* indicates events in Angel City Jazz Festival.
* Fri. Oct. 6 – Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker leads an electronified groove quartet featuring saxist Josh Johnson, bassist Paul Bryan and drummer Matt Mayhall. Opening is the winner of the Angel City Young Artist Competion, Kairos, which means "the critical moment" in Greek. For free? Surely you jest. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday summer jazz schedule here.
Fri. Oct. 6 – Look who dropped in: Ornette cornetist Bobby Bradford, leading a super trio with multiwind genius Vinny Golia (many years of association there) and bassist Dave Tranchina. At The Battery Books & Music, 26 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena 91101; 8pm; $10 suggested donation; (626) 376-9913.
Fri. Oct. 6 – Headhunters windman Bennie Maupin hits a spiritual yet earthy plane with his excellent band, which usually includes percussionist Munyungo Jackson, but don't quote me. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Fri. Oct. 6 – You know the deal, every year a legion of hard-rock celebs attends Bowl for Ronnie, raising big bux for the Dio Cancer Fund. This year, host Eddie Trunk introduces Steven Adler, Doug Aldlrich, Vinny Appice, Sebastian Bach, Mikkey D, Roy Z, Jesus HC and your high school chemistry teacher, among many others. Bounce outa the gutter and contribute. At Pinz, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City 91604; 6:30pm; $50 and up; info here.
Fri. Oct. 6 – Portland groaners (they know slow in the Northwest) Atriarch top a sludgy metal bill with House of Breath, Thief, Bell Tower Bats. At Five Star Bar, 267 S. Main St., downtown 90012; 9pm; $10; fivestarbardtla.com; (323) 428-4492.
Fri.-Sat. Oct. 6-7 – Drummer Mark Guiliana (John Scofield, Brad Mehldau, Bowie's "Blackstar") forms his own finely balanced quartet with saxist Jason Rigby, pianist Fabian Almazan and bassist Chris Morrissey. 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.
* Sat. Oct. 7 – It's always a special event when hand drummer Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra comes to town for spontaneous African riddims via multiple percussionists and the massed modern harmonies of more than a dozen winds and strings, this year motivated by saxist Bennie Maupin and also including Buzzy Jones, Charles Sharp, Emily Hay, Ellen Burr, Randy Gloss, Hamid Drake, Dexter Story, Carlos Niño and a heap more. Plus this time we get Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures, plugging their new "Glare of the Tiger," a groove & riff trip that takes you to Ethiopia and the hip pocket of '70s electric Miles. Don't miss the convocation, and snatch up Rudolph's beautifully tart new CD of postclassical string compositions, "Morphic Resonances," if he leaves 'em lying around. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $35 (students $15); www.angelcityjazz.com.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Between the Buried and Me have been leading the field of progressive metal for about a decade now, cuz they've got the intensity, the imagination, the spirit and the chops. With The Contortionist, Polyphia, Toothgrinder. At El Rey Theater, 5515 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.; 7:30pm; $25; www.theelrey.com.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Max Cavalera and Soulfly just plain blow you down with their dirty heavy Brazilian metal rhythms. Support comes from Cannabis Corpse, Noisem, Lody Kong, Darksun, Not My Master. At the Whisky, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 6pm; $25; (310) 652-4202; www.whiskyagogo.com.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Sorry, classic thrash fans, Obituary, Exodus, Power Trip and Dust Bolt is sold out. At Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., downtown 90017; www.teragramballroom.com.
Sat. Oct. 7 – What, the lovedrivin' German rock kings Scorpions still haven't retired? Well, good. At the Forum, 3900 Manchester Blvd., Inglewood 90305; 8pm; $55-$100; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 cook like hellions in the fine Fela tradition. At the Novo, 800 Olympic Blvd., downtown 90015; 8pm; $5$20; all ages; www.thenovodtla.com; (213) 765-7000.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Good week for slow & horrific metal tidecrash, here with Philly's Rosetta (reminds me of Isis), plus Cobalt, North, The Black Sound. At Five Star Bar, 267 S. Main St., downtown 90012; 9pm; $20; https://fivestarbardtla.com; www.churchofthe8thday.com; (323) 428-4492.
Sat. Oct. 7 – Percussionist Brad Dutz's Ten Technicians Titled Ted (minus 2) will sure tweak your brain and make your foot twitch, thanks to the efforts of percussionist Chris Wabich, windman Kim Richmond, clarinetist Brian Walsh, trumpeter Daniel Rosenboom and friends. 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.
* Sun. Oct. 8 – Mark Dresser 7 represents the absolute topmost in extreme avant improv, featuring the technically unparalleled bassist plus flutist Nicole Mitchell, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, violinist David Morales Boroff, trombonist Michael Dessen, pianist Joshua White and drummer Jim Black, mostly leaders in their own right and all effing amazing. Plus the Jonah Levine Collective presents a new composition commissioned by L.A. Jazz Society's discriminating New Note Program. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $25 ($20 students); www.angelcityjazz.org.
Sun. Oct. 8 – Check out SASSAS's latest listening-party fundraiser (food, architecture, unusual sounds) at www.sassas.org.
Sun. Oct. 8 – Noted Cluster electronicist Hans-Joachim Rodelius makes a rare local foray on a bill with the keys-guitar duo of Aki Tsuyuko & Ippei Matsui, plus Chandra Shukla's borderless Xambuca. Carlos Niño deejays! At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 8pm; $17-$20; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Sun. Oct. 8 – Electronic musician and visualist Daniel Corral parties arty on a bill with Wild Don Lewis' one-man bass experience Small Drone Orchestra, plus Snowhous and Daniel Peterson. At Ham & Eggs Tavern, 433 W. Eighth St., downtown 90014; 8pm; FREE; www.hamandeggstavern.com.
* Tues. Oct. 10 – It's Thelonious Monk's birthday, so celebrate with Monk tunes approached by Florian Weber Criss Cross (the German pianist plus saxist Donny McCaslin and drummer Dan Weiss) and the guitar & bass duo of Marco Cappelli & Ken Filiano. Glad to see Filiano back in the local mix. It's also music/film expert Bill Weidner's birthday, so find him (he'll be the tallest dude in the audience) and buy him a drink. 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.
Tues. Oct. 10 – Cattle Decapitation is surely the longest-running vegan metal band to emerge from San Diego, and my favorite. With Revocation, Artificial Brain, Thanatology. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; doors 6:30pm; $25; 18+; www.ticketfly.com.
Wed. Oct. 11 – Electrodude George Sarah goes Americana! At the Love Song Bar, 450 Main St., downtown 90013; 8:30pm; FREE; 21+.
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Next week concludes Angel City Jazz Fest featuring Taylor Ho Bynum (Oct. 13), Dwight Trible (Oct. 14), Elliott Sharp (Oct. 15) and more, highly recommended as are all bookings by the impeccable org. Get all the details here, and watch this space.
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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.