Sunday marks the beginning of Jazz Appreciation Month, and jazz fans around here will have ample opportunity to appreciate the music up close and personal before April ends.

A few of the prominent possibilities:

• The Metro State Jazz Celebration, April 12-14, features the terrific drummer Matt Wilson and his Arts and Crafts band, the striking vocalist Rene Marie and the Hot Tomatoes Dance Orchestra. The Metro State evening concerts take place in the King Center on the Auraria campus (303-556-2296).

• In Greeley, the annual University of Northern Colorado/Greeley Jazz Festival takes place April 19-21 with headliners that include the swinging Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the fine pianist Geoff Keezer with his trio, and top-shelf vocalist Kevin Mahogany. The UNC/Greeley performances are in the Union Colony Civic Center (1-800-315-2787).

• The Five Points Jazz Festival April 28 is a reminder of the Points' rich jazz history.

• Beyond the festivals, the month also offers guitarist John Scofield in Macky Auditorium on the University of Colorado Boulder campus April 6 (303-492-8008) and vibraphonist Stefon Harris' quintet at Mount Vernon Country Club on April 19 (303-526-0616).

• Dazzle will have its usual strong lineup, highlighted by out-of-the-ordinary bands Spooky Action (April 12), the Punk Bop Trio (April 20-21) led by drummer Ari Hoenig, and guitarist Joel Harrison's End Time Quintet with saxophonist David Binney (April 28). (303-839-5100).

ON TAP THIS WEEK: The Summit Jazz Foundation offers the latest of its Swinging Jazz concerts tonight and Saturday at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The 7 p.m. concerts feature saxophonist Harry Allen, cornetist Randy Reinhart, trombonist Dan Barrett, guitarist Joe Cohn, pianist Derek Smith, bassist Paul Keller and drummer Joe Ascione. Tickets for the mainstream septet are $44, $22 for first-time guests and $10 for students (303-670-8471).

• At 7 and 9 p.m. today the Ken Walker Sextet appears at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St. ($10).

• At 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday, Dazzle hosts a CD-release party for singer Erienne Romaine, celebrating her remarkable comeback from illness ($10). Trumpeter Greg Gisbert, saxophonist John Gunther, trombonist Nelson Hinds, pianist Jeff Jenkins, drummer (and dad) Paul Romaine and bassist Walker join the young vocalist to mark the release of her Victory Concert CD.

• At 7 p.m. Sunday, the Dan Schwindt Quartet's "A Guitar Tribute To Wayne Shorter" will be at Dazzle. ($8).

• In Fort Collins this evening, tenor saxophonist Don Aliquo performs in the University Center of the Arts, 1400 Remington St., at 7:30 p.m. Aliquo's new CD is titled Jazz Folk. $8/$5 CSU students, 970-491-4849).

• At 7 p.m. Thursday, pianist Peggy Stern pulls into Dazzle, while a Latin Jazz Tribute to Mario Bauza fills the Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave. The classically trained Stern led a band in the early 1980s with such players as trombonist Julian Priester and saxophonist Richie Cole. Stern has also recorded with her own trio, and at Dazzle, she has Art Lande on percussion and Bijoux Barbosa on bass at 7 and 9 p.m. ($10).

Bauza is one of the legendary figures in Latin jazz. The Cuban trumpeter/clarinetist fell in love with jazz in New York. He was the music director of Machito's Afro-Cuban band for 35 years. Bauza died in 1993. ($10, 720-290-3655).

ON A FINAL NOTE: The Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra's Tuesday residency at Jazz @ Jack's in the Denver Pavilions is a monthly affair. The big band plays at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month not every Tuesday as last week's column seemed to indicate.

normanprovizer@aol.com