Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is April 9.

Jazz accordion master Art Van Damme was born this day in Norway, Mich., in 1920.

Organist (and former pro boxer) Reuben Wilson was born this day in 1935 in Mounds, Okla. His funky recordings for Blue Note helped blaze the trail for the acid jazz movement in the early 1990s. He has a new band this year called Masters of Groove, co-featuring guitarist Grant Green Jr., and saxophonist Leo Gandelman.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

On the New York jazz scene... the Kenny Garrett quartet is at Iridium through Sunday. The Drummonds with special guests Gary Bartz and Steve Wilson are at The Jazz Standard this week. The Ray Barretto sextet and Benny Golson quartet share this week's billing at the Blue Note. The Buster Williams quartet is at the Village Vanguard. Quizamba Brazilian jazz is at the Zinc Bar tonight. Jason Lindner and Undertow are at Sweet Rhythm tonight.

Sol y Canto is at Scullers in Boston with special guest Katie Viqueira.

Chris Farr is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Cafe Degas tonight with Tony Miceli and Lee Smith.

The Nu Band with Mark Whitecage on saxophones and clarinet, Roy Campbell Jr. on trumpet and flugelhorn, Joe Fonda on bass, and Lou Grassi on drums is at Indiana University in Bloomington.

In greater Chicago... Henry Johnson's Organ Express with Chris Forman is at Andy's. Mike Finnerty and the Jazz Hippies are at Cafe Ennui. The Bill Porter Orchestra with Rich Fudoli is at Green Dolphin Street. The Kurt Elling quartet is at the Green Mill. The Brass Tracks Big Band is at Hackney's.

The New Power Trio and Luciano Antonio trio are at HotHouse. Ken Saydak is at Joe's BeBop Cafe and Jazz Emporium. The Sketches in Blue Trio is at the 100 South Chop House in Elmhurst. The Bobby Broom trio is at Pete Miller's Steakhouse in Evanston. The Steve Evans trio is at Pops for Champagne.

On the New Orleans jazz scene... the Frank Zappatistas are at the Blue Nile. Earl Brown is at Café Sbisa. Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris is at Dos Jefes. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is at El Matador. Jack McLaughlin and the OZ Band and the Hurricane Jazz Band are at Fritzel's. Lusher is at the Funky Butt.

The Johnny Vidacovich trio is at the Maple Leaf. Bob Havens, Hal Smith, Tom Fischer, Tom Saunders, Steve Pistorious and Duke Heitger are at the Palm Court. John Brunious leads the band tonight at Preservation Hall. Irvin Mayfield is at the University of New Orleans' Sandbar space. The John Mahoney Big Band is at Snug Harbor.

In California... the Scott Amendola Group is at Dizzy's in San Diego's East Village tonight. Saxophonist Plas Johnson is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen tonight with the John Heard trio. The Francisco Torres Latin jazz sextet is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton.

The Jennifer York quartet is at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. Flugelhorn player Dmitri Matheny is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight with pianist Darrell Grant and his larger Dmitri Matheny Group. Organist Jeff Pittson is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight.

Christian McBride's band is at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle tonight.

On the recording front...

Trumpeter Mike Vax's Big Band is out with a Stan Kenton alumni recording called "Live: The Band Has Landed." It's on Summit Records. It was recorded during a two-week East Coast tour in 2001.

The Summit label also has released guitarist Eric T. Johnson's "Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1." He is joined by saxophonist George Garzone, trumpeter Phil Grenadier, bassist Bob Nieske and drummer Nat Mugavero on performances of Nichols' most electric 1950s' compositions.

Boston's Abby and Norm Group, featuring bassist-vocalist Abby Aronson Zocher and guitarist Norm Zocher, is out with its newest recording, "Melodic Miner's Daughter." It's on A to Z Music. Saxophonist George Garzone is special guest. Pianist Bevan Manson and drummer Brooke Sofferman round out the regular group.