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Karl Denson and Tiny Universe at old Ashland Armory In 2015, Karl Denson toured with the Rolling Stones as the band's sax player on its Zip Code Tour. Photo courtesy of Calabro Music Media Friday Jan 27, 2017 at 10:00 AM Fresh from a sold-out show with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California, Karl Denson and his longtime band Tiny Universe will roll into Ashland on their Runnin' with the Diesel tour for a show at the Historic Ashland Armory. Sax player Denson and his band will showcase material from a studio album to be released this year, along with music from his 2014 solo album "New Ammo" and the 2009 "Brother's Keeper," featuring his band. “My approach has always been that we’re a dance band that dips into the jazz realm,” Denson says in a press release. “It’s pretty much still the same, but things change as you listen to more music, which develops your artistic outlook on things. So along with our regular funk fare, we’re trying to orchestrate up a bit, with music, art and thought being our new ammunition.” Bandleader Denson's winter tour features guitarist D.J. Williams , drummer Alan Evans (Soulive), bassist Chris Stillwell (The Greyboy Allstars), keyboard player Davith Veith (Crush Effects), Seattle trumpet player Chris Littlefield and slide and lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman. Audiences also can expect a handful of the group's super-charged covers by artists Prince, The White Stripes and Beasty Boys. "New Ammo" on Stoopid Records marked the return of Tiny Universe after a four-year hiatus and a brief downsizing of the band. It also marks a departure from the more roots-oriented feel of its predecessor, "Brother's Keeper," and revisits the classic swagger of earlier Tiny Universe albums while moving forward into a more expansive, full-throttle rock sound. The album spotlights the irresistible melodies, infectious choruses and grooves that have made Denson a modern music icon. The new approach was prompted Denson’s arrangements from film scores. Unlike the sweeping symphonic soundtracks that might come to mind, his interest was in the more down-and-dirty sound of early '70s drive-in and grindhouse movie fare. That music marries grungy guitar riffs with blaring horns and staggering rhythms. “I was trying to figure out what the band was for a long time," Denson recalls. "We were unsure where we were going until we discovered this was something that we did well. I feel like this record was the beginning of a new phase for the Tiny Universe.” From his early days as a member of Lenny Kravitz’s band and his work as a founder of boogaloo revivalists The Greyboy Allstars to his primary creative vehicle Tiny Universe, Denson adds compelling chapters to his reputation. “We’ve finally figured out how to capture in the studio what Tiny Universe does live," he says. "We move around a lot musically, but ("New Ammo") reflects who we are as a band and where we’re headed with our music.”  When Denson played saxophone for San Diego band Slightly Stoopid, the reggae-rockers and Tiny Universe joined forces for a number of shows that dug deep into the Beasties’ repertoire. The connection between the two was so deep that Slightly Stoopid insisted on releasing Denson’s "New Ammo" on their record label, Stoopid Records. “It’s a fun job and I get to hang out with cool people,” Denson says of his stints with Slightly Stoopid. “We help each other grow artistically. And, obviously, the benefit of having a label where people believe in you is always a good thing.” Denson’s work with Slightly Stoopid also inspired him to emulate their short, direct songwriting approach, leading to a reggae-inflected tune, “Three Trials of Strength,” as the 2014 album's closer. The rest of the band also contributes several of the album’s originals. Stillwell’s “Malgorium” is an adrenaline-fueled, fusion-tinged anthem that fits perfectly with Tiny Universe’s cinematically-inspired reinvention. Guitarist Williams wrote the title tune, and keyboard player Veith penned “Cheerleader” — which earned its title from Denson’s desire to dance to one-hit wonder Toni Basil's “Hey, Mickey” — surely another good reason to catch the band live, just in case he decides to trade his sax for a pair of pom-poms.