Ron Miles Stays on the Beat

Denver Jazz Icon Continues to Compose Music While Inspiring the Next Generation

By Jay McKinney

If you’re not well versed in contemporary jazz, it may come as a surprise to find out that Denver is home to one of the genre’s heavy hitters. Ron Miles is a cornetist, trumpeter and composer who is as modest as the day is long, despite his career achievements. He’s quick to give credit to his fellow bandmates and his kind, soft-spoken demeanor makes him seem like a character out of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Miles has lived in Denver since he moved from Indiana with his family when he was 11. Since then, he has established himself as a prominent figure in jazz, as well as the Denver community.

Miles developed an interest in jazz when he was in middle school and instrumental music was still a major part of the culture. In his youth, musicians like Maynard Ferguson and Chuck Mangione could be heard on the radio and helped foster his love of the genre. His parents also spoke of the monumental impact that legends such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Thelonious Monk and Ella Fitzgerald had on the culture and this laid the groundwork for him to become a jazz master.  

His preferred instrument is the often-overlooked cornet, which is related to the trumpet but provides a mellower tone. “The cornet lets me sit in the texture of the band,” Miles says. “The cornet originally was the jazz instrument. But when Louis (Armstrong) switched to trumpet, basically everyone switched as he is the most important figure in the music.” 

Miles says there have been some notable cornetists since Armstrong’s decision to switch, with some of his personal influences being Don Cherry, Olu Dara, Ruby Braff and Thad Jones. 

Listen to Miles’ latest album, “Rainbow Sign,” released in October 2020, and get a true sense of what the cornet can bring to a jazz ensemble. Recorded with fellow musicians Bill Frisell (guitar), Jason Moran (piano), Thomas Morgan (bass) and Brian Blade (drums), the album has been critically successful and contains elements of pop and blues in addition to jazz. 

Miles admits he was an unabashed jazz and classical snob, but the influence of pop music found in Rainbow Sign has been profound. “In my heart there was always a love for pop music, and once I let that influence resonate, my music started to sing,” Miles says. Some of his pop music influences include artists such as Prince, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Bee Gees and Public Enemy. 

““It’s lucky for us to have someone who’s such a world-class, innovative musician like that here in Denver. Just the fact that he’s been able to build this international career from this home base in Denver has always been something really kind of unique and cool about Ron’s career.””

— jazz trumpeter Shane Endsley

When Miles isn’t composing and performing his own music, he shares his love of jazz with younger generations as a teacher at the Metropolitan State University of Denver where he has taught for nearly 30 years. 

One of his colleagues at Metro, fellow jazz trumpet player Shane Endsley, describes Miles as an incredibly important inspiration and mentor. 

Endsley has been at Metro for just five years but he has known Miles his entire life. Endsley’s father was a professional trumpet player, music publisher and instrument maker who would collaborate with Miles frequently.

When Endsley started falling in love with jazz in high school, he took advantage of the family connection and started informally studying under Miles by going over to his house whenever he could. In addition, Endsley would often check out his gigs, noting that he was more active playing live music in those days. 

Now that Endsley teaches jazz at the same university with Miles, one might say their relationship has come full circle. “I think a really thoughtful teacher is someone who is always looking to develop the personal voice of their student,” Endsley says. “I just always get the sense with him that he’s just really trying to open up creativity and inspiration for the person he’s working with, and also of course, imparting the important technical and fundamental information.”

As expected, Endsley is encouraged by Miles’ teaching style and implements that same approach in his own career as a teacher. And while his inspiration among Metro students is undeniable, Endsley says Miles is also an inspiration to Denver musicians in general. 

“It’s lucky for us to have someone who’s such a world-class, innovative musician like that here in Denver,” Endsley says. “Just the fact that he’s been able to build this international career from this home base in Denver has always been something really kind of unique and cool about Ron’s career.”

When asked about his own mentors as a young musician, Miles mentioned Jerry Noonan, Neil Bridge, Dave Caffey, Ron Jolly, Fred Hess, Bruno Carr, Bruce Odland and many others as people he met in Denver before turning 20 who helped shape his career.

“The biggest common denominator is they all saw potential in me and gave me a chance without expecting anything in return,” Miles says. “Beyond that I love and respect this art form and try my darnedest to get as good as I could. Outside of my biological family, the Lord has made music, musicians and music lovers the shepherds for my life.”

That potential guided him to the Duke Performance Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the Village Vanguard in New York City, two of his favorite venues. Closer to home, he cites Old Main on the CU Boulder campus as his favorite venue in Colorado.

In a city like Denver, with no particular musical identity, it can be difficult for up-and-coming musicians to attain success. Miles has established himself as a prominent figure in jazz, but he acknowledges the challenges the city can pose. He says, “It’s really hard to make music in a vacuum here. You are going to be exposed to different styles and traditions and if you welcome and respect that variety, you can be happy. Fight it and you will be frustrated.” 

He says the greatest musicians from here embody that respect of musical variety with Bill Frisell and Rudy Royston immediately coming to mind.  

Given Miles’ prestigious career, one could envision him living somewhere like New Orleans, playing in esteemed nightclubs late into the night. But there’s no place like home, and Denver is home to Miles. “My family is here,” he says. “This is the community that has supported and guided me.”

Unfortunately, the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic kept Miles from playing his latest music live, but as things return to normal, be on the lookout for one of his performances. 

Jay McKinney is a Colorado native who recently graduated from Metro State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He loves spending time outdoors, playing golf and hiking.

Competition kept Belgian-style brews relevant

Charlie Gottenkieny from Bruz Beers discusses the storied tradition

By Kyle Kirves 

Editor’s Note: In this, the third of three articles about Belgium and Belgian-styled beers, Thirst Colorado contributor Kyle Kirves talks with Bruz Beers head brewer, co-founder, and Belgian beer enthusiast, Charlie Gottenkieny about the variety of styles and tastes that fall into the Belgian and Belgian-style motif – some you may know, some you don’t. They also discuss how a continental beer rivalry in the 19th century transformed the beer landscape forever.  Click here to read Part 1 in the series, and Part 2.

Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. And conflict is the fulcrum of every great tale. Upstarts and underdogs, heavyweight champions and those with just a puncher’s chance. It permeates our storytelling and it’s a part of the world history of great beer. 

Charlie Gottenkieny, co-founder and head brewer at Bruz Beers, explains how the rise of Czech pilsner beer created new innovation in Belgium. While history may not remember it as the Great Beer War of the later 19th century, that’s certainly what I’ve decided to call it. 

“The Czech city of Pilsen started brewing these light, pale beers that presented really well in glasses as opposed to traditional stoneware or crockery,” Gottenkieny says of the beer style we now refer to from its origin city. “Beautiful, golden beers. And the Germans adopted it and started creating their own pils beers and the style really took off from there.” It was, as Gottenkieny tells it, all anybody wanted to drink. 

From such things are empires made.

While it may have seemed a harbinger of the end of distinct and varying beer styles, rumors of the demise of Belgian beers were greatly exaggerated. In fact, far from being intimidated by their Teutonic neighbors, Belgian brewers rose to the challenge. “In 1905, the Belgian university brewing schools held a contest to see if they could come up with something to rival the rise of pils style beers, Gottenkieny says.” One of these styles is familiar to folks with an affinity for a certain Fort Collins bicycle-themed beer. 

Photo: courtesy Bruz Beers

“Amber,” Gottenkieny says, “is one of the styles that emerged from the contest as a favorite. It remains a very popular pub beer in Belgium today.” One of the other emerging favorites was the blond – a close relative of traditional dubbels but brewed with paler malts to make for a lighter colored, clear-presenting ale. Gottenkieny cites the easily found Leffe beer as an example of the style. Tripels, too, count themselves among the contenders to challenge the dominance of pils. Pour a glass of Karmeliet Tripel and tell me it doesn’t look like liquid sunshine. 

Other styles in the Belgian family you are likely already familiar with – for example, the national mainstay Blue Moon is an example of the Belgian White style; the less familiar lambic (and its most popular variation, gueuze) remain popular in the U.S. even while consumption overseas declines. The Cantillon brand is the ultimate expression of the style. It may not be as easily found as some others, but it is eagerly sought out. 

Citing the importance of yeast selection in Belgian brewing, Gottenkieny says that the complexity and taste of the yeast in Belgian beer is by design. It’s a flavor component full of esters and phenols that give Belgians notes of fruit or spice. Most American brewing tradition tries to keep yeast flavors neutral in favor of hops. 

Still, Gottenkieny explains that there are literally hundreds of beers made in Belgium that defy easy categorization. “They are just one-offs or experiments or things that don’t fit in with an established style,” he says. Sounds like a ready-made beer Odyssey for the ale-inclined. 

But if a trip to Belgium is not in your foreseeable future, fear not: Gottenkieny and the team at Bruz has you covered. Monthly, the midtown brewery offers a 2-plus hour tasting and history lesson in the marvels of Belgian beer. Your ticket gets you a sample of over a dozen beers, true Belgians and state-side representatives of styles as well. It also includes a backstage tour of the brewing operations. Bruz produces examples in the Belgian tradition from enkels to blondes to Belgian strong ales – their menu is a kind of passport into the world of Belgian-inspired brewing. 

While the history of Belgian beers is a long and storied one, it is not as intimidating as you may think. The range and tastes of Belgians certainly offer something for virtually everyone – whether their tastes gravitate to the sweet or the sour, the strong or the light, the bold or the nuanced. Start your journey with Gottenkieny and the good people at Bruz and you’ll likely feel transported to Brussels or Bruges. The only thing missing is the waffles.