Fri. Feb. 27 -- Who better to celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane's prayerful landmark "A Love Supreme" than tenor/soprano sax torchbearer Azar Lawrence? He's got his seasoned quartet, too: drummer Alphonse Mouzon, pianist Theo Saunders and bassist Henry Franklin, plus a special surprise guest (vocalist Oren Waters is mentioned). Also see Sat., below. At the Mint, 6010 Pico Blvd., LA 90035; 8pm; $18; (323) 954-9400; www.themintla.com.
Fri. Feb. 27 -- Slumgum play a flowing mode of post-'60s jazz that will relax you yet keep you awake, good for a Friday. Talkin' 'bout saxist Jon Armstrong, pianist Rory Cowal, bassist Dave Tranchina and drummer Trevor Anderies. 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; 21+; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Fri. Feb. 27 -- Paul Lacques slaps and baps the lap steel with the rad instrumentals of Double Naught Spy Car. In the bar of Taix Restaurant, 1911 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake 90026; 10:30pm; free; www.taixfrench.com.
Fri.-Sat. Feb. 27-28 -- DO NOT MISS composer-conductor-drummer Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra if you want an opportunity to experience a communal African-inspired spirit jam. Around 30 percussionists, saxists and who-all groove and spark under the spontaneous command of Rudolph, who brings together ancient rhythms and thrilling dissonances to whirl your head into abstract ecstatic dimensions. Musicians include noted veterans such as Bennie Maupin, Munyungo Jackson, Randy Gloss, Emily Hay, Ellen Burr, Charles Sharp, Jeff Schwartz and Ronit Kirchman, as well as other skilled specialists and younger adventurers. Chicagoan Rudolph developed his concept in L.A. but brings it here only every couple of years or so; the Orchestra has raised great acclaim on the East Coast since he moved there. The opener Friday is Wildflowers Duet (butoh dancer Oguri & Adam Rudolph); Saturday's opener is the multimedia Boonghee riddim music of Hu: Vibrational. Read my review of a previous Organic concert at the same place here. At Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice 90291; 8pm; $30, cheaper advance tickets here.
Fri.-Sat. Feb. 27-28 -- Along with the other members of Return to Forever, bassist Stanley Clarke (here with his "Friends") helped invent metaljazz. I wonder how he feels about the Scorpions naming their new album after his old band. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm; $35-$45; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sat. Feb. 28 -- Azar Lawrence blows with another distinguished ensemble: trumpeter Nolan Shaheed, drummer Smitty Smith, pianist Theo Saunders and bassist Jeff Littleton. At Roscoe's Seabird Jazz Lounge, adjacent to Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, 730 E. Broadway, Long Beach 90802; $15; 9pm-1am; (562-787-0899); www.seabirdjazzloungelbc.com.
Sat. Feb. 28 -- Date night in Eagle Rock: a steak, a martini and the original postbop of trumpeter Elliott Caine's ensemble. At Colombo's Restaurant, 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 9:30pm-midnight; no cover; (323) 254-9138.
Sun. March 1 -- Michael Vlatkovich alone has enough breadth and imagination as a trombonist and composer, but add the dimensions of guitarist Tom McNalley, bassist Scott Walton and drummer Garth Powell (distinct and established leaders in their own right), and you've got subversive fireworks. And you mean to say world percussionist Christopher Garcia is opening with his trio Anadis Music (featuring Chinese strings from Jie Ma and sitar from John Stephens)? Damn. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Wed. March 4 -- Watch out when Weather Report drummer Peter Erskine forms a trio with pianist Vardan Ovsepian and bassist Demian Erskine, cuz you're gonna hear not just the beats beneath the beats, but the spaces between spaces. 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; $20; 21+; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Wed. March 4 -- Rock Against M.S. continues to roll with stars such as Gilby Clarke (hey, I used to play softball with him), Mike Watt (hey, my band used to play with his band), and a bunch of famous footsoldiers who've never had the privilege of meeting me including Steven Adler, Wayne Kramer, Blasko and many others whose hearts stand against suffering. You can even watch it live at home for $15 via StageIt.com. At the Whisky, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 8pm; $35 and up; www.whiskyagogo.com; (310) 652-4202.
Thurs. March 5 -- You've never heard chamber music like that of the Brad Dutz Quartet, which swings and teases with gentle intellectuality and a total disregard for convention. The malletman's cohorts are wind player Brian Walsh, oboe player Paul Sherman and cellist Chris Votek. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $25 (students $20); www.redcat.org.
Thurs. March 5 -- The chamber craze offers options in Northridge, too. Guitarist Bill Frisell has been known to play loud (with John Zorn for instance), but he has caught more ears when playing really quiet and spare, and even more so when he added the Americana element to what some call jazz, as tonight in a re-vision of Woody Guthrie with his stylin' Big Sur Quintet featuring violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, cellist Hank Roberts and drummer Rudy Royston. At the Valley Performing Arts Center, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge 91330; 8pm; $40-$50; www.valleyperformingartscenter.org.
* * *
Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.