Denver Jazz, a 501 (c) (3) Colorado nonprofit corporation is about to set sail on their second annual Denver Jazz Fest scheduled from April 7-12, 2026, in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) and the 100th birthdays of jazz legends Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The preeminent jazz festival in the heart of Colorado expands from four to six days and will engage the front range community in upwards of 40 shows in 15 venues through diverse, inclusive regional, national, and international performances and educational programs in Denver and Boulder counties. Among the headliners set to perform are Branford Marsalis, Unlimited Miles: Miles @ 100, Bob James, Ingrid Jensen, Rodney Whitaker, Orrin Evans, Keith Oxman, Hazel Miller, NEA Jazz Master Carmen Lundy, José James, Fred Hersch, Hugh Ragin and Rico Jones, Keith Oxman, Eric Gunnison, Dominic Lalli among other celebrated artists.
Special Offer for UpDoNA members
Denver JazzFest is promoting the Ingrid Jensen Quartet and Rodney Whitaker All-Stars to UpDoNA members with $10 discounts on the late shows on April 8th & 11th. Use discount code UpDoNA10 when you reserve your tickets at https://denverjazz.org/tickets/
Rodney Whitaker All-Stars Play the Music of Gregg Hill
The Rodney Whitaker All-Stars will have two performances at Dazzle on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 6:00 pm & 8:30 pm. UpDoNA Members can get a $10 discount on tickets for the 8:30 PM show.
World-renowned bassist and Michigan State University Director of Jazz Studies, Rodney Whitaker leads a powerhouse ensemble featuring Michael Dease, Randy Napoleon, Rico Jones, Dawn Clement, and Jim White through the evocative and idiosyncratic repertoire of composer Gregg Hill. This performance celebrates one of the most fruitful partnerships in contemporary jazz — a collaboration that has yielded four critically acclaimed albums, including the latest masterpiece, Mosaic.
Whitaker, an alumnus of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, is renowned for his bear-sized tone and an uncanny ability to anchor an ensemble with both ferocious swing and melodic grace. In this special concert, Whitaker turns his formidable talents to the music of his longtime friend and associate, Gregg Hill, a composer whose work defies simple categorization.
Hill’s music is a vivid sonic map of the Michigan landscape, blending the gritty, soulful grooves of urban Detroit with the expansive, pensive beauty of the rural countryside. Hill’s compositions are celebrated for their “complex melodies and unconventional writing” (DownBeat), providing the perfect canvas for Whitaker’s legendary improvisational prowess.
“A towering figure in jazz bass performance. . . .” —All About Jazz
Click here to view a video of one of their performances https://youtu.be/WRCp1s3UaS8?si=SBvt6_H0DBB07Yd8
Ingrid Jensen Quartet
Ingrid Jensen Quartet will have two performances at Dazzle on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. UpDoNA Members can get a $10 discount on tickets for the 9:30 PM show.
“[Jensen has] abundant technical facility, a wildly imaginative approach to improvisation, and a lustrous, deeply nuanced tone.”—Jazziz
Acclaimed trumpeter Ingrid Jensen brings her luminous tone and fearless improvisation to the Denver Jazz Fest! A cornerstone of the modern jazz scene and a featured member of the supergroup Artemis, Jensen leads a quartet that seamlessly balances intricate composition with explosive, searching freedom.
This appearance celebrates Jensen’s brand-new album, Landings, released this past February on Newvelle Records.
Recorded with a powerhouse ensemble featuring Gary Versace on organ and Jon Wikan on drums (they’ll be joined at the show at Dazzle by bassist Amina Scott), the record marks a new chapter in Jensen’s career. From the zero-to-60 energy of the opening tracks to atmospheric, noir-ish ballads, the music highlights Jensen’s mastery of both acoustic warmth and subtle electronic textures.
Click here to view a video of one of their performances https://youtu.be/RWb63PNF1nc?si=ckpw-3lWZQtbPdi6
Photo and logo attribution: Denver JazzFest
