Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is June 27th.

Pianist Elmo Hope was born this day in 1923 in New York. Classical piano studies and rhythm and blues tours preceded his shift into jazz in the 1950s when he recorded with Sonny Rollins, Lou Donaldson and Jackie McLean and Clifford Brown for the Blue Note label. He died in 1967.

Trumpeter Shad Collins was born this day in 1910 in Elizabeth, N.J. He worked extensively with the Count Basie and Cab Calloway orchestras in the 1930s and 1940s. He died in 1978.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

The Montreal International Jazz Festival opens annual 12-day and night run today. Thew world's largest jazz festival features some 150 indoor, ticketed concerts and 350 or so free outdoor concerts in the heart of Montreal's downtown arts district. This year's featured artists include Nils Peter Molvaer, Jane Monheit, Wynton Marsalis Septet, Herbaliser, Dianne Reeves, Miriam Makeba and Omara Portuondo, Daniel Lanois, Toots Thielemans with Kenny Werner, Blind Boys of Alabama, Archie Shepp and Roswell Rudd Quartet, Medeski Martin and Wood. Jacky Terrasson Trio, Marc Ribot, J.J. Cale, Norah Jones and the Dave Brubeck quartet. Cuban pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Chucho Valdez are featured with various band combinations in this year's Invitation series on four nights apiece. Tonight, Rubalcaba performs solo and with his touring trio.

Tonight's major draws include the Herbie Hancock-Michael Brecker-Roy Hargrove tour paying homage to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, plus Marcus Miller, Jack DeJohnette and John Surman, Christine Jensen, Brad Mehldau and Larry Coryell. You can find full details at www.montrealjazzfestival.com.

The JVC Jazz Festival in New York tonight presents Dave Koz, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson and James Ingram at the Beacon Theater.

Elsewhere on the New York scene... the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Band performs at the Blue Note through Sunday. The Mark Turner trio with Ben Street and Jeff Ballard is at the Village Vanguard tonight. Lea Delaria and her trio are at Iridium through Sunday. The Kenny Barron quartet is at Birdland tonight. Marvin Sewell and his band perform tonight as part of the Hudson River Festival. The Sun Ra Arkestra led by Marshall Allen is featured in tonight's installment of the Lost Shrines series at the TriBeCa Performing Arts Center.

The Bill Mays trio is at Trumpets in Montclair, N.J., tonight.

In and around Boston...the Wynton Marsalis septet is at Scullers tonight. The José De Santos-Val Ramos-José Ramos Flamenco trio is at The Regattabar tonight. Gavin McGraw and the Sons of Grace are at Ryles jazz club in Cambridge. The Issi Rozen quartet is at Sidney's Grille in Cambridge tonight.

Trombonist Steve Turre's group is at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C., tonight and Friday.

Freddy Cole is at Nighttown in Cleveland tonight. Nightcoach performs this evening in a free admission concert at Turning Point Park in Cleveland.

The Manhattan Transfer performs tonight at the Ann Arbor, Mich., Summer Festival.

In and around Chicago... John Bany, Don Stille and Charles Braugham lead tonight's ham at The Chambers in Niles, Ill. Alan Gresik's Swing Shift Orchestra is at the Green Mill, The Ray Brown trio is at the Jazz Showcase. 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. Temple Schultz is at Philander's in Oak Park.

In New Orleans tonight... Coolbone is at Bally's Casino. Dr. Bone and the Hepcats are at the Banks Street Bar and Grill. Bob Sunda and Matt Lemmler are at Charley Gs. Bill Solley is at Cobalt. Los Goochie Goochie Boys are at Dos Jefes. David Dunbar is at El Matador. Jeremy Davenport is at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. Louis Ford is at Satchmo's jazz room at Harrah's casino.

The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at Le Bon Temps Roule. The Jason Marsalis Trio and Roland Guerin Trio are at Le Salon at Windsor Court tonight. Dave Bartholomew leads the band tonight at Preservation Hall. The Jesse Lewis Trio is at the Stationhouse Grill. Brian 'Breeze' Cayolle and Carl Leblanc are at the Storyville District Jazz Parlor. Willie Metcalf and the Academy of Black Arts are at Sweet Lorraine. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are at Vaughn's.

In California... James Gavin, author of the biography "Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker," will appear for a book reading and signing tonight at Book Star in Studio City. He'll also be at Borders in Westwood on Saturday afternoon and host a panel discussion Sunday at the Jazz Bakery on Baker's Los Angeles heydey with photographer William Claxton and others who knew Chet.

The Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin trio is at The Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood through Sunday. Bassist Scott Colley's quartet with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles all week. Ron Eschete and Dewey Erney are at Steamer's Jazz Café in Fullerton tonight. Eric Wiley and Vickie Lynn Guillory are at Main Street Station in Guerneville. The Tom Harrell quintet is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight through Sunday.

Tonight's Vancouver Jazz Festival lineup includes Omara Portundo, Molly Johnson, Bullfrog featuring Kid Koala, and the NOW Orchestra in a 25th anniversary concert with pianist Marilyn Crispell.

The Pat Metheny Group is in concert tonight in Lisbon, Portugal.