Rating the Playboy Jazz Festival Lineup : Joshua Redman, Lionel Hampton and the Count Basie Orchestra top the ‘A’ list of performers scheduled for this weekend.

It’s mid-June in Southern California and there are two things you can count on: dreary overcast skies and the return of the Playboy Jazz Festival.

This year’s lineup for the two-day event at the Hollywood Bowl features a world-class selection of jazz artists. Saturday’s program, which is completely sold out, is highlighted by the appearance of the young firebrand Joshua Redman and the indefatigable Lionel Hampton. Sunday’s affair is sparked by drummer Elvin Jones, the Count Basie orchestra and the fireworks of Tito Puente’s Golden Latin All-Stars. Some tickets remain for this program. In addition, Bill Cosby will be hand both days to introduce the artists.

This year, as with last, we’ve rated each day’s lineup for the festival. Here are our rankings--take them along with you and see how they match up with your own assessments.

Saturday’s show, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m., runs like this, in order of appearance:

* The Roosevelt High School Band: The youngsters get a top rung for effort, if not performance. Letter grade: A.

* Flora Purim and Airto: These chieftains of Brazilian music--Airto is arguably the music world’s grandmaster percussionist and Flora’s voice ranges from as light as the wake from a dove’s wings in flight to ardent and demanding--will offer a rousing opening to the festival. B.

* Ramsey Lewis: The pianist, though he once worked with Max Roach’s no-nonsense quintet, is nonetheless a journeyman purveyor of frothy, funk-oriented jazz that rings tunefully in the ear. B-.

* Cassandra Wilson: Eclectic at the core, the singer with the voice like magenta mist has chosen to focus on pop-based material, which she handles with delicacy and feeling on her latest “Blue Light ‘Til Dawn” album. B+.

* Joshua Redman: Heart and plenty of deep-down savvy informs the sizzling, inventive offerings of this tenor saxophonist, who, at 25, has made plenty of noise in the jazz world. Bass ace Christian McBride, drummer Brian Blade and pianist Brad Mehldau only sweeten the sounds. A.

* Earl Klugh: Row upon row of round, glossy tones emanate from the strings of this acoustic guitarist. These notes demand nothing more from listeners than that they be enjoyed--as pleasurably, and without thought, as one might sip iced tea. C+.

* Spyro Gyra: This band is still one of the patron saints of pop/jazz, as the musicians play with clarity and precision, but scant aesthetic spark. C.

* Wynton Marsalis: What do we make of this trumpeter, the spokesperson of his generation who has embraced Miles Davis-ish post-bop, Louis Armstrong-ish early jazz and now Clary Terry-ish Ellingtonia, yet still lacks his own voice? B-.

* Family Laws with Hubert, Ronnie, Eloise & Debra Laws: The talented family rarely gets together, and chances are stuff with a spiffy back-beat will be the call.

B.

* Lionel Hampton & the Golden Men of Jazz, with drummer Louie Bellson, pianist Junior Mance, trombonist Al Grey, trumpeters Harry “Sweets” Edison and Pete Candoli, saxmen Jack Kelson and Benny Golson. How can you knock “Gates,” as the 85-year-old vibist is affectionately known? He’s a double amazement, not that he can play, but that he can still play with fire. A-.

Overall Rating: B.

Here are the grades for Sunday’s performers, in the order of their appearance. The show runs from 2 to 10:30 p.m.:

* Russell Malone: This guitarist, with his alternately incandescent and lambent sound, whirls with class between the worlds of mainstream and more pop-oriented jazz. B+.

* Marcus Roberts’ trio: The pianist offers elegant, though occasionally stiff, examinations of pieces by the likes of Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington, usually prefaced with keen, dead-pan intros. B.

* Count Basie Orchestra, directed by Frank Foster: The ensemble’s standard for nonpareil swinging, set by its dear, departed leader, has never waned. A-.

* Elvin Jones: His arms held high above his drum kit, then sweeping down like a falcon taking prey, Jones knows how to make a joyful noise out of his wood, metal and skin assemblages. Saxman Greg Tardy, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and pianist Willie Pickens are added pluses. B+.

* Joe Williams: A master crooner with a penchant for blues and ballads, Williams works with his old cronies, the Count Basie band, with Norman Simmons in the piano chair. B+.

* Pete Fountain: New Orleans jazz with a vengeance from the veteran clarinetist. B.

* King Sunny Ade and The New African Beats: These sounds by the multi-instrumentalist from the largest continent will no doubt have people dancing in the aisles, but as for jazz content, well . . . C.

* David Sanborn: He keeps saying he’s not a jazz player, but the dynamo altoist with the blues whammy, nasally tone and facile technicality comes darn close sometimes. B-.

* Tito Puente’s Golden Latin All-Stars, with conga drummer Mongo Santamaria, flutist Dave Valentin, trumpeter Charlie Sepulveda, pianist Hilton Ruiz and others: The timbalero and his buddies will probably incite an effusive response from the audience. B.

Overall rating: B.

Freddie’s Back: Freddie Hubbard, long suffering from medical problems and erratic in performance, seems to be finally up and around and was in good form Wednesday night at Catalina Bar & Grill, sending forth cascades of shiny tones. His band, with Javon Jackson on tenor and John Beasley, piano, works through Sunday. . . . Arriving at Catalina on Tuesday is trumpet maestro Tom Harrell, fronting an all-star New York-based quintet. The pensive, startling Harrell brings along Don Braden (tenor sax), Donald Brown (piano), Larry Grenadier (bass) and Billy Hart (drums) for what should be spectacular excursions into the realm of modern mainstream jazz.