Provizer: Mentor, protégé team in trio
Published December 1, 2006 at midnight
For more than three decades, drummer Bill Goodwin has provided the drive for the superb quintet led by alto saxophonist Phil Woods. On Saturday, Denver has the chance to hear Goodwin in a different setting, as he leads a trio featuring Adam Niewood on tenor saxophone and Pat Bianchi at the Hammond B-3 organ at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St.
Goodwin got his start in his native Los Angeles, wading into music working with saxophonist Charles Lloyd and all the major names of the West Coast jazz scene before moving to New York as the 1970s unfolded.
Before that decade ended, he played with vibraphonist Gary Burton, singer/pianist Mose Allison, bassist Chuck Israel's National Jazz Ensemble and, of course, saxophonist Woods.
Known as a propulsive player who also understands nuance, Goodwin received initial guidance from noted bop drummer Stan Levey. In turn, Goodwin has played a mentor role to saxophonist Niewood - the son of Gerry Niewood, the longtime sidekick of trumpeter Chuck Mangione.
Before he was five, the young Niewood accompanied his dad when the elder Niewood was performing with folks like Simon and Garfunkel and Liza Minnelli. After that, he had to adjust to real life and kindergarten. No easy task.
The younger Niewood eventually connected with Goodwin, who produced his 2004 CD, Introducing Adam Niewood, and with whom the saxophonist frequently plays. It should be a strong night of music, with sets at 7 and 9 p.m. ($12, 303-839-5100).
Following the date at Dazzle, Goodwin and Niewood will spend the week hitting other spots around the area, starting at Herb's, 2057 Larimer St. (303-296-9733), on Tuesday followed by the Meadowlark Bar, 2701 Larimer St. (303-293-0251), on Wednesday and Boulder's St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St. (720-406-2591), on Thursday with bassist Mark Diamond. They wrap up their visit on Dec. 8 and 9 at Boulder's Broker Inn, 30 Baseline Road (303-449-1752) and the Robusto Room, 9535 Park Meadows Drive in Lone Tree (303-790-7383), respectively.
ALSO ON TAP: In line with the holiday season, tonight finds multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson bringing his "Soulful Christmas Tour" to the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place. The tour includes a host of smooth, crossover players including singer Bobby Caldwell, saxophonists Eric Darius and Warren Hill, guitarists Ray Parker Jr. and Jorge Evans, bassist Lamar Jones, keyboardist Eddie Miller, drummer Felix Pollard and trumpeters Jim Lutz and Michael Stever. The show is at 7:30 p.m. ($29.75-$49.75, 303-830-8497).
• At 7 and 9 tonight, pianist Jeff Jenkins and saxophonist Peter Sommer lead their "I Hate Standards" quartet at Dazzle ($10).
• At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra directed by Rick Benjamin strides through the University of Denver's Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Paragon offers, among other things, ragtime versions of holiday-season favorites ($25-$55, 303-357-2787).
• On Sunday, former Dotsero bassist Michael Friedman brings his jazz quintet to the Founder's Green at Stapleton, 29th Avenue and Roslyn Drive, for the "Stapleton Holiday Event" that runs from 3:30 until 5:30 p.m.
• On Wednesday, hard bop has its day at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road, when the University of Colorado Faculty Sextet pays tribute to the players and bands that made the "Hard Bop Era" such an important part of the music. The free concert at 7 p.m. features Bianchi on piano, Brad Goode on trumpet, John Gunther on saxophone, Dave Corbus on guitar, Mark Simon on bass and Paul Romaine on drums (303-469-3301).
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