Fri.-Sat. Dec. 1-2 – On Friday, the Music Center presents a "Rumba Party & Jam Session" featuring the ensemble Made in Cuba plus Pancho Amat, Telemary Diaz and Yissy Garcia. At Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown 90012; 1-5pm; FREE. Saturday brings Havana's Malpaso Dance Company, doing repertory and a commissioned work at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 2 & 7:30pm, but looks like it's sold out.
Sat. Dec. 2 – Appropriately long-running fusionistos Continuum keep their partnership sharp with constant jamming but don't gig that often, so grab this chance to ride the wind with omnimasterful drummer Christopher Garcia, bassist Alfred Garcia (related by music only), melodic keyboardist Craig Ochikubo, saxist Daniel Weidlein and special guests. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Sat. Dec. 2 – The cooled-out quintet of rising trumpeter Jeremy Pelt simmers with pianist Victor Gould, bassist Richie Goods, drummer Jonathan Barber and percussionist Jacquelene Acevedo. A presentation of the Jazz Bakery's Movable Feast at the Musicians Institute, 1655 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood 90028; 8pm; $35 ($25 students); www.jazzbakery.org.
Sat. Dec. 2 – Time again to offer kids an alternative to Disney as "Soundspark" brings Balkan singer (and West African drummer!) Linnea Soblosky. 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. Dec. 2 – Ride the Sabbathy slosh with bassist-singer Liz Blackwell and Castle. No doubt there will be more bands, but the bar's web site ain't helping. At Five Star Bar, 267 S. Main St., downtown 90012; doors around 9pm; cheap; https://fivestarbardtla.com; (323) 428-4492.
Sun. Dec. 3 – Rethink your idea of what a song is with vocalist Kaoru, guitarist Carey Fosse, bassist Darryl Tewes and percussionist-conceptualist Brad Dutz, a.k.a. Acre Foot. Opening is Steve Lacy's Tips, maintaining the offbeat compositional tradition of the late soprano saxist via soprano saxist Alexander Vogel, alto man Gavin Templeton and vocalist Argenta Walther. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Sun. Dec. 3 – Mainstream guitarist Peter Bernstein continues to celebrate the Thelonian centenary with his all-star Mostly Monk Quartet (pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Mike Gurrola, drummer Roy McCurdy. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8:30pm; $35 ($25 students); www.jazzbakery.org.
Sun. Dec. 3 – Notable pianist-arranger Steve Weisberg (Hal Willner, Marianne Faithfull) leads his orchestra with the cream of artistic vocalists: Petra Haden, Mia Doi Todd, Jill Sobule, Suzy Williams and The Cages. At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 8pm; $20-$25; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Sun. Dec. 3 – Elliott Caine plays trumpet, his band swingbops, you relax. At the York Bar and Restaurant, 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park 90042; 7:30-10pm; no cover; (323) 255-9675.
Tues. Dec. 5 – Tennessee thrashers Whitechapel keep it hard and crisp. With Carnifex, Rings of Saturn, Entheos, So This Is Suffering. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; 7:30pm; $19; 18+; www.ticketfly.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 music commentaries here.