Fri. Sept. 16 -- Vet pianist Theo Saunders finds chords that may not have been lost, but you're sure glad he found 'em. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday summer jazz schedule here.
Fri. Sept. 16 -- So great that flutist Nicole Mitchell, celebrated in her former Chicago home and a treasure of listenable avantitude here, plays around L.A. regularly. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Fri. Sept. 16 -- Clean mainstreamers with substance and heart: The Dave Stryker/Eric Alexander Organ Quartet featuring Jared Gold on B3 and McClenty Hunter on drums. A Jazz Bakery presentation at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 Washington Blvd., LA 90016; 8pm; $25; www.jazzbakery.org.
Fri. Sept. 16 -- Fight the guitarists for a peek at the finger technique of country-blues-etc. icon Albert Lee, with keyboardist JT Thomas, bassist Will Macgregor and drummer Jason Smith. They all sing, too. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $35 & $30; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Fri.-Sat. Sept. 16-17 -- Sax man Donny McCaslin, the passionate obbligatist on David Bowie's final record, "Blackstar," previews the Oct. 14 release of his album dedicated to Bowie with keyboardist Jason Lindner, bassist Nate Wood and drummer Mark Guiliana. 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; $25 (good idea to pick up presale tix here; 21+; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Fri.-Sat. Sept. 16-17 -- Big Hammond mainstay Joey DeFrancesco leads a greasy organ quartet. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm; $25-$30; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sun. Sept. 18 -- Pianist Eric Reed pays tribute to West Coast jazz with a righteous quartet: tenor man Ralph Moore (good to see him playing more), bassist Mike Gurrola and drummer Kevin Yokota. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm; $30-$40; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sun. Sept. 18 -- Melodic guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel expands with an electronified trio featuring guitarist Tim Motzer and drummer Gintas Janusonis. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $30 ($25 students); www.jazzbakery.org.
Sun. Sept. 18 -- The colorful, mystical, weird films of Kenneth Anger are some of the few that qualify as genuine trips. Here you get "Lucifer Rising," "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome" and more, plus Anger & Brian Butler performing as Technnicolor Skull, plus a Q&A. That should do 'er. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; 7pm; $20-$50; 18+; www.ticketfly.com.
Sun. Sept. 18 -- Guitars rule with Adam Levy (Norah Jones), Scott Farr (seven-string jazz) and Goh Kurosawa (acoustic fusion), as Pete Morris paints watercolors inspired by the music. Brilliant Strings at MorYork Gallery, 4959 York Blvd., Eagle Rock 90042; 3pm; free but donations accepted.
Sat. Sept. 18 -- Most jazzfolk play less as they age; trad-plus trumpeter Elliott Caine plays more. At the York Bar and Restaurant, 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park 90042; 7:30-10pm; no cover; (323) 255-9675.
Sun. Sept. 18 -- Kraftwerk in Kalifornia. Read my 2014 Disney Hall review here. Lyris Quartet opens with conceptual Kraftwerk covers. At the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 Highland Ave., Hollywood 90068; 7pm; $18-$51; (323) 850-2000; www.hollywoodbowl.com.
Mon. Sept. 19 -- For reasons of their age and health, I believe Black Sabbath actually mean it when they call this tour "The End" (although they'll be playing Ozzfest in a few days). Share the last embers of dark love, and read my review of 2014's show here. At the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 Highland Ave., Hollywood 90068; 7:30pm; $115-$2,000; (323) 850-2000; www.hollywoodbowl.com.
Tues. Sept. 20 -- Fully arrived local jazz phenom Kamasi Washington in concert and conversation. Epic for sure. At USC's Bovard Auditorium, 3551 Trousdale Parkway, L.A. 90089; 7:30pm; free, RSVP here, but it's waitlist only now.
Wed. Sept. 21 -- Just Strings, featuring CalArts guitar tweaker John Schneider (Partch), harpist Alison Bjorkedal and percussionist T.J. Troy, furthers the secret microtonal agenda via compositions by grand wizards Lou Harrison and John Luther Adams. At the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 90401; 7:30pm; free; smpl.org; (310) 458-8600.
Wed. Sept. 21 -- Versatile Russian-born, Brit-based alto man Zhenya Strigalev attracts fine musicians, here bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Gene Coye. 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. Sept 21 -- After a quarter century, Marduk remains the essence of pagan Scandinavian black-metal evil, well represented on their current "Frontschwein." With Rotting Christ, Carach Angren, Necronomicon. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; 8pm; $21; 18+; www.ticketfly.com.
Thurs. Sept. 22 -- Pianist Vardan Ovsepian always stretches in interesting directions, here with a biggish chamber ensemble featuring bass, drums and eight strings (including Miguel Atwood-Ferguson). 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.
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Sept. 30-Oct. 16 -- I can feel the hot breath of the impending Angel City Jazz Festival, featuring Pharoah Sanders, Gurrisonic Orchestra (rocking Ornette Coleman's "Skies of America" and a new commisioned work), Rudresh Mahanthappa, Vinny Golia, Craig Taborn, Thumbscrew and lots more. Sell your Pokemon cards and buy tickets here.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.