Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Feb. 19.

Tenor saxophonist David Murray was born this day in 1955 in Berkeley, Calif. He began his career as a free player, sitting in with Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry and Anthony Braxton. By the early 1980s, his music moved back into a more structured swing format.

According to many history books and jazz discographies, Stan Kenton was born this day in 1912. But that's an apocryphal birthday. Kenton experts say the bandleader actually was born Dec. 15, 1911, in Wichita, Kan. He died in 1979.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

In New York... Nicholas Payton, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, Terrell Stafford and David Weiss celebrate the music of Lee Morgan, Booker Little and Freddie Hubbard through Sunday at Iridium. The Mark Turner trio is at the Village Vanguard through Sunday. Regina Belle is at The Blue Note this week. The Gino Stinson quintet is at the Zinc Bar tonight. The Jazz Standard's "Winter Blues Week" series features Mitch Woods tonight.

The New School opens a series of seven discussions and musical performances on "Cuban Culture Today: Inside and Outside Cuba." Scholars, artists, writers and performers will discuss contemporary Cuban culture. Tonight's introduction features Yale University Humanities Professor Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria. The Yosvany Terry quintet performs next Wednesday night.

In and around Boston... the Rachel Z trio is at Scullers jazz club in Boston tonight. Marta Gomez and Friends are at The Regattabar in Cambridge tonight. Fourminusone and SynCoPation are at Ryles in Cambridge. Guitarist Charlie Hunter begins a series of consecutive Wednesday night performances at the House of Blues in Cambridge. Hunter is due out next month with a new album, "Right Now Move," on the Ropeadope label.

In Philadelphia tonight... the Jazz Horses are at Chris's Jazz Cafe. Dave Burrell is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Cafe Degas.

The Dave Holland quintet performs at Ohio's Youngstown State University's Powers Auditorium with the YSU Jazz Ensemble 1.

In Chicago... Henry Johnson's Organ Express is at Andy's tonight. Mike Finnerty and the Jazz Hippies are at Cafe Ennui. Rob Parton's JazzTech Big Band is at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn. The Bill Porter Orchestra with Rich Fudoli is at Green Dolphin Street. The Kurt Elling quartet is at the Green Mill. The Brass Tracks Big Band is at Hackney's.

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 Denise LaGrassa trio is at Pops for Champagne. The Dave Flippo duo is at Pops of Highwood tonight.

In New Orleans tonight... Earl Brown is at Cafe Sbisa. Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris is at Dos Jefes. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at El Matador. Jacques Gauthe and the Steve Yocum trio are at Fritzel's. Jesse McBride is at the Funky Butt. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are at Le Bon Temps Roule on Wednesday nights.

The Johnny Vidacovich trio featuring George Porter Jr. and June Yamagishi is at the Maple Leaf. The Improvisational Arts Council is at the Mermaid Lounge. Dr. Bone and the Hepcats are at Mid-City Rock 'n' Bowl. John Brunious leads the band at Preservation Hall tonight. The Rob Wagner trio is at the Seaport Cafe. The Darryl Reeves quintet is at Snug Harbor.

The annual Lionel Hampton Festival gets underway today at the University of Idaho campus in Moscow. This is the first such festival to be held without the physical presence of Hampton, who died last year. The Idaho campus's music school is named for him -- and he was a major benefactor.

Tonight's performers include Hank Jones, Jeff Hamilton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Russell Malone, Lewis Nash, John Clayton, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Slide Hampton, George Mraz, Igor Butman, Claudio Roditi, Paquito d'Rivera and Sherrie Maricle and Five Play.

On Thursday, there's a special tribute to jazz great Ray Brown featuring bassists John Clayton and George Mraz and singers Dee Daniels and Roberta Gambarini. Friday night's main stage concert features singer Lou Rawls. Saturday's finale concert will be a special celebration of Lionel Hampton's life and jazz with Hampton's New York Big Band, Terry Gibbs and many others.

In California... Mose Allison is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight through Sunday. The Frank Potenza trio is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. The Ryan Cohan trio is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. The Pete Christlieb quartet is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen. The James Carter trio is at Yoshi's in Oakland through Sunday with special guest David Murray.