Photographer Paula Ross Keeps Her Musical Tastes in Focus

Photographer Paula Ross has had a lifelong love affair with jazz--she heard it as a pre-teen at home and later was lucky enough to have seen greats like Billie Holiday. “It’s always been my music,” said the New Jersey native.

When she moved to Southern California a few years ago, Ross, who has been a professional photographer for 15 years, began integrating her fascination with jazz and her work with the camera, shooting musical giants like Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Miles Davis and Benny Carter. 11 of her hand-colored portraits are currently hanging in the Grand Avenue Bar of the Biltmore Hotel. Ross will be honored at reception for the show on Thursday, 5 p.m., with saxman Plas Johnson providing the aural ambiance.

Ross feels the key piece of the exhibit is a photograph of the late singer Sarah Vaughan, whom Ross photographed at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City in October, 1989. “Sarah didn’t want anyone taking photos in private, so I held my camera in my lap and shot very discreetly from my seat in the audience, without a flash,” said Ross. “I just prayed and shot, and I’m so glad I did.”

Information: (213) 612-1532.

CLUB SCENE UPDATE: Drummer/singer Bob Marks decided he wanted his own place to play, so he enlarged the waiting area of his Legends of Hollywood delicatessen (6555 Hollywood Boulevard, (213) 464-7780), installed a piano and called musicians and, about a month ago, started having sessions. “The response has been fantastic, both from musicians and the audience,” he said.

Marks has instigated a three-night-a-week policy at his establishment, with saxman Jay Migliori on tap Fridays and Sundays (Sunday invited guests are on hand), and reedman Ray Pizzi on Saturday. Both men play with Marks’ quartet, featuring bassist Jim Garafalo, among others and a variety of pianists. Showtime is 9 p.m., and there’s no cover charge.

Another trapsman, the great Billy Higgins, is spotlighting music more than occasionally at his World Stage (4344 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park, (213) 293-2451). The 60-seat performance space--”We’ve got a bandstand and a front door,” Higgins laughed, “but it’s nice”--is not just for musicians, “but for all kinds of artists,” said the owner.

Tonight and Saturday at World Stage, the B Sharp Jazz Quartet, featuring drummer Herb Graham, Jr. and saxman Randall Willis is offering original contemporary jazz material. Downbeat: 9 p.m.

ENCORE O’DAY: Anita O’Day, the renowned jazz chanteuse who appears at the Vine Street Bar & Grill tonight and Saturday, was chosen as one of Esquire Magazine’s “Women We Love” and was honored Thursday at a banquet at the Beverly Hills Hotel, hosted by NYC columnist Liz Smith. O’Day and Esquire go back a few years: she won the “Best New Female Jazz Vocalist” award in the 1945 Esquire Jazz Poll.