Denver Jazz and nightlife
Time for some more vintage Denver ads. Once again, I am repostiing these from my other website, as they make more sense posted here. Soon I will be posting new ones.
Denver’s 1st Summer Jazz Festival in 1959. Some big names: Ahmad Jamal, Dakota Staton and the great Shelly Manne and his Men featuring Richie Kamuca and Joe Gordon.
George Shearing at the Band Box in ‘63. Today it is Annie’s Cafe.
Count Basie and his Orchestra playing Verne Byer’s Academy Ballroom in 1963. Tickets available at the Bowl-ero, among other places!
Dizzy Gillespie at the Rainbow Ballroom at 5th and Broadway, 1959.
Saxman and big band leader Georgie Auld at the Melody Lounge, the Denver jazz hot spot in ‘59.
One of Denver’s greatest contribution’s to jazz, the late, great Phil Urso at the Rainbow Ballroom in 1959. He is featured on some of the best Chet Baker lps!
Another Verne Byer’s place, the Robin’s Nest on Lookout Mountain. Verne co-ran this place with bassist Ray Iverson, where they had famous Sunday jam sessions. This ad is from 1964.
Some ads for Effie The Blonde Tigress at Vic Hawkin’s Senate Lounge on Colfax, a cocktail jazz act backed by Paul Warburton and Vince Limberg in the late 1950s and early ’60s.
The Four Breezes, featuring local greats Beatty Hobbs, Shelly Rhym, Leon Ragsdale and Ed Wright from 1959. Sugie’s Lounge, I believe became the Satire Lounge?
Here is Shelly Rhym and his pals again, this time backing up Denver jazz great, Ron Washington in 1959! Roxy’s Lounge was out on S. Sante Fe in Englewood.
Rose Murphy at the Melody Lounge in ‘59. What is great about this ad is her backing band featuring Slam Stewart of the famous scat-vocalese jazz duo Slim and Slam.
Vic Hawkin’s took over the Band Box on Colfax and renamed it Hawk’s in 1964. This ad is for music comedienne Peggy Lord, backed by local jazzmen Neil Bridge, Chuck Roberts and Jo-Jo Williams.
The Mel-Dawn Duo at Sammy Sugarman’s place, The Gaslite in the Alameda Inn in 1964. I am sure this place was toast after the famous Platte River flood a year later.
Jazz out on West Colfax, Lakewood Gardens became the Lemon Tree and is now called Sharks.
At lastly, some ads for the Queen City Jazz Band, a Dixieland outfit who held court at Mon-Vue Village from 1957 to 1967 (at least). They released many locally pressed lps. The Mon-Vue is still there and is currently Paradise Cove.
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