Critic's Notebook

When Swiss pianist Nik Bärtsch formed his Zen-funk group Ronin in 2001, his vision was to create the maximum effect by minimal means.

Some first concerts are addicting.

Ethan Iverson and Mark Turner’s first duo album, Temporary Kings is esoteric, spacious, and rooted in chamber jazz.

When Kissing Party started, most of its members had never played in a band.

For Sophie Allison, it all starts with the guitar. The singer-songwriter, who performs with a band as Soccer Mommy, was playing the instrument by kindergarten.

DJ Chonz talks about his new foundation that will give mentoring and financial assistance to youth interested in working in the music industry in Denver.

Denver rapper Jelie has released a new EP titled H Virus, which chronicles the struggles of being a black woman, rapper, producer, and sound engineer.

Instrumental metal duo Ten Foot Beast makes minimalistic music and writes instrumental songs with growling guitars and bruising drums.

Lela Roy of Oxeye Daisy talks about her band’s self-titled debut album and rising as a Denver pop musician.

Joseph Lamar discovered that sometimes audiences show up at the last minute.

Whether through his music or through his veggies, urban organic farmer and metal musician Benton McKibben always has his sights set on sustainability.

The seventeen-year-old south Florida hip-hop artist comes to Denver on September 28.

The band will play the hi-dive on August 17, 2018.

Readers wonder why Chris Walker focused on the marijuana rather than the music.

The five-decade-old soul band Tower of Power just released its 25th album.

Fifteen years ago, LowDown Brass Band started by paying homage to some of the great New Orleans brass bands. But the act’s fifth album, LowDown Breaks, released in January, is a throwback to early breakbeats and the beginning of hip-hop.

“I can’t say for sure if it was the heat or my nerves.”

This week Denver’s Tom Gershwin Sextet celebrates the release of its new album, Our Season, a series of compositions mirroring both the order and chaos of nature.

Hugo Award-winning writer Jason Heller has written for the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and the Atlantic Monthly. He’s been a Westword contributor for many years and is a familiar face on the Denver music scene, both as a DJ and now in his current band, Weathered Statues. For his…

Primitive Man has been consistently releasing heavy records since forming six years ago, but Caustic, which dropped last year on Relapse, is the local sludge metal trio’s most abrasive to date.

Nick Plumber’s noise band Chaos Ensemble had a wild first concert.

Sarah Martin of Belle and Sebastian talks about the group’s songwriting process and the recording of How to Solve Our Human Problems.