Jazz Listings

Brad Mehldau Trio

By Richard Ryan

Weds., November 23-Sun., November 27

When Brad Mehldau started playing his widely-commented version of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" in concert back in 2001, the most compellingly romantic of jazz's Young Foggies proved he wasn't above injecting a unexpected dose of irony into his work. Mehldau's new Day Is Done album includes not only another Radiohead cover but also takes on Nick Drake and Paul Simon songs, among other pop chestnuts, so clearly

Mehldau isn't done re-imagining mainstream pop in a post-bop idiom. One can only hope that his latest Vanguard gig highlights his emotional intensity as well as his sometimes cheeky intelligence.

We've occasionally heard Mehldau sound staid-so buttoned-up and cerebral that his playing verges on chilly, but when he lets his melodic ideas build momentum, his improvisations can become a dazzling fusion of dramatic complexity and technical showmanship. He also sports a new line-up; the arrival of well-respected drummer Jeff Ballard, who has previously worked with Chick Corea and the quartet Fly, may mark another stage in Mehldau's ongoing ascent in the the jazz stratosphere. The Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. So., 212-255-4037; 9 & 11:00pm nightly, 12:30am on Friday & Saturday, $35/$30 adv., go to villagevanguard.com for more information or tickets.

Sergio Mendes

By Ernesto Barteldes

Weds., November 23-Sun., November 27

Sergio Mendes was a young man barely in his 20's when the bossa nova craze took over the Brazilian music scene. Soon the pianist, who had studied to become a classical performer, was playing alongside Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto. The style itself, which was in its infancy, grew in the hands of the jazz-influenced Mendes, a fan of Stan Kenton.

Brazilian papers called what he was doing "Hard Bossa" because of his improvisational, bebop-like approach to the music, which was a far cry from the cool, sensitivity of Gilberto.

"All the drumsticks that Joao thought he had eliminated from Brazilian music were there," wrote music historian Ruy Castro, "?louder than ever."

Part of the bossa nova group that played Carnegie Hall in 1964, Mendes emigrated shortly after to the United States, where two years later he would release his multi-platinum Brasil '66 album, which brought a sophisticated, East-Coast sound to Brazilian music, cementing his career here and making standards out of songs like Jorge Ben's "Mas Que Nada."

As World Music came into vogue in the late '80s, Mendes found himself on the comeback trail. And if he is no longer popular in his native country, he has won the respect of jazz fans around the globe. Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. (at 6th Ave.), 212-475-8592; 8 & 10:30; $30 at the bar, $40 & $5 min. for a table; for more information visit bluenote.net.

Ornette Coleman

By Howard Mandel

Sat., November 26

Ornette Coleman is a visionary humanist, able to express unshakable faith in the free will, individuality and creative soul of each living being with his penetrating alto saxophone, blues-steeped melodies and always-provocative ensembles. At the beautiful New Jersey Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Newark (easily accessible by PATH train or New Jersey Transit) Coleman makes a rare local appearance with his quartet featuring two bassists and drummer Denardo Coleman, his son, on Saturday. It's a double feature in celebration of his 75th birthday. Opened by The Bad Plus, the power trio of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer David King, who imperturbably balance classicism, improvisation and rampaging rhythms, will join Ornette in playing their own pieces or covers of works by such as Vangelis, Nirvana, or, yes, Ornette Coleman. New Jersey Center for the Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, 973-642-0404; 8, call for ticket prices.

Arturo Sandoval

By Ernest Barteldes

Tues., November 29

"I have only one direction-good music," the legendary trumpet player Arturo Sandoval told us over a telephone interview. "There are musicians who can play only one style, and that's just not me. I play many styles, and I am grateful to God for not sounding the same all the time."

Though classically trained, this Cuban-born musician's versatility as a Latin jazz player has given him the opportunity to perform with performers as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Justin Timberlake, Gloria Estefan and many others (his solos on Sinatra's Duets II album can still give you goose bumps even after repeated hearings).

Back in the '70s, he was responsible for recreating Cuban music when he co-founded-alongside luminaries such as Paquito d'Rivera-the legendary Irakere, which broke musical barriers by mixing jazz elements into the realm of Latin sounds. He defected from his native land in 1991 with the assistance of his idol, the late Dizzy Gillespie. (That story was chronicled a couple of years ago in the HBO movie "For Love and Country," whose soundtrack earned Sandoval a Grammy award.)

"Everyone who worked in the movie did a great job, and now we're able to show people the story of how we came to America," he said.

On his latest CD, Live at The Blue Note, he goes seamlessly through bebop, traditional and Latin jazz, performing scats in what must have been-from what you can hear-a wonderful evening. He returns to the club for a week to promote the album's release backed by his band, which has been performing with him for a number of years.

"All I can tell you is that we're gonna try very hard, so close your eyes, hear and let the music transport you." Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. (at 6th Ave.), 212 475-8592; 8 & 10:30; $30 at the bar, $40 plus $5 min. for a table. For tickets or more information call or go to bluenotejazz.com