winning spins by George Kanzler      Both bassist Ron Carter and mallets player Bobby Hutcherson were at the cutting edge of post-bop and post-hard bop jazz in the 1960s. Carter was the anchor of Miles Davis' still-influential later 1960s quintet, his last wholly acoustic band; while both Carter and Hutcherson appeared on some New Thing (if not completely avant-garde) Blue Note and Prestige albums with such vanguard players as Eric Dolphy, Archie Shepp and Grachan Moncur III in that decade and beyond. But, as their new albums in this Winning Spins demonstrate, both Carter, 70, and Hutcherson, 66, have mellowed since those heady avant-leaning days, with what could be called a back-to-basics jazz approach, one heavily indebted to the standards repertoire. Dear Miles (Blue Note), features Carter's current working quartet with pianist Stephen Scott (who's been with him 15 years), drummer Payton Crossley and percussionist Roger Squitero. In this group, Carter does not play the piccolo bass, the cello-like instrument he features in his Nonet. And wonder of wonders for a CD from a bassist-leader who used to record numbingly long solos, Carter keeps his improvised solos short and cogent here, while maintaining a firm bottom in the group. Ensemble sound is paramount here - this is a band with a textured and nuanced aural approach, one inestimably enhanced by the subtle contributions of Squitero, the most tasteful and spare percussionist ever to grace a piano-bass-drums group. That ensemble sound is showcased on the opening track, Gil Evans' "Gone," with a group arrangement that manages to convey the essence of the orchestral version through the brassy combination of snare drum and piano, bass parts echoing the low horns, and discreet hand percussion filling in spaces. Squitero is more prominent on "Seven Steps to Heaven," adding sharp, knocking percussion during the stretched-out theme and a conga solo breaking out of ensemble kicker riffs. Those are the only tracks with strongly specific Miles Davis associations. The balance of the album features standards recorded by Davis, two Carter originals and "As Time Goes By," imagined as a Miles-interpreted standard. "Stella by Starlight" is a bass feature all the way, Carter limning the melody slowly, lovingly (and all pizzicato; he doesn't use the bow on this album) and soloing at a slightly faster tempo. "My Funny Valentine" is an impressionistic meditation from bass with piano gradually asserting the lead over floating drums and percussion, giving way briefly to a 4/4 section before a close slowing down and quoting Miles. Davis is also quoted on "Bye Bye Blackbird," taken at a tempo slower than the accelerated one Davis had established by the time Carter was in his Quintet, with a Scott solo typical of his appreciation of line, symmetry and logic which make his improvising so appealing. While Carter's album is full of ensemble strategies involving shifting time and/or tempo, textures, harmonic interplay and sometimes ingenious arrangements, For Sentimental Reasons (issued on the label called Kind of Blue) is an old-fashioned romantic album, featuring mostly ballads with some tasteful swingers and Latin-tinged numbers hardly ruffling the prevailing, warmly tender mood. It is unabashedly Hutcherson's showcase, the vibraphonist (no marimba here) dominating every track, sharing solo (but not on lead melody) space with only pianist Renee Rosnes, as bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Al Foster provide accompaniment, solo-less. "One of the hardest things in the world to do is to play simple," says Hutcherson in the CD notes, "to give the listener room to become part of the creative possibilities of the experience." His playing throughout the album is a cynosure of that kind of involving simplicity. Hutcherson phrases and embraces melodic lines like a great singer, breathing life and meaning into the notes of such songs as ""Embraceable You," "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," "Spring Is Here" and the title tune. He's the quintessential melodist throughout, leaving Rosnes to fill in with some spirited and, in this context, close to daring improvisations. But this album is all about comfort and romance, the perfect complement to a romantic or quiet evening. If there's a CD player in your boudoir, put it in rotation. Ron Carter will be feted on June 27 at Carnegie Hall during a JVC Jazz Festival 70th Birthday concert featuring the band on Dear Miles, as well as a quartet with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter; a trio with Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone; and a duo with Jim Hall. Meanwhile, Bobby Hutcherson leads a quintet with special guest Malone at the Blue Note on May 29-June 3. JAZZ IN JERSEY BY FRED McINTOSH JULIUS TOLENTINO JJ Bitting Brewing/JUNE 1; CECIL'S/JUNE 22 AND 23 Alto saxist Tolentino, taught and influenced by Jackie McLean, is a truly fresh new voice on today's scene. His past credits list work with Illinois Jacquet's big band, Jeremy Pelt, Charlie Persip, Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed, Antonio Hart, Vanessa Rubin and even the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Pianist Jeb Patton, bassist Mike Karn and drummer Peter Van Nostrand will constitute the rest of Tolentino's foursome at Cecil's. He's often heard in Manhattan, too: at Cleopatra's Needle on the Upper West Side. On CD, we like his aptly titled 2005 Sharp Nine debut called Just the Beginning, which simply brims with spirited improvising. JONATHAN RUSSELL JAZZ IN BRIDGEWATER/JUNE 2 Let me tell you up front that violinist Jonathan Russell is, at this writing, all of twelve years old. Yet he's good enough to hold his own with guitarist Bucky Pizzarelii and bassist Jerry Bruno in a trio playing in Bridgewater. Last year, Jonathan recorded his debut CD, The Sheik of Araby with the assistance of a bunch of somewhat older guys like trumpeter Ed Polcer. In fact, for the foreseeable future, Master Russell is likely to be the youngest guy on any bandstand where he appears. He's already booking jazz festivals around the nation. And get this: he also plays viola, guitar, mandolin, piano, recorder, clarinet and drums. BILLY DRUMMOND SHANGHAI JAZZ/JUNE 8 AND 9 Without a doubt, he's one of the tastiest and most musical drummers on the scene today. Over the years, his traveling companions have included Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, J.J. Johnson, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Freddie Hubbard, Toots Thielemans and a bunch of other marquee names. These days, he's also a highly respected teacher in the jazz programs at Juilliard and NYU. Working with him at Shanghai will be pianist Xavier Davis and bassist Mike McGwirk. Of the dozens of albums on which Billy's played, we particularly admire 1994's One World, on which Ralph Moore plays tenor and Renee Rosnes is pianist. BOB MILNE BICKFORD THEATRE/JUNE 4 Is ragtime dead? Is boogie-woogie? How about stride? When pianist Bob Milne, who's mastered all these genres, is in the house, the answer's a resounding No. A Detroiter, Bob makes yearly appearances at the Bickford in Morristown and tends to bring down the house with every gig. In fact, he now presents keyboard showcases like this elsewhere across the country, winning such critical plaudits as plaudits "rollicking," "engaging" and "deft." That same sort of magic is apparent on his recent CD, America: Go USA, available from Woodland Press. By the way, Bob's other career involves playing French horn in symphonic ensembles. SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL BLAIR, yvonne ervin AND GEORGE KANzler ELIANE ELIAS JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER/JUNE 24 Brazilian-born, of course, but a part of the New York jazz milieu in recent years, Ms. Elias first won attention on these shores in the early 80s as keyboardist with Steps Ahead. Since then, she's led her own trio, served as Gilberto Gil's musical director and played a key role in Toots Thielemans' Brasil Project. Though many of her most ardent admirers value her primarily as a singer, it'll be her piano talents on proud display at this promising J@LC presentation pairing her with Kenny Barron. (She's also dueted on record with Herbie Hancock.) Recent albums? Try her latest, Around the City (Bluebird). PB ROBIN EUBANKS JOE'S PUB/JUNE 29 At a festival along the Danube in Budapest last fall, we heard a solo set by trombonist Eubanks (heretofore best known for his work with Dave Holland's groups) in which he used electronics to create complex rhythms over which he played, building layer atop layer until he sounded like a heavenly trombone choir. A hokey idea in theory, but it worked magnificently. That's why this 9:30 PM set at Joe's piques our interest, since he won't be alone. His EB3 trio (with keyboardist Orrin Evans and drummer Kenwood Denard) will debut material from a new Kindred Rhythm release that sounds, to our ears, at least three times as fantastical. PB ERIC REED DIZZY'S/ JUNE 5-10 AND 12-17 Pianist Eric Reed was barely out of his teens when he first came to prominence in Wynton Marsalis' septet in 1990, bringing along his gospel-blues influences. Toward the end of that decade he also spent two years with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, where he was especially convincing as an Ellingtonian. Reed's fronting two different bands - with the same rhythm team of Gerald Cannon, bass, and Willie Jones III, drums - at this club. The first week it's the West Coast Jazz Quartet with alto saxophonist Jeff Clayton; the second is the Tenor Madness Quintet with tenor and soprano saxophonists Stacy Dillard and Seamus Blake in the front line. GK JENS WINTHER CORNELIA STREET CAFÉ/JUNE 19 If you read Stuart Nicholson's Is Jazz Dead? Or Has It Moved to a New Address?, you'll have some of idea of just how vibrant the jazz scene in Northern Europe has become. Denmark remains a hotbed of creativity, thanks to players like Winther, a trumpeter who alternates between a tight hard bop style and looser, more relaxed free improvisation. This NYC appearance follows a tour of Australia and precedes a swing through several festivals across Canada. His European Quintet also includes Tomas Franck (tenor saxophone), Ben Besiakov (piano), Jonas Westergaard (bass) and Dejan Terzic (drums) - also on Concord, their 2005 CD on the Stunt label. PB KERRY LINDER ENZO'S/JUNE 15 Vocalist/percussionist Kerry Linder's debut album Sail Away With Me somewhat recalls her Caribbean roots, but more so emphasizes her love of the sounds of Brazil, which she didn't really hear until she attended graduate school in Washington, DC. She easily picked up Portuguese since it's similar to Papamiento, the language of her native Curacao. She lends a bossa sound to standards like "God Bless the Child" and "Song for My Father," then sambas through "As Time Goes By." At Enzo's intimate setting, her lilting voice will be supported by Ian MacDonald on guitar and back up vocals and Laura Dreyer on alto saxophone and flute. YE AKIKO TSURUGA CACHAÇA/JUNE 12 To preview Ms. Tsuruga's approach to jazz organ, look at the video clip on www.akikotsuruga.com. There's no bassist present on that Blue Note bandstand; what you're hearing is the result of some fancy footwork. In addition to this appearance at a new Village venue, she'll also be rockin' 'em at the Salt Creek Grill in Princeton on June 21 and at Carnegie Hall behind Lou Donaldson on June 23. Watch for her, too, at Showman's Lounge, Charlie O's, Bar Next Door, the Priory in Newark and elsewhere. If "Meanie Queenie," the first cut on her new CD Sweet and Funky doesn't get you moving, nothing will. PB ALAN FERBER TEA LOUNGE/JUNE 11 Partial to bands incorporating eight or nine pieces in which good solos alternate with deft ensemble passages? You'll admire what trombonist Ferber's nonet is doing. His new CD, The Compass (Fresh Sound) is a wonderful follow-up to Scenes From an Exit Row, his 2005 effort on the same label. (His twin brother Mark's the drummer on both discs.) Catch the nonet at this Park Slope venue. Or hear Alan in other contexts this month: with Jeff Newell's New Trad Octet at BargeMusic on June 14; with Todd Sickafoose's Blood Orange group at Venue MediaLabs in Williamsburg on June 16; or at the 55 Bar with Sickafoose on June 29. PB JOEL FORRESTER KITANO/JUNE 6 Early on, Forrester had chances to converse with Monk, who suggested he "focus on music that hasn't been written yet." That he's certainly done. He's best known for his involvement with the Microscopic Septet, the four-saxophones-plus-rhythm group he joined soon after its founding. Happily, some classic MS tracks just reissued by Cunieform are a reminder of how witty their well-remembered local performances during the 80s and early 90s - often of Forrester's oddly shaped compositions - were. At Kitano, though, it'll be a trio, with fellow MS alum David Hofstra playing bass and Matt Garrity on drums. Solemnity will not reign, we predict. PB STEFANO BOLLANI FAZIOLI SALON/JUNE 22 Even super-compulsive CD buyers may not have heard much of Bollani's work, since he's recorded primarily for European labels. Now, though, this pianist, a native of Milan, is finding a wider audience, thanks to the release by ECM of a solo album called, appropriately enough, Solo Piano. Its generally low-keyed contents are perhaps an accurate reflection of what he'll present to listeners at Fazioli. But he's sometimes a hard swinger, too. Just look at him frolic with bass-and-drum backing on a clip viewable at www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5nnc95VyQ. Though YouTube hosts several of his videos at the moment, this one offers a special kick. PB ELIN SWEET RHYTHM/JUNE 19 She's half Peruvian, half Irish and raised in Sweden, so naturally she sings in Portuguese! Lazy Afternoon, the debut album by Kathleen Elin Melgarejo - feel free to call her just Elin - is chock full of memorable numbers by Nascimento, Jobin and Caymmi, as well as a couple of originals. While she does an enchanting version of "Lazy Afternoon," the CD title really should have been "Fascinating Rhythm," since most of the album is Latin in style, including a multi-metered version of that very tune. For this gig, she'll surely do lots of her Brazilian book with a fine rhythm sec-tion: Pablo Vergara (piano), Leo Traversa (bass) and Mauricio Zotarelli (drums). YE HOW TO KEEP SWINGING: HANK JONES' SECRET RECIPE by Yvonne Ervin Self-effacing, reflective, and playful - those adjectives describe both the musician and the man. In a recent interview just two months after his triple bypass surgery at nearly seventy-nine, Hank Jones finally revealed the secret of his longevity: "Keep breathing, man!" At that point, he was preparing to travel to his hometown, Detroit, to speak at a commencement at which he'll receive an honorary doctorate. So what is he going to tell the kids? "Don't stop breathing!" he deadpans, then reflects on many of the world's unsolved problems. "Education, health, and global warming are major things and we should all be concerned about them because they'll all impact on our futures." In Len Lyon's 1983 survey, The Great Jazz Pianists, Oscar Peterson is quoted as saying that he got "the interconnecting runs that tie together harmonic movements in a ballad, the impeccable good taste of the right touch" from Hank Jones and Teddy Wilson. In that same volume, John Lewis and George Shearing each sing Jones' praises and cited him as an influence. Yet illustrating how underrated Jones was even at that point in his career, he doesn't have a chapter of his own in the book. "I wrote him a nasty letter," quips Jones. "Really, I didn't think they'd given me a second thought. They were very talented people, you know. But if they thought that of me, I'm flattered and honored. I'm sure I don't deserve it." He can be just as self-effacing at the piano. He's accompanied everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Marilyn Monroe (on "Happy Birthday" to JFK). "What you try to do as an accompanist," he says, "is fill in those open spots to keep everything moving. To give the singer a point of reference, to always support. Ella preferred block chords, so you might sound like an orchestra. But some accompanists don't accompany - they solo when the singer is singing. You are there to support the vocalist. And if you don't do that, why are you there?" Jones was part of a musical family and he's the only one left from the Jones clan that included ten children. His brother, drummer Elvin, passed three years ago and trumpeter/composer Thad died in 1986. Hank says that his biggest regret is that he didn't play more often with his brothers. "We did some things together but not nearly enough. They were both very great players, I guess they found it difficult to put up with me," he says with an impish grin. "Thad had his big band and Elvin had his own group - and before that, he played with Coltrane. Meanwhile, I had my own group. I can understand why they didn't have time to do anything else. Now I sure do miss those guys." Brother Elvin also figures in Hank's dream band. "Elvin could play the most complicated figures," he recalls. "Other drummers would just shake their heads and say, 'He just can't be doing that!' The rest of Hank's ideal rhythm section would be Art Tatum and bassist George Mraz, who often plays in Jones' trio these days. Charlie Parker would be fronting the band: "He had probably the greatest tone of all the alto saxophonists. Great facility, great time. Everything you'd want as a soloist. Bird had a great sense of humor, too, I could hear that in his playing, especially when he'd quote other tunes in his solos." Jones' latest recording pairs him with tenorman Joe Lovano for a romping duo album aptly called Kids. "Working with Joe is a challenge because he goes so many places harmonically. It was fun trying to keep up with him." Though Jones and his wife of nearly forty years never had kids of their own, they do have many nieces and nephews. Still, it's not easy being the sole survivor of your nuclear family. "It's unbelievably tough and unusual. The sense of emptiness is very hard to dissipate," he said "You have these memories that are constantly in the back of your mind. They sort of overshadow everything you do and there's nothing you can do about it." But he soldiers on, even after his recent heart attack. It was covered in The New York Daily News when it was discovered that he and Abbey Lincoln were in St. Luke's Hospital at the same time, both recovering from heart failure and bypass surgery. Jones said that he and Lincoln were in rehab together and were released at the same time. So what does he want to do next? "Make a rock-and-roll album," he says with a laugh. Then he straightens up to add "Well, I know one thing I could do: play the piano better." Hank Jones takes part in the Oscar Peterson Tribute at Carnegie Hall on June 8. ARTURO O'FARRILL: MOVING ON, MOVING UP by Paul Blair "You can list me as a fervent Jazz at Lincoln Center booster," says Arturo O'Farrill. "Now and forever. I mean, their mission remains a critical one. And, of course, we simply must support any organization where jazz musicians are employed. But at the same time, we all realized that a change was necessary." He's speaking of the recent decision that's moved the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble he was instrumental in founding five years ago, out of the J@LC fold and into a new affiliation with Symphony Space, not all that many blocks up Broadway. "And I want to emphasize that this decision had nothing to do with politics. The Orchestra's final appearances under the old banner [at Rose Hall on April 13-14] represented a gracious parting for all concerned. We even played a new piece of mine called 'Forty Acres and a Burro'! What's more, I owe the Jazz at Lincoln Center people a considerable debt. After all, they were present at our birth, nurtured us and made it possible for us to travel with our music. The critical acclaim and the Grammy nomination wouldn't otherwise have been possible. "On the other hand, affiliation with Symphony Space brings some new positives. For one thing, it's a culturally inclusive venue, very much in touch with the local community and committed to keeping admission prices low. In fact, none of their programming is out of the reach of the average New Yorker. I applaud that. Jazz shouldn't just be for the well-to-do." At this juncture, O'Farrill may be even better known for his leadership of the Afro-Cuban Big Band heard at Birdland on Sunday evenings for the past twelve years. They've become a kind of must-catch attraction for visitors to New York, especially those flying in from overseas. But the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra was founded with somewhat different goals in mind. "While the Sunday night band represents a specific style rooted in the work of leaders like Machito, Benny Moré and Mario Bauza," says O'Farrill, "the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra offers a far broader range of styles, including music from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Caribbean and elsewhere. And because we wanted to emphasize the difference between these two groups and repertoires, there's actually little duplication in terms of personnel." Growing up as the son of esteemed arranger and bandleader Chico O'Farrill (who wrote for Gillespie, Basie, Kenton and Goodman), Arturo O'Farrill was immersed in the world of Latin jazz from childhood on. Over the past decade or so, he's also won a measure of acclaim as a straightahead jazz pianist, often in trio contexts. Still, he's thrilled to be fronting two large ensembles filled with so many of his own longtime heroes. "Like Bobby Porcelli," he enthuses. "One of today's most exciting alto saxophonists, by any measure, really a master of clavé-centered music. Ivan Renta, a young knockout on tenor. Michael Philip Mossman, still holding down our lead trumpet chair; and Jim Seeley, who's well-schooled in all the traditions, as principal trumpet soloist. What a killer trombone section, too: Gary Valente, Douglas Purviance and Reynaldo Jorge, with Luis Bonilla getting the most solo space. Our bassist is Ruben Rodriguez, who's appeared on about a thousand recordings by now and really keeps the rhythm section rooted. "You know, some people tend to be a bit suspicious of any non-Latino playing Latin music. But the Orchestra's drummer, Vince Cherico, has certainly proven himself. After all, he spent eleven years with Ray Barretto, too. As percussionists, we're awfully proud to have both Tony Rosa, who also knows a lot about the folklore in which this music is grounded; and Jimmy Delgado, a fixture on the New York Latin scene for the past thirty years. "Anyway," concludes O'Farrill, "I'm convinced that the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra's best days still lie ahead. This new affiliation with Symphony Space is already bringing great things. More playing dates right here in New York, for instance. A collaboration with Ballet Hispanica at the Joyce Theater, too. And we'll be traveling overseas for the first time. We've never had that chance before. We're also forming a new not-for-profit entity called the Afro-Latin Jazz Foundation dedicated to creating an educational framework presenting our music in a way that's inclusive without being hierarchical, teaching the importance of good musicianship that transcends all genres, and working to preserve this grand tradition of ours. "Hey, come check out the Orchestra this month. We're doing a special evening at Birdland that will serve as a benefit for the great saxophonist Mario Rivera, one of our important guys from the outset. Among the notables who'll be playing with us that evening are Wynton Marsalis, Paquito d'Rivera, Giovanni Hildago, David Valentin and George Coleman. There'll be others, too. It promises to be a memorable evening." Arturo O'Farrill leads the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra in a benefit for Mario Rivera at Birdland on June 5. Meanwhile, he continues to hold down his regular Sunday evening slot at the same club with the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band. And if you haven’t been to the Caramoor jazz festival yet and never discovered its unique gardens, August 4th is a good excuse with the Arturo O’Farrill Trio appearance. JAZZWOMEN! BY ELZY KOLB Fear itself Stage fright used to be a problem for vocal artist/ composer/poet Nora McCarthy. "It was this thing inside me, dragging my poor body all around," she recalls. However, "I always challenged myself to break through the barriers that prevent the full realization of life experience. Every one of those obstacles has become an opportunity." Nora plays the Baha'i Center on June 5, paying tribute to giants such as Billie Holiday and Jeanne Lee with her extended compositions and poetry. "I've been writing poetry and lyrics since the 1970s," Nora says. "It started as a way for me to vent some of the things I was feeling, and put some sort of order in my life." She's planning to release a CD this year, either a self-produced project she's had in mind for a while, or a collaboration with another artist. "Instead of the best years being behind me, I feel that right now there are so many presents under the tree," Nora says. "There is so much to look forward to. So many people don't realize their dreams, but I don't believe in limitations." Changing course Maria Guida had well over a decade of acting experience under her belt, but hearing pianist Bill Evans turned her life around and put her on the jazz track. What was the attraction? "The emotional content," Maria says. "Bill Evans was such a soulful player. I was very, very moved by his accessibility to the emotions of the tune, the way he 'sang' through the keyboard. It really grabbed me. I heard him play live only once, but immediately became a collector of his records." All those years of appearing on stage and screen haven't gone to waste. "I'm very fortunate; acting prepared me for many, many things," Maria says. "The connection to telling a story is important to a singer. I feel like I'm acting when I sing, when I'm connecting deeply to the lyrics. For me as an actor, I'm always looking for the most beautiful and accessible lyrics. And I'm also a sucker for melody." Maria celebrates the release of Soul Eyes (Larknote) at Sweet Rhythm on June 5. It was a very good year… Although we're less than halfway through it, 2007 been good to pianist Helen Sung. She's played numerous gigs, including the Mary Lou Williams festival; and appeared on both Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz," and the PBS special "In Performance at the White House." The last one caused Helen "a special kind of pain. It's hard enough to have to listen to myself, but to have to look at myself, too!" she says with a laugh. There's no sign of a slowdown in her busy schedule. Helen's third CD, Sung Bird, will be out on Sunnyside later this summer. "It's very different from my second one, which I called 'my jazz record,' since it's almost all standards," she says. Sung Bird "is the first one that I've mixed classical and jazz." Helen plays brunch at the Blue Note on June 3, with Lonnie Plaxico at Zinc Bar on June 12-13; at Estia Cantina in Amagansett on June 15-16; and at the WBGO members' party in Prospect Park on June 28. Congrats to … Veteran pianist/organist Sarah McLawler, for receiving a New York State Music Fund grant … Composer/bassist Sherisse Rogers and saxophonist/singer/composer Grace Kelly, who are among the recipients of ASCAP's Young Jazz Composers Awards. Catch 'em live Saxophonist Sue Terry plays the Sunburnt Cow every Tuesday … The prolific reed maven Anat Cohen appears every Thursday at the Zinc Bar with the Choro Ensemble. Anat is on a flock of new CDs, including one celebrating the music of Bobby Darin with the Waverly Seven on Yo! Bobby; she's with the Anzic Orchestra on Noir; and with her own group on Poetica (all are on the Anzic label) … Luciana Souza sings at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center on June 1 ... Jazz for Kids, featuring the Jazz Standard's Youth Orchestra, wraps up its season on June 3. Stop by to hear how they've grown since last fall … Vocal legend Annie Ross appears at Iridium on June 3 … Marlene VerPlanck sings at Shanghai Jazz on June 3, as well as at Iridium's brunch on June 10 … Happy birthday to singer Roz Corral, who blows out the candles at Kitano on June 7; she also appears at Enzo's on June 22 … Dee Dee Bridgewater, Renee Rosnes, Roberta Gambarini, Hilary Kole, and Marian McPartland will be among those paying tribute to Oscar Peterson at Carnegie Hall on June 8 … Pianist Deanna Witkowski flies solo at the Fazioli Salon on June 8; her trio joins her at the River Room of Harlem on June 9 … Catch pianist Kris Davis at the Cornelia Street Café on June 10 … Anne Phillips won't be singing for her supper, but she will sing at brunch at Café Loup on June 10, to celebrate the release of Ballet Time; friends such as Marian McPartland, Dave Brubeck and Roger Kellaway join Anne on the CD, and Roger will join her at brunch, too … Saxophonist Virginia Mayhew brings her septet into the Garage on June 12 … Singer Sarah Partridge appears at the Algonquin on June 12-23 … Esperanza Spalding plays bass and sings at the Jazz Standard on June 13 … Vocalist Andrea Wolper is at Enzo's on June 13 … Vocalist Judi Silvano and her Women's Work Quartet, including drummer Allison Miller, pianist Janice Friedman, and bassist Jennifer Vincent, play at Mannahatta on June 19 … Elin, that's right, just Elin, sings at Sweet Rhythm on June 19; I bet she'll do material from her new one, Lazy Afternoon (Blue Toucan) … Pianist Marilyn Crispell plays at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on June 20 as part of Vision Festival XII … The Blue Note's late night Groove Series will live up to its name when drummer Cindy Blackman appears on June 23 … Vocalist Anita Wardell crosses the Atlantic for a gig at the Metropolitan Room on June 26 … Anat Fort takes part in the JVC festivities on June 27, when she plays piano at the Rubin Museum … JVC celebrates International Women in Jazz with saxophonist Ada Rovatti playing outdoors at St. Peter's on June 28; she shares the bill with Andrea Wolper … Vocalist Barbara Fasano will be at the Metropolitan Room on June 29-30 … Ilene Reid sings with Diane Moser's Composers Big Band at Trumpets on May 30 … and singer Linda Ciofalo, whose recent CD Sun Set has won raves from critics and peers, appears at Mannahatta Lounge on June 20. HOT FLASHES BY PAUL BLAIR NEW VENUES Motema recording artists are now performing inside what used to be Langston Hughes' Harlem home at 20 E. 127th St. Although the acoustics are great, it's an intimate setting, so reservations via 212-860-6969 are suggested. Among noteworthy attractions this month are Kit McClure's band (June 15); the Elmolenium Orchestra (June 19, with pianist Bertha Hope leading a group through many of her late husband's compositions); pianists Marc Cary (June 21) and Lynne Arriale (June 22-23); and Roni Ben-Hur's Strayhorn Project (June 30). Fuller details at www.motema.com or www.langstonhugheshouse.org … That esteemed floating concert hall under the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO is now presenting jazz: Dick Hyman (June 7); Jeff Newell's New-Trad Octet (June 14); Jesse Elder's quintet (June 21) and a Randy Sandke trio (June 28). Check www.bargemusic.org, then secure tix through 718-624-4061 ... At 35W 8th St. near Macdougal is a new spot called Cachaça, where the bill of fare includes both samba and straightahead stuff. Catch 22 year old vocalist Chelsea Crowe July 1 with pianist David Kikoski, bassis Titus Ribas and drummer Willard Dyson. She recently opened Tony Bennett’s concert at the New Jersey PAC; and she's has studied, recorded and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Chico Hamilton, Junior Mance and Joe Chambers ... Makor's relocated, you know. They're now presenting a variety of musics at 200 Hudson St., on the SE corner of Canal … Hard-driving jazz returns to the Bronx with organist Lonnie Gasperini's trio every first Saturday at the Sam Young Post, 1530 Hutcherson River Pkwy. Food's free and there's no cover. Confirm via 917-704-3080 … And finally, look out for Mike Davis' Harlem Heritage Big Band, now bringing jazz back into uptown's historic Alhambra Ballroom on a fairly regular basis, with even dance lessons being offered. UPCOMING BENEFITS In support of its expanded programming the Jazz Museum in Harlem hosts a June 6 gala at the Cue Arts Foundation, 511 W. 25th St. The attraction is music for swing dancers played by the Jazz Museum in Harlem Big Band plus special guests. The reservations number is 212-348-8300 … Jazz House Kids is a Jersey-based organization offering young ones new chances for creativity and self-expression. A June 7 concert with David Sanborn, Mulgrew Miller, Christian McBride and Lewis Nash at the Montclair Art Museum will help to further their efforts. The story's at www.jazzhousekids.org. Hopefully you already know about the good work that JazzConnections is doing through Montclair State University's Music Prep Division. Their Summer Scholarship Fund Showcase fundraiser at Trumpets on June 25, at which faculty and student ensembles will play, supports its three-week summer workshops and a camp program as well. Faculty members Michele Roseweman, John Blake, Billy Hart, Mike Lee, Michael Mossman, and Radam Schwartz are usually joined by visiting artists such as Geri Allen, Bruce Williams or Andy McKee. Go to www.jazzconnections.org to learn more. DESERVING OF KUDOS Organist Sam Yahel's new trio CD Truth and Beauty (Origins) is a beaut featuring Joshua Redman and Brian Blade. Sam opens for Steely Dan at the Beacon Theater on June 10, 11 and 13, but with a different trio that includes Peter Bernstein and Greg Hutchinson instead … Tenor standout Wayne Escoffery plays at Dizzy's on June 19-24, as well as at Madison Square Park with Mingus Dynasty on June 27; his latest disc is Veneration (Savant) … And David Binney's quartet plays the Guggenheim on June 15; his newest on Criss Cross is Oceanos … By the way, exactly what is a "kudo"? ELSEWHERE AND EVERYWHERE ELSE Scandinavia House on Park Ave. offers jazz by groups from Sweden (Midaircondo and Peter Asplund's quartet on June 13), Finland (Ilmiliekki on June 14) and Norway (the trio called In the Country on June 18). Phone 212-847-9740 to assure yourself a seat … A half-century of NYC's poetry-with-jazz tradition is celebrated as David Amram reads Kerouac to music at Theater of the New City, (144 Second Ave.) on June 2. Call 407-497-3653 … This year's Umbria Jazz showcase at Birdland (June 26-30) brings back young altoist Francesco Cafiso, who'll be backed by rhythm plus a 14-member string section for a Charlie Parker tribute … John Scofield's curating a new jazz series at the Katonah Museum of Art in Westchester, with Brazilian singer Maucha Adnet headlining on June 20 … The Lost Jazz Shrines series continues at Tribeca Performing Arts Center with a focus on the old Tin Palace; appearing soon are Luciana Souza (June 1) and Giacomo Gates and George V Johnson Jr. (June 15). There are related films on each of those evenings, too … Butch Morris conducts the Nublu Orchestra every Monday this month at 62 Avenue C in the East Village. Sets start at ten and midnight … Curtis Hasselbring's Curha-chestra and Guillermo Brown's Cut Up Quintet are the June 30 attractions at the Jalopy Theater, 315 Columbia St. in Brooklyn (718-395-3214) … Guitarist Jason Campbell's JC & the Jazzhoppers outfit hits at Bar Next Door on June 9 and at Cleopatra's Needle on June 28... And the gifted trombonist Craig Harris plays at the new Harlem Stage facility at City College with actor-singer Avery Brooks on June 25-26; as well as in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on June 29, on a bill that also includes Groove Collective and Ravi Coltrane. jazz anecdote by bill crow Bill Crow's books "Jazz Anecdotes" and "From Birdland to Broadway" can be found at your favorite bookstore, and at www.billcrowbass.com along with many interesting photos and links. Pianist Ken Levinsky met an attractive singer on a job. Ken had just broken up with a girlfriend, and was happy to see that the singer seemed interested in him. After talking for a while between sets, Ken asked if he could call her the following week, and she warmly agreed. But when he phoned, he detected a weather change in her attitude. During their conversation, she explained that she'd had second thoughts about getting involved with a musician. If things didn't work out, it might lead to uncomfortable situations if they continued to work together. Ken mentioned his disappointment to a friend, a bass player. On a later job, he and his friend found themselves working with the same singer. On one set she was about to sing "Satin Doll," but had trouble finding her starting note. Ken and the bassist vamped the lead-in chords, but the singer still looked puzzled, and didn't come in. As they continued to vamp, the bassist muttered to Ken, "You're better off."