Fri. Aug. 4 – Astounding guitar extender Goh Kurosawa taps and rips his bicultural samurai creations. At MorYork Gallery, 4959 York Blvd., Eagle Rock 90042; 7:30pm; free but donations accepted.
Fri. Aug. 4 – Two nontraditional improv trios: A Conrad Trio and Cabin. At South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, 1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 8pm; $10; free parking behind; (626) 403-2300; events page here.
Fri. Aug. 4 – Deathpunkers Nails bust complexities. With Negative Approach, Bloodclot, Final Conflict, Harm. At the EchoPlex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park 90026; 8pm; $20; 18+; www.attheecho.com.
Sat. Aug. 5 – Slayer keeps layin' out the orginal thrash template with Exodus guitarist Gary Holt replacing the late Jeff Hanneman; topmost modernists Lamb of God thrash it tight, right & non-dogmatic; badass cancer-surviving Pole Nergal and Behemoth blacken the goat's head. At the Forum, 3900 Manchester Blvd., Inglewood 90305; 7pm; really expensive; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sat. Aug. 5 – Poet and sound healer Deena Odelle Hyatt gets inside your kids' heads and probably yours. "Soundspark," a SASSAS presentation at the Children's Theater in West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; noon; FREE; www.sassas.org.
Sat. Aug. 5 – Get yer jazz straight & rooted from saxist Benn Clatworthy, this time going Latin and original with an ace band: trumpeter Ron Stout, trombonist Joey Sellers, pianist Bryan Velasco, bassist Brian J. Wright and drummer Yayo Morales. In Bar Fedora in vegan restaurant Au Lac, 710 W. First St., downtown 90012 (behind REDCAT); 7:30 & 9:30pm; $20-$25 (students $10) plus two-item minimum, reservations advisable at www.saturdaynightjazzdtla.com; $7 underground parking; www.saturdaynightjazzdtla.com.
Sat. Aug. 5 – Trumpeter Elliott Caine's band swings the postbop concept. At Colombo's Restaurant, 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 9:30pm-midnight; no cover; (323) 254-9138.
Sat. Aug. 5 – Eclectic as H: modern pop from Bent Knee, hard-edged post-jazz with the quartet of guitarist Alexander Noice, tropical electro dance from Bearstronaut. At Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado, LA 90057; 8:30pm; $10; www.bootlegtheater.org.
Sun. Aug. 6 – The Sunday Evening Concerts represent the best in no-regrets avantitude, as perfectly represented in this month's entry with the veteran trio VLP (trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, bassist Steuart Liebig, percussionist Garth Powell). Opening is Cello Pudding, featuring cellists Vetza, Dave Travis and MIchael Intriere, plus bassist Jeff Schwartz, and they all know Where It Is. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Sun. Aug. 6 – It would have been windman and union barrier breaker Buddy Collette's 96th birthday, so friends such as singer Barbara Morrison, saxist Plas Johnson and special guests are joining a big band to celebrate. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 7:30pm; $20; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Thurs. Aug. 10 – Look out: Inspiring bassist-composer Roberto Miranda leads a superhero ensemble with violist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, pianist Wayne Peet and drummer Mekela Session. At the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., West L.A. 90024; 8pm; FREE; (310) 443-7000; www.hammer.ucla.edu.
Thurs. Aug. 10 – A young pianist with tunes and touch, Richard Sears, forges a quartet with saxist Dayna Stephens, bassist Martin Nevin and drummer Guilhem Fouzat. 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.
* * *
Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here. Read Brick Wahl's noirish music commentaries here.