Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra: Golden Lady
Colorado Jazz

As if there weren't already enough reasons to visit Colorado to experience its stunning river canyons, parks, and Rocky Mountains, here's the fabulous Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra (CJRO) to give you another. Golden Lady, its fourth album release since 2017, is a dynamic showcase for instrumentalists and singers alike, from its robust horns, saxes, and rhythm section to its vocal powerhouse Tatiana Lady May Mayfield. In truth, there's as much soul and R&B as there is jazz in the album's ten performances, but the set's all the more engaging for venturing into multiple stylistic zones. The overall tone is joyful, and why wouldn't it be when the group's playing offers such cause for celebration.

The album title comes from its second track, a mash-up of Stevie Wonder's “Golden Lady” and Jill Scott's “Golden,” arranged like many of the pieces by the CJRO's Artistic Director Drew Zaremba (also credited with organ, tenor saxophone, and alto flute contributions). Consistent with that, Golden Lady was mindfully curated by Zaremba and Mayfield to highlight influential Black women artists and to that end includes treatments of “It's Whatever,” from Aaliyah's 2001 self-titled album (aka The Red Album), and “Living All Alone,” which appears on the 1986 album of the same name by Phyllis Hyman. Golden Lady highlights other artists too, with “Tundra” by the terrific Denver-based composer-pianist Annie Booth preceding a funky take on Hal David and Burt Bacharach's “You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart).”

A few pieces come from CJRO members, with Zach Rich (trombone), Jared Cathey (tenor saxophone, flute), and Mayfield contributing, respectively, “Side Step,” “Red Cedar Road,” and “Metamorphosis” to the release and Remy Le Boeuf playing flute on his own “Dreamcatcher.” Much of the outfit's business is handled in-house, incidentally, with its 2012 founder Art Bouton (alto saxophone, flute) its Executive Director and Allison Young (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet) handling the Marketing & Communications side. Musicianship is at a high level, with the ensemble comprising many of the Colorado area's finest musicians. With Zaremba at the helm, the group comprises seven woodwinds, nine horns, and a six-member rhythm section. Powering the band are drummer Matt Campbell, percussionist Christian Teele, and bassist Patrick McDevitt, the latter a long-time Booth associate. Fleshing out the CJRO's vibrant soul-jazz fusion are guitarist Mike Abbott, keyboardist Eric Gunnison, and vocalists JoFoKe Keel, Brionne Aigné, and Dax-Oliver Singleton, who complement and support Mayfield's leads.

The album opens strongly with “Hold Tight,” the tune by guest tenor saxophonist Bob Reynolds and featuring a towering solo by the Snarky Puppy member. Following a “Thriller”-styled introductory flourish, the performance settles into a high-energy sampling of the orchestra's deft blend of hard-grooving funk and big band jazz. With the vocalists cooing, “Golden / Golden Lady” adds R&B and soul to the mix, and Mayfield shows why she's such a delectable addition to the band. The sultry splendour of which the CJRO's capable is resoundingly captured in Rich's “Side Step,” the performance enhanced by tinges of gospel and hip-hop that seep in and a tasty trombone solo from the composer. Instrumental chops are also on full display in Cathey's “Red Cedar Road” when the composer on tenor sax trades blazing solos with trumpeter Jonathan Powell.Le Boeuf's “Dreamcatcher" appeals for its soulful swoon and alluring vocal turns, not to mention his own lovely flute contribution.

August 2025