Event Information
Denver Vintage Jazz Festival is THREE days of world-class music held in the Mile-High City of Denver, Colorado and expecting a record crowd of over 600 dancers and listeners.
This early-era throwback party appeal is unrivaled in Denver located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Our one-of-a-kind Vintage festival focuses primarily on vintage jazz and blues of the 1930’s & 1940’s. Each venue features a spacious dance floor, and there are swing dance classes available for all levels of dancers from internationally renowned instructors during the daytime hours through our sister event Lindy on the Rocks.
We mix in locals along with top name bands, to help bolster the local music economy, and employ/educate local musicians on playing this style of music.
Event Gallery
Tickets now available!
This event is run concurrently with Lindy on the Rocks, and the Hot Night Fusion Weekend, two events focused on dance. An All Access Pass will include dance workshops in swing, blues, tango, and street dance. The All Access Pass ranges from $139-$239 for the full weekend and it is a Fusion Class pay-what-you-can community support system. Your All Access Pass includes all Denver Jazz Festival sessions.
The All Music and Dances Pass will include all music sessions and dances, but WILL NOT include dance classes. The All Music and Dances Pass will be $120 starting July 1st.
Buy All-Access or Music Only Passes starting at $120!
This event is produced by Denver based non-profit CMDance.
Individual Evening Tickets are now on sale through the Studio Loft's AXS system (not on eventbrite)
Friday $30 - Buy Friday Night Tickets
Saturday $35 - Buy Saturday Night Tickets
Sunday $25 - Buy Sunday Night Tickets
**Taxes and fees apply, purchasing at the door will incur an additional $5 fee. So buy your ticket earlier instead of at the door!
2019 Featured Bands and All-Star Artists:
Jonathan Stout & His Campus 5 ft. Hilary Alexandra
The Campus Five is the nation’s premier swing dance band. Showcasing the small-group sound of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, the Campus Five is the most danceable swing band anywhere. The 7-piece Campus Five captures the true sound of the Swing-era, with all the energy and excitement that inspired millions to dance. Influences include the Benny Goodman Sextet, Artie Shaw's Grammercy Five, Count Basie's Kansas City Six, and the Harlem-based small groups of Illinois Jacquet, Cootie Williams, Coleman Hawkins, and Hot Lips Page.
Both founders (Hilary and Jonathan) have been dedicated Swing dancers for over 20 years, and the relationship between Swing music and Swing dance informs all aspects of the Campus Five. Song selection, tempo, song length and feel are all chosen with danceability in mind. The Campus Five’s three albums, “Jammin’ the Blues”, “Crazy Rhythm”, and “Moppin’ and Boppin’”, are favorites of Swing DJs and Swing Dance Instructors all over the globe. The Campus Five have been featured at many of the premier Swing dance events around the world, and are known for their unparalleled competition music, which inspires dancers to new heights.
The Campus Five has been featured on ABC's "The Bachelorette" (2016), and on Warner Brothers TV's "Ellen" (2004).
Photo Credit: J.S. Almonte
Jonathan Stout and his Rugcutters feat. Hilary Alexander
The newest band from Jonathan and Hilary, the Rugcutters are a 9pc band built on the same frame as the Campus Five, but built to take advantage of having 4 horns. The 4 horn format can function as normal small-group swing band, but it can also function more like a small big band, with independent reed and brass sections.
The repertoire starts with tunes that had been on the Campus Five's "To-Do" list for years, but just couldn't satisfactorily be scaled down to two horns, and also includes updated versions of some of the Campus Five's classic tunes that were rearranged to utilize the additional textures possible in a bigger band.
Making it's debut at the International Lindy Hop Championships in 2018, the Rugcutters features the same unmatched danceability as the Campus Five but with a bigger palette of tonal colors to draw from.
The Candy Jackets Jazz Band
The Candy Jackets Jazz Band is comprised of some of the best swing practitioners in the United States. Since forming in 2016, they have successfully forged their own path through the modern day "vintage" jazz scene.The group, led by composer/arranger/drummer - Josh Collazo, prides itself on performing original compositions in a style that is reminiscent of the famous jazz & swing artists of the 1930's & 1940's. Tight arrangements, clever hooks, and a heavy dose of swing allows the bands signature sound to shine brightly through. No carbon copies here though - just solid playing filled with musicality, skill, respect, and deep knowledge of jazz history to build upon. Thanks to a loyal fan base, The Candy Jacket Jazz Band has had the pleasure of performing at many national events, such as Lindy Focus, The International Lindy Hop Championships, DCLX, and The Redwood Coast Music Festival. A few highlights include headlining at The Wiltern Theater (LA), Swingin' at the Savoy (SF), and The 2017 San Diego Jazz Festival.
Count Basie Tribute Big Band
Gabe Mervine, Denver local trumpet player, has brought together a special 17 piece orchestra for our festival. They will be playing classic jazz tunes with a special tribute to Count Basie. This one time show is a must see, and showcases many local Denver jazz artists.
Denver Jazz Youth All Stars
The Denver Jazz Club Youth All-Stars were created in 2009 by retired public school music educator Dr. Ed Cannava. Ed was the 22 year Director of Arapahoe High School’s three time Downbeat award-winning Dry Creek Dixie Dawgs.
The All-Stars perform during breaks of the professional bands at each Denver Jazz Club monthly session. The band has been featured with many professional musicians including Bob Draga, Eddie Erickson, Duke Heitger, Dan Levinson, Kris Tokarski, Randy Sandke, Jim Fryer, Bria Skonberg, Eddie Metz, Jr., Dr. Bach and the Jazz Practitioners, the 101st Colorado Army Dixieland Band, the Summit Hot Seven, the Big Mama Sue Quartet, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Your Fathers Mustache Band, the Treme Brass Band, the Crescent Katz, Bob Schulz and the Frisco Jazz Band, the Au Brothers Jazz Band, the Blue Street Jazz Band, the Queen City Jazz Band, and Kristy Reed’s Valley Finest.
Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House
1400 Curtis St. Denver, CO 80202
The Studio Loft is an 8,000 sq ft performance, rehearsal and event space with a cathedral ceiling, exposed brick, warm-colored walls, a 3,000sf wood dance floor. The Studio Loft is located in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Venue has ample dance space, limited seating, and a bar for you to enjoy the music each evening.
Galleria @ Denver Center for Performing Arts
11301 13th Street, Denver, CO 80202
The Denver Center for Performing Arts Complex has ample space, fine dining, and of course art and music. Afternoon sessions will be held outdoors in between the Galleria theater and the Ellie Caulkins Opera house. There will be limited seating, a dance floor, a bar, and ample jazz for your afternoon.
The Denver Jazz Festival is brought to you by Community-Minded Dance, best known in the Denver area as CMDance.
We rely on our loyal sponsors, partners and our incredible dancers from all over the world to keep our organization intact. With your support we are able to fulfill our mission of building healthy, thriving communities through world-class arts education programs that bring the global culture of both solo and partnered vernacular dancing to Colorado youth and adults.
We encourage your support of cmDance through The Denver Jazz Festival. We sincerely hope you will make a commitment to partner with us in sponsorship of this event which not only strengthens our relationship but will surely add the success of your organization.
Thank you to our loyal sponsors* for over 15 years!
Westerra Credit Union
ZoZo Group
Hawley Family Foundation
William Marcus
Carol Morris
Jeffrey Brenman
Ann Ehli
Lynn Herrington
Phelps Family Foundation
Burgess Trust
Denver Foundation
Colorado Creative Industries
100s of Colorado Gives Day Donors
*This list is not all inclusive, as we have numerous anonymous sponsors!
Download our Full Schedule for all three festivals that run in conjunction with each other.
All Blue colored boxes are live music through Denver Jazz Festival
All Pink boxes are DJ’d music included in your ticket
All Green boxes are Classes through Lindy on the Rocks & Hot Night Fusion Weekend (only Friday night’s beginner class is included in your ticket, everything else is additional)
Schedule Subject to Change
Friday
7:00pm Doors Open to Studio Loft
7:30-8:30pm Drop-in Beginner Swing Lesson
8:30pm Jonathan Stout & His Campus 5 ft. Hilary Alexander
Saturday
7:30pm Doors Open to Studio Loft
8:00-8:30pm Battle on the Rocks Performance
8:30pm Jonathan Stout & His Rhythmbusters
Sunday
4:30pm Denver Jazz Youth All Stars (location - Galleria)
5:45pm Count Basie Tribute Big Band (location - Galleria)
8:30pm Doors Open to Studio Loft
9:00pm The Candy Jackets