The Hammond B-3 is so prevalent today it's easy to forget that the organ, made popular by Jimmy Smith, had become little more than a footnote in the music until an organ revival emerged in the 1990s. An important part of that revival was a teenager from Philadelphia named Joey DeFrancesco.

On Thursday, Joey D, now 37, begins a two-night visit to Dazzle, 930 Lincoln St., with a trio that includes Paul Bollenback on guitar and Byron Landham on drums.

The son of organ man Papa John DeFrancesco, Joey D began playing organ at age 6; at 10 he was performing in Philly clubs with such major-league players as Philly Joe Jones and Hank Mobley. In the late '80s, the younger DeFrancesco (who also plays trumpet) toured with Miles Davis and had his first album out on Columbia Records. Not bad for a 17-year old. The trio's on stage at 7 and 9 p.m. Thursday and again on March 6 ($30, 303-839-5100).

* ALSO ON TAP: Singer Kevin Mahogany performs Monday at the University of Denver's Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Mahogany, born in 1958, began as an instrumentalist playing clarinet, piano and baritone saxophone. He didn't start singing until he was 18; in 1981, he gave up the sax to focus on voice.

The Kansas City native released his first disc in 1993 and became one of the bright lights in the vocal department with a swinging, blues- inflected style filled with warmth.

Mahogany's 7:30 p.m. concert is free; he will conduct a free master class at 3:30 p.m. (303-871-6412).

* Tonight and Saturday, Summit Jazz pulls into the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Complex with one of its "Swinging Jazz Concerts." The sextet will offer saxophonist Harry Allen, violinist Aaron Weinstein, pianist Derek Smith, guitarist Joe Cohn, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Ed Metz Jr. The swing begins at 7 p.m. ($44/$10 students, 303-670-8471). The University of Colorado Denver Claim Jumpers is also on the bill.

* Guitarist Charlie Hunter continues his swing through Colorado with an 8 p.m. stop today at the Oriental Theatre, 4335 W. 44th Ave. ($20, 303-455-2124), and at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Boulder Theatre, 2032 14th St. in Boulder ($21.50- $27.50, 303-786-7030).

For this tour, the man with the seven-string guitar has a quartet with Eric Kalb on drums, Eric Biondo on trumpet and Cochemea Gastelum on baritone saxophone. His current CD, Baboon Strength, offers a trio with former Denverite Erik Deutsch on keyboards. After stops in Denver and Boulder, Hunter hits Breckenridge's Three 20 South on Tuesday, Vail's Samana Lounge on Wednesday and Telluride's Winter Concert Series on Thursday.

* The Ken Walker Sextet plays at 7 and 9 p.m. today at Dazzle ($12), while trombonist Allen Hermann's J&K Revival takes that stage at 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday ($15).

Al Hood, the trumpet player with Walker's sextet, has a new CD titled Just a Little Taste featuring the writing of pianist Dave Hanson. Hermann's J&K Revival refers to the noted group's leaders, trombonists J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding. Hermann's trombone partner in this band is Nate Wickham.

Dazzle has a CD release party Sunday for singer David Arthur. The disc is called Loudmouth; pianist Jeff Jenkins and bassist Robin Ruscio join the singer at 7 p.m. ($10).

TRIBUTE TIME: A tribute to the late bassist Freddie Hostetler by Boulder Friends of Jazz is from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the American Legion Post 111, 1150 Pine St., Louisville.

Normanprovizer@aol.com