About This Event

Mickey Lenny Mickey Lenny a.k.a. Michael Lenssen is a multi-instrumentalist, teacher, producer and composer based in Colorado’s Front Range. Michael performs on the cornet, keyboards, and the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), playing a diverse range of genres; from jazz to classical, psychedelic rock to modern dance music. He has a degree in Jazz & Commercial Music from the University of Miami, studying with Brian Lynch and John Daversa. Mickey was the trumpet electronics consultant on the Grammy-winning Maria Schneider album, “Data Lords”. He currently co-leads a band, Electric Giz, with Denver legend Greg Gisbert (Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich) and performs with Jammy Buffet all around the country. He has performed with Randy Brecker, Ric Wilson, Benny Golson, Emmet Cohen, Isaac Teel, Michael Piolet, and arranged/performed with Evanoff, Clay Street Unit and Tenth Mountain Division. Michael was a long-time member of the band Amoramora, playing festivals around the country and selling out the Fox Theatre in Boulder. namebackwards namebackwards aka Enmanuel Alexander is a Denver musician with a passion for amplifying and elevating Black musicianship throughout Colorado. Through his weekly residency at Meadowlark Bar, he brings the community together with "Off the Cuff," an interactive improv session that showcases the incredible talent of Black and Brown musicians and artists from the Denver metro area and beyond. Here, Enmanuel collaborates with Denver’s greatest including Hunter Roberts, Will Gaines, Parris Fleming, Khalil Brown, Solomon Chapman, Isaac Sinclair, AJ Salas and more, drawing inspiration from mentors like Ron Miles and Wes Watkins, Enmanuel is dedicated to creating a platform for underrepresented voices in the music scene. His journey in music began at a young age, falling in love with sound through piano, saxophone, drums, percussion, guitar, and bass. Graduating with a BM and concentrating in guitar as a recipient of the prestigious "Dale Bruning Jazz & Improvised Music Endowed Scholarship" at Metropolitan State University of Denver in May 2020, Enmanuel has honed his craft and continues to explore new genres and techniques of expression under the guidance of teachers like Dave Devine, Gonzalo Teppa, Dawn Clement, and Shane Endsley. Enmanuel's solo live-looping project, "namebackwards," defies the norms of instrumental music, weaving emotionally moving soundscapes and hypnotic grooves that evoke a sense of blissful nostalgia. Collaborating with Denver-based singer-songwriter Kayla Marque, he directs and arranges her music with unique composition styles, pushing listeners beyond their traditional expectations. Adding to his impressive repertoire, Enmanuel is an integral part of Jayme Stone's eclectic folk music project, which has received accolades such as the Juno Award and Canadian Folk Music Award. He brings influences from West Africa to the Appalachian trails, contributing his exceptional musicianship to this distinguished endeavor.