In closing for the set, they end with what they began with. Another Nash Portrait. This one is Part VII: Pollock. The most defiant of the artists Nash is inspired by, starts with a bold, killer tempo, burning a hole through the stage. And then the intense trade of fours, with Wynton and Marcus Printup, then seconds, then nothing more to be counted and the two of them smolder through the seriousness of the composition. Eventually they give way to the sweaty flooring skill, love and desire to play. Marcus's talent has improved ten fold since his arrival on the scene. His range and dexterity expose an experienced Printup to the world of jazz, reaching an audience that will surely fall in love with him in the years to come. Ryan Kisor, the unspoken trumpeter of the night then takes his place. He yields a smooth even keel gem. His harmonics are peppered with darkness yet his timber sings through the mute. In the end, the band as a collective rhythmic playground jive together, screaming out in pure bliss and rapture. JALC is the fun house. They're all enjoying this and it's obvious when they're on stage.

The second set opens with a thrilling rendition of Down By the Riverside. Hip and happening, they flash their creative spaces. Molding their voices into one as an artistic montage they continuously lay out beautiful music. Vince Gardner on trombone slides us all into the mood with his buttery tone during Lady of the Lavender Mist. This is a lesser known Ellington tune. The audience, now knowing what to expect, sat there in wonder with pure golden intent. Their ears glued to his notes as he gently rolled them out of the brass and into a silken stream of melody.

But by the third, fourth and fifth tunes of the set, the rest of the band shined on. Sherman Irby's metropolitan sound glowed, riding in the lights shining on top of his bell . His abilities are empowering and he's landed himself a distinctive style, easily notable with the first sound heard. Ali Jackson and Carlos Henriquez do nothing but show off. How could they do anything less? Their infectious rhythms are excitable and tantalizing to the audience and band members alike. There's a different resonant personality laid out with each note and pressing thumb against the strings and wood. They know exactly how to anticipate the soloists, driving the beats while flawlessly executing their skills.

But one of the most underrated players of the band, whom surprised me and I think a few others, is Elliot Mason. On trombone, he's radiant. Between Chris, Vince and Elliot, they all slide into action, gripping notes and sending them into the air above. But then Elliot pulled a slight of hand move. On the fourth tune, Vitoria Suite: Mvt. III, written by Wynton, a Flamenco-essence composition, Elliot pulled out his bass trumpet. A rare instrument played in any setting, it was a surprising, but welcomed guest among this already enriched evening. His tone rang with the depth of his trombone. Yet the sweeping defenses and runs of a trumpeter followed through his capacity to engage the listener. The crowd was pin-dropping silent. His notes…a Watrous/Shaw combination of outside, pillaging bebop.


In closing, the band blew through the rest of the set like a hurricane. Vitoria Suite: Mvt. XII started as a gale force which tore through one player at a time. Then the dual presented itself. Sean and Wynton pulled out their guns, forcing eachother with flashes of absolute ability to hang among the very best. And time and again, they all set off cascading reactions to eachother, raising the stakes within each tune.


Once the audience got to their feet to send them off, Wynton walked back on stage and sealed his popularity among the Rockies on a more intimate level. With Dan, Ali and Carlos blazing through two choruses of Cherokee, his virtuosity was as unwavering as the rhythm section's tempo.

It's been thirteen years since the last time I watched Mulgrew play. Although, the second he sat down in front of those pearly whites, I remembered exactly why I've always been a fan. His first set at Dazzle started out like a visit with an old flame. There's the polite kiss on the cheek to greet you, then the embrace that returns to love. But his second number, You and the Night and the Music, took that meeting to the next level. He brought the talk in, the catching up of the years, and the brilliance of mood back into the place. His playing transcended the moment. It's his dense, rapid burning of the keys that surely left little Oscar Peterson-esque mementos for the next player who graces the stage.

Yet the dynamic dialogue he carries between his bassist and drummer on his original composition, Carousel, was enough to satiate all of your senses. You can taste the funnel cakes and feel the warm air as you ride round and round the melody he constructed. Your ears take you back to a time when everything was simpler with just a few notes from the beginning. But the diversity of his abilities is shown through the complex meter that seamlessly weaves throughout.

Mulgrew's compositions are standards in the making. Ivan Taylor sings on his upright and Ulysses Owens resonates perfectly in tune and tempo on Drums during this number despite the intricacies of the set. They're both Julliard grads, not to mention, young, hip and as Mulgrew says, the cream of the crop. And when Mulgrew makes this claim, you better take note. Ivan's smooth. And when he's featured in the standard, In a Mellow Tone you can hear his appeal - why Mulgrew plucked him from the crowd. The resonance of sound is as beautiful as an imported silk.

But the meeting with the old flame is hardly finished. Mulgrew enchants his love further by pulling Skylark out of its cage. Ivan and Ulysses set their quiet underlying voice behind him and allow this bird to soar. But what I experienced during this song was a moment of sheer splendor. Rene Marie sat directly in front of me. Mulgrew, earlier in the evening, had said that he played on one of her albums. And as the song began, she sang along quietly, smiling as if the two of them were in a living room somewhere playing this song alone. My pen and words turned into drawn butter as he continued. This is what Jazz is. It's an intimate, breathing art form. Every second of it created in the moment, by the moment and for the moment.

Catching my breath just in time for the last number, the group played a favorite of mine. Woody'n'you. A Dizzy tune featuring Ulysses. And his driving push tenaciously gripped the audience. Both Ulysses and Ivan were as dead on as machine guns going in for the kill. They pulled you upright and just when you think they'd let up they pressed on again. As a drummer burning the sticks and wood of his set, it's amazing to think I can hear inflection's in his beat. Dually noted are influences of Parker and Dizzy haunting him.

Mulgrew's trio is dynamic, a force to be reckoned with. Mulgrew has proved over and over again to the jazz community that he's one of the most formidable artists around. He consciously molds and shapes the landscape of future generations of jazz. He's no longer the old flame who's come to visit Denver, he's created a base of fans and lovers of jazz who ask for him time and time again.