Fri.-Sat. Jan. 27-28 -- Stonesludgers nonpareil Sleep made the '90s their own with the classic one-song, one-hour "Dopesmoker." Guitarist Matt Pike (High on Fire) now reunites with original bassist Al Cisneros and more recent drumstool ally Jason Roeder to haunt your cannabinoid dreams. With compatible veteran distortovolume from The Melvins. At the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater, 6122 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8pm; $32; (323) 464-0808; www.fondatheatre.com.
Fri.-Sat. Jan. 27-28 -- Expressively melodic pianist Josh Nelson's Discovery Project ponders the California experience with a 12-piece audiovisual ensemble featuring the likes of clarinetist Brian Walsh, drummer Dan Schnelle and vocalist Kathleen Grace. 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.
Fri.-Sun. Jan. 27-29 -- Musicians who wanna learn jazz from the best (such as Nicole Mitchell and Mark Dresser) can sign up for Creative Music Studio's three-day workshop here; $350.
Sun. Jan. 29 -- The key local label Orenda Records celebrates its third anniversary with founder Daniel Rosenboom's big ensemble (the trumpeter plus Gavin Templeton, Cathlene Pineda, Joshua White, Alex Noice et al.) plus Dr. Mint (a quintet featuring Rosenboom and some of the same musicians), newcomers Snow Nerds, and "Hall of Fallen Empires," an art exhibit curated by Eron Rauch. 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 $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Tues. Jan. 31 -- Modernism and microtonalism rarely sound as truthful as when pianist Vicki Ray performs them, here including compositons by Julia Wolfe, David Lang, Dylan Mattingly and more. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $35 (students $20); www.redcat.org.
Thurs. Feb. 2 -- Greg Uhlman's guitar trio Typical Sisters opens for wonderfully moody saxist Chris Speed's trio with bassist Devin Hoff and drummer Matt Mayhall. 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.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here. Read Brick Wahl's noirish commentaries on music here.