Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is June 11th.

Pianist and singer Hazel Scott was born this day in 1920 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. She was a leading figure at New York's Cafe Society in the early 1940s, and was best known for her jazz improvisations on familiar classical pieces. She died in New York in 1981.

Drummer Shelly Manne was born this day in 1920 in New York. He was a central figure in the West Coast jazz movement of the 1950s and '60s. Manne started out playing saxophone, switching to drums when he was 18. From 1960 to 1974 he also ran his own Los Angeles jazz club called Shelley's Manne-Hole. He died in 1984.

Singer and pianist Clarence "Pine Top" Smith was born this day in 1904 in Troy, Alabama. His late 1920s recordings included the successful tune "Pine Top's Boogie Woogie," which soon became the most influential and widely imitated blues recording. Smith died in 1929 in Chicago after he was accidentally shot during a brawl at a Masonic lodge where he was performing.

Alto saxophonist Lennie Niehaus was born this day in 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri. He recorded and toured with Stan Kenton through the 1950s, began working with Lalo Schifrin in the 1960s and soon branched out on his own as a composer and arranger for film and television, often collaborating with Clint Eastwood.

C-Melody saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer died at age 55 in Kansas City, Mo., in 1956.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... guitarist Jim Hall's trio with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Terry Clarke is at the Village Vanguard through Sunday. Roberta Flack is at the Blue Note this week. The Lee Konitz trio is at Iridium this week. Frank Foster and his Loud Minority Big Band are at The Jazz Standard through Sunday. Paul Ellington conducts the Duke Ellington Orchestra at Birdland tonight.

Salim Washington and the Roxbury Blues Aesthetic are at Scullers in Boston tonight. John Payne's Saxophone Choir is at Ryles jazz club in Cambridge tonight.

The Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra is at Casa Vecchia in Salem, New Hampshire.

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut's trio is at the Dakota jazz club in St. Paul, Minn., tonight through Wednesday.

In Chicago... the Dave Holland sextet with Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, and Billy Kilson returns for its fourth annual visit to the Jazz Showcase tonight. Triage, featuring Dave Rempis, Jason Ajemin, and Tim Daisy, is at the Empty Bottle. Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms are at Green Dolphin Street tonight. Ken Cheney is at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium. Von Freeman and in Oak Park. The Judy Roberts trio is at Pops for Champagne.

On the New Orleans jazz scene... Mahfouz is at the Blue Nile tonight. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers are at El Matador. Ingrid Lucia sings tonight at the Ritz Carlton's French Quarter Bar. James Alsanders' Jazz Project is at the Funky Butt. David Torkanowsky and Matt Lemmler are at Le Salon at Windsor Court. The ReBirth Brass Band is at the Maple Leaf tonight.

Pete Fountain is at his club in the New Orleans Hilton. Gregg Stafford leads the band at Preservation Hall. The Ricky Sebastian quartet is at Snug Harbor. The Ian McPhail Jazz Quintet is at the Spotted Cat. Chucky C and Walter Payton and Snapbeans are at the Storyville District Jazz Parlor. The Joe Krown quartet is at d.b.a.

In California... George Bugatti is at The Catalina Bar and Grill in North Hollywood tonight and Wednesday with The Steve Rawlings Trio featuring Frank Capp and Chuck Berghoffer. The Paul Johnson quintet is at Steamer's Jazz Café in Fullerton tonight. Singer Mary Stallings is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight through Sunday. The Pharoah Sanders quartet is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight through Sunday.

The Pat Metheny Group is in San Remo, Italy, tonight.

On the recording front...

Caribbean Jazz Project's newest recording, "The Gathering," is out today on Concord Jazz. The band includes Dave Valentin on flute, Dave Samuels on vibraphone and marimba, Dario Eskenazi on piano, Ruben Rodriguez on bass, Dafnis Prieto on drums and timbales, Roberto Quintero on congas and percussion, and Richie Flores on congas. Paquito D'Rivera is special guest on alto saxophone.

Summit Records has released a new recording by the Boston-based Sai Ghose trio, featuring Sai Ghose on piano, Jerry Wilfong on bass and Mike Connors on drums. There's a high-energy mix of originals and standards.

California pianist Sunnie Paxson has released her debut CD, "Groove Suite," on Liquid 8/Roadshow Music. Guest artists on the recording include Larry Carlton and Stanley Clarke. Paxson is a veteran composer and session musician in Los Angeles . She was Clarke's touring keyboard player from 1985 to 1988.