The joyful noises of true jazz giants used to echo throughout the mountains of Colorado every summer.
Mythic names like Buck Clayton, Kai Winding, Budd Johnson and Harry “Sweets” Edison would bravely face altitude and engage in symbolic battles with their instruments. In the ’60s and ’70s, people from around the world would arrive in Aspen and Vail to watch these masters engage in cutting contests. These Labor Day Weekend “jazz parties” would last for days and were the brainchild of the late promoter Dick Gibson, who knew how to attract the biggest names in swing and bop.
When Gibson took the celebrations away from the mountains to the more easily accessible cities of Denver and Colorado Springs, frequent party attendant Howard Stone was distraught at the notion of Vail losing the tradition. So he established the Vail Jazz Party in 1995.
“I gave up my hair for jazz,” Stone joked to me. Presenting the Vail Jazz Party every year “really became a second career for me. I’ve always had a passion for the art form, and it’s been extremely rewarding.”
A former attorney, Stone is devout when he talks about the music and the Vail Jazz Foundation. He’s a believer in the tradition, the musicians, and the communicative power of jazz.
“I used to only want to hear real hard bop,” he says, laughing. “I’ve mellowed a bit in the last 25 years.”
“Stylistically we are straight-ahead post bebop, so we do feature a certain type of music. But we have musicians who play Latin jazz and blues. I know that the audience wants to hear other things.”
A perusal of the scheduled performers tells the story of the high level of musicianship that should be achieved this weekend. Pianists Monty Alexander, Dena DeRose and Bill Cunliffe, bassist John Clayton, trumpeter Terrell Stafford, saxophonist Jeff Clayton, vibraphonist Jay Hoggard and three of the best drummers working, Matt Wilson, Lewis Nash and Jeff Hamilton, will all be playing in different combinations. These artists are known for their inventiveness and commitment. If the music produced this weekend lives up to the promise of the names on the program, this may turn out to be the most satisfying jazz party Stone has assembled so far. Alexander might be the sole player of near-legendary status on the bill, but the spirit of the Gibson parties should be on full display.
It’s important to Stone that the Jazz Party atmosphere is more jovial than how he perceives many other presentations to be.
“A lot of fun has gone out of jazz. It’s become really serious. Kids get conservatory- style training and can talk theory. When I think about Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan and Dizzy Gillespie, they were magnificent entertainers. I want our players to tell anecdotes; scat a chorus instead of soloing. We’re really encouraging people to enjoy themselves.”
While Stone is hoping that the performances this weekend reap creative (forget financial) rewards, he also hopes that the party brings more people to the music that is so important to him.
“Jazz is hard to present. It’s hard to get people to open their ears and be willing to listen. But this experience has been extremely rewarding. One of the great things is that people from this community have become jazz fans.”
(The 17th Annual Labor Day Weekend Party, through Monday, Vail Marriott Mountain Resort and Spa. Tickets are $55-65. Get details at vailjazz or call 1-888-VAILJAM (1-888-824-5265.) )
Set list.
Dazzle has booked at least three “can’t miss” acts for this month: drummer Brian Blade’s Fellowship Band on Friday and Saturday, and pianists Robert Glasper Sept. 14-15 and Fred Hersch Sept. 17-18 . . . Dazzle is also presenting a memorial to Denver piano hero and teacher Ted Alexander on Thursday . . . Diane Schuur, Jason Marsalis and Red Holloway will celebrate the music of Lionel Hampton at the Mount Vernon Country Club on Sept. 22.
