Daily News from New York, New York • 730

Mow new york live iQUE PAS SPRING IN THE CITY rictly Cuban: sland Rhythms Go Center Stage xryfr-rn TT3 3 THE TERM CUBAXISMO ENJOYS A BROAD definition as a word or phrase unique to the Cuban way of speaking Spanish: meter la pata (put your foot in it), for example, means to make a mistake, and matarel gallo (kill the rooster) means to finish something. By naming his band trumpeter Jesus Alemany has extended the term to the language of music. "We chose the name because we demonstrate to the public the various, unique rhythms of Cuban music," says Alemany, rattling off the names of such traditional forms as son montuno, cha-cha, congo and guaguanco. "Of course, we don't play all rx iiri rsilC r- f'-- LJLJUUUU A BLOOMING WONDER: After a 4-year renovation, the N.Y. Botanical Garden's Haupt Conservatory reopens.

ROBERT DOMINGUEZ sm wtf types of Cuban music, because there are just too many," he adds proudly. Led by Alemany and featuring renowned musicians such as Tata Guines on conga, the band is at S.O.B.'s tomorrow and Monday. Alemany is one of several Cuban musicians who have left the island to pursue a career away from the constraints of the Castro government But unlike fellow trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, Carnival of the Century The Calhoun School, a West Side private school for all ages, celebrates its centennial tomorrow with an outdoor spring carnival featuring rides, game booths, crafts, a moeable Museum of Natural History exhibit and lots of food. Special guests are saxophonist Bobby Watson he performs at 2:30 p.m. and Bo Buchanan of "One Life to Live," who'll do the jitterbug in a 1:30 dance contest The carnival is at Child's Play for Mamet David Mamet is a playwright who if he were a movie probably would be rated NC-17.

Not exactly the kind of writer who might turn out a children's play. But guess what? He has adapted that classic fairy tale "The Frog. Prince," and declared it suitable for children of all ages. It's being shown at the 78th SL Theater Lab beginning Sunday. "Prince" is the story of an arrogant royal who, when he refuses rium of St Paul's Church.

Veteran E.C. Comics artist Al Williamson and "SHI" creator and writer Billy Tucci are among the 75 industry professionals expected to attend. Panel discussions and creative workshops will be featured, plus more than 100 dealers buying, selling and trading comics, toys, videos and non-sports cards. Admission is $5. At "Ninth Ave.

between 59th and 60th St from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (718)275-1567. 1 II Mil I who defected to the U.S. in the '80s, Alemany says his leaving Cuba five years ago "was not a problem.

I did it legally, and my intention was always to be able to return when I needed to. I still have family and children there." Alemany, 34, now lives in London. But he traveled to Havana last year to record the band's latest CD, "Malembe." Besides songs that feature traditional rhythms, Cubanismo! also performs the seldom-heard paca and pilon, music forms developed after the Cuban Revolution. "We want to show that Cuban music hasn't stagnated," says Alemany. "That it is always developing and finding new grooves without abandoning its roots." S.O.B.'s is at 240 Varick St.

(212) 243-4940. Happenings Tonight: Ray Barretto at Blue Note, thru Sunday. (212) 475-8592 "Feria de Abril" at Javits Center thru Sunday, (212) 439-5437 Amparo Garcia's "Under a Western Sky" at INTAR, (212) 274200. Tomorrow: Closing: the kids' show "Los Tres Cerditos (Three Little Pigs)," at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, (718) 956-1587 Kinito Mendez, Raulin Rosendo at Latin Quarter, (212) 864-7600. to give a gift to a peasant woman, is turned into a frog until he learns the true meaning of wealth.

Kids will love it, and maybe even learn from it The show is at 236 W. 78th SL; call (212) 873-9050. Performances are Sundays at 1 p.m. through June 29. Tickets are $5 for children 12 and younger; $8 for adults (buy three tickets and the fourth is free).

E. Harlem on My Mind "Multi-Ethnic East Harlem" is a two-hour exploration of one of the city's more vibrant ethnically mixed communities. Stops and sites include Fiorello LaGuardia's house on Fifth Ave. and La Mar-queta (The Market), a once-thriving commercial center. The tour meets at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth at 1 p.m.

Cost is $7 for students, seniors and museum members. Call (212) 534-1672, ext 206. Takin' It to the Street Memo to all dedicated shoppers: The outdoor fair season is underway. Memo to anyone trying to drive in the city: The outdoor fair season is under way. This Sunday, Third Ave.

is playing host from 14th to 23d 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with more than 500 ethnic-food stands, Ylf It's a Jungle In There It took four years and $25 million, but the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the N.Y. Botanical Garden, the huge crystal palace in the Bronx, is all shiny and new and blooming with flowers. It reopens tomorrow with a huge exhibit called "A World of Plants." Visitors can walk through the 11 galler R3BBIT REDUX: Toby Wherry stars in David Mamet's adaptation of the fairy tale "The Frog Prince." Ui and art, craft, antique, jewelry and merchandise peddlers all showing their wares.

Attendance is expected to be somewhere around 600,000 (last year, it attracted 550,000 shoppers). The event is sponsored by the Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, and the entertainment will be family-oriented. Patricia O'Haire and Robert Dominguez ies and learn how traditional healers in Belize use trees from the rainforest for their medicines, among many other bits of information. The garden is at 200th St and Southern phone (718) 817-8700. It's open Tuesdays through Sundays (and Monday holidays) from 10 a.

m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults; $1 for seniors, students and children 6 to 16 (under 6, free). 81st St between West End Ave. and Riverside Drive.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine; (212-877-1700). Making Comic Book The creative minds behind several of your favorite comic-book characters will be gathered Sunday at the Big Apple Comic Book Toy Convention in the audito TALKING IN CUBAN: Cubanismo! leader Alemany.