* indicates final events in this year's Angel City Jazz Festival.
* Fri. Oct. 13 – Extreme Trumpet Night presents lipsqueezin' & electronix-augmented solo sets from New Yorker Peter Evans (Evan Parker, John Zorn), Taylor Ho Bynum (Anthony Braxton, Mary Halvorson) and Chicagoan Jamie Branch, then the quartet Being and Becoming, featuring Peter Evans, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Max Jaffe and bassist Jordan Morton. 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.angelcityjazz.com.
Fri. Oct. 13 – They call it "Return of the Medicine Men": Feathering, a deeply rooted group with Horace Tapscott associations, including percussionist Derf Reklaw, saxist Jesse Sharps, bassist Terin Ector and drummer Bongo RasStarr. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm ( two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Fri. Oct. 13 – Mainstream trumpeter Brian Swartz leads his Gnu Sextet. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday summer jazz schedule here.
* Sat. Oct. 14 – Lotta experience on hand to spark from the Monk whetstone: Cosmic Vibrations (percussionist Christopher Garcia, windman Pablo Calogero, drummer Breeze Smith, percussionist Derf Reklaw, singer Dwight Trible and poet Roger Guenveur Smith), plus the unusual James Leary Bass Choir featuring bassists James Leary and more bassists John B. Williams, William BJ Johnson, Jennifer Leitham and Karl Vincent, plus drummer Clayton Cameron. Gonna shake the house. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 8pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Sat. Oct. 14 – Check my recent review of wild & wooly instrumentalists Double Naught Spy Car (9pm) here. with WTFukushima (10pm) and 222 (11pm) At Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana 91356; no cover; (818) 344-0034.
Sat.-Sun. Oct. 14-15 – Randy Gloss, Andrew Grueschow and Austin Wrinkle are Hands On'semble, doing percussion music that'll make yer ears do backflips. 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. Oct. 15 – Guitarist Leni Stern's African Trio rules the intercontinental musicscape, as you must know if you visit this site much. Read my review of a May show here. Erik Findling Entity opens at 9:30. At the Mint, 6010 Pico Blvd., LA 90035; 10:15pm; $8; (323) 954-9400; www.themintla.com.
* Sun. Oct. 15 – Nobody mutates the densities of a guitar like Elliott Sharp, who "plays Monk" tonight, if you can recognize that. You also get Mostly Other People Do the Killing, looks like a fascinating lineup with bassist Mopps Elliott, drummer Kevin Shea, keyboardist Rob Stabinsky, saxist Josh Johnson, trumpeter Dan Rosenboom, guitarist Jeff Parker and trombonist Jon Hatamiya. AND Mast, featuring guitarist Tim Conley, the ubiquitous Dan Rosenboom, saxist Josh Johnson, baritonist Gavin Templeton, bassist Billy Mohler and drummer Nigel Sifantus. Whew. At Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado, LA 90057; 8pm; $10; www.bootlegtheater.org.
Sun. Oct. 15 – Borderless, ethereal guitarist Julian Lage, building a wider audience, fits the aesthetic of this venue. Read my review from a year ago here. Tonight, Lage, an eager collaborator (Nels Cline, Gary Burton), extends his alliance with bluegrass guitarist Chris Eldridge. At Largo in the historic Coronet Theater, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A. 90048; 8pm; $30; (310) 855-0350. www.largo-la.com.
Sun. Oct. 15 – Trumpeter Elliott Caine and his band lay down the comfortable jazz & Latin groove; you drink. At the York Bar and Restaurant, 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park 90042; 7:30-10pm; no cover; (323) 255-9675.
Tues.-Wed. Oct. 17-18 – Trombonist Alan Ferber's big band swings & soothes with the likes of drummer Mark Ferber, saxists Gavin Templeton & Matt Otto, trumpeters Daniel Rosenboom & Brian Swartz, and plenty more. 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.
Wed. Oct. 18 – Tone Drift is the latest electronified textural improv trio of guitarist G.E. Stinson, bassist Steuart Liebig and trumpeter Kris Tiner, who've logged a LOT of time together figuring out the location of their buzziest interstices. At the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 90401; 7:30pm; free; smpl.org; (310) 458-8600.
Wed. Oct. 18 – Damian "Junior Gong" Marley taps the Jamaican reggae root from the blood. At the Belasco Theater, 1050 S. Hill St., downtown 90015; 7pm; $35-$140; www.goldenvoice.com.
Wed. Oct. 18 – Fans of Danava and Dead Meadow dig the heavy pschedelicism of San Diego's Earthless, breakin' wah-wah pedals at every gig. With Petyr, Flying Hair. At the EchoPlex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park 90026; doors 8:30pm; $18; 21+; www.attheecho.com.
Thurs. Oct. 19 – Individualistic modern saxist David Binney concludes his residency, always with super sidemen. 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.
Thurs. Oct. 19 – You can fly in the moment with the practiced avantists (though this is their first performance together) of Coldwater Trio: trumpeter Bruce Friedman, cellist Michael Intriere and guitarist Haskel Joseph. At The Battery Books & Music, 26 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena 91101; 8pm; $5 suggested donation; (626) 376-9913.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here. Read Brick Wahl's noirish music commentaries here.