The Dutch are coming!

The jazz scene goes international

by Ed Hazell

European jazz musicians and improvisers provide two of the high points in the spring jazz season in Boston. MacArthur "genius grant" winner and NEC professor George Russell makes a rare club appearance with the European edition of his Living Time Orchestra at Scullers, located in the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, on May 6 and 7 (call 562-4111). And Boston Musica Viva's "Go Dutch" concert, an all-day Dutch music marathon on March 20 at the Tsai Performance Center, features composer-improvisers rarely heard on these shores, including pianist Guus Janssen, saxophonist Theo Loevendie, and the Maarten Altena Ensemble. It's doubtful that such a stellar cast from overseas will come this way again soon, so don't miss it. For information, call 354-6910.

Other Scullers events worth noting include singer Abbey Lincoln, touring behind a new Verve album, January 21 through 23; guitarist Pat Martino with his fusion quintet Stone Blue on February 4 and 5; trumpeter Roy Hargrove's sextet with altoist Sherman Irby and trombonist Frank Lacy on March 5 and 6; the Joanne Brackeen quartet with Ravi Coltrane on March 10; and alto saxophonist Donald Harrison on April 7 and 8. Local talent includes a double CD-release party with the DeChellis-Tomasic-Nakatini trio and pianist James Rohr's Dull Thud trio on February 23, and singer Lisa Thorson marking the release of her new GM album on March 3. Call 562-4111.

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The Regattabar at the Charles River Hotel marks its 14th year of jazz with a season dedicated to the late Betty Carter. A reunited Sphere, with Gary Bartz replacing the late Charlie Rouse, share a bill with the Geri Allen trio January 21 through 24. The Christian McBride quartet and the Charlie Hunter-Leon Parker duo make music January 28 through 30. Brazilian jazz singer Joyce is in on February 10. Drummer Tony Reedus leads a band with Ravi Coltrane and John Abercrombie February 16 and 17. Category-defying trumpeter Dave Douglas leads his intriguing new quartet with Chris Potter February 23 and 24. Local cutting-edge improvisers the Fully Celebrated Orchestra and the Joe Morris Quartet both appear on March 10. Regattabar/Water Music concerts include Cuban piano virtuoso Chucho Valdez at Sanders Theater on March 28 and Eddie Palmieri's 12-piece salsa orchestra at the Seaport Hotel on April 3. Call 876-7777.

Ryle's Jazz Club in Inman Square books primarily local mainstream talent, with Brazilian music every Wednesday and salsa/merengue on Thursdays. Trombonist Tony Lada's quartet appears on January 29, the quartet of ex-Jazz Messenger Billy Pierce on February 5, pianist Ray Santisi's group on March 5, and singer Maggie Galloway on March 30. For information, call 876-9330.

The local new-music scene is showcased every Friday at the Zeitgeist Gallery outside Inman Square in Cambridge. Spring highlights include the Charlie Kohlhase baritone sax trio on January 15; a brass quintet with trombonists Tom Plsek and Tucker Dulin and trumpeters Mark Harvey, Greg Kelley, and Taylor Ho Bynum on January 22; alto saxophonist David Bond's dBondo on February 12; and trumpeter Raphé Malik on February 26. For complete information, call 441-0563.

The Green Street Grill features double bills of local jazz on Sundays. The Waldron Ricks Quintet headlines on January 10; electric violinist Mat Maneri on the 24th, and James Merenda's Horace Silver Tribute on the 31st. For complete information, call 497-6202.

The Boston Creative Music Alliance season (full disclosure: the author is a director of this nonprofit group) includes the Phil Minton Quartet on January 29 at Emmanuel Church; a free-jazz tenor pairing, the Fred Anderson-Kidd Jordan Quartet, on April 2 at Killian Hall, MIT; and '60s innovator pianist Andrew Hill and his Point of Departure sextet at Longy School of Music on April 30. For a complete schedule, call 868-3172.

At the colleges, Jaki Byard marks the Ellington centennial at the Berklee Performance Center with Berklee faculty on February 24 (call 266-1400). Mark Harvey's Aardvark Jazz Orchestra pays homage to the Duke on April 24 at MIT and performs as Harvey's Painting for Jazz Orchestra at Wellesley on March 14. Pianist Randy Weston appears with the Harvard Jazz Band on April 17 at Sanders Theater. Call 495-8676.

The Jazz Composer's Alliance Orchestra welcomes back founding member Ken Schaphorst to perform music from his marvelous new CD, Purple (Naxos), on February 12 at Emmanuel Church.

Finally, jazz fans will also be interested in the Harvard Film Archive's series of jazz documentaries from Rhapsody Films. The series runs from January 9 to 27 and includes rarely seen titles on artists as diverse as Thelonious Monk and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Call 495-4700.