Sunday, June 7

The blues isn’t the A, B, C of jazz — it’s the A to Z of jazz! And on June 7, it’s the B-3 of jazz!

While early players such as Fats Waller and the deep influence of gospel traditions helped establish the instrument’s place in jazz, its defining moment came in the 1950s. With his electrifying command of the Hammond B-3, Jimmy Smith transformed the organ from a fringe curiosity into one of jazz’s most recognizable voices. This evolution is at the center of the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra’s program, Jazz Organ Blues, explores the sound that grew from these roots—blending blues, swing, and hard bop into a style that remains a vital part of the jazz tradition.

Honoring the tradition shaped by artists such as Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, and other jazz greats, CJRO Artistic Director Drew Zaremba takes his seat at the B-3 organ. He is joined by Steve Kovalcheck, a well-known Colorado guitarist and composer, and drummer Jim White, co-leader of the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, and CJRO favorite, Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield on vocals.