John Coltrane

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... More >>

Jazz Men Testify

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... More >>

Backbeat's top five spins: This is what we're listening to this week. What's on your playlist?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... More >>

Backbeat's top five spins: This is what we're listening to this week. What's on your playlist?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... More >>

Backbeat's top five spins, week of October 1-7

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it shouldn't be too surprising to find that the most common (and our mutually favorite) topic of conversation among all of us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't yo ... More >>

Ten essential jazz albums if you know squat about jazz but want to become more versed

About two decades ago, I heard Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, and it floored me. It's the best selling jazz of all time, and if there's one album that truly started an obsession with jazz, it was that one. As a kid, I'd gotten to see cats like Red Rodney, Zoot Sims and Slide Hampton at Dick Gibson's j ... More >>

The ten best jazz shows in Colorado this month

Denver gets its share of national jazz talent, but September proves to be an exceptionally good month, with some legendary folks like Esperanza Spalding, John Ambercrombie, David Torn, Brian Blade and Allison Miller coming to town, as well as a fine selection of estimable local talent. Keep reading ... More >>

The five most listened-to songs and albums of the week, August 20 through August 27

Well, lookie here. What you do know? It's the return of Heavy Rotation. Longtime readers of Backbeat will remember this feature as one in which we shared our weekly listening habits in hopes of giving you some insight into our individual sensibilities. It's been dormant for a while, but starting tod ... More >>

Ravi Coltrane's love of music comes naturally

Guitar guru John McLaughlin's spiritual path has been a long one

B.o.B., Bop Skizzum, Tommy Metz and The Pirate Signal top our weekly playlists

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 3, 2009

As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of al ... More >>

McCoy Tyner Trio

Tuesday, April 28, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

McCoy Tyner

Kurt Elling, Eliane Elias headline JazzFest Denver this weekend

Kurt Elling and Eliane Elias, both Grammy-nominated vocalists, headline this year's JazzFest Denver at Dazzle this weekend. Elling's warm baritone can stretch over four octaves and he honed his chops by listening to Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks and other crooners before him. The guy's a mad scatter, a ... More >>

Make yourself at home at Tooey's

Beyond Playlist presents Xmas-rated, part three: Jazz to the World

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 three is titled "Jazz to t ... More >>

Four Christmases

The Turtle Island String Quartet plays an unusual blend of holiday music.

Mini Reviews

Live Review: Curtis Fuller at Dazzle

Meet Curtis Fuller, Living Jazz Legend

He's played with the best, and now he's one of the best.

Tia Fuller Has Sax Appeal

Find out how this Aurora native wailed her way into Beyonce’s band.

Marcus Strickland

This jazzman was born with sax appeal.

Q&A with Rakim

This Just In...

Open-mike jazz nights

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

The Sputter

Great Unseen (Bocumast Records)

Dead Kenny G's

Thursday, February 9, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030; Friday, February 10, Bluebird Theater, 303-322-2308; Saturday, February 11, Aggie Theatre, Fort Collins, 1-970-482-8300.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Ravi Coltrane

In Flux (Savoy)

Best Place to Get Your Jam On

Dulcinea's 100th Monkey

Clutch

Wednesday, August 4, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-2525.

Double Treat

Lectures on Unrelated Topics fire up listeners' brains

John Hines and Colin Stranahan Quintet

John Hines In the Pocket (Capri)
Colin Stranahan Quintet Dreams Untold (Capri)

Best Online Diatribe

Shoun Flynn, "Needles for Teeth"

Taking Flight

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

Bumpa Crop

From Moroccan-flavored psycho-trance to furious superfunk, Critters Buggin cross space and time zones with their music.

Hit Pick

Jive

John Coltrane

Coltrane Jazz
(Rhino/Atlantic)
The Avant-Garde
(Rhino/Atlantic)

Bill Barron

Modern Windows Suite
(Atlantic/Savoy Jazz)

Nels Cline/Gregg Bendian

Interstellar Space Revisited: The Music of John Coltrane
(Atavistic)

Genre Divide

Chicago's post-progressive- math-punk-rock-jazz quartet Sweep the Leg Johnny is a sonic non sequitur.

In the Guralnick of Time

A New Mexico jazz trio makes smart music -- but you'll probably like it anyway.

Quantum Sonics

Year-End Close-Out

We've got 1998's best albums in stock, but they're going fast.

And the Winners Are ...

Handing out the trophies for 1997's best albums.

Thrills for the week

THE GOODS

THERE WEREN'T THOUSANDS OF FIRST-RATE RECORDS RELEASED IN 1995. BUT THERE WERE NINETY.

BIG TRANE

THE JOYS OF THE NEW JOHN COLTRANE RELEASE.