The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band - founded by one of the few entertainers who genuinely deserve the adjective "legendary" - is headlining this year's roving, talent-packed Jazz Royale Festival from December 9 to 17.

And, from December 15 to 17, the Bangkok Jazz Festival will be bringing the mighty Yellowjackets, the funky Tower of Power, pianist Dave Grusin and guitarist Lee Ritenour.

Dizzy's band will be joined at Jazz Royale, which is honouring His Majesty the King on his birthday, by other amazing talents, including celebrated pianists McCoy Tyner and Ahmad Jamal, saxophonist James Moody, trumpeter Claudio Roditi, clarinetist Kenny G and '60s pop idol Georgie Fame.

Also booked are the delightful songstresses Nancy Wilson, Marta Topferova, Roberta Gambarini and Cherryl Hayes.

Jazz Royale kicks off at Sanam Suapa in Bangkok on December 9 and 10, rolls on to Pattaya's Horseshoe Point on the 11th and 12th, then Sanam Hor Slip in Chiang Mai on the 14th and 15th and winds up on Phuket's Karon Beach on the 16th and 17th.

Dizzy Gillespie died in 1993, but his All-Star Big Band is still jumping with the best bebop in the world, with such storied talents on board as Slide Hampton, Paquito D'Rivera, Claudio Roditi and James Moody.

McCoy Tyner, who takes his cues from African and East Asian music, is best known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet. Like Coltrane, he revels in the innovative and the improvised.

"McCoy Tyner is like a shadow of John Coltrane," says Chagkrit Khianchainaj, one of the editors at the new magazine Kool Jazz. "After Coltrane died, Tyner had an attachment with Coltrane's type of music. He plays serious jazz."

Ahmad Jamal piles chords in staccato stacks to hit dramatic crescendos.

"He's one of the best," says Nu Vudthivichai, who plays piano with the band Mansri and runs the jazz studies programme at Silpakorn University.

"His improvisation is special. It's original - unlike anyone else."

The Bangkok Jazz Festival will have its share of sweet chanteuses in Lisa Ono and Salena Jones.

"Ono's music is bossa nova - I like her husky voice," says Kobfa Sobhonsiri, a fan of smooth jazz.

Ahmad Jamal's protege Hiromi Uehara will be at the Bangkok fest too, playing fusion jazz piano.

America's Yellowjackets do the fusion as well, as they'll show next month with original members Russell Ferrante on keyboards and Jimmy Haslip on bass. Grammy-winning saxophonist Bob Minzter and drummer Marcus Baylor round out the group.

"The Yellowjackets have been my favourite band since I was 10 years old," says Nu. "They're Mansri's idols."

"No one in jazz is more professional," Chagkrit agrees.

For authentic Asian flavour, watch out for the Asian Super Guitar Project, comprising Eugene Pao of Hong Kong, Japan's Kazumi Watanabe and Jack Lee, the leader of South Korean group Asianergy.

Thailand chips in with Narongrit Tosa-nga playing the ranad - the Thai xylophone.

His face and his hypnotic deftness are familiar from the 2004 blockbuster film "Hom Rong" ("The Overture") and numerous television appearances.

Tickets for all of this great jazz are available at Thaiticketmaster.

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

The Nation