INDUCTION THERAPY: Patients receive decitabine IV over 1 hour on days 1-10; oral vorinostat on days 5-10; and high-dose cytarabine IV over 2 hours on days 12, 14, and 16 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve CR proceed to maintenance therapy. Patients who achieve CR with incomplete blood count recovery undergo bone marrow aspiration and biopsy at count recovery or day 42 before proceeding to maintenance therapy. MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Patients receive decitabine IV over 1 hour on days 1-5 and oral vorinostat on days 5-10. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 11 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.