Guitarist John Scofield’s career is the embodiment of jazz history for the past half-century. He’s synthesized multiple styles on the instrument, culminating in a relatable sound thatap graced collaborations with Miles Davis, Eddie Harris, Charles Mingus, Medeski Martin & Wood, and more recently the fantastic quartet Hudson, featuring drummer-bandleader Jack DeJohnette, who died last week at 83.
Scofield is particularly energetic onstage in small group contexts, including his current Combo 73 group. (The 73 signifies his age.) Featuring bassist Vicente Archer, pianist Gerald Clayton and drummer Bill Stewart, the band will play the Boulder Theater on Nov. 11. His latest release with Archer and Stewart, “Uncle John’s Band,” is a vivid instrumental trip through both classic jazz and rock. A Scofield appearance at Dazzle in 2024 was a live highlight for the year, and the addition of Clayton should add even more depth to the proceedings. Get tickets at z2ent.com.
Jazz Fest
The Denver Jazz Fest will be returning to a variety of locations in April 2026 after a successful inaugural run this year. Advance tickets will go on sale on Nov. 7 at denverjazz.org, and some of the artists scheduled to appear include guitarist Pat Metheny, who will headline the fest on April 7, and a rare Colorado performance from influential pianist Bob James.
In the meantime, the organizers have announced some pre-season fall and winter shows, with Raul Murciano’s Mambo Orchestra at The Pearl on Nov. 13 and The Three Visitors (Edward Simon, Scott Colley and Brian Blade) at Dazzle on Nov. 25.
Record Store Day
Record Store Day Black Friday happens at your favorite independent retailer on Nov. 28, and there’s another cornucopia (note the Thanksgiving reference) of jazz-related vinyl releases that will be made available on a limited basis, including titles from Albert Ayler & Don Cherry, Ray Barretto, Larry Coryell and Lester Young. Of particular interest, however, are a pair of unearthed collections from the multi-saxophonist Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
When I say multi-saxophonist, I mean in addition to his expertise on numerous instruments, Kirk often played several simultaneously. “Vibrations in the Village” and “Seek & Listen” (Resonance Records) recorded in New York and Seattle, respectively, overflow with Kirk’s boisterous sax (and flute) exhibitionism, and his proud delight in performing is infectious.
While itap true he hadn’t adopted the moniker “Rahsaan” when these dates took place in 1963 and 1967 (legend has it the name came to him in a dream circa 1970), thatap how he’s remembered now, if he’s remembered at all. Like all Resonance issues from the vaults, the packaging is exquisite, and the sound quality is clear, placing the listener directly in front of the stage at one of the hip venues Kirk frequented then.
These sets are welcome additions to Kirk’s recorded legacy, and all one could hope for is for tapes of his rumored live collaborations with guitarist Jimi Hendrix, which allegedly took place in London, to surface. In the meantime, these releases should put this hugely entertaining innovator back in the public eye.
And more jazz
Bassist Thundercat plays the Fillmore on Nov. 11. … Charu Suri’s Jazz Journey Through India takes place at Dazzle on Nov. 14. … Acapella group Straight No Chaser performs a holiday show at the Paramount on Nov. 15. … The Brianna Harris Quintet appears at Nocturne on Nov. 21. … The Gabriel Mervine Quartet wil be at The Brown Palace on Tuesdays in November.
Bret Saunders is a Boulder-based radio DJ for KBCO and a freelance writer.
