Jazz is alive and living very well in Denver. New clubs and players are springing up like crocuses.
Now comes jazz oasis KUVO 89.3-FM with “Caliente! – Latin Jazz With Eddie Palmieri,” a program taped here this month for national distribution on PRI.
Latin jazz legend Palmieri, saxophonist David Sanchez, conga master Giovanni Hidalgo, trumpeter Brian Lynch, bassist Joe Santiago and percussionists Jose Clausell and Jose Madera Jr. gathered for two days in the Five Points studios of KUVO.
“We taped two sessions,” said Lou McElroy, project manager for “Caliente!” “It turned out great, technically and musically. We pretty much just left the microphones on the whole time. You never know what you’re going to get, but it was the serious nature of the purpose that impressed me.”
He was particularly impressed with Palmieri, who recently won his eighth Grammy in a career spanning 50 years and is host for the series. “To our delight, he’s a very good interviewer and brings out the best in his fellow musicians.”
The players, he said, were knocked out by the thriving jazz scene in Denver. “They couldn’t get over the presence of jazz. It’s a tremendously exciting thing for the city.”
A second recording session, supported by a $104,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, takes place in New York City in mid-June. The shows will air in four parts in the fall. A CD may follow.
His goal in life
Steffan Tubbs, recently returned from being embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, is on a mission: soccer balls for Iraqi kids. As many as he can gather. “They’re like gold to these kids,” Tubbs said.
“It’s taken over my life,” said the KOA 850-AM newsman. “The support has been amazing,” including a donation of 1,200 balls by the Colorado Rapids.
Gart and Sports Authority stores begin accepting dollar donations (it’s $8.50 for a ball) today. New balls can be dropped off at the stores only on Thursday.
The balls, and other items, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, notebooks, pens and pencils, will be sent directly to Army personnel Tubbs met when he was in Iraq. More info at 877-872-6888 or KOA850.com.
Around the dial
“God or the Girl,” tagged as the ultimate reality series, airs a second episode tonight. Even critics agree that the series, which focuses on four young men considering the Catholic priesthood, is less controversial than the hotsy-totsy title would indicate (7 tonight, A&E). … Dave Aguilar, weekend weatherman at KCNC-Channel 4, back April 29 as host of the second annual Kites for Kids at Crescent Park in Lowry. … Quotable: “There will always be Latin jazz. My mission is to keep it alive.” Eddie Palmieri
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
