Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Sept. 21.

Bass player Slam Stewart, one half of the legendary duo "Slim and Slam," was born this day in 1914 in Englewood, N.J. He originated the concept of singing in unison with his bowed bass. The all-star player also worked in a classic trio with Art Tatum and had his own trio with a pianist who soon would become a legend in his own right, Erroll Garner. Slam Stewart died in 1987.

Bass player Tommy Potter was born this day in 1918 in Philadelphia. He was a member of saxophonist Charlie Parker's classic quintet in the late 1940s and performed with a veritable Who's Who in jazz over the next quarter-century.

Drummer Chico Hamilton was born this day in 1921 in Los Angeles. Through the years, his quintet has been a first-touring opportunity for a number of fine musicians, including Ron Carter, Jim Hall, Eric Dolphy, Charles Lloyd, Gabor Szabo, John Abercrombie and Arthur Blythe.

Drummer Sunny Murray was born this day in 1937 in Idabel, Okla. He built a strong bridge between mainstream drumming and the abstract style of the avant-garde through his work with Albert Ayler and Cecil Taylor.

On this day in 2001, the Pablo label released "Live Trane," a seven-disc boxed set of John Coltrane recordings made in Europe during 1961-63 tours for producer Norman Granz.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... Al Jarreau, Michel Camilo, Lea DeLaria, Kenny Garrett, the Jazz Mandolin Project and Virginia Mayhew band perform at a free Verizon Music Festival concert today in Battery Park. The festival continues tonight with Isaac Hayes and Oleta Adams and the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Howard Gilman Opera House.

Sonny Rollins is at B.B. King's tonight. The band Oregon is at the Bottom Line tonight. Jason Moran is at the Jazz Standard. Ray Barretto and New World Spirit are at Iridium. Ted Nash's quartet is at the Village Vanguard this week.

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra remembers Art Blakey tonight at Alice Tully Hall, while also performing two Jazz for Young People concerts earlier in the day in which Wynton Marsalis discusses the question: Who is Art Blakey?

The North Star Jazz Ensemble is at CAV in Providence, R.I., tonight.

In the Boston area... the Cambridge Community Foundation sponsors the first annual Cambridge CityMusicFest tonight and Sunday with Shirley Horn, Gato Barbieri, The Persuasions and six Boston and Cambridge based musical groups at various indoor and outdoor concert locations. Horn and her trio perform tonight at Harvard's Sanders Theater.

Sunday's concerts feature Too Human and Manuel Santos and Bambule on the Charles River bank, the Herman Johnson quartet and Wannetta Jackson in Central Square and the Hilary Noble band and Wildest Dreams at the CambridgeSide Galleria. The festival concludes Sunday night with Gato Barbieri at MIT's Kresge Auditorium.

Tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton's quartet is at Scullers in Boston tonight.

Pianist Laszlo Gardony is at the Press Room in Portsmouth, N.H., tonight with bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel.

Chris Potter is at Zanzibar Blue in Philadelphia tonight and Saturday.

In and around Chicago... Omar Sosa's Octet is at the World Music Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art tonight. Judy Roberts is The Chicago Firehouse. The Danilo Perez trio is at the Jazz Showcase for two more nights. Bopology is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium on the Navy Pier tonight. Rankinfyle is at Philander's in Oak Park.

In New Orleans... Medeski, Martin and Wood are featured today at the New Orleans Hurricane Festival at the Audubon Zoo. Kenneth Higgins is at the Blue Nile tonight. The Leroy Jones quintet is at Donna's. Bally is at Dos Jefes. The Devin Phillips quartet and Harold Battiste presents the Next Generation are at the Funky Butt tonight.

Brian O'Neill and Topsy Chapman are at Satchmo's jazz room in Harrah's. The Wendell Brunious trio is at Le Salon at the Windsor Court. The Panorama Jazz Band is at the Seaport Cafe. Saxophonist Clarence Johnson III presents a tribute to John Coltrane with special guest Rick Margitza tonight at Snug Harbor.

Today's Monterey Jazz Festival lineup includes Holland's Willem Breuker Kollektief. Etta James, Marcia Ball and Charlie Haden. Also performing are the Steve Freund Big Band, Don Byron, Bay Area percussionists Orstes Vilato, John Santos and Michael Spiro, plus Mingus Amungus, Michael Wolff and Impure Thoughts, Rene Marie, Taylor Eigsti, Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, and Lady Bianca.

Elsewhere on the California jazz scene... the Latin jazz ensemble Kokopelli holds a CD release performance tonight at Dizzy's in San Diego. Saxophonist Rickey Woodard and the Jon Mayer trio are at Spazio in Sherman Oaks tonight. Kenny Rankin is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight. The Jack Sheldon California Cool Quartet is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. The Yellowjackets are at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood tonight. Saxophonist Houston Person and organist Rhoda Scott's trio are at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight.

Today's schedule at the first All-Canadian Jazz Festival in Port Hope, Ontario, includes a 'Blow Your Own Horn' Jazz Parade down Walton Street, the Kevin Clark quintet, the Eric Harding, Kollage, Lesterdays, Bonnie Brett and Melissa Stylianou, the Rob McConnell Tentet, the George Evans quartet and the San Murata trio.

The Pat Metheny Group is in Osaka, Japan, tonight.