Fri. Nov. 4 -- Bowling for Dio: RJD's cancer fund gets an injection from bowlers/rockers such as Tom Morello, Brendon Small, John 5, Dino Cazares, Chris Broderick, Joey Vera, Rudy Sarzo, Craig Goldy, host Eddie Trunk and many more. At Pinz, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City 91604; 6:30-11pm; $50 and up; prizes, food, etc.; www.diocancerfund.org.
Fri. Nov. 4 -- Napalm Death shows where the primeval grind came from (while displaying magnified songwriting chops); The Black Dahlia Murder orchestrates death metal so artfully, you'd almost call it subtle if not for the sheer noise. With Misery Index, Abnormality. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; 6:30pm; $23; 18+; www.ticketfly.com.
Fri. Nov. 4 -- Zime is a fusionistic collective featuring seasoned chopsters John Ziegler (guitar), Jamie Kime (guitar), Matt Rohde (keys), and special guests Danny Carey (Tool drummer) and Jimmy Earl (Chick Corea bassist). At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $20; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Fri.-Sun. Nov. 4-6 -- Hand drummer Poncho Sanchez is the king of SoCal Latin jazz. But you knew that. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm (7pm Sun.); $25-$27; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sat. Nov. 5 -- Happy birthday to tenor testifier Azar Lawrence, celebrating with a crack quartet featuring pianist Mahesh Balasooriya, bassist Edwin Livingston and major drummer Roy McCurdy. 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.
Sun. Nov. 6 -- Sold out, but you can beat me up and try to take my tickets for saxist Kamasi Washington, the most substantial jazz performer to emerge in the last decade. Tonight his octet, augmented by strings and choir like the album, undertakes a variegated multimedia expression of legendary poet Langston Hughes' "Ask Your Mama." Read my review of Washington's "The Epic" here. Trumpeter Ron McCurdy's quartet opens At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown 90012; 7:30pm; (323) 850-2000; www.laphil.org.
Sun. Nov. 6 -- Local sax pillar Jon Armstrong and his largish ensemble celebrate the release of "Burnt Hibisicus," a "hypnogogic" excursion into India-influenced trancelands oriented around the multi-instrumental aerifications of Sheela Bringi. Armstrong has a way of being artistic without being arty, of suggesting big textures without needing an orchestra, and he's always worth a listen. 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 $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sun. Nov. 6 -- An especially fine Sunday Evening Concert this month. Pianist Ben Rosenbloom, a man who can really wriggle into the cracks, presents Lumina, a topflight unit free enough to bring in everything from classical to klezmer, featuring tenor man Alexander Vogel, bass clarinetist Charles Sharp, bassist Michael Alvidrez and drummer Bert Karl. And closing is resurgent windman Peter Kuhn's Dependent Origination, co-dependent on baritonist Dave Sewelson, cornetist Dan Clucas, bassist Scott Walton and drummer Alex Cline. Unscrew yer cranium. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Sun. Nov. 6 -- We're lucky to be in a burg where you can regularly catch Theo Saunders' coloristic piano splashes, here with Jassemblage, abetted by alto man Louis Van Taylor, tenor saxist Chuck Manning, trombonist George Bohanon, bassist Henry Franklin and drummer Kendall Kay, nuanced veterans all. At the Mayme Clayton Museum, 4130 Overland Ave., Culver City 90230; Q&A with Theo Saunders 1pm, music 2pm; $20 tickets here; limited seating; (310) 202-1647.
Sun. & Tues Nov. 6 & 8 -- Guitarist, keyboardist and conceptualist Mike Keneally (Zappa, Dethklok) takes you beyond fusion (especially on Election Tuesday, which is likely to be pure fission) with his Beer for Dolphins trio featuring bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Joe Travers. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $25; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Wed. Nov. 9 -- Heavy immersifiers Ocean live up to their name. With North, The Gorge. At Complex, 806 E. Colorado St., Glendale 91205; doors 8pm; $10; 21+; full bar; www.complexla.com; (323) 642-7519.
Wed. Nov. 9 -- Drummer Matt Slocum tumbles gently around the toms while saxist Dayna Stephens and guitarist Steve Cotter drift air into the open 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; $10; 21+; parking $9 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. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.