WINNING SPINS BY GEORGE KANZLER You never can tell where the next major jazz voice will come from these days. Anat Cohen - who's definitely in the running, judging from the two albums comprising this month's Winning Spins - grew up in Israel and even played in an Israeli Army band during her compulsory military service before coming here a decade ago to study at Berklee College. Since moving to the Big Apple in 1998 she's played everything from New Orleans to Brazilian music, wile establishing herself as one of the top soloists - saxes and clarinet - with Diva, the all-female big band. Cohen's second and third albums are being released simultaneously this month, and they're both extraordinary, each with its own unique sound and overall unity. Poetica (Anzic Records) features her exclusively on clarinet, with a rhythm section of Jason Lindner, piano; Omer Avital, bass; and Daniel Freedman, drums. A string quartet is added to four of the ten tracks. Noir (also Anzic) finds her on tenor, alto and soprano sax as well as clarinet, along with a 15-piece orchestra featuring three cellos. "I have always associated the clarinet with sounds that are flowing, expressive and intimate, i.e., poetic," she says in her notes to Poetica. The repertoire on the album ranges from old and newer Israeli songs to Brazilian and French songs, plus originals by Cohen and Avital. John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament" is given a clarinet and strings prelude before picking up Trane-ish steam with the rhythm section. Cohen has a very warm, woody tone on the clarinet, one with none of the hard, squawky edge of such prominent contemporary clarinetists as Don Byron. In her low, chalumeau register, she's reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre; and when she soars, it's with the fluidity of a Barney Bigard or Artie Shaw. But above all, she's a giftedly melodic player, one who creates lyrical narratives in her solos and knows just how to perfectly embellish a melody statement while staying close enough to it to set her notes to a vocal. Poetica is in many ways chamber music, but heated by glowing jazz embers. Noir is another matter, a definitely cinematic, if not particularly noirish (at least in hard-boiled terms), orchestral jazz album with wonderfully shapely, narrative, arrangements by conductor Oded Lev-Ari, a colleague of Cohen from her early music school days in Tel Aviv. That connection is reinforced by the presence of Cohen's brother, Avishai Cohen, on trumpet, and another brother, Yuval, joining her in a soprano sax duet on one of the album's most impressive tracks: "Medley: Samba De Orfeu/Struttin' With Some Barbecue." If listening to Noir after Poetica, you'll be surprised at how brawny, almost swaggering, Cohen's tenor sax can sound. It's a completely different voice from her clarinet, owing much to the macho tenor school that comes out of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Chu Berry - a big-toned sound with rich vibrato. She swings lustily on "No Moon At All," strong and gutsy, then defies expectations by descending to low notes instead of a high wail in the coda. And her tenor on Johnny Griffin's up-riff tune "Do It" does justice to the composer. But the real tenor sax showcase is the episodic arrangement of Brazilian Hermeto Pascal's "Bebe," with a mournful cellos prelude with breathy tenor giving way to a fast samba beat that Cohen's tenor rides through escalating rhythmic riffs before an ensemble drop out leads to a tenor cadenza opening into a slower, preachy tenor solo rising over brassy Gil Evans-like voicings. Most impressive is the continuity of the tenor solos throughout, diverse yet united. Cohen employs her clarinet here mostly in Brazilian/Afro-Latin pieces and ballads, with especially romantic results on "Cry Me A River." She also makes her recorded debut on alto sax on "Cry," the old Johnny Ray Fifties hit, finding yet another voice, this time Swing Era tone with jump, R&B accents, for that instrument. With the softly glowing, chamber jazz Poetica and sophisticated, cinematically orchestral Noir, Anat Cohen has arrived as a major new jazz voice. Anat Cohen will be appearing in CD release engagements at the Jazz Standard, featuring the Anzic Orchestra on May 8 and musicians from Poetica on May 9. SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL BLAIR AND GEORGE KANzler RENEE ROSNES VILLAGE VANGUARD/MAY 15-20 Ms. Rosnes, one of the most versatile and consistently creative - as both a pianist and composer - artists in jazz today is gigging at two of the Big Apple's top clubs in less than a month. At the Village Vanguard she'll be leading her own estimable quartet: saxophonist Steve Wilson, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Bill Stewart. Expect to hear some of the newer compositions on which she explores her South Asian roots. Then at the Blue Note on May 29-June 3, she'll be part of vibist Bobby Hutcherson's blockbuster all-star quintet as featured on a new Kind of Blue CD called "For Sentimental Reasons." GK TOOTIE HEATH BIRDLAND/MAY 2-5 If you've seen a richly rewarding DVD called "Brotherly Love: The Heath Brothers" - or even if you haven't - you must be aware that bassist Percy, saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Tootie comprise one of music's most talented families. At one point, Tootie allows that if it hadn't been for his brothers, he might have gone astray and become a doctor or lawyer. His deft work over the years with Coltrane, J.J. Johnson, Cedar Walton, Bobby Timmons, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Tommy Flanagan and Yusef Lateef prove that he made the right choice. For this Heath Brothers appearance, he'll back Jimmy plus Jeb Patton (piano) and David Wong (bass). PB TARDO HAMMER FAZIOLI/MAY 11 If you catch Annie Ross some Tuesday at the Metropolitan Room, you'll also be hearing pianist Tardo Hammer, her musical director since 1994. He's been a go-to guy on the NYC scene for at least twenty-five years, mixing it up with hard bop hornmen like David Schnitter, Junior Cook and Clifford Jordan. There've been three Hammer CDs on the Sharp Nine label. The most recent (Tardo's Time) is a tasty salute to several of his illustrious predecessors, including Tatum, Monk, Bud Powell, Tommy Flanagan and Kenny Dorham. Note that in addition to this solo showcase in Midtown, he's also playing at Smoke on May 18-19 with saxophonist Grant Stewart. PB DON VAPPIE'S CREOLE SERENADERS JOE'S PUB/MAY 5 Papa Don, now in his early fifties, is part of what might be called the fourth generation of French Creole musicians. He plays tenor banjo and leads an ensemble that celebrates the contributions of traditional jazz figures like King Oliver, Jell Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet and Jabbo Smith. Expect to hear romps and stomps like "High Society Rag," "Red Pepper Stomp," "Short Red Dress" and maybe even "I'm Going Away to Wear You Off My Mind." Perhaps you've already heard Mr. Vappie on New Year's Eve Live at the Village Vanguard, in the company of Wynton Marsalis and Dr. Michael White. Sensational stuff! PB MISHA TSIGANOV RUSSIAN VODKA ROOM/MAY 7, 14, 21 AND 28/CACHACA MAY 4, 11, 18 AND 19 As a kid growing up in St. Petersburg (not the one in Florida), pianist Tsiganov may have dreamed of playing on 52nd St., and on Mondays this month he's doing just that, albeit on the Eighth Ave. end. He's also part of Joe Chambers' quintet at Smoke on May 11-12 - and of Willie Martinez' La Familia Sextet at the Priory in Newark on May 4. You can meet him and even hear him on his MySpace page, but a live encounter this month would surely be better. We can also recommend Misha's recent Always Going West CD, notable for some fine Tsiganov-penned tunes plus riveting work from trumpeter Alex Sipiagin. PB BEATLEJAZZ ZINC BAR/MAY 15-17 Dismiss it as a gimmick if you like, but BeatleJazz rocks and rules, and has a lot of fun doing it, too. The core band is drummer/tabla player Brian Melvin and pianist/synthesizer player David Kikoski, the latter best known as a formidable hard- and post-bopper. On their new CD, All You Need (Lightyear), they're decidedly less than reverent about the Beatles songs, they reinterpret and deconstruct, i.e., a "Bungalow Bill" like you've never heard before, with Joe Lovano swinging it on tenor sax. Harmonica Toots Thielemans, bassist-vocalist Richard Bona and bassist Larry Grenadier are also guests on the album. GK JOE LA BARBERA with JOE LOCKE KITANO/MAY 11 AND 12 You'll likely recall drummer La Barbera's sensitive work as a member (1978-80) of Bill Evans' final trio. Once a mainstay on the New York scene, he's now an LA-area resident and frequent flier whose stint at the Kitano with vibist Joe Locke's quartet marks his third trip east this year. (We also heard him not long ago at the Jazz Standard backing both Bud Shank and Ken Peplowski.) The Locke foursome also includes Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Jay Anderson playing bass. At this writing, La Barbera's in a NYC studio finishing up a new CD in tandem with Locke, so expect sets reflecting familiarity and friendship. PB RYAN KISOR ROSE THEATER/MAY 11 On this first night of a two-night survey titled "The Many Moods of Miles Davis," a Jazz at Lincoln Center "Music of the Masters" series concert, trumpeter Kisor, a versatile member of the J@LC Orchestra, gets to assay early-Miles bebop, as well as music from the seminal "Birth of the Cool" sessions. After bursting onto the scene at age 17 to win a Monk Institute competion (beating out Marcus Printup and Nicholas Payton in the process!), he's now a seasoned vet on the international club and concert circuit. Other Davis admirers slated for this same minifest include Payton, Terence Blanchard and Wallace Roney. GK KENNY GARRETT IRIDIUM/MAY 2-6 One of last year's most talked-about (and critically praised) releases was Garrett's Beyond the Wall project for the Nonesuch label. The result of his recent travels through China and dedicated to McCoy Tyner, it incorporates elements from the hard bop, modal jazz and Latin traditions, along with some samples of Tibetan chanting and some curiously affecting vocal work, plus participation by Mulgrew Miller, Bobby Hutcherson and Pharoah Sanders. Many writers acclaimed it this seasoned alto saxophonist's masterpiece. We're not certain how much of that wondrously exotic material will be included during this Iridium stint. But Pharoah's being billed as Garrett's guest… PB MARK SHERMAN SWEET RHYTHM/MAY 10 Though drums was Sherman's first choice of instruments, he ultimately chose to concentrate on vibes. We're glad. His most recent CD, Family First (City Hall) is an invigorating mix of jazz standards (e.g. Jimmy Heath's "A New Blue," Joe Henderson's "Punjab") and originals, on which Mark shares front-line duties with trumpeter Joe Magnarelli. Sherman's lyrical side has served him well in backing vocalists like Peggy Lee. Ruth Brown sought out his services on occasion as well - and Larry Coryell has often been a colleague. He'll bring here the same group from the album: Magnarelli, pianist Allen Farnham, bassist Dean Johnson and drummer Tim Horner. PB JAZZ IN JERSEY BY FRED McINTOSH BANU GIBSON JAZZ IN BRIDGEWATER/MAY 5 Ms. Gibson is coming to Bridgewater from her New Orleans home base to sing, play rhythm guitar and maybe even demonstrate her banjo skills. Backing her will be cornetist Randy Reinhart, clarinetist/saxophonist Marc Phaneufl, pianist Mark Shane, trombonist David Sager, bassist Frank Tate and drummer Joe Ascione. Her specialty? It's those great songs from the 20s and 30s we never seem to tire of. Her energetic, often highly rhythmic vocalizing has sparked appearances by the World's Greatest Jazz Band, the Boston Pops, Wild Bill Davidson's group and her own sextet. We like her high-energy CD Steppin' Out (Victoria Records.) GIACOMO GATES TRUMPETS/MAY 26 Here's a singer in the grand tradition of of Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, Babs Gonzalez, Jon Hendricks, Leon Thomas, Betty Carter and even Louis Armstrong. Giacomo makes a point of citing instrumentalists like Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster and Lester Young as influences. His performances usually include not only some vocalese but also passages where he uses his voice as an instrument such as acoustic bass. The man's approach is virile, mellifluous, full-bodied and musically honest. His new CD on the Origins label is Centerpiece. Reservations for this appearance are earnestly recommended - as is Mr. Gates himself. RADAM SCHWARTZ CECIL'S/MAY 4 AND 5 The outfit that organist Schwartz calls Conspiracy for Positivity - also the title of his newish Blue Ark CD - includes James Gibbs III (trumpet), Anthony Ware (alto), Misha Fatkiev (guitar) and Joe Brown Jr. (drums). If you dig the Hammond B3 work of masters like Jimmy Smith and Charles Earland, Schwartz' approach will delight you, since they're also his heroes. He's gigged with Fathead, Lockjaw, George Benson, Al Hibbler and both the Prysocks, Arthur and Red. He excited Jersey fans for a decade at the Peppermind Lounge in Orange, then he moved to the Crossroads in Garwood for another lengthy stretch. This month, he'll rock 'em at Cecil's. RONI BEN-HUR SHADES OF HOBOKEN/MAY 18 For this gig Ben-Hur will share the stage with fellow guitarist Gene Bertoncini and vocalist Amy London (aka Mrs. Ben-Hur). Roni's influences range, he says, "from Charlie Parker to Villa-Lobos, from Bud Powell to Debussy." His instrumental work has been lauded as "glowing," "creative," "fluent" and "warm." In recent years, he's made music with Barry Harris, John Hicks, Rufus Reid, Walter Booker and Lewis Nash. His new CD, Keepin' It Open (Motema Records) is set for release on May 15, so expect to hear some of its standards and originals. Meanwhile, Amy's new disc (When I Look Into Your Eyes, also on Motema) is due in September. JOE CHAMBERS: ANYTHING BUT RETIRED by Paul Blair Every working musician has a professional resume of some sort: "Recorded with…" "Worked with…" Once shared a stage with…" and so on. Percussionist Joe Chambers' curriculum vitae, though, is truly exceptional, listing important past associations with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Chick Corea, Sam Rivers, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, Archie Shepp, Joe Henderson, Harold Land, Chet Baker, Art Farmer and other instrumentalists of that stature. Chambers taste and rhythmic drive were initially displayed on a series of Blue Note albums issued during the 60s and 70s. His recorded debut was, in fact, on a celebrated 1964 Hubbard LP called Breaking Point. Soon thereafter, he was a vital member of the groups heard on Hutcherson's Components (1965), Hill's Compulsion (also 1965) and Shorter's Schizophrenia (1967). "It's really difficult for me to recall individual sessions," he says now. "That was a really busy period, almost like a blur. But it's still a pleasure to listen to those records, even four decades after they were cut." Pressed to name a few that he especially admires, he cites Rivers' Contours, Tyner's Tender Moments and Henderson's Mode For Joe. Did any of those landmark albums document actual working bands? "Rarely," he says. Usually they were assembled especially just for those sessions. But they sounded like working groups because there'd always be three, four or five days of rehearsals at a studio on Broadway and W. 89th St. before we'd go out to Van Gelder's to record. A few ensembles did perform elsewhere - those led by Joe Henderson and Kenny Dorham come to mind - but they were exceptions." Chambers says that a love of drumming came early for him. "I used to play pots and pans when I was little. At four, I was already setting them up around me as a kit, so the instincts were obviously there. Maybe it was a case of the instrument picking me, instead of the other way around." He earned an undergrad degree from the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music; contributed to that wealth of great Blue Notes throughout the 60s; joined Max Roach's percussion ensemble M'Boom as a charter member in 1970; worked with pianist Tommy Flanagan and bassist Reggie Workman in the Super Jazz Trio; and co-led a group with organist Larry Young in the late 70s. He's since done scoring work for film director Spike Lee, too; "Mo' Better Blues" was one such effort. Yet given his sterling reputation, Chambers has recorded surprising few albums under his own name. A well-received 1998 Blue Note entitled Mirrors contains spirited playing by altoist Vincent Herring and trumpeter Eddie Henderson, and allows him to display his skills as composer, pianist and vibraphone player. Urban Grooves, released in 2002, is somewhat more reflective in overall tone than you'd expect from a drummer-led date with that title. Then last year's The Outlaw (Savant) served to raise his profile a bit further, with a mixture of boppish and Latin tunes, plus a few tracks that verge on moody fusion. On this one, his vibes playing gets special prominence. "There'll be another album recorded soon for Savant," reports Chambers. "In fact, I'm writing it now. Same basic framework. Pretty much the same instrumentation and variety. You know, the first instrument I formally studied was piano. And I didn't get going on vibraphone until Max invited me into M'boom and I had to master mallet work. But it was fairly easy for me, thanks to my background as a keyboard player. "At Smoke, I'll be switching off between mallets and the trap set. But Steve Berios will also be there as drummer and percussionist. We'll have Dwayne Burno playing bass, Misha Tsiganov on piano and Javon Jackson on saxophone. It'll be fun." Joe Chambers' group plays at Smoke on May 11-12. JAMES SPAULDING: STILL MAKING THE SCENE by Ken Dryden Although his name may not be at the very tip of every jazz enthusiast's tongue, alto saxophonist James Spaulding has been active as a professional musician for five decades and appeared on over 100 jazz recordings, including dates by Sun Ra, Stanley Turrentine, Grant Green, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Sam Rivers, Max Roach, Horace Silver and numerous others. Beginning in the early 90s, he's has had more frequent opportunities to record as a leader himself - first for Muse and High Note and then on his own label, Speetone. Ask Indianapolis-born Spaulding about how he got into music and this is what you'll likely hear : "My father was a guitarist and traveled with a group of local musicians that called themselves The Original Brown Buddies, a band that played around the state and, after awhile, actually integrated during the 1930s. He brought home 78s of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, which I began to hear at the age of five. Parker was my first main influence. My mother was heavy into the church and gospel music, and we all went with her. But I was the only musician among the kids. Dad had to stop playing after all the children came on the scene and jobs began to get hard to get. "I had a plastic bugle that my father bought for five dollars and I was driving everyone crazy around the house. Then I got a trumpet in grade school and eventually I got a saxophone for $10 from a friend who was heading to high school. I played alto in high school, where a friend helped me with the fingering, and checked out a flute from the band room and taught myself. At Crispus Attucks High School, we had a dedicated music teacher named Russell Brown. He'd stay after school to help students learn how to play jazz, how to read syncopation, how to play together in tune. He was great, he loved the music very much. Melvin Rhyne, Slide Hampton and David Baker all remember him well." After high school, Spaulding chose military service, and later used G.I. Bill benefits to pay his college tuition. "I entered the army in 1954 to play in a Special Services band. After basic training, they shipped me out to Fort Orr in California, where I had to audition, sight reading mostly marches and classical music. After I was accepted, there was two months of training. I played saxophone, piccolo and flute. Then I was transferred back to Fort Benjamin Harrison near Indianapolis to play in the 35th Army Band. I bought a raggedy car to get back and forth to the city. I played there until I was discharged. We had a jazz band and a marching band. Slide Hampton would come out and bring some of his arrangements for us to hear. Being able to read music really helped me. Otherwise, I might have ended up a clerk/typist school instead of a performer." Spaulding's skill at sight reading also aided him in the many recording sessions in which he took part as a sideman. He was a first-call player, appearing on two dozen Blue Note sessions during the 1960s. But he also credits some of the bandleaders who hired him. "Randy Weston was my teacher. He gave me the history of the music and let me know where it came from. He also gave me my first job when I came to New York City. Heard me play and hired me right away. I went to Paris for the first time with him." He also goes way back with Freddie Hubbard, who's just a year younger. "Freddie is my buddy. We first met one evening at a jam session when he was sixteen and I was in the army. We started learning Parker tunes. At the time, he was heavily influenced by Miles, Dizzy and Clifford Brown, but then developed his own sound. He recently called me for a four-night gig at Iridium." Spaulding's also had a long association with David Murray: "When Vincent Herring left David Murray's octet, a friend told him to call me for a gig. That was in 1987, and he's kept me pretty busy since then, traveling to Europe and such. In fact, I earned enough playing with him for the down payment on my house. "On my first several CDs on my own, the musicians were selected for me, though I chose the songs." Forming his own label gave him several advantages, the saxophonist says: "I became independent and could do what I wanted to do and choose the musicians myself. Like the song says, 'God bless the child that's got his own.' That's one of my features when I perform. Now after two live CDs, I'm looking forward to doing a studio date. I plan to do that soon and I'm writing some new music for it." World events inspire many of Spaulding's compositions. "When Dr. King was killed I wrote a piece for him. I wrote another for Malcom X. I relate my songs to what's going on today, about racism and war. I write about human emotions and how we can resolve conflict through the arts." Spaulding sounds like he has the energy of a man of half his age. But, he adds, "July 30th is my seventieth birthday. I have to practice as much as I can - and exercise, too. When I was much younger, I should have followed Eubie Blake's advice. You know how it goes: 'If I'd known I'd live this long, I would've taken better care of myself'." James Spaulding is at the Iridium on April 26-29 as part of Freddie Hubbard’s All Star Band, and at Laguardia Performing Arts Center on May 11 with his own quartet including pianist Joe Tranchina, bassist Eric Lemons and drummer Bruce Cox. JAZZWOMEN! BY ELZY KOLB On Target After several years of performing with guitarists, singer Kate McGarry says, "I return to my jazz roots with my new CD," The Target (Palmetto). "For each project I have a certain sound in mind," Kate says. For this one, "I heard an organ sound in my mind, that was one of the sounds I wanted to have on it." The lyric to the title track is a poem she wrote a while back, when she was living at an ashram in the Catskills. "I spent most of my life as a seeker. Now I'm a finder," Kate adds. She celebrates the release of The Target at the Jazz Standard on May 10-13. Next on the agenda is her first European tour. But she probably won't have time for any sightseeing. "Whenever I go somewhere to perform and don't get out to see the place, the audience brings it in to you. You can feel the pulse of the place. I look forward to getting the feel of different cultures from the audience vibe." Aiming high Once upon a time, if you asked Champian Fulton what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer would have been "Dinah Washington, singing in front of a big band." That's not too surprising when you consider that, even before she was born, Champian's parents played Parker-with-strings records for her; that she recalls the great bassist Major Holley reading The Little Engine that Could to her; and that she used to draw pictures to send to "Uncle Clark" Terry. Rather than having Champian focus on singing, her dad - the trumpeter Stephen Fulton - encouraged her to learn an instrument. "My parents didn't plan for me to be a musician," the pianist/vocalist notes. "They just wanted me to be able to play. Then I fell in love with music. I played my first gig when I was twelve. I only knew about ten songs." Growing up in Oklahoma, "I had a quartet that worked a lot. We were the only jazz band in the Oklahoma City area, and I learned a lot on the job. I had opportunities there that I might not have had in New York." One of those opportunities included playing at a bed-and-breakfast located in what had once been singer Jimmy Rushing's home. Champian sings with David Berger and the Sultans of Swing every Tuesday at Birdland, and also plays piano with her trio each Sunday at Swing 46. The books cook Lorraine Gordon talks about her life "in and out of jazz time" in Alive at the Village Vanguard (Hal Leonard) … Vocalist Marlene VerPlanck graces the cover of Maximillien De Lafayette's Entertainment Divas, Cabaret, Jazz Then and Now (iUniverse Inc.). Catch her at Trumpets on May 11. Around town Vocalist Stevie Holland is at the Metropolitan Room on May 1, 8, 22, and 29; her band includes pianist Kris Davis … Teraesa Vinson sings at Langan's every Saturday; we look forward to the new CD she's got in the works … Daryl Sherman would be the answer to the question Guess Who's in Town (Arbors) - she sings at the Waldorf five nights each week … Pianist Michelle Rosewoman plays at the American Museum of Natural History on May 4 … Percussionist Mayra Casales plays the Turning Point in Piermont on May 4 … Mayra and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen will be special guests with saxophonist Virginia Mayhew when she goes into the studio this month to record with her septet. Catch Virginia live at the Garage on May 5, and with the Ellington Legacy Band at Trumpets on May 16 … Carol Buck and Maxine Neuman play cello with Ron Carter at Merkin Hall on May 7 … Linda Ciofalo sings at Kitano on May 8, keep an ear out for her new CD Sun Set (Lucky Jazz) … Trumpeters Ingrid Jensen and Tanya Darby and trombonist Deborah Weisz are with Anat Cohen and the Anzic Orchestra at the Jazz Standard on May 8 … Vocalist Barb Jungr celebrates the re-release of her CD Bare Again (ZC) at the Metropolitan Room on May 9-10 … The legendary Keely Smith sings at Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights in Jazz at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center on May 10 … Barbara Sfraga sings at Enzo's on May 11, Mala Waldron plays keyboards and lends her voice … Paula West sings at Estia Cantina in Amagansett on May 11-12 … Myra Melford (piano and harmonium) and Tanya Kalmanovitch (violin and viola) introduce music from their new CD Heart Mountain (Perspicacity) at the Tenri Cultural Institute on May 13 … Make time for A Great Night in Harlem on May 17: The Jazz Foundation of America's fund-raiser always features a stellar lineup … Drummer Cindy Blackman pays tribute to Tony Williams at Iridium on May 24-25 … Pianist Kris Davis plays Firehouse 12 in New Haven on May 25 … Afternoon delight: Judi Silvano and Joe Lovano present a master class at the Blue Note on May 26. New releases Guitarist Leni Stern dedicates Alu Maye (Leni Stern Recordings) to Michael Brecker … Check out Here With Me (Innova) from trumpeter Kiku Collins … Carol Emanuel plays harp on Peter Primamore's Grancia (Blue Apples) … Emily Hay and Ellen Burr (flute, alto flute, piccolo) and Karen Elaine Bakunian (viola, waterphone) join Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra on Web of Light (Meta). Sing out, sisters Somi sings about Red Soil in My Eyes (Harmonia Mundi) … Jan Shapiro gets Back to Basics, with Terri Lyne Carrington shining on drums … Lauren Hooker declares she's Right Where I Belong (Musical Legends) … Sarah Partridge sings songs for her father on You Are There (Nagel Heyer) … Catch Linda Hopkins' new one, The Living Legend Live! (FreeHam) … For Elisabeth Lohniger, The Only Way Out is Up (Lofish) … Check out the new one from Pamela Luss, Your Eyes (Savant) ... Mercedes Hall is filled with Pure Emotion (West End) ... Jill Stuart is Beginning to see the Light (JSM). HOT FLASHES BY PAUL BLAIR CLUBBING Joe's Pub adds considerable spice to the local mix this month with two offbeat duo bookings. On May 2, percussionists Susie Ibarra and Roberto Rodriguez funk up the rhythms and textures of the Filipino musical style called kulintang. Then on May 13, mandolinists Mike Marshall (who has memorably swung "Moose the Mooche") and Hamilton de Holanda mix it up on the bandstand - jazz, Latin, bluegrass and more … Although the Tonic folks no longer present music at their now-shuttered Lower East Side location, they continue to offer shows elsewhere. For example, in cooperation with the Abrons Arts Center, they'll host a two-night event called "Book of Angels" on May 4-5. The creative head this time out belongs to John Zorn, whose fellow performers include cellist Erik Friedlander, violinist Mark Feldman, bassist Greg Cohen and oud player Shanir Blumenkranz. Check www.abronsartscenter.org for details on this event and others in the series … Another festival of note happens at Dizzy's on Mondays all this month: "Quebec Jazz" brings in five groups largely comprised of musicians one hears on the Canadian label Effendi Records. Local cats Donny McCaslin, David Binney and Ingrid Jensen will also take part. The whole story's posted at www.jalc.org … Clark Terry guests with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in a Jazz Forum Arts concert at Tarrytown Music Hall on May 11. See www.jazzforumarts.org for info on this and other upcoming JFA events … AND YET MORE Tenor saxophonist Jan "Ptaszyn" Wroblewski, a highly respected godfather on the always-vibrant Polish jazz scene, plays with his "Birds of a Feather" quartet on May 1 at Birdland … There's live jazz each Thursday and Friday evening at the New Leaf Café in Fort Tryon Park. For instance, singer Leonisa Ardizzone leads a trio there on May 10, beginning at eight. It's a no-cover, no minimum situation … They feature the good stuff, too, at Barrow Street Jazz Theater (27 Barrow at Seventh Ave.), with Emilio Teubal & Le Baltebaud on the bandstand on May 8 … Without a doubt, our wittiest e-mailed gig alerts these days herald the weekly appearances by quartet co-led by trumpeter John McNeil and tenor guy Bill McHenry at Biscuit BBQ in Park Slope. One recent one noted that while cover was ten bucks, musicians need pay only half that. "It's the honor system," it noted. "If you're a musician, just say so - and try to look hip." Most important, this is a delightful band playing great tunes. Show up yourself and ask to be added to their mailing list … Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen and guitarist Joe Cohn, who swung so mightily for so many Mondays at Zuni, have moved their base of weekly sessions to Sapa, 43 W. 24th St., with music actually beginning at 6:00 PM … Pianist Aaron Goldberg and bassist Ron Carter play at Merkin Concert Hall on May 7 … and Vince Giordano leads his stellar Nighthawks aggregation at Iridium on May 9, 16, 23 and 30, with shows at 7:30 and 9:30 PM. BENEFICIAL INDEED Dave Brubeck headlines in Durham, CT on May 19 in a concert benefitting AmeriCares, an organization which assists impoverished children around the world. For ticket information consult www.jazzed4life.org … This year's "Great Night in Harlem" concert (the sixth annual, in fact) takes place on May 17 at Harlem's Apollo Theater, with the funds raised supporting the Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians Emergency Fund. There'll be loads of surprise guests playing and singing, as usual, and you ought to be there yourself. The number for tickets is 212-245-3999, ext. 29 … And here's yet another benefit event to note on your calendar: pianist Bruce Hornsby, together with Christian McBride (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums), at B.B. King's on May 23. Though these three have a Sony CD coming out this summer, this'll actually be their first live gig. What's more, all proceeds from ticket sales go directly to aid the work of JazzReach fulfill to its commitment to expanding arts education. WORTH OWNING One spanking new CD we especially like is guitarist Peter Leitch's solo effort, Self Portrait. Peter's plectrum skills are on full display at Walker's in Soho each Sunday - but in this case, he's always paired with special guests. This month, they'll include bassists Sean Smith (May 6), Harvie S (May 13) and Dwayne Burno (May 20), then saxophonist Jed Levy (May 27). Peter's been featured weekly at this congenial Soho tavern for, ohmigosh, eleven years. He's a masterful photographer as well. Do check out evocative and atmospheric show entitled "Mississippi and the South," viewable at the WBGO studios in Newark through June 8 … Equally pleasing is We Used to Dance, a new disc from tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm on the Anzic label that boasts a dream-team rhythm section (Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis), a great assortment of standards and originals, and masterful playing from one of the most creative improvisors on the scene these days. Catch them at Sweet Rhythm May 2-6. He'll also play with accordionist Ludovic Beier at the Jazz Standard on May 15, and with drummer Francisco Mela at the same club on May 22 … And if you've already enjoyed the Turtle Island String Quartet's new Telarc release called A Love Supreme, on which they reinterpret Coltrane tunes, you'll want to hear them do much of that material live at the Jazz Standard on May 3-6. 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. A couple of years ago I was playing at Scores on East Sixtieth Street, in the restaurant bar. The club's main income was derived from the dozens of beautiful young topless dancers who worked in the showroom next door. The dancers relaxed at our bar when they weren't performing. Our jazz trio played whatever we wanted to play, but we'd take a request if we knew the tune. One of the lovely young dancers asked me, "Do you know any Madonna songs?" "No, dear," I answered, "That's children's music. This is adult entertainment." I thought she would laugh, but she just nodded and went back to her drink. Bill Mays developed an ear infection and went to a hospital emergency room where he was interviewed by a receptionist, a nice-looking young woman in her early thirties. She asked the routine questions, and Bill told her he was a pianist. "I'm concerned about this problem," he said, "because I have to play in about five hours." She wanted to know where he was playing, and when he told her "Iridium," she said, "I know where that is. I've been there." Bill asked, "Does that mean you're a jazz fan?" Without a word, she pulled down her shirt far enough to expose half of her left breast, on which was tattooed an alto saxophone. Bill gulped, smiled, and said, "Gee, I'm playing with a great alto player... Bud Shank!" The woman said, "Bud Shank! I'll be down tomorrow night!"