JAZZ: Six opportunities to enter sax heaven

By Norman Provizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

You have six chances to hear one of the most exciting and intelligent alto saxophonists on the scene when Kenny Garrett brings his quartet to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St., for a three-night stand.

Garrett begins his visit tonight with a band that has Corey Henry on Hammond B-3 organ, Lenny Stallworth on electric bass and Justin Brown on drums. The quartet also plays Saturday and Sunday; sets are at 7 and 9 p.m. all three nights ($25, 303-839-5100).

Garrett, who moved from his native Detroit to New York in the early '80s, worked in big bands while continuing collaborations with trumpet players that went back to his Detroit days with Marcus Belgrave. In New York, he connected with Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard and eventually Miles Davis, with whom he worked from 1986 until Davis' death in 1991.

Garrett's blues-tinged sound easily engages an audience, while his fiery, grooving style reveals serious substance. Garrett, who recorded his first album as a leader in 1984, is always listed among the top tier of alto saxophonists. When Garrett performed in town a number of years ago, I caught every set he played each night.

ALSO ON TAP: Tonight, Kansas City, Mo., top vocalist Kevin Mahogany visits the Soiled Dove Underground, 7401 E. First Ave., with his Kansas Revue. The revue's music is linked to the sound of another K.C. singer, Big Joe Turner, known for tunes such as Roll 'Em Pete and Shake, Rattle and Roll. In the Robert Altman movie Kansas City, Mahogany played a character based, in part, on Turner.

In this show, the vocalist will unleash that character supported by the Godfathers of Groove (Reuben Wilson on Hammond B-3, Grant Green Jr. on guitar and J.T. Lewis on drums) along with singer Kathy Kosins. They'll hit the stage at 9 p.m. ($30-$50, 303-366-0007).

* At 7 p.m. Wednesday, singer Sophie Milman hits the amphitheater at Lakewood's Heritage Center in Belmar Park, 801 S. Yarrow St., with her quartet ($15, 303-987-7845). This year, the young singer's disc Make Someone Happy earned the Juno award (Canada's version of the Grammy) as best jazz-vocal album.

Make Someone Happy is her second CD following her discovery in a Toronto club in 2002. Milman, who speaks Russian, Hebrew, French and English, was born in Russia, grew up in Israel and arrived in Canada when she was 16. She adds an individual twist to mainstream jazz vocals.

* This week also offers two very different jazz festivals: the traditional Evergreen Jazz Festival, which runs today through Sunday, and the crossover Winter Park Jazz Festival, which is Saturday and Sunday.

The annual Evergreen affair occupies four venues with groups such as James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band, Rain Dogs, the Dan Stiernberg Quartet, After Midnight, Centerpiece Jazz, the Queen City Jazz Band, the Hot Tomatoes Dance Band and Gypsy Swing Revue. Activities start at noon today and continue morning, afternoon and night on Saturday and Sunday. A three-day pass is $145 ($45 for students), and tickets are $60-$65 ($15 for students). Passes and tickets are available by phone (303-697-5467) or online at evergreenjazz.org.

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be sounds from the Winter Park event in Hideaway Park from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday's lineup includes Guitars and Saxes with Gerald Albright (who recently moved to Colorado), Jeff Golub and Jeff Lorber, Average White Band, Jonathan Butler and Dotsero. On Sunday, the festival offers saxophonist David Sanborn, Norman Brown and Friends (with Colorado-born saxophonist Paul Taylor), Hazel Miller and Soul Party. Tickets on the day of each show are $35-$45 (800-903-7275).

* Also, at Dazzle, the guitar-driven Dave Easley-Jim Stahlhut Quartet is on stage at 7 p.m. Tuesday ($10), while saxophonist Peter Sommer offers a preview of his upcoming disc Tremolo Canteen at 7 p.m. Thursday ($10). Sommer's quartet at Dazzle has Rudy Royston on drums. Since moving east from Denver, Royston has been making quite a name for himself, working with Bill Frisell and others.

Normanprovizer@aol.com