You know what they say – feed a man for a day and he’ll give you ManyColors performing their annual J Dilla tribute at Dazzle!
As another year rolls by, we are presented with one of Denver’s most cherished jazz traditions, the annual tribute to iconic hip-hop producer, J Dilla, performed by ManyColors. Each year the band finds new ways to keep the tradition fresh, with new sit-ins, new orchestrations, new compositions, re-harmonizations of original tracks, and even newly created original material inspired by the legend himself.
This year was no different, as the band introduced a new composition inspired by the Slum Village classic “Eyes Up,” which featured a more funk driven melodic cadence and a rare vocal inclusion with the members swelling a chant of “Eyes Up”, paying tribute to the original and punctuating each of the fierce solos with a rousing rally. The band also presented a new song in the form of “Ready,” which featured some exemplary rhyming from friend of the band, the Brookyln-based Lars Viola. His original verses over the ManyColors composition is a testament to the band’s ability to breathe their own life into the source material, and Lars’ vocals helped compliment the style in true hip-hop fashion. J Dilla was the king of beats, and as tribute, ManyColors fully delivers on that legacy as less an imitation, but more an inspired evolution of what the sound could be through a different musical lens.
The classic elements that make up ManyColors were also on full display. Beautiful re-harmonization compositions by front-man Brant Williams, spearheaded by his deliberate guitar licks and fluttery solos that wind up the tunes into their peaks and lull them into their flowery valleys. There were jaw dropping solos from bassist Kirwan Brown that are played with such focus they feel as though the entire room (band included) stops to absorb, especially during “Time: Donut Of The Heart”. Keyboardist Eric Luba took his time on the keys and dazzled (no pun intended) with his impeccably apropos tone and sharply complimentary chord phrasing, driving compositions seemingly effortlessly, or even kicking them off such as the solo at the beginning of “Climax”. And of course, the back bone of the sound, the masterful drum work of Braxton Kahn controlled the dynamics with a swagger that bleeds through every snare hit and booming kick of the bass drum. His solo at the end of “Lightworks” was the proverbial exclamation mark to an already phenomenal set. ManyColors is a musical stew that cooks and simmers with the rich flavor of all of its ingredients.
The beauty of ManyColors is the palette they paint from. They create a musical spectrum rich with melodic opulence and nuanced with all of the characteristics that made Dilla unique. Their tribute has come so far from its first show in 2019, especially considering that first tribute is what led to the actual creation of the band. Since then, it has led to original material that stands on its own and rightfully so. ManyColors is more than a jazz band. They do more than construct beats – They are curators of atmospheric musical worlds that fit into a paradoxical place that is both new and nostalgic. ManyColors is the name of the game.
ManyColors | 2025-02-08 | Dazzle, Denver, CO
-= One Set =-
01. (Intro)
02. Fuck The Police[1]
03. Time: The Donut Of The Heart[1]
04. Eyes Up
05. King Kai
06. Intro >
07. E=MC^2
08. Look Of Love >
09. Rico Suave Bossa Nova
10. The Healer >
11. J Dilla The Greatest
12. (Banter)
13. Untitled >
14. D.G.A.
15. (Banter II)
16. Climax >
17. Lightworks
-= Encore =-
18. (Band Introductions / Encore Banter)
19. Ready[2]
Show Notes: This show was a part of the band’s annual J Dilla Tribute at Dazzle. This was the early show. [1] “Fuck The Police” and “Time: The Donut Of The Heart” contained “Fall In Love” (Slum Village) teases. [2] “Ready” featured Lars Viola on vocals and was a ManyColors debut perforamnce.
Taper Notes: Mics were setup DFC onstage raised around 2′ in a DIN formation. Thanks to FOH Colten Mendelson for the mix and patch!
Thank you to ManyColors and Dazzle for being cool with taping/sharing shows. Go see live music and tip your waitstaff! #spacetapes
ARCHIVE LINK: https://archive.org/details/MC2025-02-08.CA14.omnis.onstage.SBD.Matrix.Flac16
