Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Nov. 6.

Trumpeter and arranger Andy Gibson was born this day in 1913 in Zanesville, Ohio. He spent much of the 1930s playing in a succession of big bands before becoming a free-lance arranger for Count Basie, Charlie Barnet, Cab Calloway and Harry James.

Trombonist and arranger Ray Conniff was born this day in 1916 in Attleboro, Mass. He toured with Bunny Berigan before recording Bob Crosby, Artie Shaw and Bobby Hackett. He then formed his own group of singers and instrumentalists in the late 1950s to perform his arrangements of light pop music. The Ray Conniff Singers were popular well into the 1970s.

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval was born this day in 1949 in Havana, Cuba. He began studying classical trumpet at age 12 and caught jazz fever soon after. The founding member of the Cuban group Irakere was voted his native country's best instrumentalist in 1982, 1983 and 1984. In 1990, Sandoval and his family sought and obtained political asylum from the United States while on a European tour. He became a U.S. citizen in 1999 after a long naturalization fight

On this day in 1935, Benny Goodman began an important engagement at Chicago's Congress Hotel. That one-month contract turned into a six-month stay.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

Plans are afoot to celebrate the legacy of Boston's two leading music clubs of the 1960s and '70s, and the producer/presenter who ran them. Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop were hip venues that operated from 1963 to 1978, presenting jazz legends Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie and showcasing emerging talents Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bette Midler and Earth, Wind and Fire, as well as comedians Richard Pryor, Flip Wilson, Cheech and Chong.

Boston's Fred Taylor ran the two venues during those 15 years -- and remains active today as a concert producer and the driving force behind Scullers jazz club. The celebration of his contributions to the entertainment industry is scheduled for the spring of 2003, which will be the 25th anniversary of the closing of Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop.

The celebration will include one or more tribute concerts featuring some of the performers who appeared at the clubs during their heyday. An extensive collection of archival material is being collected, conversations with musicians and other industry professionals are being videotaped, and the collection will be donated to the Boston Public Library during the celebration.

Anyone interested in submitting stories, photos or material regarding Paul's Mall, the Jazz Workshop or Fred Taylor that may be helpful to the project should contact Dawn Singh at (617) 522-8633.

On the New York jazz scene, saxophonist Lou Donaldson's quartet is at the Village Vanguard tonight through Sunday. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts' London-based Jazz Tentet is at the Blue Note all week. Tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet's big band is at Iridium through Sunday. Pianist D.D. Jackson is at Birdland tonight with his trio. Saxophonist Bill Saxton leads the band tonight at the Sugar Bar.

In and around Boston, Paquito D'Rivera is featured guest with vibes player Victor Mendoza's student-faculty big band at a Latin Culture Week concert at the Berklee College of Music. Pianist Pierre Hurel's trio is at the Regattabar in Cambridge tonight. Steve Tyrell is at Scullers in Boston.

The Jazz Mandolin Project is at the Music Farm in Charleston, S.C., tonight. The band on this tour features Jamie Masefield on mandolin, Danton Boller on bass and Phish drummer and namesake Jon Fishman on drums.

Mose Allison is at Nighttown in Cleveland tonight and Wednesday.

On the New Orleans jazz scene, Tom Hook is at Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar tonight. The Urban Love Experiment is at the Dragon's Den. Drummer James Alsanders' Jazz Project is at the Funky Butt tonight. Trumpeter Michael Ray's Cosmic Funk Quartet and the Souls of Blues Revival are at Howlin' Wolf. Pete Fountain is at his club in the New Orleans Hilton.

The ReBirth Brass Band is at the Maple Leaf tonight. Trumpeter Gregory Stafford leads the Preservation Hall Jazz Band tonight on its home turf. Roland Guerin, Jason Marsalis and Derek Douget bring their band KORE into Snug Harbor tonight. The Joe Krown Organ Combo is at the Storyville District Jazz Parlor.

On the California jazz scene, pianist Denny Zeitlin's trio with Buster Williams and Al Foster is at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight through Sunday. The Ron Kobayashi-Steve Hommel duo is at Steamer's Jazz Café in Fullerton tonight.

Saxophonist Pharoah Sanders' quintet opens a weeklong run at the Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood tonight. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean and the Cedar Walton trio open weeklong run tonight at Yoshi's in Oakland. The Terry Becker Band is at Café Caracas in Berkeley tonight.

In San Francisco, the Mark Stock trio is at the Cypress Club, cabaret singer Karen Akers opens an engagement at the Plush Room, and the Vince Lateano trio is at Pearl's tonight. The Hot Club of San Francisco trad band is at Enrico's.

Guitarist Larry Carlton's band is at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle tonight through Sunday.

On the recording front...

-- Singer Tony Bennett is out today with a collaborative new recording called "Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues." He and his quartet team up with Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Kay Starr and Stevie Wonder. Phil Ramone produced this session for the nine-time Grammy winner. It's on Columbia.

-- The N-Coded Music/12th Street label has released the final installment in singer-pianist Andy Bey's trilogy project. "Tuesdays in Chinatown" follows 1996's "Ballads, Blues and Bey" and 1999's "Shades of Bey." The material on the latest release ranges from Bix Beiderbecke and Big Bill Broonzy to Milton Nascimento, Rodgers and Hart and Sting. Bey's collaborators include Ron Carter, Geri Allen, Mino Cinelu, Peter Washington, Victor Lewis, Steve Turre and Marty Ehrlich.

-- Santana bassist, and former Miles Davis sideman Benny Rietveld is out with his first solo release, "Mystery of Faith," on his own Glacierboy label. Carlos Santana drops in to play acoustic and electric guitar on a ballad called "Sea of Stories." Other special guests included singer Barbara Higbie and pianist Tom Coster.