WINNING SPINS by George Kanzler Twentysomethings Jeremy Pelt and Sean Jones were just teenagers when Miles Davis died in 1991, but both trumpeters present permutations of Miles among the offerings on their new albums. Pelt's Identity (MaxJazz Horn Series) and Jones' Gemini (Mack Avenue) are radically different in content from last year's debut CDs by the two on their respective labels. While the earlier works featured acoustic, straight-ahead quartet and quintet dates (respectively) with a mix of jazz and classic pop standards and originals, the new albums feature varying sized ensembles and a mix of acoustic and electronic instruments, plus repertoires dominated by originals (Pelt's all by the trumpeter; Jones or his bandmates contributing all but one to his). Both trumpeters have strikingly similar things to say about the impetus behind their new CDs. Pelt: "It deals with me finding my own musical identity… The goal was to try and define a voice within my own compositions, as well as establish a firm musical direction." Jones: "My sound and compositions have developed a great deal. I'm finally discovering who I am and learning to use my strong points - my technique and my church background - and really exploit more of my influences." Their own identities notwithstanding, both conflate large chunks of the very varied career of Davis into the short time line of a single album, as if trying to absorb and exorcise the Miles on their minds. Yet both are sufficiently personal and creatively exuberant in their playing to establish those individual identities they so prize, even while paying tribute to, or working through, Milesian influences. Pelt begins with his new quartet - Frank LoCrasto, piano, Vicente Archer, bass, and Eric McPherson, drums - doing "Re-Invention," a line moving through keys like one of the pieces from Miles's later 60s quintets. Warren Wolf's vibes join in on the atmospheric "Eddie's Story," a slinky piece with double-time drumming. Then comes a quartet track with electric piano, followed by one with keyboards and electric guitar in an odd time signature. The plug is pulled for a quintet ballad - gorgeously limned by Pelt - with vibes; then a quicksilver "Angular" featuring extended trades between high-flying trumpet and vibes. "Haiku" is a hypnotically slow quartet track with the intimacy of murmured Harmon- muted trumpet sharing lonely space in dialogue with the piano over hushed bass and brushes. "Scorpio" is an all-out electronic assault a la "Bitches Brew," with Myron Walden's soprano sax and bass clarinet adding to the layered multi-tracks and rhythms. It succumbs to inordinate length. But the closer, "Dusk," with hand drumming, keyboard, guitar and vibes washes, and trumpet luxuriating in long lines and notes is a worthy homage to the best of Miles' atmospheric tracks from the Seventies. Jones bifurcates his album into two halves, the first swingingly post-boppish and acoustic, the last funk and groove oriented and electric. Holding it all together is the young leader's emphatically ebullient and excitingly daring playing. Typical of his self-assured buoyancy is his entrance on "Blues for Matt B," descending from the stratosphere in a rippling cascade before swaggering into a bluesy boast of a story-like solo. The longest acoustic track, "BJ's Tune," is a memorable ballad displaying Jones' rich tone and command of slow tempo. Pianist Mulgrew Miller is replaced by keyboardist Orrin Evans for the second half, with Jones' "Into the Sun" alternating funky jump rhythm with fast straight 4/4 that has an 8/8 feel. There's a soul-like Crusaders/Philly Sound feel to "Chillin' at da Grill," Ron Blake's tenor and Kenny Davis' electric bass contributing to the mood. "T.V. Land" uses a line reminiscent of avant-hard-bop over sprung funk rhythms in a sextet with trombone added to the front line. Davis' "Gemini" pays direct homage to the collaborations of Miles and bassist/producer Marcus Miller, with a big electric bass and keyboard sound and distinctive Harmon muted trumpet from Jones. A short gospel duet between Evans on piano and Jones' open trumpet ends this decidedly eclectic but enticing album. Jeremy Pelt appears at the Jazz Standard on the evenings of July 7-10, while Sean Jones' night at the Blue Note is July 25. BUD SHANK: TENDING THAT BEBOP FLAME by Paul Blair It's a question he must surely be tired of hearing: "Gee, Bud, why don't you play flute any longer?" Yet that query's inevitable, given that so many jazz followers first became aware of Shank's talents during his popular collaborations with guitarist Laurindo Almeida: several LPs by their Brazilliance ensemble during the 50s and then, years later, a series of eight Concord recordings by the L.A. Four, a quartet to which both belonged. "You know, after so many years in music, I finally got to the point where I could do exactly what I wanted to do. So I asked myself, exactly what is that? Well, all I ever yearned to be was a jazz saxophone player - so that's what I returned to. I got into the flute when I first moved to Los Angeles. I still love the instrument, of course. It provided me with loads of jobs during the 50s and 60s when I was doing studio work. I still have one flute at home. But not playing it and not having to practice it daily has given me plenty of extra time to improve my keyboard facility. There were some simple physical reasons, too, since I'd developed arthritis in my left shoulder and carpel tunnel syndrome in my hands from years of flute playing." Shank (a Dayton, Ohio native, by the way) is associated in most listeners' minds with what came to be called the West Coast "cool jazz" movement. Lengthy tenures with the Stan Kenton band, various Shorty Rogers groups and Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars are conspicuous in his resumé. Yet a hot new Capri CD on which Shank shares front-line duties with fellow alto warrior Phil Woods confirms that Bud is indeed a bebopper at heart. "A while back, Phil and I were booked on the same jazz cruise. After some onboard sets together, we decided to coordinate our schedules and perform as a unit. We did a half dozen festivals last year, then recorded live at Yoshi's club in Oakland. Usually, when you get two horns in front of a rhythm sections, it's just a few blues, a bunch of standards and a few 'I Got Rhythm' things. But we tried to go beyond that with more unconventional material, and the response from listeners has been enthusiastic. "Bill Mays and I have known one another since the early 70s, when he first came up from San Diego and got involved in the L.A. studio scene. In fact, he even wrote a flute-piano suite that we recorded together years ago. More recently, we've done lots of duo concerts together. But involvement by the other members of his trio [Martin Wind, bass; and Matt Wilson, drums] will make this Iridium gig even more enjoyable for me." After two decades of notable success heading up a summer jazz institute at Port Townsend in the state of Washington, Shank (now a Tucson resident) has inaugurated a jazz workshop and festival in Albuquerque, with the first sessions taking place this month. "It's five days of clinics, followed by a one-day festival. All our teachers are working musicians who're already active on the scene. When I first began this, most participants were young professionals trying to gain a foothold. Lately, though, we've expanded in both directions, taking some talented high schoolers and also including older professional types - physicians, engineers and so on who notice oddly shaped boxes in their closets at home and realize that those were the instruments they used to play. For some of these guys, it's almost like going to a fantasy camp. And believe it or not, they actually love the experience of being blown off the bandstand by some fifteen year old kid!" Details on this month's Bud Shank Jazz Workshop and Jazz Southwest Festival are posted at www.BudShankAlto.com. Shank and the Bill Mays trio play at Iridium on July 7-10. SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL BLAIR MIKE LEDONNE 92nd STREET Y/JULY 27 SAINT PETER’S CHURCH/JULY 21 As a New York newcomer, he hung out at Jimmy Ryan's, mixing it up with legends like Eldridge, Dickenson and Papa Jo Jones. Those whose favorite jazz hang is Smoke know pianist/organist LeDonne well, since he's a frequent attraction there. This month, he's elsewhere, too. Along with his participation in the Y's Kenny Dorham-Horace Silver tribute, he will be playing a 12:30 PM gig at Saint Peter's Church on July 21. Sharp Nine's about to release Mike's Rev-Elation, his salute to former boss named Milt Jackson. Yes, Mike played for years with Bags. TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI BIRDLAND/JUNE 29-JULY 2 As an up-and-comer in Japan, she attracted the attention of Oscar Peterson and then of the scholarship committee at Berklee, where she studied in the mid-50s. Though better known these days for her big band arranging talents, Toshiko's always been one of the most pleasing of those pianists for whom Bud Powell was a primary influence. To hear her romp through Powell tunes like "Un Poco Loco," "Tempus Fugit" and "Budo" (which she does on a fine 1990 disc called Cleopatra's Dream) is a joy. Hopefully, some of Bud's compositions will be heard during these four Birdland nights. Paul Gill's her bassist, with Mark Taylor on drums. DAVID WEISS DIZZY'S CLUB COCA-COLA/JUNE 28-JULY 3 Count on some pre-Fourth fireworks when Weiss joins three other first-rank trumpet players (Nicholas Payton, Tom Harrell and Jeremy Pelt) plus a crackerjack rhythm team (Richard Wyands, Dwayne Burno and Jimmy Cobb) in a tribute to Clifford Brown, whose seventy-fifth year this would have been. Weiss then heads for Europe to play dates with the Jazz Composers Octet headed up by Freddie Hubbard, then returns to Dizzy's on August 2-7 as part of Charles Tolliver's big band. By the way, David's latest Fresh Sound CD, entitled The Mirror, is a superb showcase for his arranging talents as well as his horn work. BUSTER WILLIAMS VILLAGE VANGUARD/JULY 12-17 Those of us who heard Buster on bass at last month's memorial service for Percy Heath again marveled at his impeccable harmonic sense, his masterful tone and his rock-solid time. He's anchored the rhythm sections behind horn standouts like Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, Herbie Hancock and the outfit co-led by Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson. And remember Sphere, the great 80s co-op quartet that largely focused on Monk tunes? Buster underlined those proceedings as well. His current foursome - the one doing a week at the Vanguard - also includes alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Anthony Wonsley and drummer Lenny White. JESSE ELDER PERK'S/JULY 8, 15, 22 AND 29 New York's so full of talented young jazz players slowly building their reputations - lucky us - that it's fun to pick two or three early on, then chart their musical growth. Pianist Elder is a promising candidate for future acclaim. In addition to these Friday trio gigs at Perk's, he's also playing solo for Saturday brunches at Cafe Mozart (Broadway at W. 79th), dueting with guitarist Ben McDonald at Cafe Mozart on July 12 and 26; and sharing the bandstand with bassist Zack Foley at Brooklyn's Spoken Word Cafe on July 17 and 31. No, none of Jesse's work is yet available on CD. That's still to come. MAKOTO OZONE JAZZ STANDARD/JUNE 29-JULY 3 Many of us first heard this Kobe-born pianist on mid-80s albums under the leadership of Gary Burton, an early booster. Ozone has solid classical credentials, too: a NYC debut 23 years ago at Carnegie Recital Hall, performances of Mozart's Double Piano Concerto with Chick Corea - and more recently, a concerto of his own, written with a large symphony orchestra in mind. Thus it's no surprise that he'll play on the first three nights with backup by a string quartet. Friday and Saturday, though, it'll be just the trio (James Genus, bass; and Clarence Penn, drums) with whom he's recorded three appealing Verve CDs. FLORIN NICULESCU ALICE TULLY HALL/JULY 27 Violinist Niculescu is a Romanian-speaker. Guitar whiz Joscho Stephan comes from Germany, while accordionist Ludovic Beier and guitarist Dorado Schmitt are probably most comfortable in French. Fortunately, each speaks Django eloquently - and all will perform at the Django Reinhardt festival. Dorado's rhythm guitarist son Samson will also be on hand, as will Joscho's rhythm guitarist father Gunter. So will two bassists - Max Schaff and Brian Torff - plus drummer David Sillerman. This year's special guest, by the way, is Paquito d'Rivera, who has forgotten neither his Spanish nor his early infatuation with the Reinhardt sound. DUANE EUBANKS CHARLIE O'S/JULY 4 AND 11 Trumpeter Eubanks is part of a truly distinguished musical clan: Brother Robin's a trombone stalwart in Dave Holland groups, brother Kevin chats nightly with Leno - and Ray Bryant is their uncle! Anyway, the stellar quintet Duane leads every Monday at Charlie O's (J.D. Allen on saxophones, Noah Haidu on keyboards, Eric McPherson playing drums and usually Joseph Lepore on bass) will play there together only twice during July, since Duane's off to Europe with Holland's big band. Nowadays, he's also a member of Mulgrew Miller's all-star sextet. But these Monday gigs provide great chances to hear him at the helm. ANDY NARELL SATALLA/JULY 7 Pop world percussionists sometimes spice their work with the sound of the steel drum. Often, though, it's merely an effect summoned up with the push of a synthesizer button. Narell, on the other hand, plays the genuine article. He was also the first to move pans effectively into a jazz context. The cooperative (i.e. leaderless but not rudderless) quartet Sakésho, of which he's the best-known member, also includes pianist Mario Canonge, bassist Michel Alibo and drummer Jean Philippe Fanfant. Together, they're a four-man French Caribbean festival. And to think it all started with some discarded oil drums. God bless Esso just this once. LEW TABACKIN HOTEL KITANO/JULY 8 AND 9 We're most accustomed to hearing Tabackin in a trio context: himself backed by just bass and drums. It's a format Sonny Rollins used to favor. And since Lew admires Sonny at least as much as the rest of us do, that seems logical. For these two Kitano evenings, though, he's invited pianist Benny Green (with whom he recorded three Concord CDs) to join with John Webber and Mark Taylor to form a quartet. It'll also provide yet another occasion to puzzle over the pleasing contrast between Lew's brawny tenor saxophone playing and his often-ethereal work on flute. NEW JERSEY JAZZ BY FRED McINTOSH MIDIRI BROTHERS BICKFORD THEATER/JULY 25 Though Artie Shaw may be gone, his music certainly isn't. Listeners and critics fondly recall the Gramercy Five, a band-within-a-band Shaw used to feature during his glory years. This Bickford concert presents a kind of Gramercy Five Plus One. Joe Midiri plays clarinet. Paul Midiri will be featured on vibes, in addition to covering the Johnny Guarnieri harpsichord parts. Dan Tobias will perform the Billy Butterfield/Roy Eldridge brass parts. Pat Mercuri (guitar), Garry Cattley (bass) and Tim Lawler (drums) complete the group. "Summit Ridge Drive," anyone? It's unlikely that any of Artie's numerous ex-wives will be present. But you should be. CECIL BROOKS III CECIL'S/JULY 1 AND 2 Can it really be two years since Cecil's club in West Orange had its grand opening with Bill Cosby on hand? To celebrate this anniversary, Brooks leads the signature group he calls the CB3 band: Kyle Kohler on organ, Bruce Williams playing alto, Anthony Nelson on tenor, Freddie Hendricks on trumpet and himself behind the drums. Good recorded work by Cecil can be found on the Muse, Savant and 32 Jazz labels. Now his namesake venue has become an important Jersey focus for our music, a spot where the best musicians can celebrate and be celebrated. Long may it wave. VIC CENICOLA GLEN ROCK INN/JULY 7 Hackensack guitarist Vic Cenicola likes to say that he was first attracted to his instrument by singing cowboys he saw as a kid at the movies. During the 50s, he discovered jazz through Johnny Smith recordings. He subsequently met Wes Montgomery at the old Half Note and they became running buddies. Vic adds clean, precise octaves to single string and chordal playing. In addition, he's a well-regarded teacher, as well as the owner of several classic Gibson, Koontz and Cort instruments. Appearing with him at North Jersey's premier guitar room is fellow plectrum specialist Joe Caniano, who's also a vocalist. VICTOR LEWIS NEWARK MUSEUM/JULY 7 Continuing the fortieth year of its Jazz in the Garden series, the museum presents Lewis' trio on July 7. This master percussionist and composer has, over time, played with some giants - from Mingus to Dexter Gordon, in fact - and added highly appropriate rhythmic touches to such seminal albums as Stan Getz' Anniversary and Woody Shaw's Moontrane. Just as memorable was his work in Horizon, the group he co-led with Bobby Watson. To hear Victor in the context of an all-star trio, catch him on The Moment (Reservoir) with Kenny Barron and Rufus Reid - or just show up at noon. RONI BEN-HUR: THE POWER OF THE BEAT by Paul Blair The team players coming into the Lenox Lounge with guitarist Ben-Hur for his two-night stint this month are the same musicians you'd enjoy if you were to pick up - and you really should - a copy of Roni's new Reservoir CD, Signature: pianist John Hicks, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Leroy Williams. (Percussionist Steve Kroon, also present on the album, will join the group on Friday night only.) They'll doubtless play tunes featured on that disc, too. A boppish line called "Mama Bee," constructed atop the harmonies of "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," would make a dandy opener. At some point, you might hear Harold Arlen's not-yet-overroasted chestnut "Blues in the Night," a little known Jobim composition called "Luiza" and Roni's treatment of Villa-Lobos' "Bachiana Brasileiras No. 2." They're all on this fresh release as well. Despite the great diversity of material he chooses to play, Roni Ben-Hur's guitar work fits comfortably within the stylistic framework established by, say, Kenny Burrell: a pleasing lack of clutter, clean single-string lines, genuine harmonic interest and a solid grounding in the blues. Those strengths are also apparent in Anna's Dance, a CD cut for Reservoir in 2001. Barry Harris was the pianist on that one - and it's with Barry's own group that Roni's often heard around town these days. He's also part of the Elmollenium Ensemble formed to play Elmo Hope compositions and headed up by pianist Bertha Hope. Ben-Hur, born in Israel but a New Yorker since 1985, is also neck-deep in a wide range of educational activities. He designed a music program curriculum for the city's Professional Performing Arts High School and kicked off a jazz program for kids in several alternative schools. Twelve years ago, he launched a jazz program for adults at the Kaufmann Center's Lucy Moses School that includes classes on harmony, improvisation and guitar technique. Much of the material he uses has been collected into a Barhobsa Music volume entitled Jazz Talk. With singer Amy London, who's also his wife, he's been running interactive programs that helps lead K-6 youngsters into the jazz universe. He even started a summer jazz camp headquartered on an organic farm upstate. Currently, he's working with preschoolers at a family center in Englewood, NJ. Speaking about a similar program in Tenafly, he told of visiting each class once weekly for half hour sessions. "The songs I teach them are folk songs. But being what I am, I swing them and the kids love it. They bop their little heads and bodies the minute I start strumming the guitar. Although they come from a large variety of social, cultural backgrounds, their reactions are the same. It gives you a sense of what great strength lies in the power of the swing beat." Roni Ben-Hur leads his Signature quartet at the Lenox Lounge on July 22-23. JAZZWOMEN! BY ELZY KOLB High Energy The title of singer Deborah Davis' new CD seems to exemplify her take on life: No Ways Tired (Got My Own). "My life is always exciting," she says, "even if I'm just walking around on the East Side talking on the phone." This veteran vocalist has toured the world as a jazz ambassador, run marathons and kept going even after developing asthma from three decades of singing in smoky clubs. She decided to bill herself as "Deborah Davis and a Few Good Men" because, although she wanted to keep her name out there, she wanted something with more flair than the usual "trio" or quartet" billings. "Of course, they're good men-you don't want me to hire bad ones, do you?" she says, laughing. Judge for yourself: They'll be at Sweet Rhythm on July 19. The Book Cooks Writer/producer/broadcaster Sheila Anderson interviewed dozens of musicians for her new book, "How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know To Succeed" (Allworth). Regardless of their age or their genre, "Everyone had in common a drive and a passion, along with an ability to navigate the music business," Sheila says. "There's no BS in this book; all the people I interviewed were very candid." She expects the book to stir some controversy. "I've been hearing about the A-Team and the B-Team for years, and I wanted to really get into it. Musicians on the A-Team are always working, and tend to be able to grow. Those on the B-Team are barely working; they tend to stay where they are and say people don't get them." Sheila says you don't have to be a musician to read the book: "It's geared toward people interested in music, and those just getting started." Sheila also produces jazz concerts at the Newark Museum every Thursday night (Paula West is featured on July 14). And you can always catch her on Saturday nights on WBGO-FM. Multiple Choice Multi-instrumentalist Barbara Cifelli is having a good time playing the music of Frank Zappa with Ed Palermo's big band. "It's really a good mental workout," she says. "The music is constantly moving and shifting." Barbara plays "the biggest and the littlest instruments": bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, bari sax and e-flat clarinet. She describes the music as "a cross between stuff in the pop range kind of infused with modern classical." Though Barbara says she's "not exactly a giggin' gal," she's appearing with hubby Jim Cifelli's New York Nonet at Louis Engle Waterfront Park in Ossining on July 7, with Ed Palermo at Iridium every Wednesday, and with Lew Anderson's big band at Birdland each Friday at 5:30 PM. Congrats… To pianist/composer/vocalist Daniela Schaechter, winner of the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Award. She "felt very lucky" just to be one of the five finalists chosen from 80 entrants. Judges included pianist Geri Allen and organist Trudy Pitts. "I felt really honored to win, I didn't expect it because everybody was so good," Daniela says. "This is definitely something important to me. I'm hoping it will help me get a label for my new CD." She's mixing the last couple of tunes for the CD and recently recorded with a septet, before heading for Italy for a couple of weeks. Daniela plays the Blue Water Grill on July 22. Spin Cycle Tia Fuller, as always, makes strong alto and flute statements on Sean Jones' Gemini (Mack Avenue); she'll be in Sean's band at Cecil's on July 22-23, and at the Blue Note on July 25 … The prolific Marian McPartland has a new one, Piano Jazz with Guest Elvis Costello (Jazz Alliance) … Chicago pianist Jo Ann Daugherty's Range of Motion (BluJazz) has me hoping she makes it to the Big Apple soon. Around Town Pianist Linda Presgrave plays Marie's on July 9, as well as a free noontime concert outdoors at 425 Lexington Ave. on July 22 … Guitarist Sheryl Bailey is at Detour on July 12. Singers Unlimited Elizabeth Lohninger presents material from her new CD Beneath Your Surface (Lofish) at Sweet Rhythm on July 5 … The Bull-Fonda Duo (vocalist Katie Bull and bassist Joe Fonda) present music from the memorably titled Cup of Joe, No Bull (Corn Hill) at Cornelia Street Café on July 7 … the JC Hopkins Biggish Band featuring Queen Esther is all over town this month supporting Underneath a Brooklyn Moon (TigerLily); catch them at the Knitting Factory on July 12, at Joe's Pub on July 15 or at Makor on July 23. The band includes Claire Daly on baritone and Catherine Popper on bass … Barbara Lea is one of Hoagy's Children at the 92nd Street Y on July 26; Jimmy Van Heusen is her focus, though, on Deep in a Dream (Cape Song)… Rita Coolidge does standards and more on And So Is Love (Concord) … Vintage (Mahogany) is the latest from Kathy Kosins … 93-03 (Azzurra) features Cinzia Spata … There's a fine set of originals on Lorraine Feather's Dooji Wooji (Sanctuary) … Live the Life (Mack Avenue) showcases Ilona Knopfler … Dreaming Wide Awake (Verve) is Lizz Wright's new one … and Remember Love (Half Note) comes from Mary Stallings … Finally, read all about the legendary Lady Day in With Billie by Julia Blackburn (Pantheon). Cameos A pair of Carla Bley compositions sound great in the hands of Arturo O'Farrill on Live in Brooklyn (ZoHo) … Singer Claudia Acuna does a star turn on Noche Inolvidable (Palmetto), a new one from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, a band that includes reed player Erica vonKleist … Check out vocalist Co Boi Nguyen on Billy Bang's excellent Vietnam: Reflections (JustinTime) … Singers Janis Siegel and Jane Monheit join the Frank & Joe Show on 66 2/3 (Hyena). HOT FLASHES BY PAUL BLAIR EAST COAST JAZZ GETAWAYS If you're motoring around New England this season, you may wish to take in portions of the Cape Cod Jazz Festival, being held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this month and next at the Wequassett Inn in Chatham, MA. Already slated are Harvie S's Latin jazz quartet (July 20), the White Heat Swing Septet (August 2), Jerry Bergonzoni's quartet (August 3), David Schnitter's quartet (August 9), Mose Allison (August 16), Dick Johnson's quintet (August 17), Kenny Werner (August 24), Roseanna Vitro (August 30) and a musical salute to the late James Williams (August 31). By the way, the Inn's no-cover policy will help keep your expenses low. See www.capecodjazzfestival.com ... The marquee for Marblehead Summer Jazz also involves some bright lights appearing at intervals throughout two months: Rebecca Parris on July 9; Doug Wamble on July 23; Frank Morgan on August 6; and Mose Allison on August 20. Visit www.marbleheadjazz.org for the whole story ... Care for a more relaxed single-day event? If you're in the Watertown, NY area on August 13, the sixth annual Sackets Harbor Jazz Festival might be just your ticket: a cakewalk down the main drag at high noon, a trad outfit plus two big bands playing until the supper break, and then a Russ Kassoff ensemble (numbering Bucky Pizzarelli, Ken Peplowski and Catherine Dupuis among its members) bringing things to a tidy close by ten. Gee, you could be resting comfortably in bed by 11:00 PM - unless, of course, you're taking the Thruway home to Brooklyn that same night. We're still awaiting an Internet posting of details for New Haven's jazz festival; last year's took place in August. SWIMMING IN JAZZ AT THE Y Hopefully, last month's JVC and Vision Festival galas didn't totally waste you - because here comes another pleasantly exhausting local blowout. "Jazz in July" returns to the 92nd Street Y for six music-crammed nights, each featuring a great lineup. After twenty years of success as this series' artistic director, Dick Hyman has handed over the, uh, baton or maybe the metronome to Bill Charlap, who's carrying on a grand Upper East Side tradition. On tap for the July 19 opener is "Gershwin's Vision," an elaboration on (and the first local performance of) Charlap's new Blue Note CD of Gershwinia. On the following night, Bill's joined by four other pianists of renown - Hank Jones, Ray Bryant, Mulgrew Miller and Renee Rosnes - for an assortment of solos, duos, trios and quartets. Jim Hall, whom Bill calls "the father figure of modern jazz guitar," is honored on July 21. He'll play with guitarist Peter Bernstein, as well as with Messrs. Lovano, Harrell and a twelve-member string section. Then (after a four-day breather), it's a July 26 "Hoagy's Children" program. Charlap will play again. So will Bucky Pizzarelli, Ken Peplowski, Byron Stripling, Scott Robinson and Jay Leonhart, among others. Dave Frishberg will sing Carmichael tunes and so will Barbara Lea. July 27 brings "The Front Line: Small Group Jazz by Horace Silver and Kenny Dorham," recalling the compositions and fire of those hard bop notables. The series wraps on July 28 with a look back at Nat "King"Cole's legacy. Nat's younger brother Freddie stars, with Dennis Mackrel's Manhattan Symphony Jazz Orchestra also present. For times, more complete personnel listings and ticket info, check www.92y.org. CECIL'S BIRTHDAY To be sure, other jazz players have had clubs named for them. Drummer Cecil Brooks III not only owns his namesake club in West Orange; he also sets the musical direction, booking those artists he admires most. Perhaps that accounts for the consistency of his presentations. Since grand-opening two years ago, the venue has headlined Fathead Newman, Winard Harper, David Murray, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Oliver Lake, Grady Tate, Michael Carvin, Christian McBride, Chico Freeman, Hendrik Muerkens, Bill Goodwin, T.S. Monk, Vanessa Rubin and Roseanna Vitro, among others. (Appearing this month are Dave Liebman on July 16; and Sean Jones on July 22-23. Cecil's also hosts Matt Chertkoff's organ trio every Sunday, a big band every Monday, an open-to-all-comers jam session each Tuesday and a Latin jazz cookup on Thursdays.) Happily, too, this club has received highly positive media coverage on ABC's "Nightline" and in The Wall Street Journal. None of this hurts a bit. WATCHFUL Vanessa Rubin sings on June 28 at the last of those free noontime concerts being held at the Tourneau Time Machine watch boutique (E. 57th at Madison) under the WBGO-FM banner - and Frank Sinatra Jr. will make an appearance. Why? It's partly because the store has been displaying a collection of rare Sinatra photos and memorabilia - and Frank Jr. will be signing copies of a volume entitled Sinatra Treasures. We suspect that he'll also assist in presentation of a Oris Limited Edition Frank Sinatra Power Reserve Timepiece to one ultra-fortunate winner in a lucky draw competition. This watch, with production limited to 2,090 pieces worldwide, is the most recent in Swiss firm Oris' series honoring legendary jazz world figures. Past honorees have included Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Quincy Jones and John McLaughin. ISLAND SOUNDS ON W. 44TH He's performed and recorded over the years with Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Carla Bley and Gerry Mulligan. So how did a guy from the Chicago area with such obvious straight-ahead chops get so heavily into Latin music? Perhaps it was the lengthy period (1977-1994) he spent as a founding member of Spyra Gyra - but who cares? Vibraphonist Dave Samuels has had considerable success in recent years with the Caribbean Jazz Product, the ensemble he put together in 1993. Together, they've done seven uplifting albums, with the fifth (2002's The Gathering) winning a Grammy award. Birds of a Feather is their next-to-newest; and they've just released their first live CD: Here and Now on the Concord label. Count on hearing a bunch of tracks from that one when the Caribbean Jazz Project occupies the Birdland bandstand for four nights: July 6-9. ADDED ATTRACTIONS The intriguing free programs at the Jazz Museum in Harlem (104 E. 126th St.) provide the chance to hear and question those who've been active on the local jazz scene in years past. On July 7, the guest is Jean Bach, the woman responsible for putting together the "Great Day in Harlem" video that everyone loves so much. Then on July 28, saxophonist Bill Saxton recalls the great times he's had playing with the music's towering figures. These highly informal sessions begin at 6:30 PM. Though there's no course credit involved, you'll learn a heck of a lot ... Argentinean saxophonist Oscar Feldman lends his talents to J@ LC's "Latin in Manhattan Festival" with performances (from 11:00 PM onward) at Dizzy's on July 12-16 ... Copeland's Restaurant in Harlem now presents gospel music brunches on Sundays. For example, among the entrees on July 10 and July 24 are The Sounds of Deliverance, with Fred Staton (yes, Dakota's brother) playing tenor behind a couple of stirring singers. Phone 212-234-2357 for details ... Pianist Karin Okada's trio plays at Ciao Stella (206 Bleecker in the Village) every Thursday, with sets at 7:30 and 9:00 PM. She's also leading a quartet at a Saint Peter's Church Jazz Vespers event at 5:00 PM on July 17 ... Among the pianists playing on the Kitano's very full schedule this month are Jeb Patton on July 20; Deanna Witkowski (plus saxophonist Donnie McCaslin) on July 21; and Rob Schneiderman (he's got Rufus Reid on bass) on July 27 ... Free concerts at 7:00 PM in Madison Square Park with: Kenny Garrett's quartet (on June 29); Luciana Souza with Romero Lubambo (July 13); Stefan Harris' group Blackout (July 20); and Danilo Pérez (August 10) ... Among the pianists playing at Bryant Park this month is John Hicks. He's there on July 5-8 for early-afternoon sets beginning at 12:30 PM or late-afternoon sets starting at 3:30 PM. The entire schedule's posted at www.bryantpark.org ... Bassist Neal Caine hosts a CD release party at Smalls on July 14. The youngest of the Marsalis brothers (drummer Jason) plays drums in Neal's quartet ... Soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom follows up on the success of her wonderful Like Silver, Like Song CD with an 8:00 PM performance at Firehouse 12 (47 Crown St. in New Haven) on July 16. Phone 203-785-046 for details... Trumpeter Bill Warfield brings his big band into West Bank Cafe (W. 42nd between Ninth and Tenth) on July 21 - and his quartet into the Silvermine Tavern in Norwalk, CT on July 23. Both gigs run 6:00-9:00 PM. JAZZ ANECDOTES BY BILL CROW Jazz bassist Bill Crow has written two entertaining books, available in paperback from Oxford University Press: Jazz Anecdotes, a collection of stories about jazz and jazz musicians, and From Birdland to Broadway, a personal memoir of life in the jazz world. You can order them from your favorite bookseller. Benny Golson used to dream he was writing a great tune, and then would wake up in the morning unable to remember it. Determined to catch one of his dream melodies, he woke himself up one night, grabbed some manuscript paper, and groggily wrote out the melody he had just dreamed. Then he went back to sleep. In the morning, he rushed to the piano to play his dream music. "Wait a minute," he said. "This sounds familiar!" He realized that had written the verse to "Stardust." At New York's Tavern on the Green, when one of Marian McPartland's listeners jokingly requested "Melancholy Baby," she responded: "That comes during the third set. And we're only playing two." This fable made the rounds on the internet: A letter arrived at Gene Krupa's house addressed to "The World's Best Drummer." Gene said, "This isn't for me…I'm not the world's best drummer." He sent it to Louis Bellson, who also refused to open it. It went around to all the other great drummers in the world until it reached Buddy Rich, who said, "This is for me," and opened it. The letter began, "Dear Ringo…"