We are delighted to welcome organist Akiko Tsuruga, drummer Jeff Hamilton and guitarist Steve Kovalcheck back to the Nocturne stage for two very special nights of world-class jazz.

Raised in Osaka, Japan, Akiko Tsuruga began studying the organ at the age of three, at the famed Yamaha Music School. After discovering her passion for jazz, Akiko launched her career immediately after graduating from the Osaka College of Music.  Since moving to New York, Akiko Tsuruga has been a regular on the jazz scene as a B3 player since her arrival in 2001. Almost immediately, she began working with artists like Jimmy Cobb, Frank Hess, and Lou Donaldson (whose quartet she joined in 2007). As a bandleader, Akiko has ten albums to her credit both the U.S. and Japan. Her albums have constantly placed in the top ten on the National Radio Jazz Chart. Akiko also received the “Swing Journal Rising Star Award” (Japan) in 2010, Hot House Magazine (NYC) Best Organist’ in 2017, and the DOWNBEAT Magazine Critics Poll 2020 Rising Star Organ.  Akiko’s newest project is an all-star trio featuring iconic drummer Jeff Hamilton and Colorado based guitarist Steve Kovalcheck. This thrilling trio has been touring around the US and Europe to great reviews.

Jeff Hamilton - influenced by his parents big band records at a young age, was inspired to at age eight to begin playing drums to the records of the great Oscar Peterson. Today he is featured with some of the top names in jazz and pop on more than 200 recordings, 22 of which received Grammy® nominations. He also performs and records frequently with his own trio and as co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. His own albums include the recently released Great American Songs: Through the Years, and earlier efforts Symbiosis, and Red Sparkle. Additionally, he teaches, arranges and composes. Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, “Philly” Joe Jones, and Shelly Manne were important influences. Early engagements included the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Lionel Hampton’s Band before joining the Monty Alexander Trio in 1975 with bassist John Clayton. From 1983 to 1987, he performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie & His Orchestra, and Rosemary Clooney. Prior to forming his own trio in 1995, Jeff played with the Ray Brown Trio. The Los Angeles Jazz Society named Jeff Musician of the Year, and he was recently voted #1 Jazz Drummer in Modern Drummer Magazine’s reader’s poll. 

Colorado based jazz guitarist/composer Steve Kovalcheck holds a B.M. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a M.M. From the University of Northern Colorado, where he currently teaches jazz improvisation, jazz history, directs jazz ensembles and leads the jazz guitar ensemble. His professional experience includes recording and touring with Columbia recording artist Robinella and the C.C. String Band. Kovalcheck has performed with artists including Victor Krauss, The “New York Voices,” The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Symphony, The Nashville Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Coffin, Tommy Sims, Blue Note Recording Artist Carrie Rodriguez, The Dana Landry Quartet, and many more. Steve's newest musical collaboration is an all-star trio featuring iconic drummer Jeff Hamilton and NYC organist Akiko Tsuruga.

Show Times:

Set One: 6:30 - 7:45pm 

Set Two: 8:45 - 10:00pm

Important Notes and Reservation Information:

- Floor seats are reserved for Dinner and a Show Reservations (Music & Three Course Dinner Included)

- Reserved Bar Seats are $29 per guest and include music. Bar guests have access to the entire dinner menu as well as our wine & cocktail list.

- If availability permits, we do allow walk-in guests. Walk-in guests will have a music charge of $30 per person applied to their check on weeknights.

We respectfully request that guests limit their visits to one set only at this time

We are delighted to welcome organist Akiko Tsuruga, drummer Jeff Hamilton and guitarist Steve Kovalcheck back to the Nocturne stage for two very special nights of world-class jazz.

Raised in Osaka, Japan, Akiko Tsuruga began studying the organ at the age of three, at the famed Yamaha Music School. After discovering her passion for jazz, Akiko launched her career immediately after graduating from the Osaka College of Music.  Since moving to New York, Akiko Tsuruga has been a regular on the jazz scene as a B3 player since her arrival in 2001. Almost immediately, she began working with artists like Jimmy Cobb, Frank Hess, and Lou Donaldson (whose quartet she joined in 2007). As a bandleader, Akiko has ten albums to her credit both the U.S. and Japan. Her albums have constantly placed in the top ten on the National Radio Jazz Chart. Akiko also received the “Swing Journal Rising Star Award” (Japan) in 2010, Hot House Magazine (NYC) Best Organist’ in 2017, and the DOWNBEAT Magazine Critics Poll 2020 Rising Star Organ.  Akiko’s newest project is an all-star trio featuring iconic drummer Jeff Hamilton and Colorado based guitarist Steve Kovalcheck. This thrilling trio has been touring around the US and Europe to great reviews.

Jeff Hamilton - influenced by his parents big band records at a young age, was inspired to at age eight to begin playing drums to the records of the great Oscar Peterson. Today he is featured with some of the top names in jazz and pop on more than 200 recordings, 22 of which received Grammy® nominations. He also performs and records frequently with his own trio and as co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. His own albums include the recently released Great American Songs: Through the Years, and earlier efforts Symbiosis, and Red Sparkle. Additionally, he teaches, arranges and composes. Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, “Philly” Joe Jones, and Shelly Manne were important influences. Early engagements included the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Lionel Hampton’s Band before joining the Monty Alexander Trio in 1975 with bassist John Clayton. From 1983 to 1987, he performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie & His Orchestra, and Rosemary Clooney. Prior to forming his own trio in 1995, Jeff played with the Ray Brown Trio. The Los Angeles Jazz Society named Jeff Musician of the Year, and he was recently voted #1 Jazz Drummer in Modern Drummer Magazine’s reader’s poll. 

Colorado based jazz guitarist/composer Steve Kovalcheck holds a B.M. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a M.M. From the University of Northern Colorado, where he currently teaches jazz improvisation, jazz history, directs jazz ensembles and leads the jazz guitar ensemble. His professional experience includes recording and touring with Columbia recording artist Robinella and the C.C. String Band. Kovalcheck has performed with artists including Victor Krauss, The “New York Voices,” The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Symphony, The Nashville Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Coffin, Tommy Sims, Blue Note Recording Artist Carrie Rodriguez, The Dana Landry Quartet, and many more. Steve's newest musical collaboration is an all-star trio featuring iconic drummer Jeff Hamilton and NYC organist Akiko Tsuruga.

Show Times:

Set One: 6:30 - 7:45pm 

Set Two: 8:45 - 10:00pm

Important Notes and Reservation Information:

- Floor seats are reserved for Dinner and a Show Reservations (Music & Three Course Dinner Included)

- Reserved Bar Seats are $29 per guest and include music. Bar guests have access to the entire dinner menu as well as our wine & cocktail list.

- If availability permits, we do allow walk-in guests. Walk-in guests will have a music charge of $30 per person applied to their check on weeknights.

We respectfully request that guests limit their visits to one set only at this time

This night features original music by composer/saxophonist Wil Swindler alongside modern interpretations/arrangements of standard Jazz material.  This quartet is made up of a special group of musicians that have played together on countless projects over the years. The music is composed and performed with a pervasive sense of aesthetic beauty and attention to detail, and is driven by respect for the tradition of Jazz music and its relevance to modern audiences.  Connection across the musicians in the band extending to the listeners is the stated goal of these shows. Personnel: Ben Markley - piano, Seth Lewis - bass, Dru Heller - drums

Wil Swindler is a saxophonist, composer, and winner of the 2008 Gil Evans Fellowship, and educator based in the Denver Front Range area. Mr. Swindler holds a B.M. from the University of North Texas and has received commissions from West Point's Jazz Knights, The USAF Falconaires, Denver University, Colorado State University. As a performer, he has played with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Cuong Vu, John Fedchock, Steve Wilson, Bill Warfield, Greg Gisbert, and many others. Wil Swindler is on the music faculty at Colorado State University as Associate Director of Jazz Studies

Friday Show Times:

Set One: 6:30 - 7:45pm

Set Two: 9:00 - 10:30pm

Important Notes and Reservation Information:

- Due to high demand, we encourage guests to book well in advance on Friday and Saturday evenings

- Floor seats are reserved for Dinner and a Show Reservations (Music and Three Course Included)

- Reserved Bar Seats are $29 per guest and include music. Bar guests can order from our entire dinner menu as well as our wine & cocktail list.

- If availability permits, we do allow walk-in guests. Walk-in guests will have a charge of $30 per person applied to their check on Fridays and Saturdays

- We respectfully request that guests limit their visits to one set only at this time

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Saturday nights in March, the Derek Banach Quintet presents a night of "Straight-Ahead Modern Jazz Compositions" with a focus on harmonic sophistication and beauty. The band will feature compositions by Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland, Cedar Walton, Kenny Garrett, Woody Shaw and more. Special guests for this series include Keith Oxman, David Bernot, Tom Amend, Ron Bland and Todd Reid.

Colorado native Derek Banach has performed professionally for 30 years in a variety of settings from Jazz to Hip-Hop, Salsa, Classical, and Reggae. His roots are firmly set in the Hard-Bop stylings of 60's period icons such as Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw. Derek's quintet album, "Tugende" displays his composing talents and personal approach to trumpet playing. He has recorded with Italian producer Nicola Conte, Quintetto X, Paul Mulliken and has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Richie Cole, Joe Bonner and Ron Miles.

Saturday Show Times:

Set One: 6:30 - 7:45pm

Set Two: 9:00 - 10:30pm

Important Notes and Reservation Information:

- Due to high demand, we encourage guests to book well in advance on Friday and Saturday evenings

- Floor seats are reserved for Dinner and a Show Reservations (Music and Three Course Included)

- Reserved Bar Seats are $29 per guest and include music. Bar guests can order from our entire dinner menu as well as our wine & cocktail list.

- If availability permits, we do allow walk-in guests. Walk-in guests will have a charge of $30 per person applied to their check on Fridays and Saturdays

- We respectfully request that guests limit their visits to one set only at this time

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This special set of shows are inspired by the album "Rome" by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi. Rome is a "soundtrack without a movie" with music that draws heavily on the whimsical styles of the Spaghetti Western films from the 1960's ( the more famous having been directed by Segio Leone and Sergio Corbucci, and scored by Ennio Morricone). Twangy electric guitar, mournful nylon string guitar, epic haunting vocals, groovy beats and all the trappings of this evocative orchestration and unique sound.  Supplementing the works from Rome, the quintet will also perform selections from Ennio Morricone scores from the original films.  Featured personnel: Patrick Lee (piano), Julia Mendiolea (bass), Tania Katz Sinon (vox), Braxton Kahn (drums)

Hailed as “Denver’s Guitar Guru” by Westword Magazine, guitarist, composer, and educator Dave Devine is known for his virtuosity as a performer, dramatic versatility as an artist. Devine’s recording projects have ranged from experimental jazz (momen terra, Static Trio) and chamber pop (Greybird, Delby L), to jazz metal (Hate Camels), ambient (Mountain Coast), and art rock (DOORS THAT DON’T)./  Devine has also recorded/performed with Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band (Body and Shadow, Blue Note), John Grant and the Czars (Sorry I Made You Cry, Bella Union) Art Lande, The Barr Brothers, Chuck Prophet, Marc Broussard, Elliott Sharp, Ron Miles, Matt Wilson, Ben Goldberg, and Neil Halstead among others. In addition to his renowned work on stage, Devine is also an educator at heart and is the Co-Director of the Jazz and American Improvised Music program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he has taught since 2002.

Sunday Show Times:   Show 1: 6:30-7:45pm   |   Show 2: 8:45-10:00pm

Important Notes and Reservation Information:

- Floor seats are reserved for Dinner and a Show Reservations (Music & Three Course Dinner Included)

- Reserved Bar Seats are $19 per guest and include music. Bar guests can order from our entire dinner menu as well as our wine & cocktail list.

- If availability permits, we do allow walk-in guests. Walk-in guests will have a music charge of $20 per person applied to their check on weeknights.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS