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In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
Pianist John Beasley and trumpeter Marquis Hill onstage during the Unlimited Miles sextet’s set at the Newman Center.
(Photo: Jon Solomon)After an impressive launch last year, the Denver Jazz Fest came back even stronger with its second edition April 8–12. The festival’s overarching theme was “Celebrating 100 Years: Miles Davis & John Coltrane,” with a communal spirit of support as a welcome commonality among the 40 shows at 15 venues.
A John Beasley concert proved to be an ideal way to start this year’s DJF on Wednesday. The pianist, keyboardist and composer is typically heard leading his Thelonious Monk-oriented MONK’estra bands or as a member of vocalist Dianne Reeves’ quintet, but rarely unaccompanied. (Denver legend Reeves co-headlined last year’s DJF in a sold-out duo concert with guitarist Romero Lubambo.) It was the first-ever ticketed event presented in the recital room of Classic Pianos, one of a 10-store national network of showrooms with historic ties to the festival.
Each DJF Classic Pianos performance was preceded by an on-stage interview conducted by an announcer from KUVO, the local non-profit jazz radio sponsor of the festival.
Beasley’s interview dove into his time as a member of Davis’ band from 1989 to 1991 as well as his latest album, Invisible Piano (o-tone music), which was commissioned by and recorded with the WDR Big Band. He included two versions of “Milestones” (including the rarely heard one from the 1940s) and a surprise appearance from Reeves, who sang a duo vocal version of Horace Silver’s “Peace.”
DJF’s education sponsors this year, Michigan State University (MSU) and Metropolitan State University of Denver, were represented later on Wednesday at Dazzle, Denver’s preeminent jazz club. Bassist/educator Rodney Whitaker, MSU’s director of jazz studies, led a formidable ensemble that included pianist Dawn Clement, an associate professor of music at Metropolitan State.
Local hero Rico Jones, a DownBeat Student Music Award-winning tenor saxophonist now based in New York, was also on the bandstand as the sextet performed selections from composer/pianist Gregg Hill, whose works Whitaker has interpreted over three albums. Another pianist/composer, festival headliner Bob James, was among the enthusiastic Dazzle audience.
As with Jones, it was a homecoming for Jeff Jenkins on Thursday evening at Classic Pianos. An area resident and stalwart member of the Denver jazz scene from 1990 to 2023, Jenkins moved back to his home area of Omaha, Nebraska, after retiring from teaching at University of Colorado Boulder for 15 years. He focused on Coltrane’s time with Monk in the late ’50s and early ’60s and included a version of “I Mean You” in 7/4.
James’ quartet was the first of two bands to perform at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Denver campus. He hadn’t performed in Denver for 40 years, with his last concert there taking place a year after KUVO’s founding. Cheers of recognition came on Thursday for fan favorites such as “Nightcrawler” and “Westchester Lady,” with “Angela (theme from Taxi)” concluding the night of melodic acoustic jazz.
Pianist Orrin Evans’ three-piece unit with bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith closed out the DJF’s Thursday offerings at Dazzle. An arrangement of “Amazing Grace” by the late Geri Allen followed by her own “Feed The Fire” were emotional highlights. Prior to headlining a concert the following night at Cleo Parker Robinson Center for the Performing Arts, vocalist Carmen Lundy and bassist Kenny Davis took in the locked-in the trio’s spiritual sounds.
Returning on Friday, Beasley led the Unlimited Miles sextet at the Newman Center with trumpeter Marquis Hill, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Terreon Gully. The all-star group approached the repertoire like a DJ might spin a tribute set, segueing “Moon Dream” into “Sanctuary” into “Fat Time.”
ELEW’s lively Saturday evening at Classic Pianos was dedicated to the music of Sting, for whom he opened on tour in 2024 and whose work is the subject of his next album. (Sting contributed spoken word to Davis’ 1985 album You’re Under Arrest — one of several connections the pop star has to the one-time Prince of Darkness.)
The area’s jam band prominence was acknowledged with a sold-out Saturday night event featuring Ghost Note and Gold Leader (with The Motet closing) at Cervantes’ in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood. Concurrently, vocalist José James led a next-generation quintet at the nearby Cleo Parker Robinson Center. Reeves was again in the house for his Coltrane homage, which offered selections from Africa/Brass and John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman and other Coltrane classics as well as an intriguing vocal version of the Coltrane Quartet’s historic take on “My Favorite Things.”
Pianist Eric Gunnison, a Denver area resident since 1980, is best known for his five years playing with Carmen McRae. His heartfelt Sunday matinee at Classic Pianos was devoted to Davis associate Bill Evans, though.
Vocalist and 42-year Denver area resident Hazel Miller enjoyed her own sold-out date on Sunday at Cleo Parker Robinson. She also performed “My Favorite Things” with a straightahead swing treatment, extending the spirit of that Rodgers & Hammerstein classic over two days.
A former member of The Motet and half of the electronic-driven Big Gigantic, saxophonist Dominic Lalli showcased his jazz roots during a Sunday evening at Dazzle. His Bluebird quintet — which included trumpeter Shane Endsley of Kneebody (currently is a lecturer of music at Metropolitan State) and drummer Obed Calvaire, Lalli’s Manhattan School of Music classmate — paid homage to both Davis and Coltrane.
The third annual DJF will be held April 11–14, 2027, with vocalists Kurt Elling and Veronica Swift among the headliners. DB
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