Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is Jan. 28.

British saxophonist and bandleader Ronnie Scott was born this day in 1927 in London. He opened his renowned jazz nightclub in London in 1959. Scott died in December 1996.

Drummer Bob Moses was born this day in 1948 in New York City. Through the years, he has recorded with Gary Burton, Dave Liebman, Pat Metheny and George Russell, and led his own groups.

On this day in 1937, trumpeter Roy Eldridge first recorded "After You've Gone."

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... pianist Fred Hersch's trio is at the Village Vanguard tonight through Sunday. His latest recording, "Live at the Village Vanguard," is out today on the Palmetto label. It was recorded at the club last May with bassist Drew Gress and drummer Nasheet Waits.

The Charles Lloyd quintet is at the Blue Note through Sunday. Richard Bona's sextet is at the Zinc Bar tonight through Thursday. The Lonnie Plaxico quintet is at the Jazz Standard tonight. The Duke Ellington Orchestra directed by Paul Mercer Ellington and Jack Jeffers is at Birdland tonight. Violinist Christian Howes is at Makor tonight for a release party for his new Khaeon CD called "Jazz On Sale."

In and around Boston... after decades living and working in Europe... saxophonist Robin Kenyatta has a homecoming performance tonight at Ryles in Cambridge. The Ken Schaphorst Ensemble is at The Regattabar in Cambridge tonight.

The Matthias Lupri Group with Mark Turner is at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C., tonight.

In Chicago... Men of Note are at Andy's tonight. Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms are at the Green Mill. Ken Cheney is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium. Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan are at Katerina's. Von Freeman and Friends are at the New Apartment Lounge on Tuesdays. The Bobby Broom trio is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston. Marshall Vente is at Philander's in Oak Park. Typhanie Monique and Neal Alger are at Pops for Champagne. The Kimberly Gordon quartet is at the Underground Wonder Bar.

In New Orleans tonight... Chevere and the Ted Hefko quartet are at the Blue Nile. Earl Brown is at Cafe Sbisa. New Orleans Street Beat is at the Crescent City Brewhouse. Tom Hook is at Dos Jefes. Chi-Town Maurice Brown is at the Funky Butt.

Jim Hlavac is at Giovanni's. The Joe Krown Organ Combo and Troi Bechet are at the House of Blues tonight. The ReBirth Brass Band is at the Maple Leaf. Greg Stafford leads the band tonight at Preservation Hall. The Rob Wagner Trio is at the Seaport Cafe. The Jason Marsalis quintet is at Snug Harbor.

In California... guitarist James "Blood" Ulmer is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight through Sunday. Cathy Segal-Garcia and Tamir Hendelman are at Steamer's Jazz Cafe in Fullerton. Saxophonist Don Menza is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen. This is John Pisano's Guitar Night at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. Cassandra Wilson is at The Rio Theater in Santa Cruz for a Kuumbwa Jazz Center concert.

The Royal Hartigan quartet is at Yoshi's in Oakland. The Vince Lateano trio featuring Los Angeles pianist Tom Garvin is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight and Wednesday. McCoy Tyner begins week two of his annual two-week residency at Yoshi's in Oakland, where he's featured through Sunday with Christian McBride and Lewis Nash.

On the recording front...

The jazz-jam band stalwart Soulive has just finished work on a new album for Blue Note Records, scheduled for release April 8. On the new album the group plays exclusively as a trio -- no guest artists -- for the first time in years, stripping down the instrumentation and stepping up the energy level.

The self-titled album marks an infectious return to roots for the trio, which consists of Alan Evans (drums), Neal Evans (organ, keyboards) and Eric Krasno (guitar). Incorporating elements of soul, funk and hip-hop on a range of new material, the group continues to push boundaries, never losing its trademark chicken-shack grittiness.

The originals on "Soulive" range from the loping funk of album opener "Alladin" to the driving grooves of "First Street" and the explosive "Elron." On "Shaheed," the group's hip-hop instincts get a workout over clipped organ phrases, while the up-tempo "Solid" mixes bluesy harmony over a staccato -- almost electronic -- rhythm section. The lone cover, "Lenny," is a soulful take on the Stevie Ray Vaughan classic, and the album is rounded out with "Turn It Out," the title track from their independent 2000 release.

(Contributed by UPI's John Swenson)

Blue Note is out today with "Oh!," the first recording by the supergroup ScoLoHoFo. The band teams guitarist John Scofield, saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Al Foster. They've honed their strong group sound during European tours the past two summers.

Blue Note also is out today with Italian saxophonist Stefano di Battista's latest project. It's called "Round About Roma."

Telarc Jazz today is out with a duo project by pianist Benny Green and guitarist Russell Malone. It's called "Jazz at the Bistro" -- and was recorded live at the St. Louis club of that name.

Storyteller, poet and guitarist David Gonzalez and his Poetic License Band featuring drummer Bobby Sanabria are out with their new recording, "City of Dreams," on Laughing Horse Records. The band includes pianist John DiMartino, bassist Boris Kozlov, saxophonist Oliver Lake, singer Lisa Sokolov and Yomo Toro on cuatro.

The Montreal-based Justin Time Records, best known for its concept recordings by a number of esteemed artists including David Murray, the World Saxophone Quartet, Billy Bang, Jane Bunnett, Bluiett and DD Jackson, is out with the seventh in a series of world-inspired albums from Murray.

"Now Is Another Time" focuses on the music of Cuba with his Latin big band, filled with a dazzling array of young Cuban musicians. The unit is built around three of Murray's long-time associates, trombonist Craig Harris, trumpeter High Ragin and Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax. It features arrangements by noted Cuban musicians Manolito Simonet, Jose Luis "El Tosco" Cortez and timbales master Changuito Quintana.

Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim¹s "African Magic" is being released by Justin Time via a new North American licensing and marketing arrangement with Germany's Enja Records.

Brazilian singer Flora Purim is out today with her newest recording, "Speak No Evil," on the Narada label.