Celebrating more than six decades of playing traditional jazz in Colorado, the Queen City Jazz Band (QCJB) can boast not only of its longevity, but also of its dedication to keeping jazz music alive and well in Colorado. The band stays engaged by educating young people about the improvisational nature of the genre and stimulating their musical creativity.
The QCJB plays a variety of jazz based in New Orleans, swing, and traditional styles, recreating the music of greats like Louis Armstrong, Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, and Bessie Smith. For its first 25 years, QCJB was a “saloon band,” playing in bars and restaurants. Drawing on singer Wende Harston’s gospel background, they brought their music into churches and created a special gospel service to the delight of congregants. The ensemble also plays weddings, special events and private parties. They are in high demand for Roaring ’20s, Mardi Gras, Jazz Age or Ragtime themed gigs.
“The band established a foundation in 1997 to provide matching funds to schools that would engage them for assemblies.”
Bringing Jazz to a New Generation
The jazz band has found a second home on stage at the Mercury Café in Denver where they draw a young crowd of swing dancers eager to show their moves. QCJB performs at this funky, creative hub the second Sunday of every month preceded by dance lessons to enhance the experience.
“We want to attract more young people, and the Mercury Café is a great ‘counterculture’ venue,” says tuba player and longtime member Bill Clark. “The younger folks really appreciate hearing real jazz and dancing to the standards, and we get a lot of energy from them.”
On a Mission to Educate
The QCJB holds the distinction of being the only band to perform at the Evergreen Jazz Festival (EJF) every year since its start in 1999.
“A significant component of the jazz festival are the full-day music clinics that engage youngsters in learning more about jazz composition and performance,” says Clark, a retired associate professor of music at the University of Colorado Denver. “I appreciate working with the members of the EJF Education Committee to help organize and direct this longstanding educational project.”
QCJB members are often invited to bring music education into the schools. The band established a foundation in 1997 to provide matching funds to schools that would engage them for assemblies. “Our presentations begin with the roots of jazz and blues born of diverse cultures in New Orleans,” said Clark. “We talk about how that early music influenced the music we listen to today. Students also learn about how our instruments work, and the benefits of collaborating with other musicians.” QCJB school presentations have impacted thousands of kindergarten through sixth-grade students.
An Influencer on the Jazz Circuit
The QCJB has helped proliferate the jazz movement on a local, national and international level, participating in prominent festivals throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe. They’ve performed in Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland, as well as in the Canadian jazz strongholds of Victoria, British Columbia and Toronto. The band has played with the legendary Cab Calloway, been “on the bill” with jazz royalty including Dave Brubeck, and spent three days with the late Bob Newhart touring Colorado.
You can catch QCJB performances at the Mercury Café the second Sunday of each month. To view their full performance schedule and inquire about bookings, go to queencityjazzband.com
Note: Special thanks to Linda Kirkpatrick.
