It all beIn its cavalcade of top-flight performers giving their retro spin to songs that have a permanent residency in our brains, the Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) concert is authentically one of a kind. At the risk of dating myself, imagine a hip Lawrence Welk Show line-up with tap dancing and throwback costumes, minus the champagne bubbles and accordionist Myron Floren, in front of a retro backdrop right out of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. gins with an idea.

On the last night of their 2023 "Bye, Bye, Baby" tour, The California Honeydrops gave a stellar performance at the grand Mission Ballroom last Friday. The only glitch in the show was the oddly placed opening act, the Sam Grisman Project, a tightly huddled quartet of acoustic bluegrass players, not the right choice for a packed and noisy crowd ready to dance, groove, and party to a hot horn band.

Flamenco fusion guitarist Jesse Cook had a rocky start to his tour of the Western States three weeks ago. "Yup! It finally got me. I thought I could avoid it, but almost four years after COVID arrived, it finally struck me down this past week," Cook told his social media followers. Coincidentally, the guitarist's latest release is titled Love in the Time of COVID.

Award-winning jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny embarked on a 51-venue, 29-state solo tour supporting his 2023 Dream Box recording. At Denver’s Paramount Theatre, loyal fans lined up early for the sold-out show, and it was elbow-to-elbow for the next two hours in the 1800-seat venue.

Last Saturday, jazz trumpet legend Herb Alpert accompanied Lani Hall, his wife of 50 years, for a sold-out show at the University of Denver's Newman Center, Gates Concert Hall. They've performed together since 2006. Their musical chemistry and shared love were fully displayed at this delightful concert, framed by a back screen showing Alpert's colorful abstract art and videos. "I love to play the horn at these concerts, paint, and sculpt, and I'm married to an angel—what more can I ask for?" declared Alpert. At 88, he's still touring and recording.

Supporting their latest collaboration album, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree (Edition Records, 2023), jazz icon Kurt Elling and guitar maestro Charlie Hunter offered a high-energy performance on October 8th at the Boulder Theater. The incredible duo's band featured Julius Rodriguezon keyboards and Marcus Finnie on drums. Elling and company delivered a crowd-pleasing 90-minute set filled with funky originals, innovative covers, and a few surprises.

It may have been only a Thursday night in Boulder, CO, but Tab Benoit's concert made it feel like we were smack dab in New Orleans on a sultry Saturday evening. Helping create that Mardi Gras vibe was the opening act, The Rumble, featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.. Before they came out, the stage and mic stands were festooned with bayou moss and an eerie skull, placed on the front monitor, facing the crowd.