A Cornucopia of Sounds to Brighten the Holidays

There’ll be no rest for the merry men and women of jazz this holiday season. But when you’re ready to step back from hectic holiday preparations with a toddy and swinging sounds, musicians will be there, ready to cool frazzled nerves. Here’s a list of recommended December dates sure to make the month festive.

Highlights: Kathleen Battle sings standards, as she does on her popular recording “So Many Stars,” in her polished soprano with emerging jazz heavies Cyrus Chestnut on piano, saxophonist James Carter, bassist Christian McBride and others at the Cerritos Center, Wednesday, (310) 916-8500. . . . Saxophonist David Sanborn, pushing his “Songs From the Night Before” recording, plays the Wiltern Theatre that same night, (213) 380-5005. . . . Lee Konitz, the progressive alto saxophonist, should get plenty of support for his improvisational excursions from expansive bassist Charlie Haden and pianist Brad Mehldau when he plays the Jazz Bakery, Dec. 17-21. Konitz, who was last here in October 1995, came out of the Lennie Tristano free-improvisation school to become one of our most lyrically expressive saxophonists. Konitz will also play a duo date at the Bakery with guitarist Larry Koonse on Dec. 22, (310) 271-9039. . . .

Guitarist John Scofield, whose latest recording finds him playing acoustic guitar against his own brass section arrangements, brings in a quartet with bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Seamus Blake to play Catalina Bar & Grill, next Tuesday through Sunday, (213) 466-2210. . . . All year long they’ve led their orchestras at the Moonlight Tango’s weekly Tuesday night big-band bash. Now, before the series goes on hiatus until 1997, the leaders come together as a single ensemble. Led by drummer Frank Capp of Juggernaut fame, the All Star Leaders Big Band will include such frontmen as trumpeter Buddy Childers, pianist Bob Florence, saxophonists Roger Neumann and Ann Patterson, trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, Brazilian bandleader Glenn Garrett and others, Tuesday, (818) 788-2000.

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Sounds of the Season: Keyboardist Gregg Karukas and vocalist Shelby Flint get together at the Cal State Northridge Performing Arts Center next Friday for “Holiday Jazz,” (818) 677-2488. They’ll also be at the San Juan Capistrano Regional Library Dec. 7, (714) 493-1752. . . . Saxophonist-composer Tom Kubis’ big band celebrates “A Kubis Christmas” at the Jazz Bakery, Dec. 8 . . . Guitar-vocal duo Tuck & Patti, the Turtle Island String Quartet and pianist Philip Aaberg team for “The Winter Solstice Concert” at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Dec. 15. . . . Vocal group Inner Voices generate “Christmas Harmony” Dec. 15 and 22 at the Jazz Bakery. . . . The women of the Bel Air Brass Quintet make their annual appearance Christmas Eve at Jax in Glendale, (818) 500-1604.

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Short Stops: At Catalina Bar & Grill, “tap”-style guitarist Stanley Jordan plays solo, Dec. 10-15; Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval leads a quintet Dec. 17-22; longtime Wynton Marsalis pianist Eric Reed works with drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton, Dec. 26-28; and Rachel Z, last seen with saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s group, fronts a trio with powerhouse drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, Dec. 29-30. (213) 466-2210.

At the Jazz Bakery, suave guitarist-vocalist John Pizzarelli plays from his new RCA/Novus release “Let’s Share Christmas,” Tuesday; vocalist Annnie Ross works with the Gerald Wiggins Trio Thursday-Saturday; saxophonist-percussionist Bobby King’s Outer Kingdom with pianist Jerry Harrison and bassist Roberto Miguel Miranda, is in Dec. 10; big-toned vocalist Ernestine Anderson sings Dec. 11-14.

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Playing Through: Saxophonist Phil Norman’s Tentet, including trumpeter Ron Stout, drummer Frank Capp and pianist Bob Florence plays the Cinegrill at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, every Monday in December, (213) 466-7000. . . . Seven-string guitar whiz Ron Eschete plays solo every Tuesday in the lobby lounge of Santa Monica’s Loews Hotel, and with pianist Daniel May on Thursday and Dec. 12, (310) 576-3115. . . . Bumpin’ guitarist Eric Johnson plays the Wednesday jazz series at B.B. King’s Wednesday, (818) 622-5464. . . . Recent finalists in the annual Hennessy jazz competition, the Los Angeles Jazz Quartet, play the Club Brasserie in the Bel Age Hotel Thursday. Also at the Brasserie, saxophonist Ralph Moore, bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, all from Kevin Eubanks’ “Tonight Show” band, appear next Friday and Saturday . . . Bassist Ida Bodin, last seen in the string section backing Charlie Haden’s Quartet West at the Alex Theatre, brings trumpeter Leslie Drayton, drummer Wilby Fletcher and pianist Steve Weingart into the World Stage, next Friday and Saturday, (213) 293-2451. . . . Black/Note pianist Ark Sano leads his trio with Black/Note buddy and bassist Mark Shelby at the Baked Potato Pasadena, Dec. 8. Bassist Kyle Eastwood fronts a combo at Jax, Dec. 10.

Free Music: Larry Karush, a pianist heard with the jazz and world-beat band Mokave, leads a quintet at the L.A. County Museum of Art next Friday and Dec. 13.