Mad about trad

>> A whirlwind itinerary of Jazz Fest must-sees, and not a DJ in earshot

by LEN DOBBIN

July 1 Noon: Kappa, Philippe Keyser's big band, complete with bagpipes. 9pm: Andy Bey and Mose Allison, a pair of vocalists/pianists, the double bill.

July 2 10pm: England's Ray Gelato for good old fashioned fun, a big hit here in 1996. 11pm: Canadian-born reedman John Nugent with a group including trumpeter Randy Brecker and the drums of Al Foster.

July 3 6pm: Harmonica master Toots Thielemans with a superb trio of Kenny Werner, Michel Donato and Joe LaBarbera. 6:30pm: Bloomdaddies with Seamus Blake and Chris Creek, two of the hottest young saxophonists around. 7pm: Joe Sullivan, a marvellous new entry in the city's big band field. 10pm: Ray Gelato reappears.

July 4 4pm: D.E.W. East, a new all-star trio with multi-reedman Alex Dean, bassist Steve Wallace and drummer Barry Elmes. 6:30pm: Mike Nock, an excellent pianist all the way from New Zealand, a veteran of the John Handy band. 7:30pm: Joe Lovano. If you go to only one show in this series, make it this one. The large ensemble includes Tim Hagans and Judi Silvano.

July 5 6pm: The concert of the festival, 72-year-old Stan Tracey is a world-class musician, the former house pianist at Ronnie Scott's in London. At home with Monk, Ellington and Dylan Thomas. Not to be missed! 7pm: Steve Amirault, a world-class pianist.

July 7 6pm: If Benny Green, Russell Malone and Christian McBride are anywhere as good as their new CD, this should be a swinging affair. Also at 6pm: Eric Person, a young saxophonist with experience gained working with Chico Hamilton and McCoy Tyner.

July 8 4pm: Guitairst Harold Faustin mixes the music of Haiti with jazz and comes up with a great blend. 6pm: Check out the father of B-3 organ playing, Jimmy Smith. 6:30pm: Billy Robinson, a monster tenor player and veteran of the Mingus bands.

July 9 8:30pm: Try some flamenco--Paco de Lucia. 9pm: Jefferson-Grant, co-led by Kelly Jeferson and Kelsley Grant, one of the very best of the newer bands.

July 10 6pm: Special guests pianist Jay McShann (83) and guitarist Herb Ellis (77) make the Duke Robillard concert one to catch. 6:30pm: Jean Beaudet, another world-class pianist and composer.

Also of interest is the entire "Les Lauréats du Festival," nightly at 7pm. Besides Amirault, bassist Donato with Ron DiLauro and Jean-Pierre Zanella, guitarist Roy Patterson, pianists Jon Ballantyne, Lorraine Desmarais, François Bourassa and John Stech and the groups Metalwood and Veji, the latter a large ensemble led by trombonist/pianist Hugh Fraser, can all be counted on for music of the highest calibre.

There are also a number of excellent jazz films worth checking out, four concerning Duke Ellington. Others spotlight Jim Hall, Bill Evans, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Fats Waller, Gerry Mulligan, John Coltrane, the very entertaining "Lightin'" Hopkins and drummer Bernard Lubat. There are even nine animated films with music by the likes of Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie and Albert Ammons.