Ella Fitzgerald

The five best jazz shows in Denver this June

TRIBUTE TO CHET BAKER @ DAZZLE | WED, 6/5 Last month marked the 25th anniversary of legendary trumpeter Chet Baker's death after falling out of a hotel room window in Amsterdam. So in honor of Baker's life, local trumpeter Justin Peterson is presenting a new concert series, "I Miss You, Chet," in wh ... More >>

Second-generation musician Selina Albright has developed her own powerful voice

Meet Shady Elders, Denver's newest supergroup

Taking a Dylan-esque route of abandoning acoustic folk for mod-rock, Britt Rodemich teamed up with local favorites Casey Banker -- fresh off the now-defunct The Don'ts and Be Carefuls -- Miles Eichner of Tulip Wars and Marlon Chance of Spires, to form Shady Elders, an indie rock supergroup of sorts. ... More >>

R.I.P. Jerry Krantz, owner of El Chapultepec

Update (6/1/12): We've received word that services for Jerry Krantz will be held next week on Thursday, June 7 at 10 a.m. at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church at 4200 Federal Boulevard, followed by an interment at Ft. Logan National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. in area "B." Jerry Krantz's full obituar ... More >>

Fingers of the Sun continues to brighten Denver's music scene

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

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

Up until about ten years ago, coffee seemed to have 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 Starbuck ... More >>

Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers

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

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 >>

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 >>

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

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 >>

Here Comes Santa Claus

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 >>

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 >>

Ayo Awosika

Hearts, Words and Other Forgotten Things
Self-released

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

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 >>

The Jeff Hamilton Trio

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

Q&A with James Lumb of Electric Skychurch

O'Day in the Life

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

Bygone Days

Crossroads Theater resurrects the Rossonian.

Sanity Claus

Separating holiday-music gifts from seasonal disorders.

Jazz It Up

Stop, Look, and Listen

The sounds of jazz erupt in quilted form

Bite Me

The Good, the Bad and the Uni

Jessica Williams/Bruce Barth

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

Taking Flight

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

The Voyage Out

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

Bringing in the Reeves

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

The RH Factor

Death comes calling jazz's legendary players.

Beyond Burns

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

City Sounds

A look at local recordings.

Holidaze

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

Best chanteuse

Mary Ann Moore

Turkish Delight

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

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.

The Soundies of Yesteryear

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

Caught in the Act

Christmas Packages

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

Making the Waves

Night & Day

June 11 - 17, 1998

Stompin' at the Savoy

Good Kitty

Christmas Seasoning

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

Taking Cake

Giving Until It Hurts

Great musical moments in Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon history.

Off Limits