Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Dec. 13.

Duke Ellington's first drummer, Sonny Greer, was born this day in 1903 in Long Branch, N.J. He was an inspiration for later showmen-drummers including Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. Greer died in 1982.

Guitarist Mark Elf was born this day in 1949. The Long Island, N.Y., musician has released several very fine recordings under his own name in the past six years. He has also worked in the Jimmy Heath quartet and the Heath Brothers band.

On this date in 1940, tenor saxophonist Lester Young left the Count Basie Band after an important six-year stay. At that point in his career, the hipster with a vernacular all his own decided he wanted to be on his own as a freelance musician and bandleader. Young gave Billy Holiday her nickname "Lady Day." And Holiday gave Young his nickname "Prez," short for President, because she considered him the greatest.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

The Jazz Journalists Association presents an interactive online forum tonight, from 7 p.m. to at least 10 p.m. ET on the topic "Writing the New Jazz History." Participants will include authors Alyn Shipton, Stephanie Stein Crease, Allen Lowe, Francis Davis, Bill Milkowski, Leslie Gourse, Peter Levinson, Orrin Keepnews, John Litweiler, Scott Yanow, Neil Tesser, Kevin Whitehead and pianist D.D. Jackson. The forum can be reached at Jazzhouse.org.

On the New York jazz scene, tenor saxophonist Benny Golson's quartet is at Birdland tonight through Saturday. Pianist Chick Corea reunites his Akoustic Band with John Patitucci and Dave Weckl at the Blue Note tonight and Friday, and brings in his sextet Origin on Saturday and Sunday.

Kevin Mahogany and Christian McBride are featured tonight in a Highlights of Jazz concert at Pace University's Downtown Theatre. Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos and Bill Ware's Vibes are at the Knitting Factory. The David Murray octet is at Iridium. Pianist Bill Charlap's trio is at the Village Vanguard. Singer Nora York is at Makor.

Roy Hargrove is featured at The Jazz Gallery tonight through Saturday in a series called "The Trumpet Shall Sound." He will be teamed with a different up-and-coming trumpeter each night. Tonight features Avishai "Youngblood" Cohen. Friday brings Duane Eubanks (younger brother of Kevin and Robin Eubanks) into the spotlight. Diego Urcola is co-featured with Hargrove on Saturday.

The Manhattan School of Music presents the Manhattan Jazz Philharmonic in its debut concert tonight at Borden Auditorium. It is an evening dedicated to the late composer-arranger-educator Manny Albam. Guest soloists include Mike Abene, Dick Oatts, Dave Taylor, Harvie Swartz, Jack Wilkins and Nancy Marano.

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic open their weeklong holiday collaboration of "Nutcracker Swing" tonight at Avery Fisher Hall. The program will include Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and the Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn jazz arrangements of the same movements -- along with four movements from Wynton Marsalis's "All Rise." PBS will broadcast the Dec. 19 concert nationwide on "Live From Lincoln Center."

In and around Boston tonight, saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase's quintet and Taylor Ho Bynam's SpiderMonkey Stories band are at the Tremont Theatre. Trumpeter Greg Hopkins conducts the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra at the Berklee Performance Center. Trumpeter Darren Barrett is at Bob the Chef's. Jose Gonzalez and Criollo Classico are featured in the Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival at the Jorge Hernandes Cultural Center.

On the Chicago jazz scene, Joey and Papa John DeFrancesco continue their Hammond B-3 organ battle at the Jazz Showcase through Sunday. The Mike Smith quintet is at Andy's tonight. Bobby Lewis is at the Backroom. Alan Gresik's Swing Shift Orchestra is at the Green Mill. Erwin Helfer and the Chicago Boogie Ensemble are at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium. The Tito Carrillo quartet is at Pops for Champagne. Dave Rumpuis is at the Velvet Lounge.

In New Orleans tonight, Jak Rabbit Feast and the Manabu Sake Jazz Trio are at Checkpoint Charlie. Trumpeter Leon Brown's quintet is at Donna's. Trumpeter Wendell Brunious is at Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar. Rob Wagner's New Thing band is at the Dragon's Den. Trumpeter Jeremy Davenport is at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. Michael Ray's Cosmic Funk Quartet and the Revealers are at Howlin' Wolf. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at Le Bon Temps Roule. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is at the Maple Leaf. Naked on the Floor is at the Old Point. The Panorama Jazz Band is at the Spotted Cat. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are at Vaughn's.

On the California jazz scene, pianist McCoy Tyner's trio is at the Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood. Susan Sinner is at Steamer's Jazz Café in Fullerton. Singer Rene Marie is at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. Wanda Stafford and the Si Perkoff Band are at the Panama Hotel and Restaurant in San Rafael. Saxophonist David Sánchez is at Yoshi's in Oakland with his band through Sunday. The Joshi Marshall Project is at Jupiter in Berkeley tonight. Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill are at The Plush Room in San Francisco.

Saxophonist David Sanborn is at the Blue Note in Osaka, Japan, this week.