Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world

Today is April 11.

Cornet player Nick LaRocca was born this day in 1889 in New Orleans. He was instrumental in forming the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which played Chicago in 1916 and was a hit in New York a year later.

LaRocca also started a cornet playing style that later was adopted and taken to new heights of popularity by Bix Beiderbecke. LaRocca also wrote the standard "At the Jazz Band Ball." He died in 1961.

Looking at today's hip happenings...

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

Trumpeter Clark Terry's quintet is at Birdland through Saturday. Danny Mixon's organ trio is the Lenox Lounge in Harlem tonight and Saturday. The David Hazeltine-Eric Alexander quartet is at Smoke tonight and Saturday. The Winard Harper sextet is at Sweet Rhythm through Sunday. Jesse Gelber and Aisha Hosley, The Swing Doctors, are at SWING46 tonight and Saturday. The John Ellis Group is at The Jazz Gallery tonight.

The Roy Meriwether trio is at Trumpets on Montclair, N.J., tonight.

The Duke Robillard Band is at Chan's in Woonsocket, R.I., tonight.

In the Boston area... pianist Cyrus Chestnut's trio is at Scullers tonight and Saturday. Pianist McCoy Tyner's trio with Al Foster and Chasrnett Moffett is at Ryles in Cambridge tonight. The Mike Stern quartet with Bob Franceschini, Lincoln Goines and Terri Lyne Carrington is at The Regattabar in Cambridge tonight.

Anthony Brown and the Asian American Orchestra are at Tuckerman Hall in Worcester tonight. The Bruce Katz band is at the Zara Jazz Club in Worcester tonight.

The Jazz in the Sanctuary series at the Church of Our Saviour in Brookline tonight features new music by Ted Pease, Jack Walrath, Jeff Friedman, Manuel Kaufmann, Dick Lowell, Joe Mulholland, Ken Schaphorst and Charles Bubeck.

In Philadelphia... singer Juanita Holiday is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Cafe Degas tonight. Plan B is at Zanzibar Blue. Duane Eubanks is at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus with the Mickey Roker quartet. Jimmy Bruno is at Chris's Jazz Café with the Chris Farr trio.

The Jazz Mandolin Project and The Slip are at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio, tonight.

In greater Chicago... the Chris Lega-Pat Mallinger quintet is at Andy's. Judy Roberts is at The Chicago Firehouse. The Jean-Michel Pilc trio is at the Green Mill. Chuchito Valdes' Afro-Cuban Ensemble is at HotHouse tonight. Benny Green and Russell Malone are at the Jazz Showcase this week. King Fleming is at Philander's in Oak Park. The Gephart Long quartet is at Pops for Champagne.

The Jacksonville, Fla., Jazz Festival runs through Sunday. This year's lineup includes the Hilton Ruiz trio with Sonny Fortune and Gary Bartz, the Latin jazz band Ya Gozo, Joshua Redman's Elastic Band, Tower of Power, Tony Bennett, the Benny Golson and Curtis Fuller Together Again Band, Chris Botti, Peter White, Grupo Jazz Tumbao, the Bunky Green quartet, Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis, and Grupo Jazz Tumbao from Canada.

In New Orleans... the 20th annual French Quarter Festival gets underway this morning at Jackson Square with the French Quarter Festival All-Stars, featuring Bob Havens.

Other performers this opening day at the various French Quarter and riverfront stages include Ingrid Lucia, Irvin Mayfield, Papa Grows Funk, Marva Wright, Bonerama, a half-dozen brass bands, Leroy Jones band and Quintology. The opening will include the dedication of a Pete Fountain statue in Legends Park.

Many avid attendees consider this festival a warm-up to JazzFest -– the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival –- which opens in two weeks. Others call it an alternative to JazzFest -- with local musicians, smaller crowds and no admission fees.

Elsewhere on the New Orleans jazz scene... Earl Brown is at Cafe Sbisa. Big Chief Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias are at Donna's. The Naked Orchestra is at the Dragon's Den. Devin Philips and Ingrid Lucia are at the Funky Butt.

The Rob Wagner trio is at Loft 523. The Ernie Elly Slickshots with Thais Clark are at the Palm Court. Leroy Jones leads the band tonight at Preservation Hall. Ellis Marsalis is at Snug Harbor. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers are at the Spotted Cat.

On the California jazz scene...pianist Randy Weston's trio is at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles through Sunday. Saxophonist George Harper is at Charlie O's in Valley Glen tonight and Saturday with the John Heard trio. The Jennifer Barnes quartet featuring Otmaro Ruiz is at Steamers Jazz Cafe in Fullerton.

Alan Pasqua and the Jamey Tate trio are at Spazio in Sherman Oaks. Christian McBride's band is at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight through Sunday. The Michael Zisman, Andrew Speight, Modesto Brisno, Matt Clark, Akira Tana quintet is at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco tonight. San Francisco's SFJAZZ spring season features the Sekou Sundiata band and Daughters of Yam at the Yerba Buena Center Forum.

Guitarist Larry Carlton is at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle through Sunday.