Here’s a quandary.
Two of the best straight-ahead alto saxophonists of the age will be in the Denver area on Friday, and neither of them plays in the city that often.
So, who’s it going to be? Donald Harrison or Steve Wilson? (Spoiler alert: It’s conceivable to hear both.)
Wilson gave a mesmerizing performance as part of the Blue Note 7 at the Boulder Theater in 2009, when that group was supporting their sole CD, “Mosaic.” He was part of a repertory band celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Blue Note record label, and the live show surpassed the CD in terms of ignition and surprise. The septet’s drummer was Lewis Nash, who somehow embodied the label’s sainted Art Blakey.
Wilson and Nash were standouts that night on a stage overflowing with talent. Two years later they are touring as a duo, and they’ll lift off at the Lakewood Cultural Center Theater on Friday.
A look at YouTube proves that their partnership is empathetic and inspired. They revel in the subtlety of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma” and the energy of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.” With the interaction between Wilson and Nash filling in the gaps, you won’t miss the piano or bass.
Meanwhile, Donald Harrison will be onstage at Dazzle with his quartet. And he has a title: “The King of Nouveau Swing.” Pretty good title, no?
Harrison was working with the above- mentioned Blakey when he was in his early 20s and has tackled most styles of jazz with a high degree of success. No matter what he takes on, there’s an element of his hometown of New Orleans in the mix.
He has even appeared on HBO’s “Treme,” as “Big Chief of the Congo Nation Mardi Gras Indian Tribe,” which is as sublime a title as “The King of Nouveau Swing.”
Harrison will be working with his touring group, and it promises to be an exhilarating shot of New Orleans nightlife transported to Denver.
There is a way, maybe, to see both acts. Wilson and Nash play in Lakewood at 7:30 p.m. Friday, while Harrison plays two sets at Dazzle, at 7 and 9 p.m. If you choose to experience only one, my guess is the Wilson/Nash duo will lean toward the more cerebral side of jazz and the Harrison sets should be slightly more celebratory. Pick as your taste dictates, but check out (at least) one of these shows.
“Musical Dialogue With Steve Wilson and Lewis Nash,” Friday, 7:30 p.m., Lakewood Cultural Center Theater, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood. $25; children 12 and under $15. Call 303-987-7845. Donald Harrison Quartet, Friday, 7 and 9 p.m., Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge, 930 Lincoln. $22. Call 303-839-5100.
Set list. Earl Klugh’s eighth annual Weekend of Jazz runs Thursday though Saturday at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Guitarist Klugh will co-headline with Peabo Bryson, David Sanborn and Nnenna Freelon. . . . Vocalist Kurt Elling performs jazz interpretations of classic rock songs from his new CD, “The Gate,” at the Soiled Dove Underground on Saturday, and guitarist Lee Ritenour appears there April 20. . . . Madeleine Peyroux sings at the Boulder Theater on April 13.
