Sat. June 9 -- Nick Mancini can do a lot of things on those vibes. Fresh composer, and he swings. Looks like a disheveled scientist. Not completely mad, just spaced and ingenious. At Café Metropol, 923 E. Third St., downtown, 8pm.
Mon. June 11 -- Of the ‘90s rap-metal crews, Static-X has one of the bumpier grooves; the band’s back with a good new album. For me, though, the supporting act, Otep, is the more interesting attraction. Otep Shamaya herself is both a shredding screamer and a convincing melodic balladast, not to mention a crowd-whipping, charismatic chameleon. And the players, a bunch of freaks who’re heavy and weird without even trying, obviously weren’t put together and groomed by a talent agent. Co-written with Holly Knight, the dramatic “Perfectly Flawed,” though an obvious commercial move, seems like, uh, a perfect choice for a single from their next album, “The Ascension.” Is it too much to hope that a band this real could get big? The collapse of Otep’s label, Capitol, has delayed the release of “The Ascension” for three months and counting, but that didn’t stop ‘em from self-financing this tour. Tough bunch. At House of Blues.
Mon. June 11 -- Dr. Donald Redford is a mountaintop wizard of a scholar, and when he talks about how Egyptian creation myths started with Nile mud and got co-opted to serve pharaonic power (hmm . . .), you better listen. Presented by the California Museum of Ancient Art at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, 3663 Wilshire Blvd., 7:30pm; $22.
Tues.-Sun. June 12-17 -- I keep advising the ‘90s generation of jazz musicians to drink, do dope and ruin their lives, but they rarely listen. Well, you can forgive saxist Joshua Redman, seeing the hurt that his dad, the great Dewey Redman, endured. Careerwise, it was not a good idea for Josh to include “Surrey With the Fringe on Top” and “I’m an Old Cowhand” on his new trio CD, “Back East,” thereby inviting comparisons to Sonny Rollins, a man who really knew how to lube up and sodomize a show tune, as well as how to steal somebody’s horn to finance a fix. J.R. is a beautiful player with a ton of chops, and “Back East” might be his best record, but he needs more evil. He’s sharing terrific bandmates -- drummer Eric Harland and bassist Reuben Rogers -- with Charles Lloyd these days, though, so there’ll be some real music all around. Kids: Just joshing about the dope, by the way -- ruin comes easy enough without asking for it. At Catalina’s; $25.
Wed.-Sat. June 13-16 -- Because I have seen vibraphonist Steve Nelson with Dave Holland, I know Nelson can be a real sicko, twisting ideas till he has visions and the sweat soaks his shirt. On record, he can also be a gentle, boring technician. Don’t know which to expect here, but he’s got a first-rate band: pianist Patrice Rushen, bassist Bob Hurst, drummer Lewis Nash. At Jazz Bakery; $30.
Wed. June 13 -- Paul Rodgers is one of the all-time greatest voices in rock; nobody with ears will say different. Greatest with Free; good if self-parodic with Bad Company; even intermittently inspired with the latter-day Queen. He will never suck, no matter whom he’s got as sidemen. And our local Heaven and Earth is a really fine hard-rock outfit; guitarist Stuart Smith studied with Ritchie Blackmore and knows his shit. Also there’s this all-femme AC/DC tribute band, Thund-Her-Struck, whom I’ve seen and they’re fun. And an acoustic opening set by Mark Castrillon. All this comes together to benefit cops killed or injured in the line of duty; if the connection seems unlikely, you’ll notice that NWA is not on the bill. At Avalon; $50 and $100; www.wantickets.com; (866) 926-8499.
Thurs. June 14 -- Just in: Two artists I trust, Devin Sarno (bass drones) and Jessica Catron (cello) in improv duo, plus ambient art from Celer, at Echo Curio, 1519 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, 9pm; $5.