Fri. Oct. 15 -- Peter Erskine, the drummer famous for his scope and his touch, plays movie music with the super ensemble of pianist Alan Pasqua, saxist Bob Mintzer and bassist Darek Oles. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday jazz schedule here.
Fri. Oct. 15 -- The Honorable DHC gets down with his guitar and his white bluesy self -- got sparky young nephew Huntley Chamberlain on drums tonight. Hootenanny all night afterward. At Crane's Hollywood Tavern, 1611 N. El Centro Ave., Hollywood 90028; 8:30pm; free.
Fri.-Sat. Oct. 15-16 -- When Stanley Clarke attacks his bass, you pretty much just gotta stand back and gape. With keyboardist Deron Johnson, pianist Rusland Sirota and drummer Ronald Brunner. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8 & 10pm; $35-$40; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Fri.-Sun. Oct. 15-16 -- The Asian American Music Festival twists & shouts. The jazz highlight is Saturday at 1:30 with Gary Fukushima, Jon Jang, Pan-Asian Orchestra with Taiko Project. At the Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., Little Tokyo 90012; $30-$115; tickets here.
Sat. Oct. 16 -- Pianist Roberta Piket returns from NYC with trio mates Jeff D'Angelo (bass) and Billy Mintz (that most sensitive and mystical of drummers). Piket blends generations as well as anybody: natural swing, an evenness of touch reminiscent of Bud Powell, and a bent toward spontaneous abstraction. She's an inviting composer, too; buy her new "Sides, Colors." Opening is the poetry-trombone-percussion trio of Dorothea Grossman, Michael Vlatkovich & Christopher Garcia. Grossman was recently awarded the Wood Prize, which comes with actual cash. Money! For poetry! In 2010! An achievement indeed. And she'll get to hang with old pal Mintz. A special evening. (Piket photo by Daniel Sheehan.) At South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, 1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 8pm; $10; free parking behind; (626) 403-2300; events page here.Piket also appears at CalArts Tuesday at 2pm, and at Saddleback College Wednesday at 7pm.
Sat. Oct. 16 -- Cuban piano? Chucho Valdés is the man, playing tonight with his Afro-Cuban Messengers. At Cal State L.A.’s Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Drive, L.A. 90032; 8pm; $30-$50; (323) 343-6600; www.luckmanarts.org.
Sat. Oct. 16 -- Celebrate the birthday of the late great drummer Billy Higgins in a benefit for the World Stage. Gonna have George Harper, Dwight Trible, Phil Ranelin, Michael Session, Kamau Da'aood and a lot more local genii on hand; Higgins is one musician they can all agree to honor. At Bryant Temple AME, 2525 W. Vernon Ave., Leimert Park 90008; 3pm; $20.
Sat.-Sun. Oct. 16-17 -- Wowser of a reggae fest: Dubquake, headlined Saturday by Michael Rose and (pictured) Scientist w/ Roots Radics (!!!), and Sunday by The Heptones and Stone Love. At the Echo and EchoPlex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park 90026; doors 6pm; $25 both nights; $20 at door, $15 before 8pm; food trucks and concessions outside; www.attheecho.com; www.ticketweb.com.
Sun. Oct. 17 -- The Sunday Evening Concerts delayed a couple weeks this month to avoid conflicting with Angel City Jazz Fest. Worth waiting for: Onibaba with Vinny Golia, George McMullen, Scott Collins, Daren Burns and Craig Bunch (video by Kio Griffith), and the Open Gate house band led by Alex Cline & Will Salmon, with Golia and McMullen and song and dance. It will be unusual and good. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7:30pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Sun. Oct. 17 -- Slumgum are a melodic modern jazz quartet with an avantish tinge. Original, but not scary at all. They're pianist Rodney Cowal, saxist Jon Armstrong, bassist David Tranchina and drummer Trevor Anderies. At the Blue Whale on the third floor of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; 9pm-midnight; $10; validated parking on Second Street; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Tues. Oct. 19 -- Germany's Accept ("Balls to the Wall," y'all) return with a new album and a new singer, Mark Tornillo, whom you will like if you prefer the Dickensonian school. After all these years, I just learned that Accept are named after my favorite Chicken Shack album. At the Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 7pm; $30; 15+; www.keyclub.com; (310) 274-5800.
Wed. Oct. 20 -- Quite an unusual event: Stranglers singer-guitarist Hugh Cornwell does the entire "Rattus Norvegicus" album and other 'glers protopunk classics, backed by Blondie drummer Clem Burke and everybody's bass choice Steve Fishman. Then they go on tour; this is a warmup. At El Cid, 4212 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake 90029; two sets 9:30pm; $12; (323) 668-0318.
Wed. Oct. 20 -- CANCELED DUE TO ILLNESS. Ravi Shankar celebrates his 90th birthday. Ragas promote extended improvisation. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown 90012; 8pm; $53-$108; (323) 850-2000; www.laphil.org.
Wed.-Sat. Oct. 20-23 -- Billy Cobham rivaled Tony Williams as the most tumultuous drummer of the fusion era. "Spectrum," dude. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8 & 10pm; $20-$30; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Thurs. Oct. 21 -- Outgig of the week: German electronicist Christoph Heemann lids local sax lord Vinny Golia's sextet and Oakland's Grex. ResBox at Steve Allen Theater, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 90027; 8pm; $10; BYO.
Thurs. Oct. 21 -- Vibesman Nick Mancini leads his cunning crossover project with drummer Andy Sansei, percussionist Peter Korpella, bassist Greg Swiller, windman Katisse, guitarist Dave Wood and singer Celia Chavez. At the Blue Whale on the third floor of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; 9pm-midnight; $10; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs. Oct. 21 -- Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax. The thrashinest American leaders of the '80s keep it comin', undiminished. At Gibson Amphitheater, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608; 7:15pm; $16.25-$96.05 www.ticketmaster.com.
Read Brick Wahl’s jazz picks in LA Weekly here, Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.