Colorado’s vibrant music scene has long produced standout talent — from John Denver and the Lumineers to members of Earth, Wind & Fire and India.Arie. Many jazz, funk and R&B fans across the state would agree that saxophonist Tony Exum Jr. is among them.
The Colorado Springs-born and now metro Denver-based musician, songwriter and performer, who has shared the stage with artists such as Najee, Marcus Anderson and adopted Coloradan Gerald Albright, will headline the Jazz in the City show Saturday evening at the King Center in Denver. The concert will also feature Boston-based guitarist and composer Ron Bosse and Grammy Award-winning guitarist, singer and composer Norman Brown.
The show marks another milestone in what’s shaping up to be a landmark year for Exum Jr., who kicked off 2025 with a solo performance at an NFL game at California’s SoFi Stadium.
“It was an honor,” Exum Jr. told Colorado Matters Host Chandra Thomas Whitfield in an interview earlier this year. “It was literally 70,000 people in that stadium, and that’s not even counting the people watching on television.”
He admitted the experience came with some nerves. “I was nervous, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “But once I started playing, it was like, ‘OK, this is what I do.’”
Exum Jr. said the performance was both humbling and unforgettable. “It’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life,” he said.
Tony Exum Jr. performs at the Jazz in the City show Saturday night at the King Center in Denver.
