A moog maestro, a soulful sax master and more

Funk, blues, bop and soul-jazz reign as Hammond B3 organist Pete Levin rocks with his trio tonight at 7:30 at Szechuan Tokyo Restaurant in West Hartford, and the legendary alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson rolls with his quartet Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Artists Collective in Hartford.

A pioneering force on the Moog synthesizer and an A-List `keyboard/arranger for countless pop and jazz luminaries, Levin, on his two most recent CDs, "Deacon Blues" (Motema) and his just released, self-produced "Certified Organic," has returned to his first great musical passion, groovin' on the Hammond B3.

For his return engagement tonight at Szechuan â€" his debut gig there was in February2007, while touring in support of "Deacon Blues"â€" the soul and keyboard funkmeister is accompanied by guitarist John Cariddi and drummer Harvey Sorgen.

Like their boss, who has performed or recorded with the likes of Miles Davis, John Scofield, Annie Lennox and Paul Simon, both Cariddi and Sorgen have résumés bulging with a diverse, even dizzying range of celebrity associations. Cariddi, for example, has labored happily for both Ricki Lee Jones and Peggy Lee. Sorgen has drummed harmoniously for both Michelle Shocked and Anthony Braxton.

After a successful three-decade career as a nonpareil synthesizer specialist and versatile keyboardist and arranger â€" including a 15-year stint with master arranger Gil Evans and eight years with the innovative Jimmy Giuffre â€" Levin decided to mount the B3 pulpit and preach soulful sermonettes just "for the fun of it."

Explaining his mid-life conversion from synth to organ last year, he confesses in his autobiographical liner notes for "Deacon Blues" that:

"The Hammond organ has got such a rich history. There's really no other sound quite like it. Even the best synth simulations fall short...

"It's like the soul of every organ player is being breathed out from the instrument every time you play it," the vanguard Moog master writes in a mood mixing the musical with the mystical.

On "Certified Organic," his new CD, Levin has beefed up his Hammond B3 trio strategy with a four platoon system, alternately using four different guitarists whose individual personalities put a variety of funk/jazz spins on the music.

Besides Cariddi, a busy New York session guitarist who's touring with Levin, the trio alternately features Joe Beck, Mike DeMicco and Jesse Gress on the recording session.

Sorgen, who's also on tour with the trio, lays down the CD's driving grooves, working cooperatively with Levin's organ bass. Levin has his organ bass mixed up front so it comes through as an equal opportunity rhythmic force.

His guest musicians include saxophonist Erik Lawrence (son of saxophonist Arne Lawrence) and percussionist Ernie Colon.

Exploring the links between jazz and funk, "Certified Organic" features Levin originals plus covers of Moacir Santos's "Nana," Jaco Pastorius's trademark "Teen Town" and "Where Flamingos Fly" from the Gil Evans songbook.

Szechuan Tokyo, a jazz-friendly restaurant in West Hartford, is at 1245 New Britain Ave. Information: 860-561-0180.