs not a better word.â
Foreverland is a family affair â pretty much every musician who appears on the record is a longtime friend, and Keyon accounts the recordâs warmness to this dynamic. âItâs like the ingredients of a great meal: you donât need just any pepper, you need a certain kind. Every musician on this record is a rare and essential element.â
Each collaboration brings Foreverland into further focus. PJ Morton lends a wistful vocal to the nostalgic âBeautiful Day,â a track that radiates positivity as it revels in the gifts of everyday existence. Elsewhere, Common and Robert Glasper contribute to the sweep and poetry of the almost mystical album opener âFind Your Peace,â a track that exhorts listeners to embrace their own agency and summon their inner strength. Meanwhile, the Laura Mvula-featuring title track is the very quintessence of the word lush â stacks of vocal harmonies stretch endlessly in a spiritual merger between Pharoah Sandersâ skybound jazz odysseys and the warm invitation of vintage soul.
âDonât Lie,â which features the emerging young singer Malaya, pairs a levitating keyboard figure with a stuttering rhythm thatâs part Art Blakey drum fill, part J Dilla sample chop. Against much of the albumâs tranquility, it portrays an internal tumult â the kind that Keyon feels is necessary for growth. âThe operative word in testimony is test. The troubles are troublesome but theyâre part of my walk, and thereâs value in having a different experience, good or bad. It gives me a deeper context to pull from and enrich the message of my music.â
âPictures,â Foreverlandâs penultimate track, is the sonic articulation of the internal recalibration that follows these tests. Keyonâs yearnful singing on the track is ever more poignant when considering his motherâs passing: âWhen I miss you, images shout in a quiet room / Iâll atone / Iâll fix everything thatâs wrong.â
Even apart from its compositional intricacies and stylistic innovations, Foreverland is a triumph of resilience and empowerment. âWhat will be said when youâre gone?,â says Keyon. âIf youâre not living life â getting beat up, getting your heart broken, winning, losing â what are you doing? What about your life can people learn from? If you donât put yourself in the ring sometimes, there wonât be anything.â On Foreverland, Keyon takes lifeâs challenges head-on â and emerges, in both music and in life, with a renewed sense of purpose.
Wed., September 18 – 7:00PM
Wed., September 18 – 9:30PM
Jazzmeia Horn
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Named by her jazz loving grandmother, Jazzmeia Horn was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1991. She grew up in a close church-going family singing gospel music.
Ms. Horn graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which was attended by other great artists such as Roy Hargrove, Norah Jones, and Erykah Badu. In 2009, she enrolled at The School of Jazz at The New School in New York City.
Ms. Horn won the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition and, shortly after, was signed by Concord Records. In 2017, she released her debut album, A Social Call, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Ms. Horn continued to tour nationally and internationally, honing her vocal, performance and writing skills, to get across her message about the global need for love and social change in the world. In 2019, she released Love and Liberation which also received a Grammy nomination. The following year, she published her book, Strive From Within: The Jazzmeia Horn Approach, while recording her big band album, Dear Love.
Dear Love, an album of encouragement through poetry and spoken word addressing the aspects of her community, her love and herself, was released in September 2021.
All while performing, writing, and preparing for a fall 2023 release of her new album, Ms. Horn is teaching students and conducting outreach programs across the globe through The Jazz Horn International Vocal Initiative.
Thurs., September 19 – 6:30PM
Thurs., September 19 – 9PM
Fri., September 20 – 6:30PM
Fri., September 20 – 9PM
Oz Noy Trio with Jimmy Haslip & Anton Fig
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz Fusion
âNoy is a true experimentalist who lives on the common ground shared by Thelonious Monk, James Brown, Jimmy Hendrix, Frank Zappa and Stevie Ray Vaughn.â – Rock & Blues Muse
Born in Israel, Oz Noy started his professional career at the age of 13 playing jazz, blues, pop and rock music. By age 16, he was playing with top Israeli musicians and artists. By age 24, he was one of the most established studio guitar players in the country. Oz was also a member of the house band on Israelâs top-rated television show for more than two years. With 8 studio albums and 9 solo albums, his prolific talent shines.
Since his 1996 arrival in New York, Oz has made a huge impact on the local and international music scene. His unique and intoxicating style has broken all the rules of instrumental guitar music by focusing on the groove.
Oz Noy has performed, toured and recorded with Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Gavin DeGraw, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper, Clay Aiken, Akiko Yano, Wonder Girls, Toni Braxton, Phoebe Snow, Nile Rogers, Mike Clark, Jeff âTainâ Watts, Dave Weckl, Mike Manieri, John Patitucci, The East Village Opera Company, Roger Glover, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, The Gil Evan Orchestra, Warren Hayes, Govât Mule, The Allman Brothers, Umphreyâs Mcgee, Allen Toussaint, Eric Johnson, Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, Wallace Roney, Steve Lukather, John Medeski, Chris Potter, Fred Wesley, Tom Scott, Don Was, Nelly Furtado, Natasha Bedingfield, Phillip Phillips, Andy Grammer, Angelique Kidjo, Matisyahu, Jennifer Hudson, Henry Butler, Gart Hudson, Don Henley, Patti Austin, Take 6, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Phil Ramone, Paul Shaffer, Dweezil Zappa, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Sting, Steve Perry, Allison Krauss, Foreigner, Patty Smyth, Wiz Khalifa, Shelea, Jordin Sparks, Average White Band, Christopher Cross, TYP, Betty Buckley, Idina Menzel, Luke Nelson, Justin Timberlake, Bonnie Raitt, Lizzo, Dave Mathews, Cat Stevens, Scary Pockets among others.
Oz also conducts periodic master classes at The Collective School of Music (New York City), Musicians Institute (Los Angeles), and others.
Jimmy Haslip was born December 31st, 1951 in the Bronx, New York. He grew up in Huntington, Long Island. In 1963 at the age of 13, he became interested in electric bass and has now been playing for 47+ years. Jimmy left New York in 1969 playing music in San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver and Dallas before moving on to Los Angeles in late 1975, where he began touring and recording with many different popular artists.
In 1978 Jimmy Haslip met guitarist Robben Ford and keyboardist Russell Ferrante and formed a group to record Robbenâs first solo recording on Electra-Asylum. This critically acclaimed album, called The Inside Story became a landmark recording. That album led to the formation of The Yellowjackets and in 1980 they recorded a debut album for Warner Bros. Records.
Jimmy is actively composing, arranging, producing and performing with Yellowjackets, the two time Grammy winners.
Hailing from South Africa, and completing his music degree from the New England Conservatory in Boston Anton Figâs career as a drummer has spanned decades; heâs worked alongside artists like Ace Frehley, Link Wray, Cyndi Lauper, Warren Zevon, Madonna, Mick Jagger, and countless more. His technical proficiency, distinctive style, and deep musical knowledge ultimately earned him the nickname âThe Thunder from Down Under.â But if youâre David Letterman, you might have called him âAnton Zipâ or âBuddy Rich Jr.â when Fig, Paul Schaffer, and the Worldâs Most Dangerous Band were serving as Lettermanâs house band.
It was in 1986 that he joined the Late Show with David Letterman â a position held for 29 years until the show ended! During that run he played with the worldsâ greatest musicians including Miles Davis, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennet, Steve Winwood, to name just a few. When the Letterman Show ended, Anton toured extensively with guitarist Joe Bonamassa as well as playing on most of his albums and live projects since 2006.
Anton recorded an instructional video â âIn the Groove Late/Night Drummingâ â and was voted #1 Best Rock Drummer in Modern Drummerâs Readers Poll 2010.
He also played many memorable live concerts including Live Aid, The Concert for New York City for 9/11, Bob Dylanâs 30th Anniversary Concert, and countless Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Awards shows.
Oz Noy, guitar
Jimmy Haslip, bass
Anton Fig, drums
Wed., September 25 – 7PM
Wed., September 25 – 9:30PM
Brandee Younger
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz Harp
The sonically innovative harpist, Brandee Younger, is revolutionizing harp for the digital era. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, and Moses Sumney. Her current album, Brand New Life, builds on her already rich oeuvre, and cements the harpâs place in pop culture. As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new pathsâartistic, personal, political, and spiritual. On this album, Younger salutes her musical foremother, the trailblazing harpist Dorothy Ashby, while also speaking to the sentiments of more recent generations. âWeâre bringing new life to Dorothy Ashbyâs popular and previously unreleased compositions. Weâre creating new lifeâŠfor the instrument,â Younger said. Brand New Life is an album about living fully, in neon bright color.
In March of 2022, Younger flew to Chicago and began recording Brand New Life in the home studio of her long time collaborator and friend, Makaya McCraven, who both produced and played drums on the album. In the Windy City, Younger hoped to harness some of Ashbyâs funky energy from a recording she did there nearly five decades before. Younger gathered artists who have had a sense of kinship with Ashby; from the internationally-lauded neo-soul bassist/vocalist/rapper Meshell Ndegeocello, to her long-time bassist Rashaan Carter, plus the legendary rapper and producer Pete Rock and the talented contemporary producer 9th Wonder. The latter producers introduced hip hop and R&B listeners to Ashby in the 1990s and early 2000s via slick samples. Pete Rock and CL Smoothâs 1992 release, âFor Peteâs Sake,â samples Ashbyâs 1968 hit âCome Live With Me.â 9th Wonderâs remix of singer Amerieâs 2003 R&B classic âWhy Donât We Fall in Love,â also includes a Dorothy Ashby sample from âCome Live With Me.â With Youngerâs solo rendition of this heavily sampled song on Brand New Life, she builds a sonic bridge between generations. âI wanted everyone on the record to have a special connection to Dorothy [Ashby],â she said. For the project, Younger also recorded a number of Ashbyâs compositions that were never recorded before, alongside Ashby fan favorites and Younger originals.
The emotional complexity of the album is stunningly captured in the title track, âBrand New Life,â an original co-written by Younger and singer, Mumu Fresh. âThis love is so deep, time and space couldnât keep you away from me,â Mumu Fresh sings. Youngerâs playing paints lush details over Mumu Freshâs smooth vocals leaving nothing to be sonically desired. Against the backdrop of current social issuesâclimate change, racism, health disparities, and womenâs rightsâthe song speaks to a desire that many people have for change, for something new in the world. âBrand New Lifeâ reaches listeners at the level of the human.
Love is a subtle but insistent thread throughout the album. The opening track, âYouâre a Girl For One Man Only,â is a previously unrecorded Dorothy Ashby composition. Sonically, it is tender and evocative of a first kiss or the early seasons of new romance. Younger recalls the original songâs lyricsâ more traditional message of romantic longing that we still hear in popular music today. Boy chases girl. Girl succumbs. In Youngerâs version, there is a sense of agency and exploration. Younger creates a mesmerizing atmosphere. In the second half of the track we are met with a delicate dance between Joel Ross on vibraphone and Younger on harp, the two instruments pining through the melody.
Brand New Life is part of her steadfast efforts to amplify the contributions of black women harpists and to keep their legacies alive. Her care for and attention to Dorothy Ashby as a musical ancestor has been consistent throughout her career. Akin to the popular hashtag, #CiteBlackWomen, which demands that consumers credit and recognize black women for their intellectual labor, Younger urges us to recognize Ashbyâs contribution to the American songbook. The album is part of a larger project of recognizing not only the history of innovators of distinguished harp â a history that places Ashby and Younger together on a continuum â but also the presence of everyday black women.
âRunning Gameâ was an obscure seven-inch single release originally entitled âDouble Talkinââ and featured Ashby on piano. In the songâs intro, we hear what sounds like a casual conversation at a black womenâs beauty salon or at a social gathering of sorts where women freely share advice and observations on life with one another. The voices in the intro are of Youngerâs mother and aunt. Younger sets up listeners by reading the lyrics from Ashbyâs original. âEvery man I meet is double talkin.â Where did the good men go?â The women candidly respond to the song lyrics. One says, âAs far as game, men have been running game since day one.â The track leads into, âRunning Game,â a ballad with inflections of Negro spirituals and the blues. Here, Youngerâs expressivity on her instrument is incomparable. As the strings (arranged by DeSean Jones) hum behind her, the âdouble-talkingâ gold-digging man comes into full view. âRunning-Gameâ ends on a note of optimism, of marching forward despite lifeâs struggle.
Younger was born and raised in Hempstead, New York. As a teen in the early 1990s, she bopped to the beats of artists like LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes. Among these hip hop greats, she discovered Ashbyâs music by way of hip hop legend Pete Rock. She began playing harp at the age of eleven and eventually enrolled at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford in Connecticut where she studied classical music. It was through the encouragement of legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean that she made her first foray into jazz with the harp.
Hearing Ashby for the first time led her to envision new possibilities for herself as a harpist. âShe was covering all of these popular tunes and soundtracks [of the time] and I wanted to do that. Sheâs playing pop, jazz and everyoneâs sampling herâDJ Premier, Pete Rock, J. Dilla. Hearing, then seeing her as a Black Woman, while Iâm this random little isolated black girl playing a harp by myself was everything to me.â Younger forged her way with a small but mighty group of black women harpists as examplesâSarah Lawrence from her hometown, Ann Hobson-Pilot, Dorothy Ashby, and Alice Coltraneâwho were consistent sources of inspiration.
In 2006, after graduating from the Hartt School, Younger went on to develop a name for herself on the jazz and commercial recording scene in New York City. To date, her performance roster is fierce. As a side-woman, she has played alongside jazz icons such as Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Jack DeJohnette and Reggie Workman. Youngerâs commitment to carrying the torch can also be seen through her work as a performer and educator. In 2008, she earned a Master of Music from New York Universityâs Steinhardt School. During this time, she began to work seriously as an educator. She has been guest faculty and lecturer at numerous universities including but not limited to Berklee College of Music, Princeton University, Howard University and Tulane University. Currently, she serves as teaching artist faculty at New York University and The New School.
In 2020, Younger was named winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll in the category of âRising Starâ harpist. Her work as side-woman is evidence of Youngerâs undeniable presence in the sound of contemporary jazz today. In recent years, she has appeared on albums by Lakecia Benjamin, Robert Glasper, Jeremy Pelt, The Baylor Project and Makaya McCraven, just to name a few. In addition to her contributions as a side-woman, Youngerâs commitment to honoring the legacy of black women harpists can be seen through her curatorial work. She has curated a number of performances dedicated to honoring the work of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. This work speaks to her dedication as a purveyor of black music and history.
Thurs., September 26 – 7PM
Thurs., September 26 – 9:30PM
Paa Kow
Show Description
Musical Style: Afro-Jazz Fusion
Having toured internationally, sharing stages with both African and American luminaries including Kojo Antwi, Amakye Dede and Victor Wooten, Ghana born drummer and composer, Paa Kow, (pronounced Pah-Ko), blends rhythm and artistry from his home with jazz and African roots creating his own Afro-Fusion sound. Dubbed “Ghana’s most artistic drummer” (Modern Ghana), he plays a custom, hand-carved, traditionally inspired Ghanaian drum set that is the only one of its kind in the world, guaranteeing an extraordinary cultural and musical experience.
Growing up in the small village of Enyan Denkyira near Cape Coast in Ghana, West Africa, Paa Kow began to play music and tour with his familyâs concert band at a very early age. He has since grown to be widely recognized as one of the most remarkable drum set players to tour in Africa, Europe, and America. Paa Kowâs deep groove and prodigious talent reveal a unique ability to speak to listeners with his drums, inspiring a profound spiritual conversation and fulfilling his vision to spread the music and culture of his homeland by touring the world.
Sat., September 28 – 10PM
Kris Davis Trio
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
“Run the Gauntletâ emerges as the latest album from Kris Davis, accompanied by the extraordinary talents of bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake. Seamlessly melding composition with improvisation, this album stands as a testament to Davisâ singular voice within the jazz landscape.
The title, âRun the Gauntlet,â serves as a metaphor for overcoming challenges to achieve one’s goals. In this project, Davis pays homage to six trailblazing women pianists who have left an indelible mark on her journey as a pianist and composer: Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Renee Rosnes, Angelica Sanchez, Marilyn Crispell, and Sylvie Courvoisier. These remarkable women not only navigated the male-dominated field of jazz but also profoundly influenced Davis’s development as a pianist and composer. By dedicating the album to these extraordinary women, Davis honors their resilience and groundbreaking contributions as leaders in the jazz community.
Kris Davis, piano
Robert Hurst, bass
Johnathon Blake, drums
Tues., October 8 – 6:30PM
Tues., October 8 – 9PM
Morgan James
Show Description
“A phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep…This woman is on fire.” — The New York Times
Morgan James is a Juilliard trained singer, songwriter, actress and recording artist in New York City.
Morgan is currently on tour supporting her fifth studio album, âNobodyâs Foolâ. She independently released her studio albums of original soul music, entitled Memphis Magnetic, and A Very Magnetic Christmas recorded to analog tape in Memphis, Tennessee. Other albums include “Reckless Abandon”, which prompted the Huffington Post to call MJ the “Brightest Breakout Artist of the Year”. In addition to her original music, Morgan co-produced and starred in an all-female concept recording of âJesus Christ Superstarâ. Morgan has taken on full album covers of the Beatlesâ iconic âWhite Albumâ, Joni Mitchellâs âBlueâ, Jeff Buckleyâs âGraceâ, and many more. Morgan recorded two full-length albums with Epic Records: âHunterâ and âMorgan James Live, a celebration of Nina Simoneâ. All of her music can be found on all streaming platforms, and hard copies on her website or at shows.
On Broadway, Morgan was in five back-to-back original companies: The Addams Family (starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth), Wonderland, Godspell and Motown: The Musical, and as a guest at Kristin Chenowethâs For The Girls.
With viral sensation Postmodern Jukebox and with her own YouTube channel, Morganâs music videos have accumulated more than 285 million views (and climbing).
Morgan James will host a VIP Meet and Greet before her show at Dazzle – for information or to purchase a seat for the VIP Meet and Greet go to https://www.dazzledenver.com/morgan-james-vip-meet-and-greet/
For more information, please visit www.morganjamesonline.com. @morganajames
Wed., October 9 – 6:30PM
Wed., October 9 – 9PM
Kassa Overall
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz hip hop fusion
Kassa Overall is a Grammy-nominated musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer who melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and rap in unmapped directions.
On his first two studio albums GO GET ICE CREAM AND LISTEN TO JAZZ and I THINK IâM GOOD, Kassa layered virtuosic drumming, meticulous production techniques, and incisive lyricism to establish himself as a rhythmic innovator and visionary poet, using his voice to address the injustices of the carceral system, the pharmaceutical industry, and anti-black racism, while wrangling with the perils of his own mental illness.
On ANIMALS, his Warp Records debut out May 26, Kassa pushes his kaleidoscopic, subversive vision further. He layers Roland 808s against avant-garde drumming in the vein of his mentors Elvin Jones and Billy Hart, the latter of whom he studied with at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Virtuoso musos appear alongside rap poets, including Danny Brown, Wiki, Lil B, and Shabazz Palaces. Top-flight jazz improvisation weaves in and out of orchestral string arrangements by Jherek Bischoff. The albumâs diverse, all-star roster of collaborators includes several of his close friends, like vocalists Nick Hakim, Laura Mvula, Francis and the Lights, and jazz stars like Theo Croker and Vijay Iyer.
ANIMALS pushes Kassaâs message further too, the title a loaded metaphor for the paradoxes of his life as an entertainer and as a black man in America. ANIMALS is the sound of an artist aware of the cost of embodying oneâs natural self in the public eye, a deep reckoning with the two-sided truth that to perform oneâs freedom for an audience can mean succumbing to life inside a cage.
Thurs., October 24 – 7PM
Thurs., October 24 – 9:30PM
Scott Amendola, Ben Goldberg & Todd Sickafoose Trio
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Scott Amendola, Ben Goldberg, & Todd Sickafoose play the music of Thelonious Monk, and more!
Scott Amendola, Ben Goldberg, and Todd Sickafoose have been playing music together in various forms for nearly 30 years. Together as a trio they bring virtuosic mastery of their instruments, along with band sensibility to create a playful, and thoughtful musical experience. Thelonious Monkâs music has captured their collective heart ever since they all heard him as young upstarts. Along with original music, the trio will journey through all kinds of moods, and musical landscapes.
âIf Scott Amendola didn’t exist, the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him.â âšDerk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian . For Scott Amendola, the drum kit isnât so much an instrument as a musical portal. An ambitious composer, savvy bandleader and capaciously creative foil for some of the worldâs most inventive musicians, Amendola applies his rhythmic virtuosity to a vast array of settings. His closest musical associates include guitarists, Nels Cline, Jeff Parker, Charlie Hunter, Hammond B-3 organist Wil Blades, violinists Regina Carter and Jenny Scheinman, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, players who have each forged a singular path within and beyond the realm of jazz.
Todd Sickafoose is a Tony and Grammy award-winning composer, producer, orchestrator, bandleader and double bassist. He produced and co-arranged all three albums of the Broadway hit Hadestown and also produced AnaĂŻs Mitchellâs album Young Man in America. Since 2004, Sickafoose has recorded and performed internationally with artist/activist Ani DiFranco. Straddling the worlds of folk, indie rock, jazz and chamber music, his own band Tiny Resistors has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Stern Grove Festival, Angel City Jazz Festival and been featured on many âBest-Ofâ lists including the Village Voice and JazzTimes. Writing for Tiny Resistors, he recently created Bear Proof, a long-form chamber jazz hybrid commissioned by the Doris Duke Foundation.
Clarinetist / composer Ben Goldberg grew up in Denver. He was a pupil of the eminent clarinetist Rosario Mazzeo and studied with Steve Lacy and Joe Lovano. Since 1992, when his group New Klezmer Trio “kicked open the door for radical experiments with Ashkenazi roots music” (SF Chronicle), Ben has shaped a career through curiosity and experimentation. The New York Times says Benâs music âconveys a feeling of joyous research into the basics of polyphony and collective improvising.â Downbeat Magazine has twice named him Rising Star Clarinetist.
Scott Amendola – drums/percussion/electronics
Ben Goldberg – clarinet
Todd Sickafoose – bass
Wed., November 6 – 6:30PM
Charu Suri
Show Description
Join multi award-pianist and composer Charu Suri, who has made history by performing four times at Carnegie Hall as the first Indian jazz artist to do so, in her debut at Dazzle. Charu blends Indian ragas (modal scales) with jazz and has composed five albums, including her latest, RAGS & RAGAS, which was recorded with Steve Gadd, John Patitucci, and Joe Lastie. Join her in a very special evening, relax and listen to her unique world that New York City Jazz Record says defies Rudyard Kipling’s saying, “East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.”
Sat., November 9 – 6:30PM
Nduduzo Makhathini
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Nduduzo Makhathini grew up in the lush and rugged hillscapes of umGungundlovu in South Africa, a peri-urban landscape in which music and ritual practices were symbiotically linked. The area is significant historically as the site of the Zulu king Dingane kingdom between 1828 and 1840. It is important to note that the Zulu, in fact the African warrior code, is deeply reliant on music for motivation and healing. This deeply embedded symbiosis is key to understanding Makhathiniâs vision.
The church also played a role in Makhathiniâs musical understanding, as he hopped from church to church in his younger days in search of only the music. The legends of South African jazz are deep influences as well, Bheki Mseleku, Moses Molelekwa, and Abdullah Ibrahim. âThe earlier musicians put a lot of emotions in the music they played,â he says. âI think it may also be linked to the political climate of those days. I also feel there is a uniqueness about South African jazz that created an interest all around the world and we are slowly losing that too in our music today. I personally feel that our generation has to be very conscious about retaining these nuances in the music we play today.â
Through his mentor Mseleku, Makhathini was also introduced to the music of John Coltraneâs classic quartet with McCoy Tyner. âI came to understand my voice as a pianist through John Coltraneâs A Love Supreme,â he says. âAs someone who started playing jazz very late, I had always been looking for a kind of playing that could mirror or evoke the way my people danced, sung and spoke. Tyner provided that and still does in meaningful ways.â Makhathini also cites American jazz pianists including Andrew Hill, Randy Weston and Don Pullen as significant influences.
Active as an educator and researcher, Makhathini is the head of the music department at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape. He has performed at renowned festivals including the Cape own International Jazz Festival and the Essence Festival (in both New Orleans and South Africa), and in 2019 made his debut appearances the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center where he was a featured guest with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on their 3-night musical celebration The South African Songbook in Rose Theater. He is a member of Shabaka Hutchingsâ band Shabaka and the Ancestors appearing on their 2016 album Wisdom of Elders, and has also collaborated with artists including Logan Richardson, Nasheet Waits, Tarus Mateen, Stefon Harris, Billy Harper, Azar Lawrence, and Ernest Dawkins.
In addition to producing albums for his peers (such as Thandiswa Mazwaiâs Belede and Tumi Mogorosiâs Project Elo), Makhathini has released eight albums of his own since 2014 when he founded the label Gundu Entertainment in partnership with his wife and vocalist Omagugu Makhathini. Those albums earned him multiple awards and include Sketches of Tomorrow (2014). Mother Tongue (2014). Listening to the Ground (2015), Matunda Ya Kwanza (2015); Icilongo: The African Peace Suite (2016) Inner Dimensions (2016), and Reflections (2016). His 2017 album Ikhambi was the first to be released on Universal Music South Africa and won Best Jazz Album at the South African Music Awards (SAMA) in 2018. His Blue Note debut Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds was released in 2020 to wide critical acclaim earning many end of the year âBest Ofâ lists.
Mon., November 11 – 9PM
Tierney Sutton & Tamir Hendelman
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Singer Tierney Sutton and pianist Tamir Hendelman have a musical relationship that goes back over 20 years. While Sutton racked up 9 Grammy nominations for her 14 albums as leader, Hendelman was arranging, recording and performing with Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole, leading his own trio, and being the featured pianist of the Jeff Hamilton Trio and Grammy-Winning Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. And along side all this, Tierney and Tamir still found time to tour as a duo in Italy, Japan, China and throughout the U.S.
Yet it was the pandemic that cemented and deepened the partnership of these 2 LA-based artists. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Tierney and Tamir created and presented live-streamed themed shows as well as creating âBy Requestâ video dedications for fans around the world.
Says Sutton: âThis is truly one of my very favorite projects. No pianist in the world swings harder than Tamir and heâs an encyclopedia of songs so Iâm able to be so free and improvisational. This project is a joy.”
Thurs., November 14 – 6:30PM
Thurs., November 14, 9PM
Alex Hahn
Show Description
Alumni of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance and 1st Place Winner in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition, Alex Hahn is a Grammy Award Winning saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Southern California. Hahn has performed and recorded with notable names such as Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, and has recorded on Michael BublĂ©âs last three Grammy Nominated Albums including âHigher,â which won a Grammy Award in 2023. Hahn is also a featured soloist on the Eddie Murphy movie Coming 2 America. Hahn currently serves as the Director of Jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.
He is an endorsed artist with Eastman Winds, DâAddario Woodwinds, and Key Leaves.
About Childhood Melodies: La Reserve Records
Childhood Melodies, my fifth studio solo album, features original arrangements of the music from my childhood. Growing up with two musician parents who were also music educators, music has always been a huge part of my life. My family loved to listen to artists like Barbara Streisand, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and songs from classic Disney movies. At an early age, these melodies helped shape my musical personality. Each song on this album has a unique story of when and where I first heard it, how it has influenced me musically, and how it has been significant in my life.
Fri., November 15 – 6:30PM
Chad LB Quartet
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Hailed as a “Sax Phenom” by the New York Daily News, Chad LB has toured globally as a bandleader and with superstars ranging from Chris Botti to Taylor Swift. Chad has been a featured soloiston 2 GRAMMY-winning albums and in concert with premiere ensembles like the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and Multi-Grammy winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. No stranger to the big screen, Chad has made appearances on numerous TV shows with pop icons and rock legends like Don Henley, as well as the Hollywood film âHere Todayâ with Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish.
Sat., November 16 – 6:30PM
Sat., November 16 – 9PM
Sun., November 17 – 5PM
Sun., November 17 – 7:30PM
Nicholas Payton
Show Description
Musical Style: Black American Music
As a leading voice in American popular music, the Grammy Award-winning Nicholas Payton is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger, essayist, and social activist who defies musical and artistic categories. All the while, he honors the tradition of what he terms âpostmodern New Orleans music,â as well as the spirit of Black American Music, of which he states, âThere are no fields, per se. There are lineages.â
The New Orleans-born Payton has followed his calling since growing up under the tutelage of his parents â acclaimed bassist Walter Payton and Maria Payton, a pianist and vocalist. Already a prodigy before entering the first grade, he began playing trumpet at age four and started performing professionally at age 10. Before the age of 20, he was already in demand by everyone from Danny Barker and Clark Terry to Elvin Jones and Marcus Roberts. Payton released his first album, From this Moment, in 1995 on the famed Verve label. He received his first Grammy nomination in 1997 for the album Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton, and for the category of Best Instrumental Solo, which found him winning the award that year.
Payton has released over 20 recordings as a leader, pushing musical boundaries and showcasing a variety of contemporary and traditional styles, while displaying his ambidextrous ability to play both the trumpet and keyboard at the same time when heâs inspired to do so. He has collaborated with numerous mentors and contemporaries alike, ranging from Common and Cassandra Wilson to Trey Anastasio, MonoNeon, and Jill Scott, to Dr. John, Joseph âZigabooâ Modeliste of The
Meters, Allen Toussaint, and Abbey Lincoln to name a few. His most recent albums are Quarantined with Nick and Maestro Rhythm King, both released in 2020.
âEverything I write is about life experiences. The music means nothing without life. A life lived. It’s not just notes on a page. It’s not just a technical exercise. It’s vibrations and energy,â Payton says. âAnd I’m striving to help lift, if possible, raise the vibration of the collective conscious one audience, one album, one song at a time. If I can’t do that, there’s no point in me playing. That’s why I play. Itâs about contributing to society and inspiring. That’s my life as an artist, period. Challenging people to think differently, to think critically and to not be slaves to the system and
the status quo.â
In addition to Paytonâs work as a performer, he is an equally respected composer, having written The Black American Symphony an orchestral work, which the Czech National Symphony Orchestra commissioned and performed. He led a live concert performance of Miles Davisâ renowned Sketches of Spain with the Basel Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland.
âPretty much all the music that I play is centered in Black culture, Black music. And that’s why Iâve eschewed jazz and came up with the terminology, Black American Music, because I want to be connected to the whole of it,â Payton says about genre. âIt’s all the same. John Coltrane and Charlie Parker and James Brown could be neighbors. So what’s the distinction there? The only difference in the music is who they came through, and where they’re from.â
As a leader, Payton’s seminal writings and discussions on the problematics of the term and associations of “jazz” have inspired musicians, researchers, music listeners, and thinkers alike. As such, he termed Black American Music, or #BAM for short, to represent the breadth of improvisational musical creations created by Black people in the U.S., regardless of genre. His introduction of #BAM into the lexicon of popular music discourse landed him an entry in the New York Times’ âThe Decade in Jazz: 10 Definitive Momentsâ in 2019.
â(Black American Music) is … a liberation music, it is our first global recognition in humanizing, if you will, a class of people who were systematically dehumanized for centuries,â Payton says. âThe concern for me is to draw from the wellspring of all the great Black ancestors who inspired me to play this music in the first place. And to hopefully keep that energy, that spirit.â
Through his mission-driven work and art, Payton continues to creatively move boundaries, while inspiring and remaining inspired by the pioneering lineage of Black American Music, of which he is a part.
Mon., November 18 – 6:30PM
Mon., November 18 – 9:00PM
Tues., November 19 – 6:30PM
Tues., November 19 – 9:00PM
Jane Monheit
Show Description
Jane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist with a deep passion for the Great American Songbook. With many highly acclaimed solo albums, countless awards and accolades, and over two decades of international touring experience, Jane has not only been an extremely successful bandleader, but has had the privilege of making music with some of the greatest musicians, arrangers, and producers in jazz.
During her childhood, Jane studied woodwinds and piano, spent a decade performing in award winning choirs, and participated in community theater on Long Island. Throughout all of this, her focus remained on jazz, especially interpretation of the Songbook. At the age of 20, during her senior year at the prestigious Manhattan School Of Music, Jane placed second in the Thelonious Monk Competition, now known as the Hancock Competition. This led to an incredible career trajectory, catapulting Jane into the jazz stratosphere nearly overnight.
By 22, Jane was working with legends such as Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Kenny Barron, recording her first albums, and touring the planet. This led to collaborations with jazz luminaries such as Terence Blanchard, Ivan Lins, Tom Harrell, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Jorge Calandrelli, and many more. Countless television appearances followed, including David Letterman, Conan OâBrien, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, The View, and many popular international talk shows. Several successful film soundtracks have also included Janeâs music, including Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow and Never Let Me Go.
After more than twenty years, twelve studio albums and countless recorded guest appearances, Jane has continued to tour the world nearly nonstop, including playing iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and headlining at nearly every legendary jazz club on the planet, most notably NY stalwarts such as the Village Vanguard and Birdland. In addition to touring, she also writes English lyrics for Ivan Lins, and uses the knowledge and experience she has gained both at Manhattan School Of Music and on the legendary bandstands of the world to educate and uplift students worldwide. Jane resides in Los Angeles with her husband of over twenty years, drummer Rick Montalbano, and their son.
Wed., November 20 – 6:30PM
Wed., November 20 – 9:00PM
Thurs., November 21 – 6:30PM
Thurs., November 21 – 9:00PM
Stella Cole Quartet
Show Description
Musical Style: Holiday Show
To watch Stella Cole perform is to be transported back in time. Her sense of joy and wonder is infectious â one look at her massive social media following makes this clear. Take a quick scroll through the comments of any of her many viral videos and you’ll see not only her irresistible charm, but an ability to expose fans of all ages to the wonders of the Great American Songbook, especially when these timeless stories are told honestly by an artist with an uncanny ability to transcend generations.
On her highly anticipated debut recording, Stella is presented performing interpreting a collection of classics in a variety of settings, including many featuring an orchestra arranged by multiple Grammy-winner Alan Broadbent. Featuring songs made famous by everyone from Barbra Streisand (âWhen the Sun Comes Outâ) and Judy Garland (âThe Boy Next Doorâ and a classic re-interpretation of âOver the Rainbowâ) to Billie Eilish (âMy Futureâ) and Audrey Hepburn (âMoon Riverâ of course!), it is sure to be one of the most impressive vocal recordings of 2024.
Upon first hearing Stella Cole, one is immediately struck by her rich tone and extraordinary vocal control. However, what is particularly rare is her ability to interpret songs that were initially intended for actors in character in a direct, personally vulnerable way that connects to something within herself, placing her in the lineage of the greatest interpreters of the repertoire. Perhaps most exciting, to her many young fans, who have never heard these songs before, these are Stella Cole songs, which clearly makes her one of the most exciting artists of her generation.
Wed., Dec 11 – 6:30PM
Wed., Dec 11 – 9PM
Thurs., Dec 12 – 6:30PM (Sold Out)
Thurs., Dec 12 – 9PM
Christian McBride and Ursa Major
Show Description
Musical Style: Jazz
Christian McBride is an eight-time GRAMMY-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader. He is the Artistic Director of the historic Newport Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. McBride is also a respected educator and advocate for youth, and serves as Artistic Director of Jazz House KiDS and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions. In addition to artistic directing and consistent touring with his ensembles, he hosts NPRâs âJazz Night in Americaâ and “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM. Whether behind the bass or away from it, Christian McBride is always part of the music. From jazz to R&B, and pop/rock and hip-hop/neo-soul to classical, he is a luminary with one hand ever reaching for new heights, and the other extended in fellowshipâand perhaps the hint of a challengeâinviting us to join him.
For this show he is joined by four rising young master instrumentalists including saxophonist Nicole Glover, guitarist Ely Perlman, pianist Mike King, and drummer Savannah Harris.
Michael King – keys
Virtuosic pianist Michael King, a Chicagoan native, began playing drums in his local church band at the early age of 4. This fortuitously melodic schooling nurtured an undeniable affinity to the piano and organ, the very seat that he began to occupy, by ear, at age 14. Mr. King is an alumni of Lincoln Park High School and the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory. He was selected to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute and The Ravinia Jazz Scholars program on merit scholarships. Michael has performed with Bobby Watson, Kevin Eubanks, Dave Liebeman, Gary Bartz, Billy Hart, Joel Frahm, Rufus Reid, & Antonio Hart, among others. Currently you can catch Mr. King touring internationally with: DeeDee Bridgewater, Robin Eubanks, Theo Croker’s DVRK FUNK, Soul Understated, & Marcus Printup.
Savannah Harris – drums
Savannah Harris is a New York City-based drummer, composer and producer. Raised in Oakland, California by musician parents, she gravitated towards the drums at age 2. Steeped in a jazz tradition, Savannah views its connection to all forms of diasporic and folkloric music as central to her approach. Sheâs performed and recorded with indie and experimental artists Helado Negro, Georgia Anne Muldrow, KeiyaA, Nick Hakim, Kate Davis, Justin Allen, and Standing on the Corner. Her jazz recordings include releases from Peter Evans, MarĂa Grand, and Or Bareket. Sheâs performed with Geri Allen, Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire, Terrence Blanchard, Linda May Han Oh, Billy Childs, Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross, and Aaron Parks. Presently, she tours extensively with Christian McBride, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and Kenny Barron. In 2019, Savannah was awarded the Harlem Stage Emerging Artist Award, and she received her masterâs in jazz performance from Manhattan School of Music. She was featured twice in the January 2021 issue of Modern Drummer as both a featured artist and a contributing writer. In October of 2021, she debuted her solo piece âWith Inner Sound, Truthâ commissioned by Issue Project Room as a tribute to composer Ruth Anderson. Savannah was also featured in Sixteen Journalâs âJAZZâ edition, with portraits shot by photographer James Brodribb.
Nicole Glover – saxophone
Saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and educator Nicole Glover, is based in New York City and has established herself as a rising star and a musician in great demand. Her most recent solo recording is Strange Lands (Savant), with the venerable pianist George Cables. The London Times awarded the album 4 stars, calling it âotherworldly.â It remained near the top of the Jazzweek radio charts for 11 weeks. Nicole is also an integral member of the supergroup ARTEMIS, led by pianist Renee Rosnes. In May 2023, the collective released their 2nd recording, In Real Time, on Blue Note Records.
Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Nicole was a student of the American Music Program, a program dedicated to priming students for a career in jazz. In 2009, she moved east to attend the jazz program at William Paterson University. There, she studied with pianists Harold Mabern, Mulgrew Miller and tenor saxophonist Rich Perry.
Currently, Nicole is a member of an new quintet led by bassist Christian McBride, and she performs often with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She has worked with drummers Al Foster, Victor Lewis and Kenny Washington, Grammy award winning vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Buika, saxophonist Rudresh Manhanthappa, vibraphonist Joel Ross, and pianists Geoffrey Keezer, Luis Perdomo, and George Colligan among others. She recently performed Mary Lou Williamsâ âZodiac Suiteâ with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the musical direction of pianist Aaron Diehl.
An experienced educator, Nicole is on faculty at Princeton University, Manhattan School of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She is a passionate teacher, and has given many masterclasses and private lessons to aspiring musicians all over the globe.
Ely Perlman – guitar
Ely Perlman (b. 1999) is a guitarist, composer, and producer hailing from Tel Aviv, Israel. A third-year student at the Berklee College of Music, Ely Perlman is a member of Christian McBride’s newest band. In addition to collaborating with other acclaimed artists such as Shai Maestro and Ben Wendel, Ely leads multiple musical projects, including a jazz quartet highlighting his compositional vision and an indie band called “SWIMS.” Ely released “All We Got” in 2022, his first single as a singer/songwriter, and is currently working on his self-produced debut album. He received his early musical education at the esteemed Jazz Department of the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts, graduating with honors, and at the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv
Mon., February 17, 2025 – 9PM
Mon., February 17, 2025 – 6:30PM
Tues., February 18, 2025 – 6:30PM
Tues., February 18, 2025 – 9PM
Wed., February 19, 2025 – 6:30PM
Wed., February 19, 2025 – 9PM
Thurs., February 20, 2025 – 6:30PM
Thurs., February 20, 2025 – 9PM
Upcoming Touring shows and member presales
2025 Touring Shows Pre-sale
8/29/24 – 8/13/24
Go to the 2025 Touring Shows Pre-sale page.https://www.dazzledenver.com/2025-touring-shows-pre-sale-starts-8-29-24/
Learn more about becoming a Dazzle Member for pre-sale access and ticket packages.
Updated: July 24, 2024