Jazz-inspired Spangalang Brewery in Denver's Five Points neighborhood seeks to revitalize musical traditions

Jazz is rooted in the rhythm of the Mile High City – and the sound leads back to a historically African American neighborhood. There's a lot of effort that goes into keeping the essence of Denver's Five Points neighborhood alive. Business owners have been thoughtful about honoring its past, down to their business names.

A spangalang is a signature jazz cymbal rhythm. In Five Points it's a brewing operation -- Spangalang Brewery -- in an area that used to be known as "the Harlem of the West."

"There's no other neighborhood like it," said Norman Harris, who spends a lot of time on Welton Street, which runs through Five Points.

So have his relatives for generations.

"Our family has been serving this community for years, and through multiple efforts has been a cultural anchor in bringing folks back to this neighborhood," he said.

When he was a boy, his grandfather owned a liquor store in Five Points. Today, down the same street, Harris is part owner of Spangalang Brewery. It's a jazz themed brewery -- a nod to a legacy of music.

"We had some of the most popular jazz experiences west of the Mississippi River," said Terri Gentry with History Colorado. Her job title is Engagement Manager for Black communities. 

She still reminisces about that vibrant community in Colorado. The Rossonian club hosted artists like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Nat King Cole. But over time the music faded.

"We've had a lot of a lot of troubles and challenges in the neighborhood like (when) it was deemed by city council to be a blighted neighborhood," said Gentry.

In the past, Five Points had over 50 bars and clubs. Today there are just a handful, and they're working to keep the Five Points legacy alive.

"You see the folks that honor that history by moving it forward," Gentry said.

Jazz bands perform every Friday at Spangalang. The stage has become a platform for new artists with old souls.

"We're very intentional in terms of curating artists who not only honor the past, but again, look forward to bringing in new groups and are able to connect both young and old through the vibration of music," Harris said.

Five Points isn't the entertainment mecca it used to be. But people like Harris won't let its magic or its music fade.

"It's our responsibility to hold on to what we can and move it forward," said Harris.