Denver Jazz, a newly formed 501 (c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation has added headliners Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet, Indian trace singer, Ganavya, and the Colorado Mambo Orchestra to its inaugural Denver Jazz Fest lineup scheduled from April 3-6, 2025.
The celebrated tenor titan and multi-Grammy Award winning artist, ECM recording artist Joe Lovano will debut his latest Paramount Quartet with Julian Lage, Asante Santi Debriano and Will Calhoun. "My new Paramount Quartet places an emphasis on polytonal, polyrhythmic explorations," Lovano says. The Indian Trance singer Ganavya whom the New York Times states, “The singer whose work feels like prayer” will be joined by harpist Charles Overton and bassist Maxwell Ridley. Her recent album, Daughter of a Temple features, esperanza spalding, Vijay Iyer, Immanuel Wilkins and Shabaka Hutchings. The Colorado Mambo Orchestra Latin Dance Party presented by Denver Jazz and CALDAC will feature Raul Muciano, Cian Kreuger, Stafford Hunter, Cynthia Casaňas, Peter Huffaker and Leo Corona.
The inaugural four-day Denver Jazz Fest will engage the front range community through diverse, inclusive regional, national, and international performances and educational programs. Confirmed headline artists include Dianne Reeves in her first Denver public concert since 2018 and the Bill Frisell In My Dreams project, a Denver premiere direct from the highly acclaimed Big Ears Festival. These endearing time-honored icons have deep roots in the Denver community. Also set to appear are Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos, Ghost-Note, The Headhunters, Isaiah Collier, Garaj Mahal, Rico Jones, Art Lande, The Colorado Mambo Orchestra, Ken Walker, among others.
Jazz luminary Charles McPherson with special guest Terell Stafford featuring Ben Markley, Seth Lewis and Dru Heller are also scheduled. McPherson and Stafford will also engage front range university jazz programs and Aurora Public School students and the CCJA (Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts) through masterclasses and workshops.
These exclusive outreach events will be held at the Metro State University Kalamath Building, the esteemed program under the direction of Dawn Clement and Shane Endsley. The two-day initiative is sponsored by Temple University and the Boyer College of Music and Dance with additional support through Gift of Jazz, a Colorado education non-profit.
Upwards of 30 Denver Jazz Fest performances will take place in 12 venues during the first weekend of April, in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month and in recognition of KUVO’s 40th Anniversary year-long festivities.
Denver Jazz Fest Schedule, April 3-6, 2025
THURSDAY, April 3
Bill Frisell – In My Dreams featuring Thomas Morgan, Rudy Royston, Jenny Scheinman,
Eyvind Kang & Hank Roberts
Newman Center for the Performing Arts @ 7:00PM
Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos with Sheldon Brown, Ernesto Mazar Kindelán and Josh Jones
Dazzle @ 7:00 and 9:30PM
Rico Jones Quartet w/ Marcus Firillo, Vlad Girshevich, and Aleks Girshevich
Nocturne, 6:30 and 8:45PM
Ken Walker Sextet w/ Jeff Jenkins, Peter Sommer, Paul Romaine, Brad Goode,
and Dave Corbus
Muse Performance Space @ 7:00PM
Blue Sky Jazz Collective
Bar 404 @ 7:00PM
FRIDAY, April 4
Charles McPherson Quintet w/ special guest Terell Stafford featuring Ben Markley,
Seth Lewis and Dru Heller
Dazzle @ 7:00 and 9:30PM
Ghost-Note w/ Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth
Fox Theatre (Boulder) @ 8:00PM
Ganavya w/ Charles Overton and Maxwell Ridley
Boulder Theater @ 8:00PM
Garaj Mahal w/ Fareed Haque, Kai Eckhardt, Oz Ezzeldin, and Hassan Hurd
Opener: True Loves w/ Skerik, Gordon Brown, Greg Kramer, Jimmy James, Bryant Moore and David McGraw
Cervantes' The Other Side @ 8:00PM
Animal Liberation Orchestra w/ opener Cris Jacobs Band
Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom @ 8:00PM
The Gabriel Mervine Quintet
Nocturne @ 6:30 and 9:00PM
Art Lande Trio & Future History w/ Aaron Lande, and Tim Wendel
Muse Performance Space @ 7:00PM
Gregory Goodloe Band featuring Tony Exum Jr.
Spangalang Brewery @ 7:00PM
Danette Hollowell & The DJF All-Stars
Mississippi Boy Catfish & Ribs @ 7:00PM
SATURDAY, April 5
Isaiah Collier: The World is On Fire
Dazzle @ 7:00 & 9:30PM
Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet w/ Julian Lage,
Asante Santi Debriano and Will Calhoun
Boulder Theater @ 8:00PM
Ghost-Note with Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth
Openers: The Headhunters and Superimposition
Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom @ 8:00PM
Colorado Mambo Orchestra
Mercury Café from 8:00-11:00PM
Animal Liberation Orchestra w/ opener: Plain Faraday
Fox Theatre (Boulder) @ 8:00PM
The Marion Powers Quintet Honors Billie Holiday
Nocturne @ 6:30 and 9:00PM
Mary Louise Lee and Robert Bernard Johnson
Muse Performance Space @ 7:00PM
Linda Theus Lee
Mississippi Boy Catfish & Ribs @ 7:00PM
Galleria @ The DPAC - Free Stage Presented by Gift of Jazz
12:00PM-1:00PM CCJA Jazz Messengers
1:30PM-2:30PM Rico Jones Quartet
3:00PM-4:00PM Erica Brown with the Delta Sonics
SUNDAY, April 6
Dianne Reeves with Romero Lubambo
Presented by KUVO Jazz 40th Anniversary Celebration
Newman Center for the Performing Arts @ 4:00PM
Muse All-Stars w/ Greg Gisbert, Gabe Mervine, Pete Lewis, Peter Stolzman,
Gonzalo Teppa and Clare Church
Muse Performance Space @ 7:00PM
Annie Booth Trio: The Beatles Songbook w/ Patrick McDevitt, Alejandro Castaňo
Dazzle @ 7:30PM
The Eric Gunnison Trio
Nocturne @ 6:30 and 8:45PM
Additional events may be added. All events subject to change.
