Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Nov. 24.

Pianist and composer Scott Joplin, the man known as the King of Ragtime, was born this day in 1868 in Texarkana, Texas. He died in New York in 1917.

Benny Goodman's most popular pianist, Teddy Wilson, was born this day in 1912 in Austin, Texas. He joined Goodman's trio in 1935, becoming one of the first black musicians to appear prominently with white musicians. Wilson, regarded by many as the most important pianist of the swing jazz period, died in July 1986.

Piano and organ player Wild Bill Davis was born this day in 1918 in Glasgow, Mo.

Baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff was born this day in 1923 and the tenor saxophonist Al Cohn was born in 1925. Both were members of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" horn section with Stan Getz and Zoot Sims.

On this day in 1933, singer Bessie Smith cut her last record. She was 38 at the time. The song, for the Okeh label, was called "I'm Down in the Dumps."

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene tonight... Lou Donaldson's quartet is at the Village Vanguard. The Fred Hersch quintet with Kenny Wheeler, Mark Turner, Ben Street and Nasheet Waits is at the Jazz Standard. Brazilian pianist and composer Sergio Mendes is at the Blue Note with Brasil 2002 for the club's Fall Vocal Festival. The Blue Note's Sunday Brunch East Meets West series features Shiro Sadamura's Uplinkers today. The third annual Django Reinhardt Festival continues at Birdland, where tonight's special guest is guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. The Heath Brothers are at Iridium. James Hurt and Dafnis Prieto are featured tonight in The Jazz Gallery's Composers Series with John Benitez on bass. Trombonist Chris Washburne's SYOTOS Latin jazz band is at Smoke tonight. The Drummer's Collective marks its 25th anniversary today with a concert at Manhattan Center with Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Steve Smith and Horacio Hernandez as well as a Drummers Collective/Bass Collective faculty ensemble and special guests.

Saxophonist Greg Abate is at CAV in Providence, R.I., tonight with his trio.

Trio Ex Nihilo is at the Church of Our Saviour in Brookline, Mass., tonight as part of the Jazz in the Sanctuary concert series. The Ken Clark organ trio is at Ryles jazz club in Cambridge, Mass.

Drummer Dave Weckl is at Zanzibar Blue in Wilmington, Del., tonight.

Bobby Zankel and his 12-piece Warriors of the Wonderful Sound are at Fergie's Pub in Philadelphia tonight.

On the Cleveland jazz scene... Bill Rudman and Joe Hunter present a Great Composers concert this afternoon with works of Berlin, Kern, Porter, Rodgers, Gershwin, Ellington, Strayhorn and Arlen at the Tri-C Metro campus under sponsorship of Cleveland's Tri-C Jazzfest. Drummer Winard Harper's sextet is at Vina Note tonight. The Lakeland Jazz Orchestra is at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland this afternoon.

In Chicago ... the Bill Charlap trio with Phil Woods winds up its run at the Jazz Showcase tonight. The Chicago Jazz Orchestra's tribute to Lionel Hampton featuring Stefon Harris and the Chuck Hedges Swingtet takes place this afternoon at the Harold Washington Library Center. Mike Finnerty and the Jazz Hippies are at Cafe Ennui tonight. Judy Roberts and Greg Fishman are at The Chambers in Niles.

The Chicago Jazz Composers Collective is at the Green Mill this afternoon and the Kimberly Gordan trio is featured late tonight. The Sonny Turner quintet is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium. William Perry and David Boykin play this afternoon in the Jazz at 4:00 series at the No Exit Cafe. Kara Kesselring is at Philander's in Oak Park. Russell Alan Rowe's trio is at Pops for Champagne.

In New Orleans... Rob Wagner's New Thing is at the Blue Nile tonight. Earl Brown's trio is at Cafe Sbisa. Shannon Powell's quartet is at Donna's. Wendell Brunious is at Dos Jefes. Linnzi Zaorski and the Night Blooming Jazzmen and Warren Battiste are at El Matador. Big Sam's Funky Nation and Evan Howard are at the Funky Butt. Matt Lemmler and Paul Longstreth are at Le Salon at Windsor Court. Johnny Vidacovich is at the Maple Leaf with Tony Dagradi and James Singleton along with the Trombone Shorty band.

Lucien Barbarin and the Sunday Night Swingsters are at the Palm Court. The Olympia Brass Band is at Preservation Hall. The Dixie Trio is at the Seaport Cafe. Michael Wolf and Impure Thoughts are at Snug Harbor. The Richie Moten trio and the Silverleaf Jazz Band are at the Sonesta's Mystick Den. The New Orleans Night Crawlers Brass Band are at the French Market Complex this afternoon.

On the California jazz scene... there's a musical party this afternoon at the Musician's Union in Hollywood in memory of coronet player Bill Berry, who died earlier this month. The Sam Rivers trio is at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. The Sunday Jazz Band featuring trombonist Andy Martin is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen. The Tom Warrington Trio with Larry Koonse and Joe LaBarbera is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks tonight. The Kenny Burrell quintet at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight through Sunday