It was one of the first cold nights of Autumn and the downtown blocks of Denver had the idyllic lighting of a romantic cinema classic. Nights like this deserve music, warmth, and conversation so when I took my first step inside Dazzle Jazz on Lincoln street I could tell that my night would not disappoint. We had arrived in time for the weekly Friday 10PM Social and on this Friday, the 3rd of October, the performing artist was the prog-rock Dave Devine Trio, some mature young fellows in casual dress. As my date and I entered the club the band was tuning up and the booths and tables were filled with bright smiles and friendly conversation. Though I was unfamiliar with Dave Devine, I soon came to enjoy his eclectic jazz-infused rock covers which welcomed my attention as much as Dazzle Jazz Club itself.
The front room of the club, also called “The Dizzy Room,” was the setting for the Friday 10PM Social. The lighting was dim and sensuous, casting warm illumination over the stylish seating. Lucky couples enjoyed the seclusion of semi-circular booths and patrons at the bar made new acquaintances. Dazzle boasts a quality kitchen offering delights such as pizza, burgers, crab cakes, chicken breast, and salmon as well as appetizers and desserts. It was an extra treat to see a young and talented cook bring a workstation onto the dining floor and prepare flambéed berries and sauce served with vanilla ice cream, which he offered as free samples. Dazzle keeps their full-service bar well stocked, and despite the less-than-perfect bar staff the drinks were up to standard. I ordered a glass of “Jazz House Punch,” an unassuming club’s own special blend of loosey-juice. As the cheapest mixed drink on the page at just $7, I wasn’t expecting much. But four sips did the work of three shots, earning the gasoline-colored citrus sock-in-the-jaw the nickname, “Satan’s Mimosa.” Next time I need to lament, I’ll be at Dazzle sipping on those seven ounces of evil as I lose myself in the evening’s performance.
This evening’s music was directed and performed by Dave Devine, local guitarist and educator. He is a guitar instructor at Metro State and UCD in downtown Denver. An international touring artist, Devine has played with the talented Ron Miles as well as Art Lande and Janet Feder, to name a few. His past and present projects include The Czars, Delby L, Greybird, Hate Camels, Static Trio, Momenterra, 9th and Lincoln Orchestra. He currently directs his own group, Relay. This evening he played electric guitar in a trio, with Bill Larson on the drums and an unidentified companion on electric bass. When he spoke to the audience he did not make eye contact and was hard to understand, but I gathered that they were playing instrumental cover songs and would include bands such as Dear Hunter and Led Zeppelin. Their sound varied from song to song; their first song was reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie with a straight but syncopated drumbeat, a simple but prominent bass sound and a spacious and echo-filled guitar part.
Devine made great use of many effects pedals, which had functions such as looping pieces of sound and adding reverberation or distortion. This technology was the key to his performance, evident in the contrast that was his second song. He went from indie rock to smooth jazz, particularly the kind of jazz one might hear while on hold with the dentist. Normally I would not have enjoyed this sound but it was the performers themselves that held my attention. The bassist played a funky but very disjunct melodic base line which gave the mellow music a sense of forward motion. Larson played a steady quadruple meter rhythm with 16th-note hits on the high hat, which added a busy energy that contrasted with Devine’s laid back melody played in octaves with a deep, hollow reverb. It was his guitar playing that kept the ensemble on the ground and maintained the serene smooth jazz feel.
The song of theirs which entertained me the most was a faster, heavier rock piece which could have easily been a Led Zeppelin cover; like I said, Devine was difficult to hear even though he was miked, so I was unable to catch the names of the songs they played. Naturally no program was provided. They played together in an iambic sort of rhythm, a LONG short LONG short gallop of hard rock. One of the highlights of the evening was the way the bassist bobbed his head to this beat: shoulders back, hips and chin out, head moving back and forth to the groove with a “Cool, man” kind of stance. Each member took a solo during this piece. Larson’s drum solo grew in complexity throughout so that just when the listener thought he had lost the pulse completely, he slipped seamlessly back into the main groove as the string players joined in. Only two more bars of that and the song came to an abrupt ending.
Overall Dave Devine’s trio was professional and very talented. Devine himself could use some advice on speaking to an audience, but since he is an accomplished musician it would be safe to say that either he was having an off night, or that his playing has thus far made up for his shortcomings in eloquence. Combined with the artistic and neo-bohemian atmosphere of Dazzle Jazz Club, this evening was a textbook example of sophistication in this age of the Millenial. In the grand scheme of things, Devine and Dazzle fit the bill for a relaxed, early Autumn night on the town.
This evening’s music was directed and performed by Dave Devine, local guitarist and educator. He is a guitar instructor at Metro State and UCD in downtown Denver. An international touring artist, Devine has played with the talented Ron Miles as well as Art Lande and Janet Feder, to name a few. His past and present projects include The Czars, Delby L, Greybird, Hate Camels, Static Trio, Momenterra, 9th and Lincoln Orchestra. He currently directs his own group, Relay. This evening he played electric guitar in a trio, with Bill Larson on the drums and an unidentified companion on electric bass. When he spoke to the audience he did not make eye contact and was hard to understand, but I gathered that they were playing instrumental cover songs and would include bands such as Dear Hunter and Led Zeppelin. Their sound varied from song to song; their first song was reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie with a straight but syncopated drumbeat, a simple but prominent bass sound and a spacious and echo-filled guitar part.
Devine made great use of many effects pedals, which had functions such as looping pieces of sound and adding reverberation or distortion. This technology was the key to his performance, evident in the contrast that was his second song. He went from indie rock to smooth jazz, particularly the kind of jazz one might hear while on hold with the dentist. Normally I would not have enjoyed this sound but it was the performers themselves that held my attention. The bassist played a funky but very disjunct melodic base line which gave the mellow music a sense of forward motion. Larson played a steady quadruple meter rhythm with 16th-note hits on the high hat, which added a busy energy that contrasted with Devine’s laid back melody played in octaves with a deep, hollow reverb. It was his guitar playing that kept the ensemble on the ground and maintained the serene smooth jazz feel.
The song of theirs which entertained me the most was a faster, heavier rock piece which could have easily been a Led Zeppelin cover; like I said, Devine was difficult to hear even though he was miked, so I was unable to catch the names of the songs they played. Naturally no program was provided. They played together in an iambic sort of rhythm, a LONG short LONG short gallop of hard rock. One of the highlights of the evening was the way the bassist bobbed his head to this beat: shoulders back, hips and chin out, head moving back and forth to the groove with a “Cool, man” kind of stance. Each member took a solo during this piece. Larson’s drum solo grew in complexity throughout so that just when the listener thought he had lost the pulse completely, he slipped seamlessly back into the main groove as the string players joined in. Only two more bars of that and the song came to an abrupt ending.
Overall Dave Devine’s trio was professional and very talented. Devine himself could use some advice on speaking to an audience, but since he is an accomplished musician it would be safe to say that either he was having an off night, or that his playing has thus far made up for his shortcomings in eloquence. Combined with the artistic and neo-bohemian atmosphere of Dazzle Jazz Club, this evening was a textbook example of sophistication in this age of the Millenial. In the grand scheme of things, Devine and Dazzle fit the bill for a relaxed, early Autumn night on the town.