While he is the ultimate New Orleans jazz pianist, Henry Butler’s range goes far beyond that label to include blues, Latin, Afro-Cuban, R&B, classical Manhattan cabaret and more. He is also a teacher and a singer, with a master’s degree in vocal music and a long-term commitment to sharing his knowledge with others, through workshops and educational projects throughout the nation.

Metro-area jazz lovers are fortunate that the often-nominated W.C. Handy Best Blues Instrumentalist will perform in our neighborhood.

The Henry Butler Trio plays “A Dash of Sounds Flavored By the Crescent City” at 6:30 June 4 at Cherokee Ranch and Castle, including Butler on piano, with Ken Walker on bass and Tony Black on Drums. His performance sold out last year, according to Castle CEO Donna Wilson.

After Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) destroyed his house, his piano and his recording studio, Butler relocated to Colorado, although he continues to perform across the nation, including a forthcoming June 2010 performance at the Kennedy Center.

Like many New Orleans musicians, he has been active in trying to assist his city and its musical tradition on its journey to recovery and was instrumental through his affiliation with Baldwin in arranging donation of a new Baldwin piano to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band when it was able to reopen its venue.

Butler has two engagements in this season’s varied cultural and educational events schedule at Cherokee Castle and Ranch: with a trio on June 4 and as a soloist on Sept. 25. Visit www.cherokeeranch.

Blind since infancy, Butler started studying music at the Louisiana State School for the Blind as a 5 year old, playing piano at 6 and mastering drums, baritone horn, valve trombone as well. As a teen, he performed in a band and started playing in clubs. Formal vocal training began in 11th grade and continued through college at Southern University and Michigan State University, in addition to ongoing piano study. In an online interview, he said that Braille music was easier to read for a vocal artist , because piano scores had one page for the right hand and another for the left, with memorization of each required.

He also is a widely-exhibited photographer and has numerous recordings to his credit.

Bassist Walker is well known in Denver and nationally. He teaches at DU’s Lamont School of Music, performs often with his sextet at Dazzle Jazz club and is an on-call bass man for many visiting artists. Drummer Tony Black is also one among Denver’s rich pool of musical residents.

If you go:

Henry Butler will perform at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 4 at Cherokee Ranch and Castle, 6113 N. Daniels Park Rd., Sedalia. $60 includes castle tour, buffet supper, cash bar, performance, coffee and dessert with the trio. Reservations: 303-688-4800, www.cherokeeranch.org.