Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is July 22nd.

Trombonist, violinist and singer Lou McGarity was born this day in 1917 in Athens, Ga. He worked extensively with Benny Goodman, the Yank Lawson-Bob Haggart Jazz Band and was a founding member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band. He died in 1971 of a heart attack.

Pianist Al Haig was born this day in 1924 in Newark, N.J. He died in November 1982.

Saxophonist Bill Perkins was born this day in 1924 in San Francisco. Big bands have been his specialty. He played with Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Toshiko Akiyoshi and The Tonight Show bands.

Bass player Keter Betts, a longtime accompanist to singer Ella Fitzgerald, was born this day in 1928 in Port Chester, N.Y. In the late 1940s and early '50s, he worked with Earl Bostic and Dinah Washington.

Tenor saxophonist Junior Cook was born this day in 1934 in Pensacola, Fla. The longtime member of the Horace Silver and Blue Mitchell bands died in 1992.

On this day in 1942... Harry James recorded "I Had the Craziest Dream" with singer Helen Forrest.

On this day in 1995... trumpeter Percy Humphrey died at age 90 in his native New Orleans.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... Les Paul and his trio are at Iridium tonight. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is at the Village Vanguard. The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra is at Birdland most Mondays. The 1050 Lounge presents Ben Sher and Tudo Bem celebrating their new BGI Records compact disc "Please Take Me To Brasil." The Sidemen Steppin' Out series at the Screening Room presents guitarist Joel Harrison's band tonight, along with the Natalie Bullock Brown film on Steve Coleman called "Black Science: Steve Coleman and the World of M-BASE." Tonight's Knitting Factory lineup features Spottiswoode and His Enemies, Antony and The Johnsons Orchestra, and The Black Socks.

Singer Donna Byrne is at Christine's Restaurant in Dennis, Mass., on Cape Cod tonight.

Singer-pianist Norah Jones is at the Ohio Theater in Cleveland tonight. Singer Rasheryl McCreary is at the Kleist Center at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

On the Chicago area jazz scene... Yoko Noge's Jazz Me Blues is at HotHouse tonight. Kelly Brand is at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium. Nadine Baxter is at Philander's in Oak Park tonight.

In New Orleans tonight... Bob French and Friends are at Donna's, where the red beans and barbecue are free between sets at the Monday night jam session. The Jason Marsalis Quartet and the Just Off the Boat Refugee Jazz Band are at the Funky Butt. Joe Krown is at Le Bon Temps Roule. Matt Lemmler and Mike Esnault are at Le Salon at Windsor Court. Reginald Koeller leads the band tonight at Preservation Hall. Charmaine Neville is at Snug Harbor with her band. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers and Ryan Burrage and the Rhythm Masters are at the Spotted Cat. The Rob Wagner Trio is at d.b.a.

On the California jazz scene... Terry Federoff's Jazz Lite Octette is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. Ruth Davies' Blues Night featuring Brenda Boykin is at the Stanford Jazz Festival in Palo Alto tonight. The East Bay Blues Revue is at Yoshi's in Oakland. The Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is at Jazz at Pearl's and George Khouri is at the Bix Restaurant and Supper Club in San Francisco tonight.

Singer Nnenna Freelon is at Canada's Ottawa Jazz Festival tonight. This year's lineup also includes Lou Donaldsob, John Pizzarelli, Warren Vache and Bill Charlap, Peter Appleyard, Marilyn Lerner and Hilario Duran. You can find the full schedule at ottawajazzfestival.com.

The Kenny Garrett quartet performs tonight at the Toulon Jazz Festival in Toulon, France.

Omar Sosa's octet is at the Blue Note in Tokyo, Japan, tonight through Wednesday.

On the recording front...

Mosaic Records has released "The Complete Roulette Sarah Vaughan Studio Sessions." This 8-CD set showcases the incomparable "Sassy" in duos, small groups, big bands, strings and full-blown orchestras between 1960 and 1963. The material includes music by Ellington, Monk, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Dizzy Gillespie, Irving Berlin and many more top jazz and popular composers. The 184 tracks cover 13 albums, seven singles sessions and include four tracks issued for the very first time. Like so many jazz immortals, from Ellington and Armstrong to Miles and Coltrane, Vaughan influenced virtually every future artist on her "instrument," and made a major impact upon popular music in general.

All recordings are available solely through Mosaic Records; 35 Melrose Place; Stamford, CT. 06902; (203) 327-7111. Check the Web site at mosaicrecords.com for more information or to place an order.

Canada's Justin Time label has just released bassist Curtis Lundy's latest album, "Purpose." This fine session teams him with pianists John Hicks and Anthony Wonsey, saxophonist Mark Shim, vibes player Steve Nelson and drummer Billy Hart.

The Nicholas Payton-produced debut recording by New Orleans singer Christina Machado is out on Summit Records. Other Crescent City collaborators on this fine session, "Gone With the Wind," include Payton, John Ellis, Peter Martin, Brice Winston, Roland Guerin, Adonis Rose, Kenyatta Simon and Michael Esnault.

Columbia Legacy Jazz has reissued "Dialects" from keyboards wizard Joe Zawinul in CD format. The 1986 project was his first after 16 years at the helm of Weather Report, which he co-founded with Wayne Shorter. There's even a cameo appearance by a then relatively unknown Bobby McFerrin.

Guitarist Steve Herberman has released his debut CD, "Thought Lines," on his own Reach Music label. The Silver Spring, Md., resident is joined by saxophonist Bruce Swaim, bassist Victor Dvoskin and drummer Dominic Smith on this mix of originals and standards.