Daryl Gott

Born and raised in Denver, CO, he began playing the saxophone in fifth grade and developed quickly. Gott studied at Denver School of the Arts, the City College of New York (earning a degree in jazz performance) and later earned a Master’s degree in jazz pedagogy and performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. A fixture on the Denver music scene during the past decade, Gott can be found playing most nights in the clubs and bars around Denver. He also teaches at the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts and privatley. He has worked with Eric Gunnison, Danny Gottlieb, Ethan Iverson, Jon Gordon, Dick Oatts, Greg Gisbert and Sean Jones plus the top local musicians.

Alex Heffron: Looking Out

Read "Looking Out" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
July 6, 2021

Based in Denver, Colorado, Alex Heffron is an imaginative guitarist and intelligent composer. His debut, the engaging Looking Out, demonstrates these talents amply. On it, Heffron leads a sextet consisting of like-minded musicians through an intriguing set of eight of his originals with elegant confidence and simmering passion. The title track opens the album with a charmingly effervescent mood. Over infectious rhythmic vamps, the frontline play the main theme with vibrant and muscular refrains. Heffron takes center stage ...

Aperture album review:

"As is obvious throughout Aperture, Daryl Gott has his own sound and adventurous style. While his accessible tone may remind one at times of the West Coast cool jazz players of the 1950s including Paul Desmond, his choice of notes is quite modern and original.

The altoist is joined on six of his originals and two standards by a top-notch trio consisting of organist Tom Amend, guitarist Max Light, and drummer Neal Hemphill. The set begins with the title cut, a harmonically advanced tune that features inventive alto, guitar and organ solos, acting as a fine introduction to the group. “For Joey,” a tribute to the late bassist Joey Pearlman, has a complex theme before it becomes a stirring and swinging performance. “Contrary Motion” is a gentle jazz waltz while “Trollin’” has a complex melody worthy of Lennie Tristano along with infectious chord changes that result in hard swinging from each of the musicians.