Fri. June 7 -- Less abstract than its name suggests, The Kandinsky Effect is an electronically enhanced bicontinental groove trio featuring saxist Warren Walker, bassist Gael Petrina and drummer Caleb Dolister. You could even dance. 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.
Fri.-Sat. June 7-8 -- Dunno if you want guitar god Allan Holdsworth to be comfortable, but he will be when he burns frets on fusion standards & his own hits with a bunch of familiar fingers: bassist Bunny Brunel, drummer Chad Wackerman and keyboardist Mitch Forman. I suppose it's useless to ax him to get a guitar with a headstock. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $25; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Fri.-Sat. June 7-8 -- Harry Partch built an 847-pound (literally) marimba to play some of his microtonal compositions, and the ensemble Partch has restored the thing so you can experience vibrations that the late composer intended to be not only heard but heavily felt. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $25 (students $20); www.redcat.org.
Sat. June 8 -- Fear Factory's combination of industrial and shred (via guitarist Dino Cazares) made the L.A. band a '90s hit, and they still get together despite the busy Cazares' side projects, even making "The Industrialist" with him last year. With Thrown Into Exile, Kobra & the Lotus, Satriarch, Principal Spinach. At the Roxy, 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; $31.50; (310) 278-9457; doors 7:15pm; $18.50; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sun. June 9 -- Speaking of hitting plates with mallets, this year's Vibe Summit (honoring Chuck Redd) rounds up the likes of Bob Leatherbarrow, Joe Locatelli, Onaje Murray, Nick Mancini and many more, ably backed by pianist Dave Mackay, bassist Richard Simon and drummer Paul Kreibich. There's cheap food for sale and a comradely atmosphere of L.A. Jazz Society devotees in this spacious warehouse; come and go as you like. I reviewed the thing a couple years ago here. At Remo Recreation Music Center, 7308 Coldwater Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood 91605; 2-6pm; $20; (818) 994-5299; www.lajazzsociety.org.
Sun. June 9 -- SASSAS presents Soundshoppe, its monthly workshop/performance where all you electronic adventurers can get together and . . . "jam" is not the right word. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 1pm; free; www.sassas.org.
Thurs.-Fri. June 13-14 -- Guitarist Anthony Wilson, an easygoing post-trad plucker and composer, presents The Curators, who have featured organist Larry Goldings, bassist Kaveh Rastegar and a few others like saxist Ben Wendel, but I ain't claiming nothing until I get Word. 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; $15; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
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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.