Ella Fitzgerald

Caught in the Act

Q&A with James Lumb of Electric Skychurch

Making the Waves

Christmas Packages

The best holiday discs, as well as others that will make you pity the yule.

Turkish Delight

Bandleader Sam Bivens brings six decades of jazz history to Turk's Supper Club.

Taking Flight

Legendary drummer Roy Haynes sings Bird's praises while creating his own legend.

Beyond Playlist presents Xmas-rated, part four: Variety Packs

This year, we've wrapped our roundup of holiday albums a bit differently. Instead of delivering it to you in one big lump (like coal), we're parceling out the reviews online, with a blog each weekday through December 24 devoted to recordings in a different category. Part four features "Variety Pac ... More >>

Best chanteuse

Mary Ann Moore

Jessica Williams/Bruce Barth

All Alone (MAXJAZZ)
Live at the Village Vanguard (MAXJAZZ)

Ayo Awosika

Hearts, Words and Other Forgotten Things
Self-released

Despite four Grammy nominations, Adele is figuring out how to be herself

Hearts, Words and Other Forgotten Things
Self-released

The Soundies of Yesteryear

The music that time forgot is in a warehouse in Colorado Springs.

The Jeff Hamilton Trio

Friday, December 12, and Saturday, December 13, Dazzle, 303-839-5100.

Bringing in the Reeves

With her own star on the rise, Dianne Reeves honors Sarah Vaughan in a rare hometown concert.

City Sounds

A look at local recordings.

O'Day in the Life

Discover jazz singer Anita O'Day in an entertaining documentary.

Bygone Days

Crossroads Theater resurrects the Rossonian.

Night & Day

June 11 - 17, 1998

Sanity Claus

Separating holiday-music gifts from seasonal disorders.

Jazz It Up

Separating holiday-music gifts from seasonal disorders.

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

Just One of Those Biopics

The songs are immortal, even if Porter pic isn't.

Just One of Those Biopics

The songs are immortal, even if Porter pic isn't.

Stop, Look, and Listen

The sounds of jazz erupt in quilted form

Bite Me

The Good, the Bad and the Uni

The Voyage Out

Jazz singer Nnenna Freelon has touched the “devil's music” with her own world-class style.

The RH Factor

Death comes calling jazz's legendary players.

Beyond Burns

A look at screen gems from the Denver Jazz on Film Festival.

Holidaze

Unwrapping our annual roundup of musical season's greetings -- and beatings.

Lady Sang the Blues

Monica Janzen had a great voice, a solid band and a new record. She also had breast cancer.

Judgment Day

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.

Not Bryan's Songs

Roxy Music veteran Bryan Ferry sets the way-back machine for the 1930s.

Who Stole Denver Burglar Alarm?

Stew Jackson let one of Denver's oldest family-owned businesses slip away, but his bands play on.

Stompin' at the Savoy

Stew Jackson let one of Denver's oldest family-owned businesses slip away, but his bands play on.

Good Kitty

Stew Jackson let one of Denver's oldest family-owned businesses slip away, but his bands play on.

Christmas Seasoning

Hark! The Herald Angels are practically the only group without a holiday CD this year.

Taking Cake

Hark! The Herald Angels are practically the only group without a holiday CD this year.

Giving Until It Hurts

Great musical moments in Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon history.

Off Limits

Great musical moments in Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon history.

Q&A with Elizabeth Zilman of Elizabeth & the Catapult

​Elizabeth & the Catapult is a Brooklyn-based trio playing the kind of jazz-inflected pop music that is simultaneously soothing and thought provoking. The act's debut album, Tall Children, bears favorable comparison to the more adventurous pop songwriters of recent years like Suzanne Vega and ... More >>

Another restaurant world obit: Ben Ali of Ben's Chili Bowl

​ Ben Ali, co-founder and namesake of Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C., died Wednesday night at the age 82. Thursday morning, his joint -- the one that he has run for 51 years with his wife, Virginia, and their extended family, the one that has fed everyone from politicians, actors and r ... More >>

Here Comes Santa Claus

​ Ben Ali, co-founder and namesake of Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C., died Wednesday night at the age 82. Thursday morning, his joint -- the one that he has run for 51 years with his wife, Virginia, and their extended family, the one that has fed everyone from politicians, actors and r ... More >>

Lilly Scott joins Haeley Vaughn as Colorado's great American Idol hopes

Based on the edition of American Idol focusing on Denver auditions, we declared Fort Collins' Haeley Vaughn to be Colorado's great American Idol hope. (Of course, Bikini Boy Ty Hemmerling made a different kind of impression.) But last night's episode marking the beginning of Hollywood Week (and the ... More >>

American Idol: Lilly Scott and Haeley Vaughn move on to round two

America finally got a look at Ms. Lilly Scott last night on Idol. She got the nod from Simon Cowell and company to move forward to the next round of cuts after wowing them with a sterling rendition of "Lullaby of Birdland," a tune made famous by Ella Fitzgerald. If you ask us, Lilly did Ella justice ... More >>

Girl Talk: The Village Cork, girly as it might be, will win over the most reluctant diner

America finally got a look at Ms. Lilly Scott last night on Idol. She got the nod from Simon Cowell and company to move forward to the next round of cuts after wowing them with a sterling rendition of "Lullaby of Birdland," a tune made famous by Ella Fitzgerald. If you ask us, Lilly did Ella justice ... More >>

So long, sweater weather. Bring on the sun! Top 10 songs for your spring soundtrack

Spring flowers bring sweet effin' jams!​It's that time of year -- time to trade in those stinky wool sweaters for T-shirts and tanks. Time to toss off those boots, slip on your sandals and start prepping for the sunshine. Bust that picnic basket out of the basement, air out the old blanket and ... More >>

Liondub on the evolution of bass music, Denver connections and his career to date

Liondub will bring Jamaican-influenced beats to 2200.​This weekend, the Unity Gain Reunion show will be taking over 2200, with special guest (and former Colorado resident) Liondub playing a reggae and dancehall set, along with guests Mr. Anonymous and Psychonaut, and house/slomo stylings by Pa ... More >>

Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers

Saturday, May 21, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Black coffee! The 10 songs about black coffee on National Coffee Day!

​Up until about ten years ago, coffee seemed to have a its grip firmly around us. Just take the songs below, for example. You won't find any written in the past decade, which is a little sad, the death of coffee and all. Because no one is going to write a song about the energizing effects of a ... More >>

Jazz great Jim Hall's guitar is still talking in Conversations

​Up until about ten years ago, coffee seemed to have a its grip firmly around us. Just take the songs below, for example. You won't find any written in the past decade, which is a little sad, the death of coffee and all. Because no one is going to write a song about the energizing effects of a ... More >>