Five Points Jazz Festival beefs up 2014 offerings

By John Wenzel, The Denver Post

Posted:   05/16/2014 12:01:00 AM MDTAdd a Comment | Updated:   2 days ago

Call it a learning experience.

Last year, Five Points Jazz Festival organizer Niece Washington placed the event's Youth Stage in the 2600 block of Welton Street in the historic Five Points neighborhood.

The only problem: It was too close to one of the city's increasingly-ubiquitous marijuana shops (Denver Kush Club), which raised questions about the appropriateness of location. So for 2014, Washington — who works as special events coordinator for Arts & Venues Denver — moved it along to 27th and California streets.

"We still had vendors in that 2600 block, so we worked with Culture Brigade to program that stage," Washington said. "We've also added some more engaging activities for youth this year, like a video game truck and competition, a pedal plaza with funny bikes and races, a climbing wall and stilt walking."

It's no secret that Denver's historic Five Points neighborhood was once known as the Harlem of the West, given its proclivity for attracting national touring names like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis.

But considering how much the area has changed in recent years, it's also encouraging to see its signature music event reflect the present flavor of the neighborhood as much as the past.

The free event, which returns for its 11th year on May 17, features bumped-up music offerings from 30 different acts on nine stages around Five Points, where Welton Street will be shut down from 26th to 29th streets.

Read more: Five Points Jazz Festival beefs up 2014 offerings - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/music/ci_25778402/five-points-jazz-festival-beefs-up-2014-offerings#ixzz329JXSnPQ
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