ANGEL CITY JAZZ FEST EVENTS ARE INDICATED BY ***.
*** Fri. Oct. 12 -- Myra Melford & Snowy Egret combine the furious/challenging pianist (one of our faves) with crack collaborators: guitarist Liberty Ellman & bassist Stomu Takeishi (both from Henry Threadgill's band), trumpeter Kirk Knuffke, drummer Tyshawn Sorey and, to bring it into 3-D, the startlingly static butoh dancer Oguri. Melford mentor Marilyn Crispell, an East Coast pianist of unusual meditative, melodic and harmonic intelligence who's had long associations with Anthony Braxton and Reggie Workman, opens, playing solo and in duo with Melford. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $25 (students $20); www.angelcityjazz.com, www.redcat.org.
Fri. Oct. 12 -- Otmaro Ruiz rocks Latin-jazz piano wilder than most anybody. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday jazz schedule here.
Fri.-Sat. Oct. 12-13 -- Rare appearance: Israeli guitarist Oz Noy, who's got a ton of bent funk in his bag. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $25; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Sat. Oct. 13 -- Surf & squeal instrumentals splay from under the wheels of Paul Lacques and Double Naught Spy Car, hyping the release of a crazed new record; the Spies and Ben Vaughn each play a set. At Villains Tavern, 1356 Palmetto St., downtown 90013; 5-8pm; looks FREE to me; 21+; (213) 613-0766; www.villainstavern.com.
*** Sat. Oct. 13 -- The cognoscenti love the subtle spacy textural sounds of Bill Frisell's guitar, especially when he's accompanying Bill Morrison's film "The Great Flood," about the 1920s indundation that spread the blues. A joint Angel City/UCLA presentation at Royce Hall; 8pm; $25-$35; www.angelcityjazz.com.
*** Sun. Oct. 14 -- Pianist Vijay Iyer, the avantist who's copped more Bests than most anybody this decade, reunites with an early mentor, saxist Steve Coleman, the M-BASE steersman of Cassandra Wilson, Greg Osby and many more. A joint Angel City/UCLA presentation at Royce Hall; 7pm; $25-$35; www.angelcityjazz.com.
Sun. Oct. 14 -- Lacques & his gang pull together some charming roots music for the kids in Earthworm Ensemble; grow 'em up right. At McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 90405; $8 (under 2 years old free); 11am; (310) 828-4497; www.mccabes.com.
Tues. Oct. 16 -- You know The Silverlake Conservatory of Music is a great boon to a community of youth yearning to learn to play, right? There's a big ol' benefit where The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rancid raise money for the cause, and it's even SCM boss Flea's birthday! Auction & stuff too. Check it out here.
Wed. Oct. 17 -- The fine saxist Dale Fielder plays the music of classic baritonist Pepper Adams, and he's got the former Wynton pianist Eric Reed along. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30pm; $15; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Thurs. Oct. 18 -- You want Balkan music jazzed up and whipped on yer ass like fez tassels? Try Plotz, here augmented with the great guitar of an actual Serbian, Miroslav Tadic. At the Blue Whale on the third level 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; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs. Oct. 18 -- Free Dominguez, the former voice of Kidneythieves (an industrial metal band I dug from about a decade back), does her own poetic heavy rock thing. With three more bands. At the Viper Room, 8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; (310) 652-7869; www.viperroom.com.
Thurs.-Sat. Oct. 18-20 -- I guess you know which Marsalis brother I think is the best composer: trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm; $20-$30; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
John Tchicai, RIP -- You ruled as the lanky Danish saxist with old-school bop chops who stood beside giants such as Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane to create the 1960s avant-garde, and you continued to mentor other outmen right up to the last. Long may you be remembered.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.