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Provizer: Latin beat strong this week on jazz circuit

Published September 8, 2006 at midnight

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While the summer, jazz-festival season ended on Labor Day, there's no reason to be depressed. This week, you can catch the dynamic Winard Harper Sextet, the exciting Chuchito Valdes Afro-Cuban Ensemble and singer Magos Herrera out of Mexico all without having to travel far.

Harper, a drummer born in Baltimore in 1962 and raised in Atlanta, returns to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St., on Saturday and Sunday with his strong sextet featuring young trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist Stacy Dillard, pianist Sean Higgins, bassist Ameen Saleem and percussionist Alioune Faye. This band roars under a flame of post-bop power and potent, world-music percussive sensibility. When the sextet is on stage, the kitchen at Dazzle won't be the only place cooking up a storm.

Harper, armed with a new CD, Make It Happen, hits at 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday and at 6 and 8 p.m. Sunday ($15, 303-839-5100). Over the years, Harper has worked with a range of groups, including singer Betty Carter's trio. From the mid-1980s until the early 1990s, the drummer also co-led the Harper Brothers with his trumpet-playing younger brother, but has never sounded more at home than with this band.

Later in the week, the excitement travels to Boulder, where pianist Chuchito Valdes plays Thursday at the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. The son of pianist Chucho Valdes and grandson of Bebo Valdes, Chuchito (who spent two years leading the noted Cuban group Irakere) blends Afro-Cuban sounds with a clear orientation toward jazz. The result is music that makes it hard to stay in your seat. The music starts at 8 p.m. ($21.50, 303-786-7030).

ALSO ON THE LATIN FRONT: While the pianist is kicking things off in Boulder, singer Magos Herrera out of Mexico is in Denver. On Thursday, Herrera is at Dazzle at 7 and 9 p.m. ($12) with pianist Jeff Jenkins and bassist Bijoux Barbosa. It's the first of a two-night visit by the Latin singer to the restaurant/club on Lincoln.

• KUVO (89.3 FM) launches its series Caliente: Latin Jazz with Eddie Palmieri today at noon (repeated at 5 p.m. Sunday). The Denver station produced the four-part series being syndicated nationwide. To mark the event, a celebration party is 5 to 7 p.m. today at Dazzle.

The show, recorded at the KUVO Performance Studio and in New York City, features guests such as saxophonist David Sanchez, pianist Monty Alexander, vibraphonist Joe Locke, trombonist Conrad Herwig, trumpeter Brian Lynch and conga man Giovanni Hidalgo. To date, some 65 stations plan to air the series.

FINAL NOTE: You can find superb trumpeter Hugh Ragin tonight at the Back Room, 1700 Vine St., and saxophonist Max Wagner there on Saturday (303-399-1700). The saxophonist has a new CD out on Capri Records titled This Can't Be Love.