It’s a draw as to who made the most notable showing at the Jan. 17 Blue Note 7 concert at the Boulder Theater — it was either the sterling drummer Lewis Nash or the hugely enthusiastic audience.
The group, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Blue Note record label, was seemingly led by pianist Bill Charlap. But it was Nash, through his drive and showmanship, who made this more than an agreeable live run through a catalog of highlights. He didn’t just re-create the force of the label’s drumming star, Art Blakey. He also propelled the septet and thrilled the crowd, just like the real article would have done 50 years ago.
It’s not that his bandmates needed to be pushed. Saxophonists Ravi Coltrane and Steve Wilson, trumpeter Nicholas Payton and Charlap are all celebrated on their own, having formed distinctive voices on their chosen instruments. When Charlap cut loose on the recently departed Freddie Hubbard’s “Hub-Tones,” he showed why he’s so admired in his New York habitat. And Payton is always fine, even though he stumbled a bit during his first solo turn on Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge.” Nash topped them all, tearing up the theater with his polyrhythmic displays, as he does on the group’s new CD, “Mosaic.”
On the disc, subtitled “A Celebration of Blue Note Records,” Charlap and co-producers Michael Cuscuna and Eli Wolf deserve credit for not going after the obvious. They could have played it safe and turned the musicians loose on Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight” or Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder,” which are timeless pieces, sure, but you’ve heard them how many times now? Instead, they opted for lesser-known gems from Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, which allowed for the younger players to invent new angles instead of trying to live up to the expectations established by the legendary recordings. The result is a state-of- the-art hard bop/modern jazz recording that sparkles with enthusiasm and admiration for those who came before them.
The concert was their ninth in a tour that has them scheduled nearly every night through mid-April, and judging by the band members’ onstage comments, this was the first time they thoroughly clicked with an audience. The near-capacity crowd cheered every solo and mention of vintage Blue Note artists like Dexter Gordon and Wayne Shorter. It was a privilege to be in an appreciative crowd that was there strictly for the music. The artists fed off the reception, and it made for an ideal evening of creative give and take, with the crowd actively involved in the process.
It’s proof that there’s a hunger for jazz here, and if enterprising promoters will book shows with respected names, listeners will turn out. I have my own list of performers who are overdue for a Colorado visit this year: Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor for starters. Your list may be different, but we can all agree that there should be much more of this quality jazz on stage in Denver and Boulder.
Set list.
The 5280 Big Band plays Jazz@Jacks tomorrow, and bassist Rich Lamb celebrates his plush, exploratory new CD,,”Music Along the Way,” tomorrow at Dazzle . . . the Jeff Jenkins Organ Trio appears Saturday at the Sunnyside Cafe in Highlands Ranch . . . the organizers of the Telluride Jazz Celebration have announced their lineup for June 5-7 with this year’s guest of honor, guitarist Bill Frisell, likely to play in a variety of eclectic settings, just the way he likes it. Get the current lineup information at
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Bret Saunders’ column on jazz appears every other Sunday in A&E. Saunders is host of the “KBCO Morning Show,” 5:30-10 a.m. weekdays at 97.3-FM. His e-mail address is bret_saunders@hotmail.com.
