Terrence Blanchard

An open suitcase spilled clothes on the floor just inside the front door of Terence Blanchard's Brooklyn apartment. Having just returned from a trip to his New Orleans birthplace, the trumpeter was about to leave for Hollywood to meet the director of "Mantis," a two-hour television pilot for which Blanchard will compose a jazz score. Just don't ask him who the director is.

An open suitcase spilled clothes on the floor just inside the front door of Terence Blanchard's Brooklyn apartment. Having just returned from a trip to his New Orleans birthplace, the trumpeter was about to leave for Hollywood to meet the director of "Mantis," a two-hour television pilot for which Blanchard will compose a jazz score. Just don't ask him who the director is.

Tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet's big band headlined Saturday's "Jazz for Rights and Humanity" at Harlem's Apollo Theatre, a fund-raiser to support international human rights. Other musicians in the lineup included Max Roach, Freddie Hubbard, Randy Weston, Mongo Santamaria, Terrence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Chuck Green and Jimmy Witherspoon and singers Abbey Lincoln, Cissy Houston, Ruth Brown and Jon Hendricks.

What's happening the next few weeks: * The Taos Talking Pictures Festival runs April 13-16 at the Taos Convention Center, Storyteller Cinemas and the Oo-oonah Art Center. "The Big Kahuna," right, with Kevin Spacey, is the opening night film. Anjelica Huston and Terrence Malick will receive awards. World premieres include "The Last Producer," "Lost Forever," "The Origin of Man" and others. Some free screenings. Others, $5-$8. Passes $175-$500. (505) 751-1605.

NEW YORK--Compared with other all-star music benefits for the Sept. 11 attacks, the "Made in America" jazz concert was decidedly low-key: It was held in a small hall without televised coverage, animated speeches or flag waving. But the performances at Wednesday's event were anything but subdued. The concert, which featured Cassandra Wilson, Regina Carter, Ruben Blades, k.d. lang, Joshua Redman and others, was a spirited celebration, with the focus squarely on the music.

Wynton and Branford Marsalis are two of the most influential young musicians anywhere. But you might not have heard of Delfeayo Marsalis, unless you're a habitual reader of the fine print in CD booklets. Until now, Delfeayo Marsalis has been mainly known as a record producer who's overseen about 20 projects by such notables as his brother Branford, pianists Marcus Roberts and Kenny Kirkland and pianist-singer Harry Connick Jr.

*** BRANFORD MARSALIS ET AL. "Music From 'Mo' Better Blues' "; Columbia This album by the Marsalis quintet, with Terrence Blanchard in the trumpet role played in the film by actor Denzel Washington, is an amalgam of hard bop, R&B and other diversions and will appeal mainly to those who have seen the film. The title cut, and the ballad "Again Never," both composed by Spike Lee's father, Bill Lee, stand out. There are two versions of W.C.

Wynton Marsalis will lecture on the importance of Duke Ellington. Charlie Haden will discuss the relationship of improvisation and spirituality. Milt Jackson, Herbie Hancock, Terrence Blanchard and some 100 other musicians are scheduled to perform. Dave Brubeck, Joe Henderson and Art Farmer will receive honors from the National Endowment for the Arts. And that's just for starters when the International Assn.

Astute listeners might notice a difference between Michael Bolton's recently released single of "Georgia on My Mind" and the same song on his multi-platinum CBS album, "Soul Provider." And Michael Brecker isn't happy about it. CBS edited out of the single a solo by saxman Brecker and replaced it with one by fellow saxophonist Kenny G. Brecker--who has recorded solos on records by Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra--remains on the album's "Georgia" track.

For more than 25 years, he's been the Big Chief of Gris-Gris Gumbo, the High Priest of Hoodoo, the Loop Garoo Shaman of New Orleans jazz, blues and fonk . He's Mac Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, the Night Tripper, one of the finest purveyors of Crescent City music tradition alive.

Jazz, more than any other art, is peculiarly susceptible to generational assumptions. When I first became aware of jazz, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it had an aura of hip, upscale success. It was cool and inside, but also sexy and ostentatious, as so many consumer goods of that era were. Jazz was as modern and portentous as the tail fins on your new car, or the lavishly endowed women in Playboy and Esquire.