Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Jan. 6.

Trumpet player Bobby Stark was born this day in 1906 in New York. He was featured in the Chick Webb band from 1934 to 1939. Bobby Stark died in 1945.

Drummer Barry Altschul was born this day in 1943 in New York City.

Trombonist Vernon Brown was born this day in 1907 in Venice, Ill. He worked with Frankie Trumbauer in St. Louis before becoming a free-lance musician. He was a soloist in the Mezz Mezzrow, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw orchestras. He died in 1979.

On this day in 1939, two men who fled Nazi Germany produced their first studio recording, giving life to what became the foremost and most adventuresome label in jazz. Alfred Lion and Francis Wolf brought boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis into a New York studio to make "Solitude, which was issued as Blue Note record No. 1.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... Deborah Davis is at the Blue Note in the club's New Horizons in Jazz series. Les Paul is at Iridium on Mondays. The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra is at Birdland. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is at the Village Vanguard. Ron Affif's trio is at the Zinc Bar.

The Interplay Ensemble with Elliott Levin, Rick Iannacone, Ed Watkins, Ron Howerton, Keno Speller and Charles Cohen is at Tritone in Philadelphia tonight with special guest Steve Buchanan.

In Chicago... Bill Russo's Chicago Jazz Ensemble is at the Jazz Showcase tonight. William Garcia's quartet is at Cafe Bolera on Monday nights. Terry Callier and Beyond are at the Green Mill. Yoko Noge's Jazz Me Blues are at HotHouse. There's an avant-garde jam session tonight at the Hotti Biscotti Cafe with David Boykin, Karl E. H. Seigfried and Mike Reed.

Kelly Brand is at Joe's BeBop Café and Jazz Emporium on the Navy Pier. The Mike Kocur trio is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston, Ill. Sami Scott is at Philander's in Oak Park. Judy Roberts and Greg Fishman are at Pops for Champagne.

In New Orleans... Earl Brown is at Cafe Sbisa tonight. Bob French and Friends are at Donna's. The Fresh Off the Boat Refugee Jazz Band and Jason Marsalis are at the Funky Butt. The Harmonica Jazz Trio is at the Neutral Ground. Reginald Koeller leads tonight's band at Preservation Hall. Charmaine is at Snug Harbor. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers are at the Spotted Cat.

In California... the Steve Huffsteter big band is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight. The Sam Most quartet is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen tonight. The John Peace Superband is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. The Louie Cruz Beltran Latin jazz band is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks tonight. Khalil Shaheed and the Big Belly Blues Band are at Yoshi's in Oakland. The Contemporary Jazz Orchestra directed by Alex Budman and featuring vocalist Duane Lawrence is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight.

Today is the U.S. publication date for British author Dave Gelly's new Stan Getz biography, "Nobody Else But Me." It's out from Backbeat Books. It's a riveting look at a man who played perhaps the most beautiful ballads ever heard on tenor saxophone... but whose life was checkered with demons, including drug and alcohol abuse.