Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Aug. 29.

Charlie Parker was born this day in 1920 in Kansas City, Mo. He was a jazz saxophonist without peer. Many say he was a jazz genius and just about everyone called him "Bird."

Trombonist and bandleader Jack Teagarden was born this day in 1905 in Vernon, Texas.

Singer Dinah Washington was born this day in 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Saxophonist Jerry Dodgion was born this day in 1932 in Richmond, Calif.

On this day in 1922... the New Orleans Rhythm Kings cut their first record for the Gennett label. Despite its name, this band did not hail from the Crescent City. Cornetist Paul Mares formed it as a house band for Chicago's Friars Inn.

The Rhythm Kings made a huge impact on young Chicago jazz players Jimmy McPartland, Frank Teschemacher and Bud Freeman, who filled the musical gap in Chicago left when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band went to New York.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... Kenny Wheeler is at Birdland. The Don Byron sextet is at the Village Vanguard. The Caribbean Jazz Project with Dave Samuels and Dave Valentin is at the Jazz Standard. Avishai Cohen and the International Vamp Band are at The Jazz Gallery tonight. Houston Person is at the Blue Note.

Hamiet Bluiett's Baritone Nation with James Carter is at Iridium. Miles Kennedy is at the Cornelia Street Cafe. Alex Norris is at Kavehaz tonight. Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band are at the Nuyorican Poets Café each Thursday night. The Mingus Big Band is at the Fez Under Time Cafe on Thursdays.

In and around Boston... Larry Carlton is at Scullers tonight through Friday. The Inner Orchestra is at Ryles in Cambridge, Mass., tonight. The Ben Schwendener Group is at the Regattabar in Cambridge tonight.

Philadelphia's weeklong celebration of native son McCoy Tyner continues tonight at Zanzibar Blue with a number of all-stars, including Roy Ayers, Bennie Maupin, Billy Bang, Ray Bryant, Francois Bourassa, Norman Conners and Marcus Belgrave.

The Chicago Jazz Festival opens its 10-day run today. This year's headliners include Jimmy Heath, Oliver Lake and Mal Waldron, Wayne Shorter's new quartet, Ray Anderson's Pocket Brass Band, Carla Cook quintet, John McLean, Von Freeman, Chuchito Valdes, Sphere with guest Phil Woods, plus Ahmad Jamal. Tonight's performers at the Petrillo Stage are the David Sanchez quintet, hometown favorite Patricia Barber and Chico Hamilton & Euphoria with Arthur Blythe and Larry Coryell. See cityofchicago/specialevents for the full schedule.

Elsewhere on the Chicago jazz scene... Ira Sullivan is at the Jazz Showcase. Denise LaGrassa is at the California Clipper. 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. John Bany, Don Stille and Charles Braugham lead tonight's weekly jam session at The Chambers in Niles. The Jeff Parker trio is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston. John Wright is at Philander's in Oak Park. The Linda Tate trio is at Pops for Champagne.

In New Orleans... Two Pan Sam is at the Blue Nile tonight. Jason Marsalis is at Dos Jefes. The David Dunbar trio is at El Matador. Trumpeter Jeremy Davenport is at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. The Evan Howard Band and the Joe Krown Organ are at the Funky Butt tonight. Brian O'Neill is at Satchmo's jazz room at Harrah's casino with his band tonight. Samirah Evans is at the House of Blues' Crossroads room. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at Le Bon Temps Roule.

The Chris Severin trio and the Roland Guerin trio are at Le Salon at Windsor Court. Have Soul Will Travel is at the Maple Leaf. Ellen Smith and the Mojo Revieux are at the Mojo Bistro. The Crescent City Joymakers are at the Palm Court with Lloyd Washington. Dave Bartholomew leads tonight's band at Preservation Hall. The Hot Club of New Orleans swing band and the Panorama Jazz Band are at the Spotted Cat. Brian Seeger's Jazz Hang is at the Station House Grill.

On the California jazz scene... drummer Jeff Watts' band is at the Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood tonight. Susie Hansen's Latin Jazz Band is at the Edwards Entertainment Center in West Covina. The Bobby Rodriguez quartet is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. The Shelly Berg trio is at Steamers Jazz Café in Fullerton. The band Oregon is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight. Saxophonist Rob Sudduth is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco with the Vince Lateano trio featuring pianist Mark Levine.

On the recording front...

Canada's Justin Time Records has released its third recording by trumpeter Hugh Ragin. The Texas-born musician, now from Colorado, is teamed on "Feel the Sunshine" with tenor saxophonist Assif Tsahar from Jerusalem and four versatile mainstays of the Detroit jazz scene... bassist Jaribu Shahib, pianist Craig Taborn, and drummers Tani Tabbal and Bruce Cox.

Singer Laird Jackson's latest compact disc, "Touched," is out on the Consolidated Artists Productions label. She's supported by trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, pianist Bruce Barth, alto sax player Joe Ford, bassist John Benitez and drummer Clarence Penn. This is her first CD since Jackson's 1994 debut, "Quiet Flame."

Singer Mayra Caridad Valdes, the sister of Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes, has released her debut solo recording. "La Diosa del Mar (The Sea Goddess)" is on Jazzheads Records/Q&W Music. It is a collection of Afro-Cuban jazz standards, traditional folklore songs and romantic boleros.

New York-based pianist Vijay Iyer is just out with his Red Giant Records debut, "Panoptic Modes." His quartet features alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Derrek Phillips.

Essay Music has released "The Answer's Inside," the latest recording by Chapman Stick player Steve Adelson's New Sticktet. Aside from a guitar solo by Larry Coryell, all bass, guitar and MIDI sounds come from the Stick, an instrument that Emmett Chapman devised more than a quarter century ago. Other guest artists include Tony Levin, Vince Cherico and Matt Wilson.