BandWagon Magazine - April 2021 - Into The Great Wide Open by BandWagon Magazine

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MUSIC reviews

BandWagon Magazine

Ellsworth PG. 4 Debr4h PG. 6 Carti ferrari PG. 8

BandWagMag BandWagMag

BANDWAGMAG.COM Publisher

ELY CORLISS

Editor

KEVIN JOHNSTON

art director

CARTER KERNS

CONTRIBUTORS

DAN ENGLAND VALERIE VAMPOLA GABE ALLEN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Devin Tremell Video premiere PG.20

PG.10

PG.11

Tom

Amend PG.18

DID C.A.R.G. FUND THE

RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS?

CALLEN LIVERANCE GABE ALLEN

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Ellsworth Ellsworth

Gabe Allen

BandWagon Magazine

Ellsworth has struck a similar vein with her eponymous 11song LP, traversing anxiety, self-doubt and lost love in gorgeously graceful strides. “When we push away our feelings of sadness or anxiety, we are in fact pushing away a part of ourselves. We can choose to accept how we feel, which is who we are.” said Ellsworth, “We can choose to grow from our pain.”

Heart-on-sleeve soliloquies are not difficult to encounter these days. Online, vulnerability has become the norm. But, while many people’s earnest reflections are heard by their family and Instagram followers, some have a broader reach. Artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Big Thief have cut through an era of unprecedented media saturation with beautifully wrought music prizing honesty above all else. Denver’s

Throughout the LP, Ellsworth brings her earnest message to life through vivid metaphorical language. “There were cracks in the foundation that I was built upon. Filling them with pudding, that should get the job done,” she sings on “Growing Pains.” “My hands are tired of slipping. My nails are nearly gone. Floorboards peeling up, this is what my mind’s become.” This tragic poetry is brought to life through her voice. Like Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath,

Ellsworth sings softly but with immense conviction. Her quiet tone conveys intimacy, like an earnest conversation meant for one person’s ears in a crowded room. Instrumentation on the LP is driven by Ellsworth’s acoustic guitar, but weaves in restrained keyboard, electric guitar and percussion as well, swelling and fading with the emotional arc of each song. On “Anxiety,” harmonic drones create atmospheric soundscapes, while “Fall” is propelled by a

country shuffle.

Ellsworth is as good an antidote to the widespread social isolation and existential anxiety of 2021 as any. In just a handful of masterfully crafted folk songs, she taps into the shared trauma of a generation. It’s surely worth a listen all the way through, “Close the Door,” “Growing Pains” and “Overboard” are all excellent places to start. Listen to Ellsworth and check out more at ellsworththefolksinger.com

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DEBR4H

The Court Of Richard II Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

getting-married, it’s anything but that girl-joins-band story. “It’s less about having a band and more about having a team,” Murphy says, citing DEBR4H’s newest single “The Court Of Richard II” as a turning point.

“This isn’t the normal, like, girljoins-the-band story,” DEBR4H’s Jed Murphy tells BandWagon. “I was really kinda hitting the end.” Murphy’s dead-end feelings were palpable to his audience and especially to his romantic partner. “Kayna literally got tired of going to shows and just sitting there,” Murphy laughs, “so she joined the band.” “I thought, well I know how to play music and how to sing,” Kayna Hobbs says, “I’m gonna do that too!” This pragmatism drives the music of DEBR4H and the relationship between Murphy and Hobbs, who recently married, but it’s not that simple. Kayna is currently pursuing a PhD, with time for only tracking harmonies and an occasional show. Bassist Zach Visconti moved to California to allow his wife (who is immunocompromised) better pandemic isolation, and with the music industry crisis and oh-yeah-

“I’m kind of a history nerd,” he says. “I was writing this song about … kinda coasting. I equated it with Richard the 2nd, who was a boy king. He did whatever he wanted. Then he’s overthrown and they starve him to death. He gets everything he wants his entire life and then dies starving. I really liked that idea: have whatever you want, but it can turn bad.” The single feels like the collective, “court” effort it is. Narrating change with synth modulations atop an ever-steady beat, stabs of disoriented Kraftwerk-keyboard undercut Murphy’s Morriseylike monotone. Hobbs’ harmony evokes Metric’s Emily Haines with the line “Hey satellite - take me too - I need a ride somewhere new,” where the vibe accelerates into a satisfying, Gorillaz-groove via producer Oliver Mueller. ”I’m making something new now; I’m learning something old now,” they sing, speaking to DEBR4H’s musical reality and that of their founder and muse. Catch DEBR4H live via FoCoMX: Public Trust at focoma.org/ publictrust, premiering Friday, April 23rd at 7 PM. “The Court Of Richard II” is due out in April.

Carti Ferrari “The Farthest”

Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

The term “in the box” has taken on more meaning over the past year, especially for musicians forced to do almost everything from only (and often for only) their computers. But that doesn’t mean artists like Carti Ferrari aren’t thinking outside of it. On his new single “The Farthest,” Ferrari illustrates this concept of thoughts fleeing far from preconceived borders. The borders in this case are where the heart is – home, which in this narrative, could be a shared space with a soon-to-be ex-lover.

“Promise you I’ll leave a hole where my heart is - when I’m at home I feel the farthest from you,” he laments over a track that sounds like the slow motion, water-drunk bells of a Rostam remix. His classic imagery of young, romantic uncertainty is enforced by sounds that seem to spill onto the carpet, as the drinks in his lyrics do, but the tune is framed in the crisp, clean lines of trap style drum machine percussion. The production is tight, weaving 808 soul clap snares with the abovementioned swirl of atmospheric backing tracks. It’s clean and austere but the textures behind the scenes keep it from sinking into monotony. Vocally, Ferrari finds that space particular to the 2020s somewhere between rap and modern RnB by adding melodyne effects and using minimalist melodies, blurring the line between the genres. He flexes a talent for wordplay too, compressing all the feelings of a sad, romantic saga into a tight two and a half minutes of sharp rhymes.

Limitations often make art unique. They also show who’s got the fire to produce and who doesn’t. The past year has certainly given the global art community a slew of limitations, but for those with “in the box” talent like Carti Ferrari, this decade may see their careers going the farthest.

“The Farthest” by Carti Ferrari premieres Friday, April 2nd exclusively via BandWagMag.com

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Devin Tremell Lord Knows

Valerie Vampola

BandWagon Magazine

Devin Tremell gives us glimpses of his dual lives as the artist and the worker in the “Lord Knows” video, premiering exclusively via BandWagon. Originally scheduled for completion earlier in the year, “Lord Knows” took a back seat to recovery, after Tremell (an avid skateboarder) fractured his ankle. Now after ample healing and production time, Tremmel is back hitting the skate park just as “Lord Knows” hits the screen.

Video PREMIERE

The video, filmed by Isaac Rizo with RZO VDO and help from Yavez Fuller with Vez Visuals, uses side-by-side shots of these two different life perspectives, showing us how Tremell dresses and interacts with others in each respective world. Wearing his brightly colored utility jacket and wandering the grounds of Denver International Airport (where he actually works as an aircraft fueller) removes any implications of glamour audiences might associate with an artist lifestyle. While Tremell interacts with strangers at DIA, you see a humble man hiding the fact that he is a part of a greater purpose; one outside of his daily grind. The double narrative leaves one to believe that Tremmel is two different people, until both sides of him are shown driving around in his car together, rapping – the worker and the artist together – as both sides of himself travel their synchronized journey. And though friends, fans, and airport patrons only

see snapshots, Tremell knows inside they are both just pieces of who he is. While he dreams of hitting highs like an airplane’s flight, only he and the Lord know the real, grounded story that brought Tremell to this moment.

Watch the video premiere for Devin Tremell’s “Lord Knows” at BandWagMag.com

Ron: Weekdays 6am - 10am For many years, the film fan in me has loved trying to pick winners at The Oscars. And every year the music fan in me enjoys how much music/film crossover there is. Here are just 5 examples for this year’s ceremony on April 25.

1. News Of The World – Nominated for Best Original Score, the music for this Tom Hanks film was written by James Newton Howard, who recorded at Caribou Ranch with Elton John in the mid-70s.

2. Mank and Soul – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are already Oscar winners. This year they’re nominated twice for Original Score, for the films Mank and also for Soul (along with Jon Batiste, whose music we play) 3. The United States vs. Billie Holiday – The amazing Andra Day earned a Best Actress nomination for her portrayal in this film. 4. The Sound Of Metal – Metal fan? You may enjoy The Sound Of Metal, which is getting A TON of attention, including 6 Oscar noms! 5. Promising Young Woman – While this film’s five Oscar noms don’t include any music-related ones, it does star Carey Mulligan, AKA Mrs. Marcus Mumford.

Margot: Weekdays 10am - 3pm Every weekday at 2, Margot does Bring To A Boil And Cover. In this feature, she plays the original, a cover, and tells you stories about both versions. Here are some of her top covers of the last few months.

3. “Sugar Man” - original by (Sixto) Rodriguez, cover by Black Pumas – When you hear the Black Pumas cover “Sugar Man” it’s a slap-yourself-on-the-forehead-ofcourse-they-did moment. 4. “Harlem River Blues” - original by Justin Townes Earle, cover by Steve Earle – At first, a grieving father covering his late son seems like a bad idea. But Steve Earle doesn’t try to reinvent his late son Justin Townes Earle. Instead, his gentle versions of Justin’s songs let you into his sorrow in an affecting way. 5. “European Son” - original by Velvet Underground, cover by Matt Berninger - When Matt Berninger initially got together with Booker T. Jones to discuss his first solo album Serpentine Prison, they discussed it being all covers. They ended up going with originals but this Velvet Underground cover was recorded during those sessions.

Stacy: Weekdays 3pm - 7pm Here’s to new music and summer camp!

1. Morcheeba: Blackest Blue - Not being able to tour in 2020 gave this atmospheric English band a chance to re-focus on songwriting. Due May 14, this comprehensive release showcases their dreamy, aural soundscapes, reflecting the best of their eclectic sounds over three decades. 2. Ibeyi: Recurring Dream – Although only a single, it’s great to hear new music from these twin French/Cuban sisters. Fusing jazz, folk and pop with beats, samples, traditional instruments, and their soulful, sometimes melancholic voices, the single was written for Ed Morris’ new movie How to Stop a Recurring Dream.

1. “Sunshine Superman” - original by Donovan, cover by Dr. Lonnie Smith featuring Iggy Pop – On the face of it, a Jazz organist and one of the originators of what became punk collaborating on a psychedelic classic cover wouldn’t seem to work, but it does. Beautifully.

3. Rag’n’Bone Man: Life By Misadventure – Rory Graham (Rag’n’Bone Man) made a splash with his award winning debut Human. This much-anticipated follow-up album (out April 23) features Graham’s familiar, deep baritone but with a new twist, as he puts it “informed by country, folk and rock’n’roll.”

2. “I Can Help” - original by Billy Swan, cover by Charley Crockett - Billy Swan took the original to the top of the charts in 1974. While the original is a bit frenetic and more about trying to seduce someone, Charley Crockett’s laid-back take gives it a kinder feel, suitable to the pandemic age in which we now live.

4. Kaleo: Surface Sounds - After pushing the release date back again, Icelandic folk-rock band Kaleo’s Surface Sounds should arrive June 5. The new album features a mix of sounds from the mournful ballad ‘Backbone’ to the straight-ahead rock of “Alter Ego.” Tour dates this summer include July 19 at Red Rocks.

5. Dinosaur Jr. : Camp Fuzz 2 – Who wouldn’t love summer camp for grownups!? Dinosaur Jr. hosts this all-inclusive adventure featuring master classes, Q&A sessions, performances, arts and crafts, and amazing food! Fans get to interact with the band, crew, and other special guest musicians in a beautiful mountain retreat in Big Indian, NY.

Benji: Weekdays 7pm - 10pm 1. Valerie June: “Call Me A Fool” – The first single from her new album is everything you’d expect: A sensual, soulful song that laments past problems. June even brings in soul legend Carla Thomas, giving it an extra layer of sensuality. 2. Dr. Lonnie Smith ft. Iggy Pop: “Sunshine Superman” – This is one of the most unlikely collaborations, but it works. Iggy Pop would stop by Hammond B-3 organ legend Lonnie Smith’s Florida rehearsal space and hang out. The two decided to work together and the result is a space age bachelor pad re-working of the Donovan classic. 3. Top 20 Questions for April – In the spirit of April Fool’s day, we want to know what your favorite novelty song is. Maybe it’s something old school like Alan Sherman’s “Hello Muddah Hello Fadduh” or a classic like “My Bologna” by Weird Al. Send your nomination to coloradosound.org 4. The Spring Classics – The Tour De France isn’t the only big event in cycling. The Spring Classics provide the sport’s longest one-day race, (The Milan – San Remo), one with hills so steep riders often push their bikes (Tour of Flanders) and the Queen of the Classics, (Paris – Roubaix) with cobblestones from the Napoleon era so jagged they’ve broken bike frames. 5. Unbelievable: Netflix – Based on a true story and set in Colorado, this story follows two detectives in their attempt to track down a serial rapist. Tony Colette is superb as a hard boiled detective unwilling to give up until the case is cracked.

105.5 FM THE COLORADO SOUND.

AIRING ALL ALONG THE FRONT RANGE & COLORADOSOUND.ORG 11

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WIDE OPEN

NoCo & WY Venues Hopefull for a Full-Capacity Fall

resident Joe Biden believes we’ll have smaller gatherings with family and close friends by the Fourth of July. But this Labor Day sounds like it could be a party. Those who operate Northern Colorado venues say they are hopeful they can host full, loud and fun concerts again by September. Even though Biden said in mid-March that he will direct states to offer vaccines to all adults 18 and over by May, venue operators still plan to hold limitedcapacity concerts throughout this spring and summer.

“There are people saying July or August, but we are confident things will be returning to normal in September,” said Dani Grant, owner of the Mishawaka Amphitheater in the Poudre Canyon outside of Fort Collins. “We will stick to a low-capacity situation until things return completely normal.” Grant is booking shows into the fall, as are many venues, and some, like the Mish, made permanent changes as a result of the pandemic: the amphitheater expanded its season from April to November, a change it made last year. Before

BY DAN ENGLAND COVID-19, the Mish only operated during the warmer months, from May to September, but decided to go from 30 to 50 shows. “We just wanted to get people some work,” Grant said, so they heated their stage, offered fire pits for rental, served hot drinks and supplied blankets to keep people warm in November. And given that this is Colorado, its residents aren’t exactly, um, snowflakes, the demand was so great that they plan to keep the expanded schedule. Cheryl Liguori of Z2 Entertainment opened two places, the Aggie and the Boulder Theater at limited capacity in February.

“Can we pay all our bills? No,” she said. “But are we happy to flow the cash burn? Yes.” Liguori will operate at that limited capacity, however, until the state changes its guidelines, and she doesn’t anticipate that happening until the fall. Acts have begun inquiring about booking her venues as much as she’s been asking the bands. Agents are putting together tours, she said, although that’s tougher when states offer d i f fe re n t

guidelines. Some, such as Wyoming, Texas and Florida, are already operating at full capacity with mask mandates. “I’ve heard tours are looking at those places,” Liguori said. Even so, she does have “a ton” of holds for her fall calendar, and a slate of local acts that can help both sides make a little money through the summer. “It’s great to have live music in the venues and be able to pay them again in a way that works for both of us,” she said. Most city venues, such as the Union Colony Civic Center, have shuttered since the pandemic broke out last March, but even they are slowly opening. Jason Evenson, who manages the UCCC for the City of Greeley as a part of his duties, said he’s already booking shows for the fall. Some are acts they had to cancel, and others are new to replace the ones who decided not to tour this year. The acts are the same kind of national touring performances the UCCC booked before the pandemic. The only caveat is, the

UCCC needs to be at full capacity to make the show work, financially.

the same Colorado crowd – Wyoming is at full capacity again.

“The numbers don’t work if there are still restrictions in place,” Evenson said. “I can’t afford that or charge what it would take to pay those people. We want a full house.”

“We are super stoked,” Hamilton Byrd, a promoter with the concert series at Chinook tells BandWagon. “That definitely creates a ton of optimism.”

The UCCC is offering its venue for small rentals with a capacity of 300, a third of its actual cap, in its main theater. The UCCC also only charges for 300, not 1,000 seats, so there are some good deals if acts and individuals want to take advantage. Evenson said the public should still “finish” all those challenging things that they did to get to this point, such as wearing a mask and staying isolated, to free them of the pandemic. “Some think it’s too early, but I think there’s a balance that can be struck,” he said. “If we all follow all the rules, we think we can do it.” Other venues don’t have to follow the same restrictions as Colorado, such as the Chinook Drive In at the Terry Bison Ranch, but it will probably draw

As for restrictions? “I’ve got a pretty funny answer to that,” said Byrd. “We have 27,000 acres. That’s a pretty wide net.” The Chinook’s first show will be the Subtronics in the first part of May, who were also scheduled to play Red Rocks on May 15. Byrd says the drive-in should have enough shows through the summer and into the fall for one every weekend.

“One of the nice things about waiting to announce our schedule is to see how the pandemic goes,” Byrd said. “We want to maximize the customer’s experience but do whatever is safe and legal and that’s what has been changing every week.”

JUST WANNA HAVE FUNDS DID THE COLORADO ARTS RELIEF GRANT FUND THE ORGANIZATIONS IT INTENDED TO?

BY GABE ALLEN

n the first Monday of December 2020, the Colorado State Senate adopted Bill 20B-001, which created a $7.5 million pot for struggling arts and entertainment organizations and professional artists around the state. Just two months later, on February 8, the recipients of the Colorado Arts Relief Grant (CARG) were announced. In 63 days, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), a division of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, created a set of criteria, launched an application, administered the selection process and allocated $7.5 million (just under $6 million to organizations and businesses). “We were given the charge to distribute the funding as quickly as possible,” a CCI spokesperson wrote in a letter to BandWagon. This hasty allocation of public funds was met with cynical speculation from independent venue owners who were not awarded money. “Happy to see my pal Scott Campbell got a much needed $340,000 for his 3 struggling venues after he offered to buy Hi-Dive back in August,” Curtis Wallach, owner of Denver’s Hi-Dive, commented sarcastically on a February Facebook post (It should be noted that Scott and Gwen Campbell’s venues are booked in alliance with the AEG corporation, who arguably monopolize talent buying in the state and beyond, but that the Campbell’s have since returned a portion of the funding that their businesses received). Until now, the controversy over the grant has remained purely speculative. No one has pointed to specific evidence of nepotism or neglect on CCI’s part.

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CARG Selection Criteria Weighting

But, thanks to the Colorado Open Records Act, BandWagon was able to obtain a copy of the scoring rubric used to evaluate grant applicants. The picture that has emerged through reviewing the rubric and corresponding with CCI, is one of an organization that was moving very quickly with good intentions. But the question remains: did the criteria that CCI used match the stated intent of the grant? The original senate bill called for the funds to “prioritize arts, culture and entertainment organizations whose venues are determined to be at the highest risk of permanent closure.” To evaluate this metric, CCI staff reviewed three-year financial summary and profit and loss statements from 2019 and 2020 for each applicant. A perfect score on the “severity of loss” section of the rubric was given to an organization with a physical venue, 50% or more loss in tickets and at least one business loss, zero to three months of available operating funds

YEARS IN OPERATION POPULATION SERVED HISTORIC AND CULTURAL VALUE PHYSICAL VENUE TICKET SALES AND BUSINESS LOSS BUDGET/REVENUE LOSS ACCESS TO OTHER FUNDING

(dubbed “Level 4, Severe Financial Distress”) and little to no access to other funding. Critics of the grant’s allocations to media conglomerates may point out that “access to other funding” was only evaluated in terms of other grant money. If the application had inquired into the likelihood of financial help from the organization’s affiliate network or stakeholders, the outcome may have been different. In its own guidelines, CCI stated “Priority will also be given to venues that have significant artistic, cultural impact and/or historic relevance to the local community.” Although the rubric took into account the number of years the organization had operated, “cultural impact” was primarily evaluated based on each applicant’s narrative questions. Here CCI introduced a subjective measure into its process.

CCI’s guidelines also stated that priority would “be given to organizations and businesses that are owned by or that support historically marginalized communities.” One of the narrative questions asked the applicant to discuss inclusiveness, but the rubric seems to have left out this metric. Although criteria gives a score for the organization’s ability to serve its “defined intended audience,” it does not mention inclusivity or diversity. The final element of CCI’s guidelines that we evaluated was its claim to “consider equitable distribution of funds across the state.” The largest shares of the pot went to Denver County (24.2%) and Boulder County (16.8%), but these larger portions are reflective of a much higher concentration of arts organizations. Funding went to more rural areas as well, including Delta County (0.5%), Chaffee County (0.7%) and La Plata County (1.7%). In reviewing CCI’s allocation criteria, it seems that the organization aptly covered the basic directives laid out by lawmakers. It distributed much-needed funding rapidly to organizations in need. On the other hand, it seems that the evaluation process was inadequate to truly meet CCI’s stated goals for the funding. “Marginalized communities” were an afterthought in the evaluation criteria, and CCI failed to take into account the viability of an organization beyond its revenue stream and cash on hand. As public funds are continually funneled towards aid during the pandemic, organizations like CCI have to make a compromise between assiduousness and speed. The cost of getting money out quickly may be that some high-need recipients slip through the cracks.

VIEW THE FUNDING RUBRIC AT BANDWAGMAG.COM/2021/03/ ARTS-FUNDING-RUBRIC/

MONEY ALLOCATED VENUE MUSEUM OF OUTDOOR ARTS VINTAGE THEATRE PRODUCTIONS INC. PAGOSA SPRINGS CENTER FOR THE ARTS GOTHIC THEATRE TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL DICKENS OPERA HOUSE Z2 ENTERTAINMENT COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL BDT STAGE BOULDER BALLET ZUNI FETISHES DIRECT BOULDER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CIRCLE OF CARE VARIETY ARTS OF LOUSVILLE DBA THE ARTS HUB BOULDER ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY DAIRY ARTS CENTER HANUMAN FESTIVAL PRO MUSICA COLORADO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CITY OF SALIDA WESTCLIFFE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FRIENDS OF THE PARADISE THEATRE GRAND MESA ARTS AND EVENTS CENTER THE COYOTE SCHOOL DBA ELSEWHERE STUDIOS BLUE SAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS NORTH FORK VALLEY CREATIVE COALITION BERKELEY HIGHLANDS PRODCUTIONS LLC LARIMER LOUNGE LLC GLOBE HALL SU TEATRO GUTHRIE LLC DBA FORT GREENE BAR CLOCKTOWER ENTERTAINMENT CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE THE WALNUT ROOM DENVER LLC EUFORQUESTRA LLC LOST LAKE LOUNGE THE BLACK ACTORS GUILD SWALLOW HILL MUSIC THE ARMORY DENVER THE ROXY THEATRE MUSEO DE LAS AMERICAS ROXY DENVER TROUT STEAK REVIVAL DASH AND A TWIST RHINOCEROPOLIS CMDANCE DENVER TURNVEREIN WONDERBOUND COLORADO BALLET COMPANY KNEW CONSCIOUS COLLECTIVE DENVER FILM DENVER’S ART DISTRICT ON SANTA FE MIZEL CENTER FOR THE ARTSAND CULTURE RANGEL AUDIO SERVICES QTB DBA CERVANTES MASTERPIECE BALLROOM LEVITT PAVILION DENVER DAZZLEN @ BAUR’S CITY OF LONE TREE DBA LONE TREE ARTS CENTER CHEROKEE RANCH AND CASTLE FOUNDATION CASCADE VILLAGE THEATRE DBA CAPITOL THEATRE THE ART BASE VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION VALLEY EVENTS INC HORNS UP DBA THE BLACK SHEEP J & J HIP HOP DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY PIKES PEAK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS COLORADO SPRINGS FINE ARTS CENTER AT COLORADO COLLEGE MANITOU ART CENTER COTTONWOOD CENTER FOR THE ARTS COLORADO SPRINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LULU’S DOWNSTAIRS FREMONT CENTER FOR THE ARTS ROCKY MOUNTAIN REPERATORY THEATRE GUNNISON COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS CRESTED BUTTE CENTER FOR THE ARTS CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN THEATRE CRESTED BUTTE SOCIETY LAKE CITY ARTS COUNCIL SPANISH PEAKS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION MUSEUM OF FRIENDS LA VETA MERCANTILE SPANISH PEAKS ARTS COUNCIL NDR LLC LAKEWOOD CULTURAL CENTER MOTH POETIC CIRCUS OVATION WEST PERFORMING ARTS ARVADA CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES OUR HOMETOWN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION COMMUNITY CONCERT HALL AT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE DURANGO ARTS CENTER DURANGO COWBOY POETRY GATHERING CUCKOO’S INC. DBA ANIMAS CITY THEATRE MISHAWAKA FORT COLLINS MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY BLAZEN ILLUMINATIONS RYTHM EFX RIALTO THEATER CITY OF FORT COLLINS THE LYRIC ARTOCADE A.R. MITCHELL MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART SMRT ENTERTAINMENT LLC MESA THEATER WESTERN COLORADO CENTER FOR THE ARTS SANDSTONE ENTERTAINMENT INC. ` DANCE FUSIION INC DBA ABSOLUTE DANCE CREEDE REPERATORY THEATRE INC CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER PICKETWIRE PLAYERS FRIENDS OF THE WRIGHT OPERA HOUSE GPRC/PEERLESS THEATRE PUEBLO ARTS ALLIANCE SANGRE DE CHRISTO ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER PUEBLO MEMORIAL HALL THE TANK CENTER FOR SONIC ARTS INC PERRY-MANSFIELD PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL AND CAMP STEAMBOAT SPRINGS COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES STRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL AH HAA SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL SBG PRODUCTIONS TELLURIDE ARTS DISTRICT SHERIDAN ARTS FOUNDATION TELLURIDE REPERATORY THEATRE COMPANY PEAK PERFORMANCES BRECKINRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL CITY OF GREELEY - UNION COLONY CIVIC CENTER GREELEY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA MOXI THEATRE

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It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing: TOM AMEND DITCHES THE BAND SCENE FOR AN IMPROVISED LIFE

BY VALERIE VAMPOLA

om Amend has been in a band since he was 6 years old, playing piano for his dad’s yacht rock cover band (when his hands were just big enough to reach a few chords) up until 2019 when he stepped down as the Burroughs’ keyboardist of many years. Now at 26, he’s making his mark in the Denver jazz scene as one of Colorado’s best pianists, playing oneoff shows every other night with a constantly rotating collection of musicians. He gave up that decades-old band consistency in the spirit of a music that defines him at his core. “It’s the freedom of everything – the spaces, the sound, the tunes... [jazz] is a free form of music. It’s cliche, but it’s truly why I love it,” Amend tells BandWagon. As a musician who loves to improvise, that freedom is addicting. The ever-changing environments opened up opportunities to play with

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some larger names like says, “since we’ve never all for the Jazz Arts (CCJA), a non-profit organization that prominent jazz drummer Jeff played on the same gig.” Hamilton, who played on Amend admits it’s a weird mentors young musicians in Amend’s debut album. time to try to bring a larger the art of jazz music. In each of these scenarios, Amend But even as a regularly- jazz ensemble to Colorado’s teaches the ensembles and billed player at Denver clubs, live jazz scene, especially individuals how to adapt to Amend sometimes misses with live shows still practicing their settings, very much like being a part of a band, building social distancing measures, he does. but he’s hopeful of the octet relationships and momentum “One of my combos didn’t as a group instead of as becoming more of a band, as have a bass player, so we’re an individual. That’s why opposed to a one-off gig. he wrote and recorded his Developing the band doing an organ-trio setting,” newest album, Heliotrope, relationship from an early age said Amend, proving that featuring an eight-piece jazz made him the musician he is improvisation can be more ensemble of his best friends, now, and he recognizes the than just choosing which called the Tom Amend importance of sharing that notes to play. Octet. He refers to them as coaching and experience Programs like the ones he the “little big band,” and you with younger generations. now directs are what inspired can hear that description all Alongside teaching his Amend to chase after music over Heliotrope: five-part own private students, and in the first place, and whether horn lines intermixed with a having a studio of young returning to his roots or rhythm section emulate a big jazz pianists as an adjunct finding new musical spaces, band style, but in a chamber professor at the University he is excited for whatever setting. The octet brings of Northern Colorado, he scenarios life tosses his him fond memories of the mentors small ensembles way – so long as a little educational jazz ensembles at Colorado Conservatory improvisation is involved. he joined in high school and SUPPORT TOM AMEND DIRECTLY BY LISTENING at the University of Northern TO AND PURCHASING HELIOTROPE AT Colorado. TOMAMENDMUSIC.COM AND CATCH HIM LIVE “I wanted a chance to get AT THE MOXI THEATER ON SAT, APRIL 10. my friends [together] and play TICKETS AT MOXITHEATER.COM on the same record,” Amend

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