Today is January 20th.
Drummer Jimmy Cobb was born this date in 1929 in Washington, D.C. He followed saxophonist Cannonball Adderley into Miles Davis's band in 1958 and stayed for five years, then joined pianist Wynton Kelly. These days, he leads his own quartet called Cobb's Mob.
Trumpeter and bandleader Ray Anthony was born this day in 1922 in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania. Anthony's 1952 hit single "Bunny Hop" started a national dance craze. In the 1959 biographical film "The Five Pennies" about Red Nichols, Anthony portrayed Jimmy Dorsey.
Trumpeter Valery Ponomarev was born this day in 1943 in Moscow. He became interested in jazz after hearing Clifford Brown recordings. He defected in themid-1970s and joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1977.
On this day in 1982, blues guitarist B.B. King donated his entire record collection, totaling more than 7,000 discs, to the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.
Looking at today's hip happenings...
On the New York jazz scene... guitarist Larry Carlton's group is at the Blue Note tonight. Drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts is at the Village Vanguard with his quartet. Singer-pianist Mose Allison's trio is at Iridium. The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin is at Birdland tonight.
Guitarist Peter Leitch and bassist Ray Drummond team up tonight at Walker's. Trombonist Chris Washburn's SYOTOS Latin jazz band is at Smoke tonight. Saxophonist Matt Darriau's Ballin' The Jack and trumpeter Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra go head to head tonight in a battle of the bands at the Knitting Factory. Singer-pianist Dena DeRose's trio is at Iridium for today's jazz brunch.
In and around Boston tonight... Jack Alessi is at the Union House in Framingham and Perpetual Niche and Ellipsis are at the Center for the Arts in Natick.
Today's lineup at the second Miami Jazz Festival at Bayfront Park features Reuben Hoch and the Chassidic Jazz Project featuring Bobby Thomas Jr., along with Michael Wolff and Impure Thoughts, Ray Barretto and New World Spirit, and the Neville Brothers.
Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and bassist Bob Hurst bring their quartet into Nighttown in Cleveland tonight.
On the Chicago jazz scene... the Bob Acri Quartet, pianist Marshall Vente and Project 9 and saxophonist Billy Harper are featured this afternoon at the Jazz Showcase as part of the 2002 edition of the Marshall Vente Jazz Festival. Charlie Johnson is at the Backroom tonight. Sonny Turner is at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium tonight. The Russell Rowe trio is at Pops for Champagne.
In New Orleans tonight, singer Topsy Chapman joins David Torkanowsky and Friends at Donna's. David Dunbar and Southern Peach Sweet Tart are at El Matador. Drummer Johnny Vidacovich's trio is at the Funky Butt. Harold 'Duke' Dejean's Olympia Brass Band is at Preservation Hall. Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield's quintet is at Snug Harbor. Barbara Shorts is at the Storyville District Jazz Parlor. The Sunday night jam session at Sweet Lorraine's will features Adonis Rose, Peter Martin, Roland Guerin and Brice Winston.
On the California jazz scene... drummer John Patitucci's quartet featuring drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez is at the Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood tonight. Pianist Joanne Brackeen and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane are at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight. The Bakery's matinee features singer Jimmy Bolden with Larry Koonse, Ricky Woodard and Chris Conner. Pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba's trio is at Yoshi's in Oakland for matinee and evening performances that close out his weeklong run. Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill are at the Plush Room in San Francisco this afternoon.
Pianist McCoy Tyner's trio is at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle tonight.
