Thanks “Neil’s 90th!”
Go to the bottom of this Page to see the pics!
The two of us are extending a very warm thank you and love to everyone who was a part of, and attended NEIL’S NINETIETH! at DAZZLE this Summer.
Additionally, thanks to so many of you who let us know that you tried to get tickets to attend, however the show was sold out!
It was a smashing success that will live on in our hearts forever! At 90 years young, Neil was inspiring us all, by playing 4 sets of music with our 3 bands all night long, and showing no signs of slowing down!!! What really topped it all off was the warm and loving audience of our family, friends, fans, and other professional promoters, and musicians, honoring Neil, digging the music, and cheering Neil on into his next decade! It worked!
Our Very Special thanks to…
Donald Rossa and Matt Ruff: Dazzle owners, and to their entire Dazzle staff. Thanks Dazzle for all that you do, and continue to do, to promote, support, love, and honor Jazz in our community and beyond!
Dazzle entered a golden era of recognition and quality of standard, winning #1 jazz club in Denver every single year between 2003 – 2018 by Westword Magazine. Dazzle was also distinguished as being a part of the “Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World” by Downbeat Magazine numerous times. Check out their website www.dazzledenver.com
Thank you to our Bass player, Ron Bland who played all 4 sets along with Neil, masterfully, till the end of the entire performance! Amazing!
Neil Stories: Thanks to Ron Bland, Andrew Hudson, and Gary Sosias for sharing fantastic Neil Stories filled with hilarious humor, heartfelt sentiments, and wonderful memories!
Thank you to all of our outstanding world class musicians! You played your hearts out, in honor of, and in celebrating Neil’s Ninetieth! at Dazzle…
Neil Bridge Trio
Ron Bland: Bass, Kevin Smith: Drums
Neil Bridge’s Quintessence!
Starring Living Legend, Neil Bridge & Spotlighting Vocalist Karen Lee
Featuring Guitarist Wayne Wilkinson
Ron Bland: Bass, Josh Byers: Drums
Neil Bridge 7+ Spotlighting Vocalist Karen Lee
Featuring Guest Artist Latin Percussionist, Gary Sosias
Jose Madera Legendary Latin Percussionist,
30 Years w/ Tito Puente
Ron Bland: Bass, Andrew Hudson: Bass, Larry L.T Thompson: Drums,
Chuck Schneider: Saxes, Derek Banach: Trumpet,
Chris Walters: Trumpet, Al Hermann: Bone
Thanks to our Volunteer performers...
Pat McNulty: Emceed the entire Neil’s Ninetieth! At Dazzle. 4 hours! So smooth and what a truly polished Professional! Pat is so very multi- talented! He was KADX Radio Program director, and morning drive Jazz in the 80’s. Back then, he invited Neil to educate folks about Jazz through a traveling Jazz Club event! Pat added joy and laughter to Neil’s Ninetieth! at Dazzle and kept it swinging along as he flowed with ease on the mic all night long! Fabulous! Way too much to say about Pat in this e.mail!
Please Check out his website www.patmcnulty.com
Thanks to our volunteer on air hosts and staff from our beloved radio station KUVO Jazz 89.3 FM for introducing each Neil Bridge set…
Susan Gatschet: Production Assistant and Host of Jazz with Susan Gatschet on Stage. On air Host: Jazz with Susan Gatschet. Thanks to beautiful Susan and her Granddaughter Amelia Pillman for their oh so “Sweet and Lovely” introduction to Neil Bridge Trio!
Jack Mudry: On air Host La Nueva Voz over 3 decades, and his wife Silvia Velez: Founder of SIF Language school
(www.siflanguageschool.com)for their beautiful heartfelt tribute and introduction to Neil Bridge’s Quintessence!
Arturo Gomez: Music Director and on air host Jazz with Arturo Gomez, for his fabulous rousing, exciting and enthusiastic introduction to Neil Bridge 7+ featuring Karen Lee!
Carlos Lando: General Manager and Tina Cartagena, Senior Vice President of Radio and New Media: They are the Heartbeats of KUVO Jazz 89.3 FM Radio. Their beautiful presence elevated the level of performance on stage, due to their consistent love, support, respect etc. for jazz music and musicians, through years of dedication to build KUVO Radio. Also their deep respect and recognition for what Neil represents within Denver and Colorado Jazz History as Living Legend!!! Carlos and Tina invited us all to raise a glass, and send Neil aka/El Puente Grande, swinging into his next decade!!!
We love y’all KUVO!!! Visit the KUVO site at www.kuvo.org
Thanks to David Ratner for legal counsel and way beyond! www.creativelawnetwork.com
Thanks to volunteer Kathryn Halpin: So very helpful and loving as stage hand/assistant to Karen Lee.
Thanks to Andy Pilkington: Brilliant work as Web Designer, creative consultant to The Bridges plus more!
Much Gratitude to our Financial Sponsors:
Two “Bridge” Portraits, sponsored by John and Beth Bettridge taken by MaryLynn Gillaspie Photography
Essential Production Needs: Sponsored by John and Beth Bettridge
“Neil’s Ninetieth!” at Dazzle Birthday Cake from “The Market on Larimer”: www.themarketatlarimer.com Sponsored by Sue Ware and Diane Carson
Video/Photos by Collective Culture: www.collective-culture.com
Sponsored by Sue Ware
Thank you to our friend and world class pianist Louis Colaiania: We were so honored to have his presence in the house, and also his volunteering as a possible back up Piano Player for Mr. Bridge if needed! (just in case!!!– but Neil played the whole evening!) We encourage everyone to please check out Louis Colaiania and his performances at www.louismusic.com
Thank you to our friend and renowned Jazz vocalist and photographer: MaryLynn Gillaspie for her brilliant work on our 2 Bridge Portraits, and also the photo taken for the Feb 2019 KUVO Pledge Drive .We were honored to have her presence in the house, and her Bridge Portraits displayed as well as her love and support throughout! Check out MaryLynn’s performances and photography at www.mxvphoto.com
Much gratitude and our love to all who donated to our GO FUND ME project for our new CD recording, a tribute to Neil’s 90th Spotlighting Vocalist Karen Lee. With your help, and so many others, we now are only $850.00 away from achieving our initial $5,000.00 goal by the end of this year. in order to receive a dollar for dollar match by our generous anonymous benefactor of up to 5K! We are planning to record in Spring 2020. To help us reach our goal and to honor Mr. Bridge, you can donate now – Just Google Go Fund Me Neil’s 90th Tribute CD Spotlighting Vocalist Karen Lee!
Thanks to Jon Solomon for a wonderful Bridge interview, followed by his amazing article in Westword magazine, entitled The Good Life.
Check out the Westword article at www.westword.com
To further secure Neil’s legacy, we are happy to announce that we will begin a new project this Fall, filming a documentary about Neil’s life, and the Bridges life together in music and in marriage.
