Smooth Jazz Benefit Concert

The Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber is celebrating both Hispanic Heritage Month and Arts Month 2021 by hosting a Smooth Jazz Benefit Concert featuring jazz guitarist Ken Navarro and jazz saxophonist Nelson Rangell. These smooth jazz headliners never fail to appeal to a broad audience with a contemporary mix of smooth jazz!

Guitarist and composer Ken Navarro has created a 26 album catalog of much musical depth and scope with numerous Top 5 hits at national radio along the way. Navarro’s release “Dreaming of Trains” was pre-nominated for the Grammy awards in 2 categories and his album “Ruby Lane” spent 4 months in the Top 10 at contemporary/smooth jazz radio, streaming, iTunes and Amazon. “Music For Guitar and Orchestra” was Navarro’s first recording with a symphony orchestra. On the smooth jazz chart at Billboard magazine, his song “You Are Everything” reached No. 6,] “Juliet” reached No. 7, “When We Dance” reached No. 11 and “Ruby Lane” reached No. 10.  His musically diverse discography appeals to a wide range of listeners with inspiring compositions and superb guitar performances.

Jazziz magazine writes that Nelson Rangell is “an artist of depth, a master of song, and an improviser non pareil.”  The Times of London notes “his extraordinary facility on a range of instruments” and Rangell’s “considerable crowd pleasing power.”  Saxophone Journal writes “He commands the alto saxophone with such authority there can be no denying that Rangell is a true artist.”  Such praise is a confirmation of what contemporary jazz fans have know since the Denver based saxophonist emerged in the late 80s; that Rangell is one of the most exciting and diverse performers in the genre, equally adept at soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone, as well as being a genuine virtuoso on flute and piccolo. He has recorded with The Rippingtons, Chuck Loeb, Patti Austin, Tom Browne and The GRP All Star Big Band to name a few. With his discography of now 17 CD releases Nelson Rangell continues on his musical path with two new and very unique albums, “Red,” a collection of dedicated saxophone recording in the pop jazz and contemporary jazz idiom and “Blue” which features the flute and piccolo throughout it’s highly artistic and diverse 11 tracks.