Jazz Organ Blues

The blues isn’t the A, B, C of jazz — it’s the A to Z of jazz!

Featuring Drew Zaremba on the Hammond B-3 and Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield on vocals

While early players such as Fats Waller and the deep influence of gospel traditions helped establish the instrument’s place in jazz, its defining moment came in the 1950s. With his electrifying command of the Hammond B-3, Jimmy Smith transformed the organ from a fringe curiosity into one of jazz’s most recognizable voices. This evolution is at the center of the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra’s program, Jazz Organ Blues, which explores the sound that grew from these roots—blending blues, swing, and hard bop into a style that remains a vital part of the jazz tradition.

Honoring the tradition shaped by artists such as Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, and other jazz greats, CJRO Artistic Director Drew Zaremba takes his seat at the B-3 organ. He is joined by Steve Kovalcheck a well-known Colorado guitarist and composer, and drummer Jim White who is the co-leader of the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, and CJRO favorite, Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield on vocals. More info about Steve Kovalcheck Guitarist and composer Steve Kovalcheck brings a distinctive voice to modern jazz, rooted in the blues, rock, and country of his Nashville upbringing and refined through decades of performance and recording. Based in Colorado, he has appeared at venues including The Hollywood Bowl, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Jazz Cruise, the Vail Jazz Party, and stages across Europe and Asia. His playing blends deep jazz tradition with a soulful blues edge, a hallmark of his upcoming release Buckshot Blues with bassist Jon Hamar and drummer Jeff Hamilton, featuring original compositions shaped by groove, interplay, and storytelling. A versatile collaborator, he has worked with artists such as Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, Terrell Stafford, René Marie, and Howard Levy, as well as across genres with Carrie Rodriguez, Tommy Sims, and Don Williams. His albums Ghost Orchid, Stomping Ground, and Nine Mile Hill highlight his roots-infused modern jazz voice, and he continues new projects with pianist Dawn Clement. He is also Professor of Jazz Guitar at the University of Northern Colorado, known for his warm tone, melodic clarity, and strong rhythmic feel that bridge tradition and innovation. More info about Jim White Drummer Jim White is an active performer and educator who began his musical training in Atlanta, Georgia, studying with Paul Yancinch, Mike Cebulski, Sonny Emory, and Jeff Sipe. He earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas, where he performed for three years with the One O’Clock Lab Band, and later completed a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies/Composition at Middle Tennessee State University. In 1992, he joined Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau band, touring internationally and appearing on Footpath Cafe, and in 1995 he moved to Nashville, where he became a sought-after studio and touring drummer, performing with artists including Alison Krauss and Union Station, Willie Nelson, Jerry Douglas, and Chris Potter. He has also appeared with leading jazz ensembles and artists worldwide. Since 2005, he has been a Professor of Music in Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Colorado, where he directs ensembles, teaches jazz history and drum set, and co-leads the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, in addition to presenting clinics nationwide and working as an artist/clinician for several major drum and percussion companies. More info about Tatiana LadyMay" Mayfield Tatiana “LadyMay” Mayfield is a jazz vocalist, musician, composer, and educator from Fort Worth, Texas, who has performed since age thirteen and built an international career performing across the U.S. and abroad. A graduate of the University of North Texas in Jazz Studies, she has appeared at major venues and with groups such as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, and has opened for artists including Kirk Whalum and Will Downing. Her honors include 2nd place in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocals Competition, a Jazz Innovators Award, and recognition from the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition and YoungArts. She has released three albums, earning critical praise and international radio play, including a #1 UK Soul Chart single. Mayfield also teaches jazz and commercial voice and is pursuing a master’s degree in jazz composition at the University of Texas at Arlington.