CITY PARK JAZZ 2024: BIG BAND, BLUES, SOUL, LATIN AND MUCH MORE!
City Park Jazz is returning for its 38th annual summer series, with the first performance scheduled for June 2. The season will span 10 Sunday evenings from 6-8 p.m. at the City Park Pavilion.
2024 CITY PARK JAZZ CONCERT SCHEDULE
Zimbira
- Sunday, June 23, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
ZIMBIRA is a 10-piece genre-defying band playing music steeped in the traditional music of Southern Africa with traditional and modern instrumentation. Audiences are immediately set into motion with they hear the intoxicating, rhythmic and melodic sounds galvanized by Zivanai Masango the band’s leader and innovator.
The songs and grooves are unique, captivating, and most of all, uplifting. The shows are fun for any age or background. All are welcome! The sounds is a powerful blend of vocals, traditional African instruments, drumset, and electric and bass guitars. The African instruments you will hear are mbira (African thumb piano), marimba, and hosho (gourd shakers). They pulse with energy and groove. The look on stage is ornate and creative, and the players are bursting with ecstatic energy as they play, sing and dance.
The band is at home both on large festival stages like Arise, Zimfest, Boulder Creekfest, Sounds of Centerra, Chapungu Concert Series, and Louisville Concerts in the Park; and on cabaret stages like the Fox Theatre in Boulder CO, Ophelia’s in Denver, The Lariat in Buena Vista, and more. The band recently performed for a location recording of Science Friday at the Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder CO.
JUN
30
Hazel Miller and the Collective
- Sunday, June 30, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Hazel Miller and the Collective is a highly popular and in-demand band in Colorado and beyond who has played City Park Jazz many times. They are a perennial favorite of the City Park Jazz community! Ms. Miller, an accomplished performer who has been playing in Colorado for almost four decades, was honored on the floor of the Colorado State Senate in March 2023, and was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame on June 10th, 2023. She has shared the stage with notable names such as Herbie Hancock, Michael McDonald, Al Green, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters, among others.
Ms. Miller’s voice has been described as “stunning, moving, and powerful.” For more than two decades, The Hazel Miller Band has been one of the most sought-after performers in the state, and in 2020, they renamed to Hazel Miller and the Collective. The band plays an eclectic mix of jazz, R&B, blues, and original music that is guaranteed to make the audience dance and sing along. They create a truly engaging musical experience that excites their listeners.
The band, consisting of Brian Mikulich on drums, Cody Carbone on guitar and lead vocals, Coco Brown on lead vocals, Dana Marsh on keys, Jeff Nathanson on sax and EWI, and Rich Lamb on bass guitar and vocals, has been playing together for over a decade, making them a tight-knit and experienced group. They’ve played for private events, weddings, nightclubs and in some of the largest venues in the state, as well as major local festivals such as Jazz in City Park, Lakewood Amphitheater’s Summer of Music, and the Botanic Gardens in Denver, among others. Their unique blend of jazz, blues, pop, and gospel has made them popular with audiences of all ages, and their performances are known for their high-energy and lively atmosphere. The band has enjoyed many years of playing all over the map, and their reputation precedes them as one of the best groups in the state.
In 2015, Ms. Miller performed the national anthem at the inauguration of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and later that night, she appeared with prominent bands such as the Lumineers, String Cheese Incident, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. She also performed at the FIS Alpine Ski Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, with an estimated international television audience of 180,000,000 viewers. In addition, Ms. Miller was chosen to record a welcome greeting for visitors taking the trains to the main terminal at Denver International Airport.
Ms. Miller’s music can be heard on many local radio stations, and nationally, Sirius Radio and XM Radio play her music on the Real Jazz and B. B. King’s Blues stations. The band has had a long and well-publicized career in Colorado and nationally!
JoFoKe & Same Cloth
- Sunday, July 7, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
JoFoKe & Same Cloth is a dynamic, genre-bending ensemble based in Denver, led by the creative force of JoFoKe, a talented Black woman vocalist and songwriter. Known for their innovative approach to music-making, JoFoKe & Same Cloth fuse various genres and musical traditions to craft deeply meaningful art that resonates with audiences.
With JoFoKe’s captivating charisma and distinctive vocal stylings at the forefront, the band’s lineup includes Solomon Chapman on keyboards, Will Gaines on bass, Callum Bair & James Tré on guitar, and Matt Campbell on drums. Together, they bring to life original compositions as well as creative reinterpretations of classic tunes, creating an emotionally engaging and energetically eclectic live music experience.
JoFoKe & Same Cloth have established themselves as a fixture in Denver’s vibrant music scene, holding a monthly Last Saturday residency at Dazzle Denver, recognized as one of Downbeat Magazine’s “Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World.” Their impressive track record includes performances at prestigious venues and events, showcasing their versatility and talent.
Their debut single, “No Good,” has amassed over 100k organic streams across digital music platforms and was selected as a featured “Local 303” track, airing on 13 radio stations across Colorado’s front range. Building on this success, their sophomore single, “The Butterflies Have Died,” featuring Monique Brooks Roberts, was released on February 15, 2024, further solidifying their place in the music landscape.
Fans can anticipate the release of JoFoKe & Same Cloth’s debut album in 2024, promising a rich tapestry of sounds and storytelling. Stay updated on their public performances, music releases, and social media presence through Linktr.ee/JoFoKe, where their music and engaging content are readily accessible. Join the journey as JoFoKe & Same Cloth continue to push boundaries and redefine the possibilities of Black American Music.JUL14
Delta Sonics Blues Revue
- Sunday, July 14, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist- Memphis 2012
“…the area’s best harmonica-led band.” ~ The Denver Post
“best blues band in Denver” Westword Magazine Music Showcase 2011,2012, 2013, 2014,2015,2016
Colorado Blues Society International Blues Challenge Winner & Representative in Memphis IBC 2012
Al Chesis – a Hohner Harmonica endorsee since 1992 JUL21
Denver Jazz Orchestra
- Sunday, July 21, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Get ready for Denver’s insanely talented and popular professional big band!
Nelson Rangell
- Sunday, July 28, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Jazziz magazine writes that Nelson Rangell is “an artist of depth, a master of song, and an improviser non pareil.” The Times of London notes his “undoubted virtuosity” and “extraordinary facility on a range of instruments”. Saxophone Journal writes “He commands the alto saxophone with such authority there can be no denying that Nelson Rangell is a true artist,” and Flute Talk Magazine states “Nelson Rangell creates the impression that anything is possible when he improvises.” Such praise is confirmation of what contemporary jazz fans have known since the late 80s: that Rangell is one of the most exciting and diverse performers in the genre.
Jakarta
- Sunday, August 4, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
The JAKARTA Band is without question the most popular party dance band in the Country. Simply put…these guys are THE BEST…talented, fun and hard working. JAKARTA continues to bring crowds to their feet for hip-shaking boogie and the talent of the band members is unparalleled. JAKARTA is a step above the other bands and is considered the Premier Party Dance Band from Denver. They are guaranteed to bring people on the dance floor.
Mistura Fina
- Sunday, June 16, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Mistura Fina was founded by percussionist Frank Ayala in 2000. Based in Denver, Colorado, the group regularly performs at festivals, nightclubs, special events, and other venues. Its critically acclaimed recording, “A Little Bit of this and a Little Bit of That,” represents Mistura Fina’s various musical influences.
Mistura Fina, loosely translated from Portuguese, means “a fine mixture.” In the music of Mistura Fina, you will hear a fine mixture of South American musical styles. Ayala explains, “One of the great things about jazz today is musicians from around the world continue to elaborate their styles and traditions to create an always growing, never-ending musical form.”
Ayala has dug deep to discover arrangements of traditional songs that fit into their unique latin-jazz format. Listeners will often approach the band to let them know that a particular song has triggered a memory from their homeland, or an arrangement has special meaning from their childhood or another time in their life.
“If we were to describe our music, there’s really one word that comes to mind: diversity,” says Ayala. “Every song we perform is linked to the passion of the traditions and cultures of people from around the world. Sometimes the passion is reflected when people dance to our music.”JUN9
Stafford Hunter and Jazz Explorations
- Sunday, June 9, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Multi-Grammy nominated trombonist & sea shells player (and sometimes vocalist) is a Philadelphia native (but born in Atlantic City, NJ). He became a professional musician at the age of 16. And, was an award winner of the “Al Grey Award for Musical Excellence”. It acknowledged Stafford as “the Most Promising Jazz Trombone Talent”. Graduate of the New School Jazz & Contemporary Music Program (NYC). Of which, he was the first trombonist to actually graduate from the New School Jazz Program.
Beside music, Stafford appeared as a model in the December 1992 issue of L’Uomo Vogue (the Italian Vogue magazine for men). This issue also featured jazz greats like Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson, etc… And, he appeared in a documentary film on the late-great pianist; Dorothy Donegan. Also, he was an actor in a movie entitled “the Day the Ponies Come Back” which was released March of 2001 in France. And, he appeared in a diet Coke television commercial which featured the great Elton John.
He has performed at former-US President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural. Since then, the trombonist has performed, recorded and toured all over the world with the likes of Illinois Jacquet, McCoy Tyner, Lester Bowie & Brass Fantasy, Abdullah Ibrahim, Charli Persip, Charles Tolliver, Tony Bennett, Roy Hargrove, Donald Byrd Dance Troupe, Cab Calloway Orch., Joss Stone, Orrin Evans, the Mingus Big Band, Lauryn Hill, Frank Foster, Clark Terry, Reggie Workman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Dionne Warwick, Lenny Kravitz, Muhal Richard Abrams, Amy Winehouse, Oliver Lake, Steve Turre & Sanctified Shells, and was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra for 21 years among other groups.
Presently Stafford performs with Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band and many major music groups in the USA, South America, Europe, and Asia as well as his own groups. Also, he frequently gives master classes, lectures, concerts as a special guest and gives lessons at universities & high schools and privately in Japan, Russia Europe and around the world.JUN2
Roka Hueka
- Sunday, June 2, 2024
- 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
- City Park Pavilion (map)
Roka Hueka (Row-Kah-Way-Kah) is Denver’s premier Latin Ska band. Born in 2014, its members originate from Mexico , Colombia and the US. Roka Hueka’s music draws on influences such as Cumbia, Funk, Reggae, Soul, Punk and traditional Ska.
Celebrating 10 years, Roka Hueka is currently traveling to different cities inside the US with “Diez y Pa’Delante Tour” (Ten and Going Forward Tour). Roka Hueka has been named one of the Top Ten Latino bands in Colorado and has been featured on the cover of Westword Magazine.
