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Provizer: Marsalis swings into town

Published February 2, 2007 at midnight

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Anytime the Branford Marsalis Quartet comes to town it's a good week for music.

But the saxophonist's appearance at Cervantes on Thursday is only a small part of a big week, which also includes the Godfathers of Groove and the Summit Jazz "Swinging Jazz Concerts."

The latter starts the proceedings tonight and Saturday at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Performing Arts Complex, where a mainstream septet with Warren Vache on cornet, John Allred on trombone, Jim Galloway on soprano saxophone, Howard Alden on guitar, John Sherwood on piano, Frank Tate on bass and Don Grove on drums will play each night at 7 ($44/$10 students, 303-670-8471).

On Thursday, jazz fans have to make a choice.

At Cervantes, 2637 Welton St., Marsalis will be with his Bragg- town band that has Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. The show starts at 7 p.m. ($40/$50, 303-297-1772).

While Marsalis is at Cervantes, the Godfathers of Groove (featuring Hammond B-3 player Reuben Wilson, guitarist Grant Green Jr. and drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie) will groove at Mount Vernon Country Club in Golden.

Wilson was a regular on Blue Note's roster of soul-jazz Hammond B-3 players and decades later his sound was sampled by groups such as A Tribe Called Quest. At Blue Note, Wilson recorded with Grant Green (who died in 1979) and recently has done the same with Green's guitarist son.

The Godfathers trio, rounded out by Purdie's drums that have been heard on thousands of albums, plays at 8 p.m. Music alone is $15 and the dinner-show is $40.95. The buffet at the country club ( near exit 254 off of I-70, 17 miles west of Denver) begins at 6 p.m. (303-526-0616).

ALSO ON TAP: Tonight, Convergence plays its monthly gig at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St., at 8 and 9 p.m. Guest saxophonist Pete Gallio, of New York, joins regulars Greg Gisbert, Mark Patterson, Eric Gunnison, Mark Simon and Paul Romaine ($15, 303-839-5100). Gisbert is also in charge of the Saturday band at the new El Chapultepec Too, 3930 W. 38th Ave. (303-480-9406).

• At 9 tonight BX3 (bassists Jeff Berlin, Stuart Hamm and Billy Sheehan) is on tap at Cervantes ($15/$17). On Saturday, BX3 plays Colorado Springs in the Broadmoor resort's International Center. ($25, 719-577-5733).

• Saxophonist Karl Denson's trio moves into Cervantes at 9 p.m. Saturday ($20).

• Crossover saxophonist Darren Rahn performs at 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday at Dazzle ($10). Rahn will also be at Jazz@Jack's in the Denver Pavilions, 500 16th St., on Feb. 17. Another popular crossover saxophonist, Warren Hill, is at Jack's on Thursday for a wine event, 4 to 7 p.m. (303-433- 1000).

ON A FINAL NOTE: The documentary Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life runs Tuesday on PBS. Channel 6 airs the film at 8, 10 and 11:30 p.m. The soundtrack CD for the documentary is out on Blue Note and features Denver's Dianne Reeves singing on six of the 15 tracks, including a beautiful duet with guitarist Russell Malone on Lush Life. Strayhorn composed Duke Ellington's signature tune, Take the 'A' Train, and many more.