Wayne Shorter

New Denver shows: P!NK, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Barenaked Ladies, Guster

It's March 2013 -- at least according to the calendar. If you went by the concert calendar for the past few weeks, however, you'd swear it's the mid to late '90s. P!NK, Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls, Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five and Guster, Darius Rucker. If you're already nostalgic for the ... More >>

The best concerts in Denver this weekend

YO GABBA GABBA! @ PARAMOUNT THEATRE | SUN, 2/24/13 Sesame Street couldn't handle mixing kids' programming with Katy Perry cleavage, but Yo Gabba Gabba! gets it right every time. Perhaps it's because one of the show's creators, Christian Jacobs, is MC Bat Commander of the Aquabats. After becoming a f ... More >>

New Denver shows: Rush, Rodrigo y Gabriela, the Postal Service, Death, Danzig and more

Bunch of new shows to let you know about this week, including Rush, who's coming to the Pepsi Center in August, plus new dates featuring the Postal Service, Rodrigo y Gabriela with the Colorado Symphony, Death, Danzig and Deer Tick. Keep reading for the full rundown of all those shows, including tic ... More >>

The ten best concerts in Denver this week

ELECTRIC SIX @ LARIMER LOUNGE | TUES, 2/19/13 Electric Six has been bringing the party to the unwary for a decade. The group's songs combine '80s rock, disco and New Wave into a cranked-up, ultra-catchy sound all its own, with lyrics that mix a David Lee Roth-esque bravado with surreal barrages of i ... More >>

New Denver shows: Bruno Mars, Foals, Purity Ring, Band of Horses, Drive-By Truckers

There are a number of excellent shows to let you know about this week, including Bruno Mars, Foals, Purity Ring, Band of Horses, Drive-By Truckers, all of which go on sale this week, plus dates from Leftover Salmon, Spiritualized, Bob Mould, Boris, the Rocket Summer and Peelander Z, which are on sal ... 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 >>

The ten best concerts this week: 10/29-11/2

Happy Monday, amigos. Hope you didn't go too hard this past weekend -- though, judging from the pics from Rockbar's last call, some of you apparently did -- because there's at least four truckloads of shows (including Ryan Adams acoustic set at Boulder Theater tonight) going down this week, which me ... More >>

Ron Carter on the evolution of jazz bass and how "guys are writing more difficult parts" these days

Ron Carter has been on over 2,500 albums and secured a spot as one of the world's finest bassists in the history of jazz. Doing much more than merely helping anchor the rhythm, Carter is a quite the melodic master. In his five-decade-long career, he's played with countless jazz legends, including a ... More >>

The five best jazz shows in Colorado this month

While September was a stellar month for nationally known jazz talent coming through town, October has some equally compelling acts, including legendary bassists Ron Carter, forward-thinking trio the Bad Plus, acclaimed pianist Vijay Iyer and guitarist Lionel Loueke. Keep reading for a full rundown o ... More >>

Esperanza Spalding at the Ogden, 9/26/12

ESPERANZA SPALDING @ OGDEN THEATRE | 9/26/12 Last night's Esperanza Spalding performance was unlike most that the Ogden Theatre sees -- or has seen, for that matter. The presence of chairs (chairs!) in front of the stage was testimony to this. The Ogden is a rock club, first and foremost. If there' ... 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 >>

Denver native Colin Stranahan on his roots, his hometown mentors and the new album

Colin Stranahan (due with Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato at Dazzle for the Westword Music Showcase tomorrow and on Sunday, June 24) isn't comfortable with labels. Since launching his professional career as a jazz musician at the age of seventeen, Stranahan has earned critical acclaim and professional kudo ... More >>

The weekend's best live bets: The eighteenth annual Westword Music Showcase 2012

Welcome to the weekend! You made it. And of course, this is not just any weekend. It's the Westword Music Showcase weekend! Whoo freaking hoo! So with that in mind, here's a rundown of what you have in store tomorrow afternoon/evening on the main stage. Be sure to check out this page for a full rund ... More >>

Karl Denson on musical roots, moving on after Lenny Kravitz and creating Beastie Boys tribute

Karl Denson (due on the main stage at this weekend's Westword Music Showcase) is hard to pin down. The saxophonist and bandleader may have strong roots in the traditional jazz of giants like John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter, but that hasn't stopped the musician from exploring funk, R&B, hip-hop and m ... More >>

Josh Quinlan Quintet

Mountain Time Standards
Dazzle Recordings

Brian Blade on the history of the Fellowship Band and working with Daniel Lanois

​Having established himself as an in-demand drummer in both jazz and rock circles by working with everyone from Wayne Shorter and Bill Frisell to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, Brian Blade is also a strong leader in his own right -- namely, with his Fellowship Band, which will be at Dazzle tonig ... More >>

Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band

Friday and Saturday, September 9 and 10, Dazzle, 303-839-5100.

Gretchen Parlato on being a jazz singer and her thoughts on Esperanza Spalding's Grammy win

​Gretchen Parlato (due at Dazzle Jazz for a series of shows tonight and tomorrow night) is often accused of restraint. Ironically, though, she holds absolutely nothing back. Her unmistakable vocal style evokes Chet Baker and Miles Davis's famously muted performances, and like those giants of s ... More >>

Vital organ: NY transplant and Denver mainstay Pat Bianchi releases a new CD October 15 at Dazzle

Mini Reviews

Getting Jazzed

The renowned Jerry González sounds off.

Donald Harrison Quartet

Like his mentor Art Blakey, this saxman is helping jump-start the careers of younger players.

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Dead Kenny G’s

There’s nothing smooth about the subversive jazzy punk funk these cats play.

John Scofield

This chameleonic guitarist is still shredding after all these years.

Jonathan Kreisberg

This guitarist’s playing creates a New York state of mind.

Branford Marsalis

The saxman strives to keep the music classic.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

The Joshua Trinidad Trio

Invention (Gweedo)

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Thelonius Monkey

Dave Cieri explores the creative space at Dulcinea's 100th Monkey.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Space Suite

From inner space to the intergalactic, Wayne Shorter explores the deepest reaches of jazz.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Grachan Moncur III

Mosaic Select: Grachan Moncur III (Mosaic)

The Ron Miles Quartet

Laughing Barrel (Sterling Circle)

Critic's Choice

Gigi

Hank Mobley

No Room for Squares(Blue Note)
The Turnaround(Blue Note)

Soul on Soul

Dave Douglas
(RCA Victor)

The World According to Herbie

Six new releases paint an intriguing picture of jazz chameleon Herbie Hancock.

Young Roy

Roy Hargrove is growing into one of jazz's best players.

Playlist

Shorter Over the Long Haul

Faced with the tragic death of his wife, saxophone titan Wayne Shorter chooses life.

Thrills for the week

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THE GOODS

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

THRILLS

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