Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Today is Oct. 23 Alto saxophonist Sonny Criss was born this date in 1927 in Memphis, Tenn. The bop player worked mostly in Los Angeles and Europe. Never given the recognition he deserved, he took his own life in 1977. Advertisement Singer Andy Bey's "Tuesdays in Chinatown" CD was released on this day in 2001 on the N-Coded Music/12th Street label. Also in 2001, Columbia Legacy and Mosaic Records released CD and audiophile LP versions, respectively, of "The Complete 'In a Silent Way' Sessions" of Miles Davis. The boxed sets included eight previously unissued tracks plus key related tracks from several other Davis projects at the time, "Filles de Kilimanjaro," "Water Babies" and "Directions." Looking at today's hip happenings... The 20th anniversary edition of the San Francisco Jazz Festival opens its two-week run today. Tonight's opening night party at the Regency Center has a New Orleans in San Francisco theme and features the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, ReBirth Brass Band, Nicholas Payton and the Soul Patrol, Donald Harrison and Idris Muhammad's Congo Nation Indians, drummer Zigaboo Modeliste and the Aahkesstra, and Mitch Woods' Big Easy Boogie. This noon, talented teens take the stage for the opening performance of the festival at Justin Herman Plaza. Advertisement Other major performances this year will include the world premiere of "Up From The Root!" by Jon Jang with David Murray and the Melody of China Ensemble; the Wayne Shorter and Branford Marsalis quartets; and, a tribute to Benny Goodman featuring Eddie Daniels with Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Locke and Jim Rothermel's Benny Goodman Salute. Also on the schedule, a 75th birthday salute to drummer Elvin Jones, featuring his band Jazz Machine, and the McCoy Tyner Big Band; an art of the duet evening with the Jack DeJohnette-John Surman duo and the Paul Plimley-Lisle Ellis duo; and performances by the Shirley Horn, Ahmad Jamal, Ornette Coleman and Lynne Arriale trios. Elsewhere on the California jazz scene... tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles with his quartet, featuring pianist Harold Mabern. The Wallace Roney quintet with Gary Bartz, Patrice Rushen, Lenny White and Bob Hurst is at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood this week. Bill Cunliffe and Holly Hoffman are at Spazio in Sherman Oaks tonight. The Jack Sheldon California quartet is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen. The Fullerton College big bands are at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. The Vince Lateano trio featuring pianist Bill Bell is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight. Bobby Previte's band Bump is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight. Advertisement On the New York jazz scene... the Kenny Barron sextet is at the Village Vanguard. Larry Goldings' trio with Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart is at the Jazz Standard. The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars with Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Benny Green, John Lee and Dennis Mackrel are at the Blue Note this week. Paquito D'Rivera is special guest tonight, while Jackie McLean sits in on Thursday and Friday nights. The Dee Dee Bridgewater big band is at Iridium through Sunday. The John Benitez quartet is at the Zinc Bar tonight. Barbara Carroll is at Birdland tonight. Ballin' The Jack is at the 55 Bar tonight. In and around Boston... the Dominique Eade quartet with Kevin Hays, John Lockwood and Matt Wilson is at The Regattabar in Cambridge tonight. Jose Feliciano is at Scullers in Boston. The Bruce Katz band is at TK's Jazz Club, a new club in Fanueil Hall in Boston. Joe McPhee and Trio X are at the Institute of Contemporary Art Theater in Boston. On the Chicago jazz scene... Henry Johnson's Organ Express is at Andy's tonight. Mike Finnerty and the Jazz Hippies are at Cafe Ennui. The Bill Porter Orchestra with Rich Fudoli is at Green Dolphin Street. Singer Tierney Sutton and her band are at the Green Mill. The Brass Tracks Big Band is at Hackney's. The Rob Scheps quartet is at HotHouse tonight. The Mose Allison trio is at the Jazz Showcase this week. Ken Saydak is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium. WesBound Trane is at Michael's Jazz Bistro in Glen Ellyn. The Ron Perrillo trio is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston. Jackie Allen and Judy Roberts are at Philander's in Oak Park. The Aaron Parks trio is at Pops for Champagne. Advertisement On the New Orleans jazz scene... Willie Metcalf is at the Bombay Club. Lenny McDaniel is at Cobalt. Chip Wilson is at the Columns Hotel. Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris is at Dos Jefes. Ingrid Lucia is at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. Otra is at the Funky Butt. Topsy Chapman is at Satchmo's jazz room at Harrah's casino. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are at Le Bon Temps Roule. Dr. Bone and the Hepcats are at Mid-City Lanes Rock'N'Bowl. John Brunious leads tonight's band at Preservation Hall. The John Mahoney Big Band is at Snug Harbor. Dr. Guitar and the Franklin Avenue Overpass are at the Spotted Cat. Jovino Santos Neto is at the University of New Orleans Sandbar. Darrell Lavigne and Paul Longstreth are at the Windsor Court. Naked on the Floor is at d.b.a. Sonny Rollins is in concert in Paris, France, tonight. The Omar Sosa octet is at the JVC Jazz Festival-Melkweg in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
