Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Dec. 24.

Baby Dodds, the quintessential New Orleans drummer, was born on this day in 1898. He was the younger brother of clarinetist and bandleader Johnny Dodds. Warren "Baby" Dodds made his first recordings with King Oliver in Chicago in 1923 and recorded several historic sides with Jelly Roll Morton ("Billy Goat Stomp") and Louis Armstrong ("Wild Man Blues"). He died in 1959.

Trumpeter and vocalist Jabbo Smith was born this date in 1908 in Pembroke, Ga. He was an early proponent of the stratospheric lead trumpet sound that Roy Eldridge soon developed into an art form.

Bebop trumpeter Woody Shaw was born this day in 1944 in Laurinburg, N.C. He was a mainstay in the bands of Eric Dolphy, Horace Silver and McCoy Tyner. He died in May 1989, three months after being hit by a subway train in New York.

Pianist Ray Bryant was born this day in 1931 in Philadelphia. Work as house pianist at Philly's Blue Note club led to recordings with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Carmen McRae, Coleman Hawkins and to a busy career both as a trio leader and soloist.

On this day in 1944, the music world mourned Glenn Miller. The military announced that Miller, director of the U.S. Army Air Force Band, was missing on a flight from England that took off for Paris nine days earlier. Gone was the leader of one of the greatest Swing Era bands, which packed dance halls and hotel ballrooms from coast to coast during the 1940s. The Glenn Miller Orchestra earned the industry's first gold record for "Chattanooga Choo Choo" in 1942.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... there's an East Meets West Japanese Christmas at the Blue Note tonight with the Jazz City Four. The McCoy Tyner Big Band is at Iridium through Sunday. The Cedar Walton quartet is at the Village Vanguard this week.

On the Chicago jazz scene... Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms are at Green Mill on Tuesdays. Ken Cheney is at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium. Von Freeman and Friends are at the New Apartment Lounge. Marshall Vente is at Philander's in Oak Park.

On the New Orleans jazz scene... Earl Brown is at Cafe Sbisa. Ingrid Lucia is at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. Chi-Town Maurice Brown is at the Funky Butt. Louis Ford is at Satchmo's jazz room in Harrah's. Los Vecinos are at Loft 523. The ReBirth Brass Band is at the Maple Leaf tonight. Greg Stafford leads tonight's band at Preservation Hall. The Rob Wagner trio is at the Seaport Cafe. Linnzi Zaorski and Delta Royale and Son del Pantano are at the Spotted Cat.

On the California jazz scene... saxophonist Don Menza is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen tonight. Barry Zweig is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. Clairdee and Friends are at Yoshi's in Oakland this Christmas Eve.