SPECIAL EVENT: Sat. Oct. 26 -- Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra is one of the few modern ensembles that carries on the '60s jazz spirit of collectivity, creativity and spontaneity. Thirty-three fine musicians, young and old, take a journey through spooky African jungles of cooking rhythms and explosive wildlife, and you're transported. Composer and hand drummer Rudolph was widely embraced when he moved back East several years ago; it's great that he keeps up the L.A. connection now and then. Do not fail to pick up on an Organic CD or one of Rudolph's other projects, such as one of his electronified atmospheric explorations with Buzzy Jones or his Moving Pictures. At Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice 90291; 8pm, $20 tickets here.
Sat. Oct. 26 -- Swedish "theological Satanists" Watain pile on the echo & blackened doom; fellow Uppsalans In Solitude nail a more traditional melodic power metal; Tribulation support. At Vex Art & Culltural Center, 5240 Alhambra Ave., East L.A. 90032; doors 7pm; $25; (800) 660-9015; www.8thdaytix.com.
Sat. Oct. 26 -- Australia's Clairy Browne & the Bangin' Rackettes knock out some of the tuffest retro soul music of our era, with solid modern production values and plenty of attitude. Part of the Muse Costume Ball at LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; Rackettes 9pm; $60-$100; details here.
Sun. Oct. 27 -- L.A. Jazz Society's Tribute Awards keep the fires burning with honorees Sheila E. and the previous generation of the Escovedo family, Pete, Peter Michael and Juan. Lifetime Achievement goes to Hubert Laws (performing with Larry Koonse and Tierney Sutton); honored educators are Ernie Fields Jr., Charles Owens and Delbert Taylor; New Talent is drummer Alex Smith; host is Leonard Maltin. At the Universal Hilton, 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City 91608; 4:30pm dinner 7 concert; $40-$250; www.lajazz.org.
Sun. Oct. 27 -- Call it ACS if you want; I call it a hell of an all-star piano-drums-bass trio: Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding. Respected singer Perla Batalla opens. Gonna groove. At the Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica 90401; 4pm; $85-$137; www.thebroadstage.com.
Sun. Oct. 27 -- Song duo Garretson & Gorodetsky grow locally and think cosmically; longtime scenester Iris Berry shares her writings; and I like the quartet lineup of Dan Clucas, Michael Alvidrez, Brian Christopherson & Vince Meghrouni, a.k.a. Brainchildren of Xenog. At Pilates & Arts, 1844 Echo Park Ave., Echo Park 90026; 4pm; FREE.
Sun.-Mon. Oct. 27-28 -- If anyone can fill in for late guitarist Jeff Hanneman in Slayer, it is (and has been for a couple years) Exodus' Gary Holt, and drummer Paul Bostaph has been switching off with exiled Dave Lombardo for decades, so let the carnage resume. French art groaners Gojira support; Australian thrashers 4arm open. At Hollywood Palladium, 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 6:30pm; $63.50; www.ticketmaster.com; (323) 962-7600.
Tues. Oct. 29 -- Megadeth are humping the excellent new "Super Collider," doing a one-off warmup for the trek that starts in a month; they've also got a fresh DVD of last year's "Countdown to Extinction" redux tour; and bassist Dave Ellefsen has just published an autobio. So I guess the drugs didn't kill 'em. At the Shrine Auditorium, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., downtown 90007; 8:30pm; $46; all ages; www.goldenvoice.com.
Tues. Oct. 29 -- How do you even keep up with Leni Stern? The guitarist-singer-n'goni player is about to drop another record with her simpatico African trio featuring bassist Mamadou Ba and hand drummer Alioune Faye, who will be on board for this gig. The records are great, but live, she fascinates. 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.
Tues. Oct. 29 -- Drummer Vinny Appice (Dio, Sab), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera, Down), guitarist Mark Zavon and singer Dewey Bragg are Kill Devil Hill, beatin' the more traditional side of the metal log. With five opening bands. At the Roxy, 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; doors 6:45pm; $15; (310) 278-9457; www.theroxy.com.
Wed. Oct. 30 -- As if to dispel any notion that Gov't Mule is mainly a riff-n-groove band, axmaster Warren Haynes & co. have crafted "Shout!," an album of hard rock, reggae, blues, country and almost-pop that expands beyond (without abandoning) the quartet's bluesrock roots to focus on songwriting. Hammering home the point, the Mule offers one disc in standard format and a second disc substituting major singer-songwriters such as Elvis Costello, Steve Winwood and Dr. John for Haynes' soulful growl. And y'know what? The whole thing goes down like aged Kentucky bourbon. One of the most consistent acts out there. Jazzy Doors guitarist Robby Krieger acts as special guest. At the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater, 6122 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 90028; doors 7pm; $30; (323) 464-0808; www.fondatheatre.com.
Wed. Oct 30 -- Kinda Monklike, Romanian pianist Lucian Ban has a tart way of gathering his thoughts before laying 'em on ya. Here he's in duo with saxist Jorge Sylvester, with whom he's recorded some classical-sounding stuff. Good emotional and compositional range, as exhibitted on his ECM album with Mat Maneri. It's almost Halloween, and Ban is from Transylvania. Coincidence? 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.