Salt Lake City jazz series needs your help

Earlier this week I attended the Dee Daniels jazz concert at the Sheraton City Center.

It was a wonderful show. The award-winning Daniels sang her heart out, and her trio — drummer Greg Williamson, upright bassist Russ Botten and pianist Tony Forster — were at the top of their game.

The show was filled with amazing vocal control, musical improvisation and high energy.

It broke my heart that there weren't more people in the audience.

I mean, this was Dee Daniels, for heaven's sake.

When the Jazz at the Sheraton started some 15 years ago, the hotel wasn't the Sheraton but the Hilton. And the series was called Jazz at the Hilton.

Since its humble beginnings, the series has featured the likes of Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Toots Thielemans, Joshua Redman, Stanley Turrentine, Clark Terry, George Shearing, Dave Brubeck and Michael Brecker.

There were also those who are no long with us — Gene Harris, Ray Brown and Milt Jackson, to name three. Harris and Brown came back time and again. And I'm sure Jackson would have, if he hadn't passed away before the series producers, the GAM Foundation, could ask him.

Anyway, the Jazz at the Sheraton series is a great addition to the Salt Lake City music scene.

The shows are simple — just a stage and the band. The musicians let their craft speak (or should I say, sing) for itself.

Individual tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.jazzslc.com. There are season tickets available as well.

In years past, an abundance of University of Utah students taking the survey of jazz class attended the concert. But those numbers have dwindled, even though discount tickets have been given to the class, according to the GAM Foundation, which rides on a shoestring budget as it is.

If this series dies, it will be tragic for the Salt Lake community.

Where else can an audience old and young come together for some great award-winning jazz musicians and performers in an intimate setting for a fraction of the cost if you saw them at Carnegie Hall or the Kennedy Center?

In addition, the musicians who perform at the series hold free workshops and classes while they're here.

And, did I mention that the series is produced by a nonprofit organization? Well, it is. And producing the shows isn't cheap.

The GAM Foundation — founded by Gordon Hanks, Amanda Lufkin and Michael T. Mackay — has given so much to the community. It has produced more than 200 concerts to date. It has contributed money to middle school, high school and university music programs. And it has sponsored jazz concerts at the Salt Lake Valley Youth Detention Center.

And on a side note, Hanks was instrumental in bringing the jazz super band Return to Forever — keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al de Meola and drummer Lenny White — back together.

Sure I can write about this series until my fingers go numb and turn blue, but that alone won't do any good.

C'mon people. Let's keep this series alive!

Log on to www.jazzslc.com and see how you can help.

e-mail: scott@desnews.com