Fri. Nov. 12 -- Kyuss, the Cult, PJ Harvey and a trainload of other artists have known Chris Goss as an inventive producer, idea man and music mystic; let's not forget his silky & soulful singing and psychedelic/hardrock songwriting in Masters of Reality, whose Rick Rubin-produced 1988 debut ranks as an all-time heavy classic. With John Leamy as musical pard, Goss has launched a new MoR record, "Pine/Cross Dover," which if the sample "Dreamtime Stomp" is any indication, continues the riffin', testifyin' and g'damn LOUD tradition at full bore; tonight's the release shindig. Also playing: former Queens of the Stone age bassist Nick Oliveri's crunch-rockin' Mondo Generator and the folkish duo of Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss. At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 9pm; $20; (323) 848-5800; www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri. Nov. 12 -- Brian Blade's Fellowship Band is the fine Joshua Redman/Wayne Shorter drummer plus Chris Thomas, Jon Cowherd, Myron Walden, Melvin Butler and Jeff Parker, laying out lovely, easily digestible composed American music. A presentation of the Jazz Bakery's Movable Feasts at the Colburn School's Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown 90012; one show 8:30pm; $35, students $20; www.jazzbakery.org.
Fri.-Sat. Nov. 12-13 -- Pianist Larry Karush knows every kind of music and jams it all together in an ingenious, inspirational manner. He plays solo on Friday and in a trio with percussionists Randy Gloss and Joey DeLeon on Saturday; you can kick me if you're not knocked out whichever way you go. 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; $15; validated parking on Second Street; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sat. Nov. 13 -- Local world musicians Quarteto Nuevo have re-formed with a new lineup: omni-drummer Christopher Garcia now joined by cellist Jacob Szekely, guitarist Kenton Youngstrom and saxist Damon Zick. Their fresh album "Quarteto Nuevo" conserves the features that made the group so attractive before -- an original and instantly accessible approach to Middle Eastern, Indian, Mexican and flamenco music, with bridges built among 'em all. (Even a Zappa tune, because that's essential to Garcia's lineage.) The watchword is space, as you'll breathe deeply and relax with the cleanly defined balance of these master musicians, who could play a lot busier but don't, because they want to communicate. Listen to the way Garcia slaps tablas, so deep and internal that they seem like part of your own ventricles. Szekely draws out rich bowed lines, Youngstrom strums or melodicizes, Zick subs for double-reed snake music with an undulating soprano sax, and they're as symmetrical and beautiful as an arabesque. The kids will dig it. At South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, 1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 8pm; $10; free parking behind; (626) 403-2300; events page here.
Sun. Nov. 14 -- Ann Summa, one of the first photographers to think L.A. punk might be worth a twizzle back in the '70s, has a pic book called "The Beautiful and the Damned," and she's gonna slide-show the thing and sign it, along with Kristine McKenna, who wrote the word part of the book and who was down in the Hollywood trenches extensively scribing about the music from the git-go. Remarkably striking snaps, no lie. At Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz 90027; 5pm; free; (323) 660-1175.
Sun. Nov. 14 -- Call me a long-gone geek, but as a young fuzzball I thought the grand and potent classical-rock of Procol Harum could not be beat. Maybe they don't got Robin Trower, B.J. Wilson (R.I.P.) or Matthew Fisher anymore, but pianist-singer-songwriter Gary Brooker remains at the helm, and that's the main consideration. For a refresher, you could consult thoroughly wonderful early records such as "A Salty Dog" or "Broken Barricades," but as it happens, the gods have also reissued the four fine albums from their Chrysalis Records period ('73-'77), which were way underrated during the years when the Eagles and Bowie ruled. Of course I saw Procol (third time in three decades) the last time they were in L.A. (2003), and reviewed them here. Not sold out by a long shot cuz it's too expensive; bad for Gary, good for my leg room. This'll make four times in four decades. At the Orpheum, 842 S. Broadway, downtown 90014; 7:30pm; $46-$88; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sun. Nov. 14 -- Vet pianist Steve Lockwood seems to be settling in at this venue, which is good because his brand of intelligent horticulture sets off the room's simple modern lines quite well. His quartet tonight includes the expressive alto of Kim Richmond, who's never less than super. 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. Nov. 16 -- Yikes, what a night of croakin' modern prog/death metal. Nile (pictured) have established themselves as undisputed world-beaters; I review their current album here. But you also get Ex Deo, whose militarism, antiquarian symphonic blackness and melodian axwork make them a sort of Canadian Dimmu Borgir. And hey, Psycroptic -- so jagged they'll notch your damn ears. Plus Norway's Keep of Kalessin, with more of a dense melodic power-metal flag to wave. More changes tonight than Bert Blyleven. (That's an ancient baseball reference.) At the Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 6:30pm; $20; 15+; www.keyclub.com; (310) 274-5800.
Thurs. Nov. 18 -- L.A.'s got its own rich death-metal scene, and if you ain't noticed, try tonight's fearsome lineup. Dia de los Muertos knocked out a bad-ass EP a few years back, and the current lineup retains some of the same culprits: guitarist Andres Jaramillo, megacroaker Loana dP Valencia and drummer Alfonso Pinzon, plus more recent arrivals guitarist Adrian Villanueva and bassist Alex Corredor (with special guest Tony Campos from Asesino and Static-X). Also pounding are Latin/Latin vets Letum Ascensus, not to mention Demolition, Profecia and Rotting Decay. At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 7:30 pm; free advance tix from the bands, $15 at the door, $22.15 in advance from LiveNation; (323) 848-5800; www.livenation.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.