Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Sept. 25.

Drummer Shadow Wilson was born this day in 1919 in Yonkers, N.Y. At the height of his career, he worked with many fine big bands, including those of Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines, Count Basie and Woody Herman. He was equally proficient as a sensitive small group drummer. Shadow Wilson died in July 1959.

Saxophonist Sam Rivers was born this day in 1923 in El Reno, Okla. The jazz career of this popular Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie sideman was launched in the Boston area while attending the Boston Conservatory. He studied composition and viola by day and played sax in bars at night.

Composer and trombonist Mike Gibbs was born this day in 1937 in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. A globetrotting arranger and orchestrator who has lived and worked both in Europe and the United States, Gibbs now calls London home.

Clarinetist and saxophonist Garvin Bushell was born this day in 1902 in Springfield, Ohio. He joined singer Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds in 1921 and made his earliest recordings with that group. He also recorded with Ethel Waters, James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. He also played double bassoon on a John Coltrane recording in 1961.

On this day in 2001, RCA's Bluebird reissue program began with the first wave of six separate series from the company's extensive jazz archives, including the Bluebird, Flying Dutchman, Novus and RCA Victor labels. The initial "First Editions" releases include Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, "Fancy Meeting You Here," Coleman Hawkins' "The Hawk in Hi-Fi," singer Carmen McRae's "Carmen Sings Monk," Charles Mingus's "Tijuana Moods" (a two disc set with all alternate takes and session footage), and Gil Scott-Heron's "Free Will." Also due out today is the four-CD set "Louis Armstrong: Complete RCA Victor Recordings."

Looking at today's hip happenings...

Jazz pianist-composer Danilo Perez has joined the Berklee College of Music's Piano Department as a professor. A 1988 Berklee graduate, Perez has led his own groups since the early 1990s and has earned three Grammy nominations as a bandleader. "Motherland," Perez's s fifth CD and his debut on the Verve label, was nominated for two Grammy Awards. In addition to leading his own ensembles, Danilo is a member of the new Wayne Shorter Quartet and the Steve Lacy Duo and has played with the Roy Haynes Trio since 1998.

Since 1985, he also has performed with Jon Hendricks, Claudio Roditi, Paquito D'Rivera, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, John Patitucci, Tom Harrell and Gary Burton. He first attracted the spotlight as the youngest member of Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra, with whom he performed from 1989 to 1992.

A headstone has been laid at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Linden, N.J., where trumpeter Theodore "Fats" Navarro was buried in 1950. The mayor's office presented a proclamation at the gravesite in Navarro¹s honor. The Jazz Alliance International, in cooperation with JazzReach, then presented an educational outreach program at Linden High School.

Cuba's Los Van Van has canceled its San Francisco Jazz Festival appearances, originally set for Nov. 8-9 because of entry visa complications. Visa problems also prevented a delegation of Cuban musicians from attending the Latin Grammy Awards in Los Angeles earlier this month.

On the New York jazz scene... the second annual Hank Mobley Festival opens tonight at the Jazz Standard. It includes five nights of musicians paying tribute to one of the most acclaimed tenor saxophonists, as well as one of the most prolific composers in jazz history. The Joe Lovano nonet is at the Village Vanguard this week. The John Patitucci Quartet with Luciana Souza, Ed Simon and Eric Harland is at Iridium through Sunday. Fresh from an appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Holland's Willem Breuker Kollektief is at Tonic tonight.

Pianist Rick DellaRatta performs a free outdoor concert with his quintet, made up of Israeli, Arabic and American musicians at The United Nations' Visitors Center this afternoon. DellaRatta's Jazz for Peace world tour began last October at Troy Music Hall with Eddie Gomez, Lenny White and Paquito D'Rivera. He will extend his tour to Europe next month, performing in Italy, Spain and Paris, and to South Africa and Asia in 2003.

In and around Boston... Will Downing is at Scullers jazz club in Boston tonight and Thursday. Bassist Fernando Huergo's quintet is at the Regattabar in Cambridge tonight. Nestor Torres is at Ryles in Cambridge.

Acoustic Alchemy is at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northhampton, Mass., tonight.

Singer Nnenna Freelon performs tonight through Sunday at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh.

The Sona Mo chorro ensemble is at the Bird of Paradise Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, Mich., tonight.

In Chicago... the Henry Johnson quartet is at Andy's. Mike Finnerty and the Jazz Hippies are at Cafe Ennui. Grazyna Auguscik's Past/Forward project is at the Empty Bottle tonight. The Bill Porter Orchestra with Rich Fudoli is at Green Dolphin Street. The Kurt Elling quartet is at the Green Mill. The Marian McPartland trio is at the Jazz Showcase this week. Ken Saydak is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium tonight. Jackie Allen and Judy Roberts are at Philander's in Oak Park. The Steve Evans quartet is at Pops for Champagne.

In New Orleans tonight... Mafouz brings Turkish jazz to the Blue Nile. Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris is at Dos Jefes. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at El Matador. Anti-Therapy with Larry Sieberth, Charlie Miller and Brice Winston is at the Funky Butt. Topsy Chapman sings tonight at Satchmo's jazz room in Harrah's casino.

Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers are at Le Bon Temps Roule. David Torkanowsky and Matt Lemmler are at Le Salon at Windsor Court. The Stanton Moore trio featuring James Singleton and Tim Green is at the Maple Leaf tonight. Maurice Brown is at Snug Harbor. Dr. Guitar and the Franklin Avenue Overpass and Otra are at the Spotted Cat.

In California tonight... Richard Thompson and Mirage are at Dizzy's in San Diego tonight. Pianist Alan Broadbent's trio is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks tonight. Saxophonist Chris Potter's quartet is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight. George Duke is at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood tonight. The Frank Potenza trio with Joe Bagg and Tim Pleasant is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton.

The Dave Holland Big Band is at Yoshi's in Oakland through Sunday. Drummer Vince Lateano's trio featuring guitarist Brad Buethe is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight.

On the recording front...

The Verve Music Group and Blue Note Records have launched "The Definitive Series," to honor the classic artists of jazz with collections that span the archives of both label groups. This is the first time in history the two labels have worked together on a project of this nature, pooling their archives to create complete documents of these jazz legends' talents. Each of the 14 albums released this week represents the highlights of such wide-ranging artists as Chet Baker, Nat "King" Cole, Stan Getz and Sarah Vaughan. The songs were drawn from the diverse catalogs of Blue Note, Capitol, Decca, EmArcy, Impulse!, Mercury, MGM, Pacific Jazz, Roost, Roulette, and Verve, among others.

Splitting the releases evenly, Verve issued "The Definitive Clifford Brown," "The Definitive Stan Getz," "The Definitive Joe Henderson," "The Definitive George Shearing," "The Definitive Sarah Vaughan," "The Definitive Dinah Washington" and "The Definitive Joe Williams." Blue Note released "The Definitive Cannonball Adderley," "The Definitive Chet Baker," "The Definitive Nat "King" Cole," "The Definitive Bud Powell," "The Definitive Jimmy Smith," "The Definitive Art Tatum" and "The Definitive McCoy Tyner."

In a historical joining of forces, the rival labels have included both popular and overlooked gems to fully showcase the range and career of these jazz legends.