San Diego trumpet master Gilbert Castellanos is assembling a special quartet to perform a Tribute To Herbie Hancock, at Dizzy's, on Nov. 19.

Appearing with Castellanos will be piano phenomenon Joshua White, and, two musicians from Los Angeles : drummer Kevin Kanner, a remarkable percussionist last seen here with pianist Eric Reed's trio, and bassist David Robaire, back in LA, after a stint in NYC.

"I met David when I did a clinic at his high school a few years back, he was already the kind of player that people were talking about. Now he's just incredible, and I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity to play with these guys, doing Herbie's music," says Castellanos.

"Playing in a quartet is exciting to me, not to diss quintet playing, but there's something about that format that allows more freedom to stretch the melodies--rather than playing them as strictly written. I originally wanted to do a tribute to Herbie and [trumpeter] Freddie Hubbard, but there was no way I could do justice to that much music in just one night. So, we'll do a Freddie tribute next year, before my schedule gets to hectic."

This band has never played together, as a unit, so a casual rehearsal has been scheduled for Saturday afternoon, just prior to showtime.

"When your dealing with people of this caliber, I sometimes feel that over-rehearsing can take a lot out of the music," Castellanos said.

People can expect to hear music from multiple stages of Hancock's career, including "The Maze," from his 1962 debut album, Takin' Off, "One Finger Snap," and "Oliloqui Valley," from Empyrean Isles, and "Eye Of The Hurricane," from his monumental 1965 release, Maiden Voyage.

"We gotta play a ballad, so Josh is going to bring one in, I don't know which one, yet," said the trumpeter.

There's only one way to find out, get down to Dizzy's on Saturday night.

8 p.m. $15 cover, $12 students.