To kick off the Spinning Wheel's new Jazz Supper Club, a gala opening is planned for April 19 when New York-based jazz musicians will fly in to join Bermudian artists for a memorable night's entertainment. The black tie event will begin at 6 p.m. with a poolside cocktail party featuring guitarist Duke Joell, followed by a buffet dinner at 7 p.m. with Darrell Fubler at the piano. Later, Bermudian percussionist Eddie Ming and the members of his New York-based quintet So What?, piano/musical director Cliff Korman, acoustic bassist Joe Fitzgerald, trumpeter Kevin Lewis, and trombonist Stafford Hunter, will swing into action, along with special Bermudian guest artists, vocalist Sheila Smith and guitarist/folk singer Val Sherwood Wallace.

Recording artist Cliff Korman, who has performed in the jazz and Brazilian music worlds for 20 years, trained with Roland Hanna, Ron Carter and Kenny Barron. Among his many accomplishments, he is part of a quartet chosen for the 2003 Jazz Ambassadors Programme, focusing on the influence of Latin musics on jazz. His duo record, `Mood Ingenuo: Pixiguiha Meets Duke Ellington' with Grammy Award winner Paulo Moura is one of the first cross-cultural explorations of jazz and choo, and led them to more cross-cultural projects, including `Gafieira Dance Brasil' at the Lincoln Center. He has also collaborated with Brazilian guitarist Nelson Faria on a tutorial book, `Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section'. Mr. Korman's scholarly work in the fields of jazz and Brazilian music earned him a Fulbright Lecture/Research grant, and he has presented papers and given lectures on various musical topics, including Thelonius Monk and Choro: Brazilian popular instrumental improvised music.

Since graduating from the New School for Social Research's jazz and contemporary music programme, trombonist Stafford Hunter has performed and toured with a host of musical "greats", including Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, the Mingus Big Band, Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy, Charlie Persip, Steve Turre and Sanctified Shells. In 1994 he performed for then US President Bill Clinton's inaugural. He is now a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Bassist Joe Fitzgerald, a graduate of the New England Conservatory, has been an active performer and teacher in the areas of jazz and ethnic music for many years. A recording artist, he has also been touring with many prominent New York musicians including Ballin' the Jack, Ana Caram, Ken Peplowski and Datevik. In Boston he was a member of the Human Feel band, and has performed in major jazz festival in North America and Europe. Mr. Fitzgerald has been on the faculty of the Bass Collective/Drummers collective for the past nine years.

Trumpeter Kevin Louis, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in jazz performance, as well as a Master's degree from the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queen's College, New York, has shared the stage with the likes of David Bartholomew, Bobby Watson, Jimmy Heath, Kermit Ruffins, Jesse Davis and Mos. Def, among many others. He has performed at such US major jazz festivals as New Orleans, Ravinia, Kansas City Blues, and overseas at the Umbria and Pescara in Italy, and Istanbul, Turkey. On television he has appeared on BET's Jazz Discovery, and Jazz ED.TV. Mr. Louis is currently a Kennedy Center-US Department of State jazz ambassador, and recently returned from touring ten African countries.

Special menus have been devised for both the cocktail party and dinner, and dress is formal. Advance tickets ($100) are available from the Music Box, People's Pharmacy, and 27th Century Boutique. Special security arrangements will ensure that an unforgettable evening is enjoyed by all. For further information ( 297-2874.