The Gin & Jazz Series
This is about bringing intentionality back to Jazz in Denver.
You may know Five Points as the trendy neighborhood where you can go get a great bagel and window shop down Welton St., but did you know it was once referred to by many across the country as the “Harlem of the West”? That’s right — we had one of the hottest Jazz scenes in the country during the 30s, 40s, and 50s. We had legends like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald playing in the 50+ jazz clubs that once made up the Five Points neighborhood. Many people don’t know that though — and it’s because we haven’t been very good listeners and we haven’t been the best neighbors either. We have a responsibility to be custodians and caretakers of the past and the Five Points jazz legacy is too prominent and profound to forget about.
For that reason, we’ve created Gin & Jazz — a community-driven Jazz Series that champions and celebrates artists who embody and carry forth the Five Points jazz legacy in modern-day Mile High. Since musicians have been some of the most severely impacted by the pandemic, Gin & Jazz is an opportunity to spotlight and support community artists, most intentionally artists from marginalized communities (ie. BIPOC/LGBTQ), and those who have ties to the Five Points neighborhood.
In addition to live music, we've also compiled a Five Points Resources page that is accessible to attendees via QR code at the shows. This page will help us share the storied past of the Five Points neighborhood with integrated resources, materials, and articles. We will also be donating 15% of our proceeds from each show to a community organization/nonprofit that aligns with the values and mission of this series. For July, we're teaming up with the Denver Urban League Young Professionals, which is an organization that believes in community, service, economic empowerment, and uplifting the next generation.
We hope you’ll join us every Thursday this summer in The Rainbow Alley outside of Tracks from 7:30 - 9:30pm for some Gin & Jazz! Scroll down to explore our lineup and purchase tickets!
Explore the Summer Lineup
Kaitlyn Williams
July 1
Award-winning Denver-based singer-songwriter “Kaitlyn Williams" is stepping onto the scene and taking it by storm. Bound to put you in your feels, the up-and-coming pop songstress is unapologetically individualistic. Kaitlyn continues to explore the vast possibilities of the piano, tender guitar melodies, and vocal riffs that will move you. She won 303 Magazine’s Best Pop Artist of 2019 and hasn’t looked back!
Gino Rael & The Mighty Nice Band
July 22
Gino Rael and the Mighty Nice Band "Denver's Bad City Boyz" is known for its Latin Funk, Old School, R&B Soul, Salsas, Cumbias, and Corridos with a twist of Latin Rock and Country. The band has performed throughout the state of Colorado with over 1,000 performances!
Brothers of Brass
August 5
Brothers of Brass is a Denver-based horn and drum group specializing in smashing street music. The ensemble describes their sound as hard-hitting NOLA brass from Colorado. Their new single “Freedom,” can be described as a style of west coast underground hip-hop with horns.
Spherio
July 8
Comprised of Tenia Nelson on piano, Bob Songster on bass, and Andreas Schmid- drums, Spherio is a Denver-based modern jazz trio that honors the musical language and dialogue started by Thelonious Sphere Monk more than a half-century ago. Don’t miss their performance with Emcee Rep. Leslie Herod on July 8th
Enmanuel Alexander Quintet
July 29
Enmanuel Alexander's musicality transcends the societal norms of instrumental music by creating emotionally moving soundscapes and hypnotic grooves that evoke a sense of blissful nostalgia.
Alex Heffron
August 19
Alex Heffron is an active composer and is leading his own band which blends the tradition and the current trends in jazz. His music has been featured on stages all across the country, as well as at festivals like the Five Points Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz Festival, Evergreen Music Festival, and Boulder Jazz and Arts Festival.
Jenna McLean Quartet
July 15
Jenna McLean is a jazz vocalist who finds her artistic drive in bringing new twists to timeless standards of the Great American Songbook as well as pop, funk, and soul tunes. With a love and devotion for jazz, opera, R&B, and folk music, she maintains the belief that all music is good music as long as it speaks to the soul and grooves.
Brothers of Brass - Rescheduled!
August 5
Brothers of Brass is a Denver-based horn and drum group specializing in smashing street music. The ensemble describes their sound as hard-hitting NOLA brass from Colorado. Their new single “Freedom,” can be described as a style of west coast underground hip-hop with horns.
Purnell Steen & The Five Points Ambassadors
August 26
Purnell Steen (first cousin to Charles Burrell, Dianne Reeves) and co-conceptualizer of the Gin & Jazz Series, has one mission and that is to preserve the “Sounds of Five Points.” We are so grateful to have Purnell closing out the Gin & Jazz Series on August 26th.
Meet the Community Partners who
make Gin & Jazz possible!
Tracks Nightclub
Hendrick's Gin
Welton Street Renaissance Project
Denver Urban League Young Professionals
Denver Sister Cities International
Gin & Jazz in the News!
