Before its demise, Dick Gibson's famed jazz party dominated the Labor Day weekend's music scene. Now, jazz over Labor Day belongs to the Vail Jazz Festival that runs tonight through Monday at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa.

As in the past, the Clayton Brothers Quintet (with Jeff Clayton on saxophone, John Clayton on bass, Terell Stafford on trumpet, Bill Cunliffe on piano and Lewis Nash on drums) is on the bill. Other groups on tap include drummer Matt Wilson's spectacular band Arts and Crafts (that has Stafford on trumpet, Gary Versace on keyboards and Dennis Irwin on bass) and pianist Taylor Eigsti's trio (with bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Aaron McLendon). Pianist Cunliffe also offers a multimedia tribute to Thelonious Monk.

Along with the groups, the festivities offer drummer Herlin Riley, saxophonist Rickey Woodard, vibraphonist Steve Nelson (who is part of bassist Dave Holland's superb quintet), guitarist Paul Bollenback and organ player Tony Monaco. The players in various combinations perform tonight at 8 p.m., Saturday at noon, Sunday at 10 a.m. and Monday at noon. Except for Monday the sets go into the early morning hours. Tickets for the individual sets are available ($45-$55), as well as a $325 pass for the weekend's proceedings (888- 824-5526). For schedule: vailjazz.org.

ALSO ON TAP: There's no shortage of music around Denver during the holiday weekend. Tonight, for example, crossover guitarist Peter White performs at A Taste of Colorado at Civic Center. The 7:30 p.m. show is free. Also this evening, bassist Ken Walker brings his potent sextet to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St., for its monthly visit at 7 and 9 p.m. ($10, 303-839-5100).

• On Saturday, the Tanzanian- born, Kansas City-raised pianist Harold O'Neal returns to Dazzle with his project that has Rick Gibbins on guitar. This year, O'Neal, who has worked with alto saxophonists Bobby Watson and Greg Osby, issued an evocative double CD called Charlie's Suite that draws inspiration from his own family history. O'Neal plays at 7 and 9 p.m. ($12).

• On Wednesday, reed man John Gunther plays the role of Benny Goodman in a concert labeled Benny Goodman Redux at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road in Broomfield. The free show is at 7 p.m. (303-292-6700).

• The week in music wraps up on Thursday with singer Carl Dixon at Dazzle. Though Dixon began singing when he was 2 years old, it wasn't until 2004 - years after his retirement - that he released his first album, It's a Time for Love (for which I wrote the liner notes).

Dixon first hit Denver in 1957 while in the military; for this show, he aims his full baritone sound on an exploration of the music of Nat "King" Cole. He and his Jazz Kats do that at 7 and 9 p.m. ($15).

FINAL NOTES: Pianist Bud Poindexter, a longtime figure on the Denver jazz scene, died Aug. 22. There will be a memorial service for him at 11 a.m. Sept. 7 at the Tower of Memory in Olinger's Crown Hill Cemetery, West 29th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.

Normanprovizer@aol.com