Today is March 28.
Bandleader and violinist Paul Whiteman was born this day in 1890 in Denver. He called himself "The King of Jazz" though he really didn't play jazz. Whiteman popularized it, though, with his big band and hired some of the finest mainstream players of his time, including Bix Beiderbecke, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti and Jack Teagarden.
Trumpeter, composer and bandleader Thad Jones was born this day in 1923 in Pontiac, Mich. He was the middle brother in one of the foremost families in jazz. Pianist Hank Jones is his big brother and drummer Elvin is his younger brother.
The composer of the jazz standard "A Child Is Born," Thad Jones was one of the finest arrangers ever to work with the Count Basie Orchestra. He led the band for about a year after Basie's death in 1984. He also was co-founder of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. Jones died in 1986 in Denmark.
Bass player Charles "Ike" Isaacs was born this day in 1923 in Ohio. He worked with pianist Erroll Garner and with the vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and also led his own trio.
Tenor saxophonist Eric Dixon, a longtime member of the Count Basie Orchestra and occasional music director after Basie's death in 1984, was born this day in 1930 in New York.
Looking at today's hip happenings...
On the New York jazz scene... trumpeter Nicholas Payton is at Birdland tonight and Saturday with Sonic Trance. Saxophonist Gato Barbieri is at the Blue Note. The Eric Alexander quartet is at the Village Vanguard. Guitarist Bireli Lagrene's Gypsy Project is at Iridium this week. Dave Douglas is at the Jazz Standard tonight with his sextet. The Jazz Gallery's Duo Piano Series features Luis Perdomo and Raymond Angry tonight.
Pianist Michele Rosewoman and New Yor-Uba featuring percussionist Orlando "Puntillo" Rios are at Sweet Rhythm. The Kendra Shank Group featuring Michael Blake is at the 55 Bar tonight.
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Grady Tate and Lizz Wright through Saturday for its final installment of this season's Singers Over Manhattan concert series in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. The Jeremy Pelt sextet is at Smoke tonight and Saturday. The Danny Mixon trio is at the Lenox Lounge in Harlem tonight and Saturday.
Jazz flutist Wendy Klein's quintet is at CAV in Providence, R.I., tonight. Planet Groove is at Chan's in Woonsocket, R.I., tonight.
In the Boston area... Poncho Sanchez is at Scullers jazz club tonight. Trombonist Slide Hampton is featured tonight with the Ryles Jazz Orchestra at Ryles in Cambridge. David Maxwell's Maximum Blues band is at The Regattabar in Cambridge. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is at Boston's Symphony Hall tonight.
Pianist Chucho Valdes and his band, with his sister, Cuban singer Mayra Caridad Valdes, are at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H., tonight.
In Philadelphia tonight... Denise King is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Café Degas. Greg Riley is at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus with the Mickey Roker quartet. Carla Cook is at Zanzibar Blue. The Michael Brecker quartet is at the Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Sarah Pillow's Nuove Musiche and Tunnels are at Tritone.
Jovino Santos Neto is at the Skyy Lounge in Miami tonight with the Rainforest Trio and singer Heather Davis. Their new CD is "Brazil Fest Key West."
In Cleveland... there's a "Gershwin Swings" concert tonight at the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium with Bill Rudman, Ernie Krivda and Swing City and singers Tony Sias, Evelyn Wright and Erin Kufel. There's a Stan Kenton-style "Artistry in Cleveland" concert by the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, conducted by trombonist Vaughn Wiester at the Cuyahoga Community College West Campus.
In and around Chicago... the Chris Lega-Pat Mallinger quintet is at Andy's. Natalie Yoakley is at the Backroom. Judy Roberts is at The Chicago Firehouse through Saturday. The Bob Baglione trio is at The Foundry at Fox Valley Mall. Astral Project is at the Green Mill tonight and Saturday.
The Houston Person quartet is at The Jazz Showcase this week. Skinny Williams is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium tonight. The Don Stiernberg quartet is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston tonight and Saturday. King Fleming is at Philander's in Oak Park tonight.
On the New Orleans jazz scene... the Earl Brown trio is at Cafe Sbisa. The Treme Brass Band is at Donna's. Wendell Brunious is at Dos Jefes. Have Soul Will Travel is at the Dragon's Den. Ryan Burrage and the Rhythm Makers are at Fritzel's. Andrew Baham and Devin Phillips' Hot Shots are at the Funky Butt.
Topsy Chapman and Mark Braud are at Harrah's. Los Hombres Calientes are at the House of Blues. Bonerama is at the Maple Leaf. The Ernie Elly Slickshots with Thais Clark are at the Palm Court. Leroy Jones leads tonight's band at Preservation Hall. Tim Green is at Rene Bistrot. Ellis Marsalis is at Snug Harbor. The Jazz Vipers are at the Spotted Cat.
In California... the Steve Turre quintet is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles tonight through Sunday. The Al Viola quartet is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. Saxophonist Med Flory is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen tonight and Saturday with the John Heard trio. The Jeff Hamilton trio is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton tonight.
Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner are at Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland through Sunday. Trumpeter Steffen Kuehn's nonet is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight and Saturday. The SFJazz Spring Season continues in San Francisco tonight at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre with a members only concert by the Herbie Hancock quartet and a concert tonight and Saturday by the Ibrahim Ferrer Orchestra at Masonic Auditorium.
