Dzirae Gold believes music is what makes life worth living for her. The Denver-based artist primarily writes soul music, being influenced by the styles of Norah Jones and John Legend that make a listener feel “held.” But she has a little jazz, funk and Motown in there, too.
“It's just a fusion of all of my passions,” she said. “Genre is so hard. As a small-time artist, it feels like a box.”
She’s played some local venues since 2020, but she wasn’t expecting the call in late February to play at a venue like City Park Jazz.
“It was just like the movies where, you know, you get the big call and you have to put it on mute to scream and shake and jump around,” she said. “This has been a dream that I thought for a long time might be unattainable.”
Denver’s City Park Jazz summer concert series, held at the park’s bandshell, has been around for 39 years. It features all styles of music, from Mambo to Afro Cuban.
“This organization has been an absolute linchpin in the cultural and music scene in Denver,” David Flomberg, a City Park Jazz board member, said.
The event draws anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 people every Sunday. For Gold, it’s the first time she’ll perform her full album for that many people.
“That I get to step into this legacy for a season, it's an honor,” Gold said.
City Park didn’t used to be like this. In the late 80s, it was known as an area prone to crime. Flomberg said residents wanted to change that reputation and bring the park back to life as a family-friendly destination.
Today, the average attendee of City Park Jazz has been coming for five or more seasons, Flomberg said. People call it one of the best music festivals in Denver.
“I think the biggest complaint we've ever gotten was goose poop coming from the Canadian geese,” Flomberg said. “That has been less of an issue.”
It’s a passion project, too. The whole event is put on by a team of volunteers – not by the city. And these concerts can be expensive to put on. Many prominent music festivals in the Denver area — like Five Points Jazz or Underground Music Showcase — shut down recently due to rising costs. Flomberg said their operating costs can reach up to $180,000 a year, and they rely on donations to make it all possible.
But keeping the concerts free allows anyone to attend and hear great music, he said.
“Our (event’s) socioeconomic diversity is unmatched in the state of Colorado,” he said. “Every level of income, every race, religion, creed, orientation, color, is represented in a way that is much more organic and is truly representative of what you see in Denver.”
As a result, artists get access to an audience that they can’t find anywhere else – one that’s large, diverse, and eager to listen to new music.
At the end of the day, the whole goal is to celebrate community, Flomberg said. They do that by only hosting Colorado-based artists.
“We're not bringing in national acts,” he said. “We've talked about it over the years a few times of you know, a special act here and there, and we've always got to come to the same conclusion that it's not necessary. There's so much talent here.”
Flomberg sees that talent and versatility in Gold. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if Gold breaks into the national spotlight soon following her performance here.
“I'm really excited we'll be having this discussion (in) two or three years, when she's playing the Hollywood Bowl or something,” he said. “And, you know, people will be able to say, ‘Yeah, I saw her at a free concert, City Park Jazz, a few years back, and she was incredible.’”
Gold’s hoping for that as well. But for now, she does not want to take that local following for granted.
“I can play a show in City Park and then be recognized in the King Soopers and have, like, a beautiful conversation with someone that I wouldn't otherwise meet because they heard my music and it touched them,” she said. “That feels great. That’s important to me.”
City Park Jazz has performances through early August. You can check out the concert schedule on the event’s website.
