Some Colorado jazz musicians of note . . . (Denver, Colorado Springs: loan, relocate, house)

[jazzlover]

A lot of people still think of Colorado as a cultural wasteland, filled only with sweaty rednecks. To dispel that notion a little, here are some musicians that most people wouldn't usually associate with Colorado.

Living up to my moniker, here are some jazz musicians who had strong Colorado ties--including some natives:

Paul Whiteman--one of the first commercially successful leaders of a "white jazz band." Denver native.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfLgzDNkqbU

Jimmie Lunceford--a one-time student of Whiteman, he attended school in Colorado. His band was quite popular in the Swing era, and he ranked during that period with the best black swing bands.

YouTube - Jimmie Lunceford : You Can Fool Some Of The People (1939)

Glenn Miller--yeah, the Glenn Miller, for which a ballroom at CU is named. Though born in Iowa, he grew up in Fort Morgan.

YouTube - Glenn Miller-"American Patrol"

Dave Grusin--a Littleton native and composer of around a hundred film scores, including the theme from "Tootsie" and "The Milagro Beanfield War." He has also recorded and produced numerous jazz albums under his GRP record label.

YouTube - Sister Sadie / GRP ALL STAR BIG BAND

Also playing in this clip was Ernie Watts, who lived in Carbondale part-time; and Nelson Rangell on alto sax, who lives in metro Denver and regularly gigs there.

Nelson Rangell has the first solo on this tune with Grusin's GRP All-star Band.

YouTube - Blue Train / GRP All Star Big Band

Then, of course, there is Dianne Reeves, who attended high school in Denver and college at CU. One of today's best jazz singers, with a Grammy or two.

YouTube - How High the Moon-Dianne Reeves


I've left out a lot of musicians who have called Colorado a "second" home in places like Aspen, etc.

One other famous jazz band leader, Stan Kenton, lived--of all places--in the San Luis Valley from age 6 to 10.

YouTube - Stan Kenton - The Peanut Vendor

Not a bad representation for a "country and western" state way west of the 100th Meridian . . .

[delta07]

Don't forget Hazel Miller. Of couse she was not born in Colorado, but now calls it home. I didn't know Glenn Miller had Colorado roots. My grandmother would be proud!

[DOUBLE H]

Fine group of musicians there Jazzlover! Good info! I'd like to add just one more and he dosn't take a back seat to very many people ( Wes Montgomery not included). He is Johnny Smith. He is still going strong at 85. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 20's and relocated to Colorado Springs in the late '50's and still lives there today. Jazzlover, google him; as I was going to post this anyway I ran across a real interesting article on him by one of the Colorado Springs on-line music sources, and it is WELL worth your time! Check him out. BTW, have several of his Roost label and Verve label lp's. One of the all time jazz guitarists!

[zman0457]

......................along with his protege and my guitar teacher many moons ago at DU, Ozzie Carlson, who also played in the Brown Palace house band in the 60's and 70's.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

Fine group of musicians there Jazzlover! Good info! I'd like to add just one more and he dosn't take a back seat to very many people ( Wes Montgomery not included). He is Johnny Smith. He is still going strong at 85. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 20's and relocated to Colorado Springs in the late '50's and still lives there today. Jazzlover, google him; as I was going to post this anyway I ran across a real interesting article on him by one of the Colorado Springs on-line music sources, and it is WELL worth your time! Check him out. BTW, have several of his Roost label and Verve label lp's. One of the all time jazz guitarists!

I realized after I posted that I had omitted Johnny Smith, in the top three of jazz guitarists of all time, in my opinion. His version of "Moonlight in Vermont" (with Stan Getz) is probably one of the top 10 jazz performances of all time.

I also omitted Ralph Sharon, who is best known as being the pianist for Tony Bennett for many years. He is a long-time resident of Boulder and performs regularly in Denver. Here with Tony Bennett on MTV Unplugged: YouTube - Tony Bennett & Clayton Cameron

[Mike from back east]

I saw Ernie Watts on the old Johnny Carson show, maybe 25 years ago (holy crap, where does the time go!! ). His saxophone rendition of Chariots of Fire was simply astounding. Went right out and got the LP, which I must've loaned out and forgot about. For many years there seemed to be no record anywhere of this LP, but now it's available on CD, which I heartily recommend. Tower.com: Chariots Of Fire (CD) by Ernie Watts (Artist) Music:

s/MIke

[suzco]

Originally Posted by delta07

. . . I didn't know Glenn Miller had Colorado roots. My grandmother would be proud!

Read all about it at the CU Boulder Glenn Miller Tribute page.

[Sockeye]

Let's not forget a great jazz tenor sax player Spike Robinson of Boulder, CO. RIP, Spike.
Great list so far! Wished I could have lived back in the day of those jazz clubs in Curtis Park and 5 Points...

[jazzlover]

Long time Denver resident Phil Urso was a sax giant, too. Then, too, Ginger Baker (former drummer of Cream) lived in Colorado for a time and fronted a jazz band.

[dynimagelv]

NOT Jazz but no one should forget Judy Collins