FALL PREVIEW : The Calendar Critics’ Best Bets for the Rest of ’90 : Jazz

How can you tell fall has arrived in eternally sunny Southern California? Well, one way is by the start of the autumn arts and entertainment season. This special fall preview section provides listings of events from today through the end of the year and our critics’ picks for the best bets in film, pop music, jazz, stage, music and dance and the visual arts. (Some box-office telephone numbers may not be in operation yet.) Though the summer outdoor concert season is over, the outlook for jazz in the fall is promising.

Of particular interest are three concerts at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The Turtle Island String Quartet will make a rare local appearance there Oct. 12. Pianist George Shearing, guitarist Joe Pass and singer Joe Williams will share the stage Nov. 4. Branford Marsalis, riding high with the album of his music from “Mo’ Better Blues,” will lead his group Nov. 30.

One of the Southland’s most adventurous new big bands, the Clayton-Hamilton Orches-

tra--with John Clayton as conductor and bassist, his brother Jeff on saxophones, and drummer Jeff Hamilton as co-leader--will be at El Camino College Oct. 4.

At the Vine St. Bar & Grill, two distinguished Japanese-born artists will be heard: Pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi will lead a trio Oct. 3-6, and trumpeter Terumasa Hino will head a small band Oct. 24-25. Poncho Sanchez’s Latin band will be on hand Nov. 1-3. The Johnny Otis blues band will return Nov. 8-10.

Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood continues to attract world-class names. Louie Bellson’s band will work there the week of Oct. 16; the elegant vocalist Susannah McCorkle will be visiting Oct. 30-Nov. 3. Others set for the room include drummer Tony Williams, Nov. 6-11; the Billy Cobham Quartet with Ernie Watts, Nov. 27-Dec. 2, and Richie Cole’s Quartet Dec. 11-16.

The Silver Screen Room at the Hyatt Hotel on Sunset, and the Sunday brunches at the Holiday Inn on Highland, both booked by Los Angeles Jazz Society President Teri Merrill-Aarons, have several prospects in common. The dates below are for the Silver Screen and the brunches respectively: Ann Patterson Quartet, Nov. 22-24 and Oct. 14; Al Aarons Quintet, Oct. 18-20 and Oct. 28; the Cunninghams, Nov. 15-17 and Oct. 21; Charlie Chiarenza, Nov. 8-10 and Nov. 11; Larry Koonse, Oct. 25-7 and Nov. 4.

Birdland West in Long Beach will have singer Betty Carter, Oct. 4-6; organist Jimmy McGriff, Oct. 25-27, and saxophonists Benny Carter, Nov. 23-24, and Eddie Harris, Dec. 28-29.