City Park Jazz heads into its 29th season with a great lineup of free Sunday concerts in the park. Spanning 10 weeks across June, July and August, the collection of local musicians in this year’s lineup crosses cultures, styles and genres in a way that reflects the musical and cultural diversity of Denver.

“We’re really excited about this year’s slate of amazing performers,” said Bob Nelson, president of the non-profit City Park Jazz Board of Directors. “We open with longtime Denver favorite Selina Albright, we have a very funky newcomer to our stage in The Messers and we’re closing out with the Sammy Mayfield Revue. We’ve got a great, eclectic and culturally diverse mix of bands sprinkled in between.”

City Park Jazz is also announcing the call for entries for its 2015 signature season T-Shirt. This year’s competition is only open to current art students over the age of 13, attending school in Colorado. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. May 8. All entries should be submitted via email to cityparkjazzdenver@gmail.com.

Submission requirements: Submissions must be original artwork. Submissions must be high-resolution (300 DPI), and in either a PDF, JPG or EPS format. The City Park Jazz Board of Directors Marketing Committee will select the winner, who will receive a free T-shirt and $500.

The season runs every Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. starting June 7. The free concerts are staged at the bandshell in City Park.

The lineup:

* June 7 – Selina Albright.
* June 14 – Annie Booth Quartet.
* June 21 – Nelson Rangell.
* June 28 – Paa Kow Band.
* July 5 – The Messers.
* July 7 –  Erik Trujillo and the Mambotet.
* July 19 – Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts.
* July 26 – Lynn Baker Quartet.
* Aug. 2 – Ellyn Rucker Trio (and guests).
* Aug. 9 – The Sammy Mayfield Revue.

For additional information about supporting City Park Jazz as a sponsor or concert volunteer, visit the website at www.cityparkjazz.org.

On May 5 at the Judi’s House Inaugural Speakers Series Luncheon “Strength in the Face of Adversity,” former NFL quarterback legends Archie Manning and Bob Griese will engage in a personal conversation about how the loss of their fathers at a young age a­ffected their personal and professional journeys as athletes, fathers, husbands and men.

Former NFL quarterback and co-founder of Judi’s House, Brian Griese, will lead the conversation with these two remarkable men, and take the audience from the depths of their personal struggles to the peak of their professional triumphs.

The luncheon takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 5 at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 Calif. St. Event chairs are Sheila and Hassan Salem and Mimi and Ed Roberson. Honorees are Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake.

Bob Griese lost his father at the age of 10, while Manning lost his father when he was a teenager. Bob’s son, Brian, lost his mother when he was 12 years old. In the Metro Denver area alone, an estimated 30,000 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18. That number climbs to more than 60,000 for the state of Colorado, and more than four million nationally.

While these statistics show the high prevalence of childhood bereavement, most grieving youth do not know other peers their age who have had a parent or sibling die, so they feel alone with their grief.

Brian Griese and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese, a clinical child psychologist who specializes in trauma and loss, founded Judi’s House in 2002, in memory of his mother, Judith Ann Griese. Judi’s House is the only free-standing organization in Metro Denver devoted solely to supporting grieving children and their families through direct service, research and training initiatives.

Recognizing the need for children’s bereavement services beyond Metro Denver, Judi’s House is developing JAG Institute — also named in memory of Brian’s mother, Judith Ann Griese —to expand our reach to other communities, including rural areas that do not have access to effective grief support programs.

JAG Institute will expand upon Judi’s House programs by:

• Training professionals to provide trauma-informed grief services.
• Educating caregivers and communities about supporting grieving youth.
• Offering resources and clinically sound tools to be used by clinicians and families.
• Sharing evaluation and research findings to improve the quality of care for grieving children and families.

More information at www.judishouse.org.

97.3 KBCO is honoring the ninth annual Record Store Day Saturday  with the first ever release of a full length vinyl LP from the live performance studio known as KBCO Studio C.  In celebration of Record Store Day, KBCO will release nine songs from prominent Colorado musicians on a 12-inch vinyl record benefiting the Colorado Music Hall of Fame supporting its move to a new home at Red Rocks Amphitheatre at the Trading Post.

97.3 KBCO has hosted thousands of intimate KBCO Studio C sessions with artists and bands from all over the world for more than 27 years.  A very limited number will be sold at Twist & Shout Records in Denver at 10 a.m. Saturday for $25 each.

Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 by independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding 1,000 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally.  More information at www.recordstoreday.com/.

On the record:

* The String Cheese Incident “Song In My Head”.

* Gregory Alan Isakov “Living Proof”.

* Churchill “Change”.

* Nathaniel Rateliff “Whimper and Wail”.

* Leftover Salmon “High Country”.

* The Lumineers “Dead Sea”.

* Tennis “I’m Callin’”.

* Yonder Mountain String Band “Landfall”.

* The Motet “1 2 3″.

Ella Bliss Beauty Bar, a new salon, spa and bar, celebrates its grand opening on May 2 at Sixth and Broadway.

Ella Bliss should help fill the void left by the long-standing “Beauty Bar” which recently closed in Capitol Hill.  Ella Bliss also holds a full liquor license and will feature signature cocktails, along with Colorado craft beer and wine.

With a fire pit and expansive patio, the location will be a place for patrons to gather, relax and mingle after work or on weekend afternoons.  Ella Bliss is founded on the idea that pampering should be an “affordable luxury” and available under one roof – so the busy mom or working professional can pop in, spruce up, enjoy a cocktail and socialize with friends without blowing the budget or driving all over town for various services.

Eavesdropping on a kid and his mom in the check-out line at Albertsons: “We learned about North Korea today in social studies, Mom!”

“Nice. So how was baseball practice? Did you get to hit?”

Denver’s hills are alive with the sound of music with a plethora of free concert series at local venues – from Coohills and ViewHouse restaurants to the Clyfford Still Museum to the Denver Botanic Gardens to Arts Brookfield downtown.

And those are just the ones that have been announced thus far. As the summer season approaches, check this column for more free concert announcements such as the wildly popular series at Elway’s Cherry Creek and Shanahan’s steak houses.

For now, read on for a rundown on the musical mayhem that will set your toes a tappin’ all over town.

On April 21, Arts Brookfield presents Friends of Chamber Music: Lunchtime at 1801, a free concert open to the public, in the lobby of Brookfield’s 1801 California from noon to 1 p.m.

The public is invited to visit 1801 California during the lunch hour to hear Lark Duo, a violin and viola duo that has performed throughout North America and Europe.

“Arts Brookfield continues our mission of providing free access to arts and culture through Friends of Chamber Music: Lunchtime at 1801,” said Debra Simon, vice president and artistic director of Arts Brookfield. “The Denver-based organization Friends of Chamber Music is dedicated to educating new audiences for chamber music, which aligns with our desire to offer the downtown Denver community unique ways of experiencing art in our spaces.”

Founded in 1954, Friends of Chamber Music brings the finest chamber music to Denver audiences. As the premier presenter of chamber music in the Denver area, Friends of Chamber Music offers a seven-concert Chamber Series and a three-concert Piano Series each season. The Chamber Series features nationally and internationally acclaimed string quartets, piano trios, soloists, and mixed chamber ensembles. Learn more about Friends of Chamber of Music at www.friendsofchambermusic.com.

To learn more about this event and other Arts Brookfield programs at 1801 California and Republic Plaza, visit www.artsbrookfield.com.

ViewHouse Centennial’s Music on the Green summer band series, featuring live local music from 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays, returns Friday and continues through Sept. 25.

The Summer 2015 lineup includes:

* Friday – Syndicate.
* April 24 – That 80’s Band.
* May 1 – The Country Music Project.
* May 8 – Tunisia.
* May 15 – The Samples.
* May 22 – The JV3.
* May 29 – Message in a Bottle: Police Tribute.
* June 5 – Tent Show Kings.
* June 12 – X Factor’s Jeff Brinkman.
* June 19 – Phat Daddy.
* June 26 – That 80’s Band.
* July 3 – Ben Marshal.
* July 10 – So What Brothers.
* July 17 – Soul School.
* July 24 – Urban Dance Theory.
* July 31 – Dragondeer.
* Aug. 7 – Stereo Clone.
* Aug. 14 – Rockslide.
* Aug. 21 – The JV3.
* Aug. 28 – The Long Run: Eagles’ Tribute.
* Sept. 4 – The Champions.
* Sept. 11 – The Samples.
* Sept. 18 – Funkiphino.
* Sept. 25 – TBD.
Performances are held in the courtyard at ViewHouse Centennial. Arrive early for happy hour specials including pigs in a blanket, beef sliders, nachos, beer, wine, specialty cocktails and more from 3 to 6 p.m. ViewHouse is located at 7101 S. Clinton St., Centennial. Find more information, go to www.viewhouse.com or call 303-790-8439 to reserve a cabana for your group.

Again, the Clyfford Still Museum’s forecourt will be filled with music this summer with free outdoor concerts June 5, July 10 and Aug. 7 at 1250 Bannock St.

“These concerts are an excellent compliment to the creativity on view in our galleries, and museum admission is also free during these shows,” says Dean Sobel, museum director. “In addition to being a groundbreaking visual artist, Clyfford Still was also a musician and had a deep interest in a variety of musical genres, so Denver’s vibrant music scene is a perfect match for the Clyfford Still Museum. This is such a fitting partnership.”

Lawn concerts at the Clyfford Still Museum are sponsored in part by 5280 Magazine. Free concerts are presented 5:30-7:30 p.m., with free gallery admission 5-8 p.m. Guests are invited to pack a picnic. Beer and snacks are available for purchase.

Here’s the lineup:

* June 5 – Dragondeer, a psych-blues band from Denver.

* July 10 – Na’an Stop, a group of five guys from Boulder that plays a blend of reggae and rock.

* Aug. 7 – Tallgrass, a trio that sings songs influenced by old-timey sounds.

Dragondeer will open the Clyfford Still Museum’s 2015 concert series on June 5. (Dragondeer Facebook page)