Fri. Jan. 22 -- Tool drummer Danny Carey blasts into heftspace via Volto, featuring Matt Gartska, John Ziegler, Lance Morrison and Matt Rohde. With MAL, The AM, SpaceCream. At the Mint, 6010 Pico Blvd., LA 90035; 10pm; $20; (323) 954-9400; www.themintla.com.
Fri. Jan. 22 -- Double Naught Spy Car (10:30pm) delivers not just instrumentals but colorful rockin sound collages. Joe Gore closes. In the bar of Taix Restaurant, 1911 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake 90026; 10:30pm; free; www.taixfrench.com.
Sat. Jan. 23 -- The members change but the shreddin' fusion aesthetic remains with CAB, featuring original bassist Bunny Brunel, incredibobble drummer Virgil Donati, guitarist Alex Machacek and keyboardist Dennis Hamm. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $30; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Sat. Jan. 23 -- Alphonse Mouzon's Jazz & Smooth Jazz All-Star Band gives it to ya every which way via the fusin' & bruisin' drummer plus saxist Brandon Fields, keyboardist Tateng Katingdig and bassist Jeff Littleton. At Roscoe's Seabird Jazz Lounge, adjacent to Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, 730 E. Broadway, Long Beach 90802; $20; 9pm-1am; (562-787-0899); www.seabirdjazzloungelbc.com.
Sun. Jan. 24 -- Reeds rule with clarinetist Lori Freedman and Quasar Saxophone Quartet, performing heady modern compositions by Ferneyhough, Barrett and Cendo in the solo first set, and by Tremblay, Hamel and notable guitar changeling Fred Frith in the quartet-augmented second set, which also features Frith himself. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $20 (members $16); www.redcat.org.
Sun. Jan. 24 -- Longtime guitarist Leo Nocentelli leads the funky New Orleans NAMM jam with The Meters Experience. At the Mint, 6010 Pico Blvd., LA 90035; 10:15pm; $18; (323) 954-9400; www.themintla.com.
Sun. Jan. 24 -- Rich-textured guitarist Michael Landau rocks his heavy trio with bassist Reggie Hamilton and drummer Gary Novak. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $30 (SRO remains); (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Mon. Jan. 25 -- Emotic metal progsters From Autumn to Ashes reunite for their first tour in eight years. With I the Mighty, Frameworks. At the Roxy, 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; 7pm; $20; (310) 278-9457; www.theroxy.com.
Tues. Jan. 26 -- Keyboardist Cathlene Pineda showcases her attractive original compositions, backed as always by L.A.'s most openminded post-fusionists. 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; 21+; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Wed. Jan. 27 -- Cellist Artyom Manukyan charts new lyrical Black Sea folk-classical-jazz territory with keyboardist Vardan Ovsepian, drummer Gavin Salmon, bassist Damian Erskine and FXman Troy Zeigler. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $20; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.