E-Mail This Article to a Friend In all languages Plenty o’ jazz in ’06 BY JON GARELICK

For the past half decade or so, saxophonist Chris Potter has alternately traveled with two of the best bandleaders in jazz, Dave Holland and Dave Douglas. Of all the soloists those two men work with, no one has a greater affinity for their mix of funk and form. Potter has also been stepping out more and more as a leader in his own right, and now, following the release of what might be his most fully realized CD yet, Underground (Sunnyside/Universal), he comes to the Regattabar (March 3-4) with the band from that album: guitarist Wayne Krantz, drummer Nate Smith, and a keyboardist who’s become an in-demand Fender Rhodes specialist, Craig Taborn.

The rest of the R-Bar’s schedule this winter looks no less promising: powerful alto-saxophonist Kenny Garrett (January 13–15); the Headhunters with Meters bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Mike Clark, percussionist Bill Summers, and alto-saxophonist Donald Harrison (January 19); undersung keyboard man Kenny Werner with local hero George Garzone of the Fringe on saxophones, Pat Metheny drummer Antonio Sanchez, and bassist Scott Colley (January 21); the highly touted young singer Rondi Charleston with a seasoned band who include saxophonist Joel Frahm, pianist Bruce Barth, and drummer Clarence Penn (January 25); the always compelling Boston-based Aardvark Jazz ORCHESTRA (February 1); legendary bassist Ron Carter and his quartet with pianist Stephen Scott (February 3-4); guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and a top-notch line-up that includes saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Aaron Goldberg (February 17-18); New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas for a pre–Mardi Gras celebration (February 23-25); popular Colombian singer-songwriter Marta Gómez (March 11); revered Boston jazz singer Rebecca Parris (March 18); Dominican piano wizard Michel Camilo and his trio (March 31–April 1); a rare local appearance by progressive Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava in duo with pianist Stefano Bollani (April 5); and sublime piano-trio master Ahmad Jamal (April 20-22). The Regattabar is in the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge (617.395.7757).

Across the river, Scullers (in the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, 400 Soldiers Field Rd, Boston; 617.562.4111) has booked some of the most distinctive young piano trios out there: new Blue Note signing Robert Glasper (January 19); the Swedish E.S.T. (January 24); Marcus Roberts (March 10-11); and Brad Mehldau with long-time bassist Larry Grenadier and new drummer Jeff Blanchard (March 16–18).

Other distinctive acts on the Scullers calendar include Vegas crooner Jack Jones (January 20-21); pan-stylists Frank Vignola and Joe Ascione with their Frank and Joe Show (January 25); distinguished jazz vocalist Mark Murphy (January 26); the Artie Shaw Orchestra led by Brockton-born clarinettist and reedman Dick Johnson (February 1); the Bill Mays Trio (February 2); trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and his quintet (February 3–4); Kendrick Oliver & the New Life Jazz Orchestra (February 11); sublime bebop alto-saxophonist Frank Morgan (February 15); Berklee-educated piano phenom Hiromi (February 16); drum legend Roy Haynes (February 17-18); Louisiana-born barrelhouse pianist and vocalist Marcia Ball (February 22-23); swing-style saxophonist Scott Hamilton (March 1-2); saxophonist Myanna with singer Ellen O’Brien (March 9); Indian-jazz fusionists Natraj (March 15); the great singer Abbey Lincoln (March 24-25); the exciting young duo of pianist Taylor Eigsti and guitarist Julian Lage (March 29); and jump-band Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (March 31–April 1).

Over at Ryles (212 Hampshire St, Cambridge; 617.876.9330) trumpeter and Berklee prof Greg Hopkins brings in his Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra (January 10). They’re followed by French-born drummer Jean-marie Corrois with guitarist Tim Miller, pianist Ben Schwendener, and bassist David Zox (January 11); the Game Theory trio with pianist Doug Johnson, bassist Edward Perez, and drummer Harry Tanscheck (January 18); the Latin jazz Nina Ott 5, led by that composer/pianist, with saxophonist Donny McCaslin, bassist Chris Lopes, percussionist Equie Castrillo, and drum monster Ralph Peterson (January 25); the aforementioned Natraj (January 24); former Ryles house-band fixture Herman Johnson (January 27); the John Payne Sax Choir (January 31); the exuberant Latin jazz band Enclave led by pianist Rebecca Cline and irrepressible reedman Hilary Noble (February 1); and another Latin group, the Jazz Marauders, with bassist Tal Shalom-Kobi, trumpeter Don Anderson, guitarist Jeremy Zmuda, and drummer Ricardo Nhuch (February 8).

The Boston Creative Music Alliance serves up another provocative season at the ICA (955 Boylston St, Boston; 617.354.6898). First up is the Makanda Ken McIntyre Project (March 4), which is dedicated to the work of the Boston-born educator, composer, and multi-reed and flute player who died in 2001. Pianist John Kordelewski fronts an all-Boston ensemble: reedmen Kurtis Rivers, Salim Washington, Sean Barry, and Charlie Kohlhase, trumpeter Josiah Woodson, trombonist Bill Lowe, bassist John Lockwood, and drummer Yoron Israel. Special guest will be McIntyre colleague Oliver Lake.

Also on tap from the BCMA are the antics of pianist Misha Mengelberg and his "new Dutch swing" ICP Orchestra (March 31). Alto-saxophonist Tim Berne, who was a hit in the ICA series last year with his Acoustic Hard Cell band, returns with the Boston debut of his Big Satan trio (April 18), with drummer Tom Rainey and French guitarist Marc Ducret. And AACM saxophonist Ernest Dawkins brings in his New Horizons Ensemble (April 28).

At Zeitgeist Gallery (1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge; 617.876.6060), look for pianist Pandelis Karayorgis in a duo with fiery Chicago sax man Ken Vandermark (January 13) and solo guitarists Robbie Lee and Glenn Jones (January 27). In the Bank of America Celebrity Series jazz offerings this season, there’s the Either/Orchestra, celebrating their 20th anniversary, January 28 at the Berklee Performance Center (136 Mass Ave, Boston), as they continue to work their current "Ethio-Jazz" groove to good effect, again with special Ethiopian guests. And saxophone heavy dude Joe Lovano teams up with the adventurous Brazilian-born, Boston-educated singer Luciana Souza for a duo concert, "The Ballad Book," March 18 at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge. (Call 617.482.6661 for those Celebrity Series tickets.)

The area’s many music schools often provide first-rate entertainment, cheap or even free. Berklee voice professor Donna McElroy sings "The Great American Songbook: The Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn" in front of a 40-piece faculty-student band (February 26), and Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip and saxophonist Bob Mintzer perform with the college’s Overjoyed gospel group (May 5; both at the Berklee Performance Center).

New England Conservatory hosts two week-long master-class residencies this winter culminating in free faculty-student concerts: bassist Dave Holland (February 16, Brown Hall) and pianist Uri Caine (March 16, Jordan Hall). Other NEC concerts of note include percussionist Brooke Sofferman’s Sofferman Perspective with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, trumpeter Phil Grenadier, and bassist Bruno Råberg (January 21, Williams Hall); pianist Michael Caine (February 12, Williams Hall); and the great trombonist/composer/arranger Bob Brookmeyer putting an 18-piece band through their paces (April 25, Jordan Hall). All NEC performance venues are accessible through 30 Gainsborough St (617.585.1122 or http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/concerts).