I rolled into Denver in the early ’80s and landed at the Rocky writing about bars and jazz jointsfor $50 a week — and one of the town’s favorites was Bay Wolf at 231 Milwaukee St. It was an unlikely hot spot, down a flight of stairs, no stage, a long bar in a narrow room.
But that Bay Wolf raged every night, filled so tightly it felt like you were in a cage of snakes. The complete band was shoehorned into a corner of the room — with customers bumping into the performers. It was sometimes hard to tell the singers from the swiggers.
The memories have made Donald Rossa at Dazzle Jazz Club (930 Lincoln St.) nostalgic. Not that he hung at Bay Wolf — he just keeps hearing people wax poetic about it. So he’s hosting a Bay Wolf reunion on Thursday night with John Hayden, Keith Oxman, Ron Resnick and Ron Bland.
I always remember Ron Henry at Bay Wolf, backed by saxy Laura Newman. Rossa is hoping that old customers will stop in — and that some of the “old” musicians will drop by and sit in. Former Bay Wolf owner Rick Salturtelli (now at City Grille) is going to be there and he’s bringing along Ron Henry the man, the legend.You come too.
Central.
Central City Mayor Ron Slinger and I kept our promise to both bet $100 on one spin of the roulette wheel at Fortune Valley Casino on Thursday after midnight, when the new gaming limit took hold. I lost it all; he went home with $120.
I did have a 20-minute run shooting at the craps table, and that’s why they call me Mr. Chips.
Lew Cady, the man who tries to be first at everything, got the first spin at the roulette table, putting $100 down on, of course, No. 1. And wouldn’t you know it — the ball landed in No. 2.
Derek Evilsizor, a great Sinatra impersonator, got under our skin at the bar while two edgy Elvis impersonators scared the letters off of Bingo cards. Les jeux sont faits.
Dropping trou.
“The News Has No Clothes” is a special revue playing the Aspen Ideas Festival this week — as a tryout for late-night TV.
The standout cast stars Lewis Black, Kurt Andersen, D.L. Hughley and former White House press secretary Dana Perino. (BTW, the W. mouthpiece grew up in Denver.) Stu Smiley (“Flight of the Conchords”) is the producer.
Veteran organizers of the defunct Aspen Comedy Festival pitched the show as “The View” and “Politically Incorrect” meet “That Was The Week That Was.”
City spirit.
If you missed twins Jennifer and Natalie Campbell of Longmont in the December 2008 Playboy, they make a return appearance in the current issue . . . VH-1 has greenlighted a reality series titled “The Aspen Project,” which focuses on “the highs and lows of living and dating in one of the wealthiest communities in the world.” . . . Mike Shanahan’s daughter Krystal gets married on Saturday — with a reception at Shanahan’s house . . . Jack Douglas & Phyllis Black with Mark “Tex” Bell play tonight at Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar . . . Sez who: “There are two great days in a person’s life — the day we are born and the day we discover why.” — William Barclay
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
