Fri. May 31 -- Mr. Big and Dream Theater spin off further into chopsman prog territory with Winery Dogs, featuring bassist Billy Sheehan, guitarist Richie Kotzen and drummer Mike Portnoy. At the Saban Theater, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills 90211; 9pm; $38-$78; www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri. May 31 -- Original Phoenix thrashmen Sacred Reich team with Bay Area contemporaries Vio-lence, plus Excel, Sworn Enemy, Yidhra. At the Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown 90013; 7:30pm; $30 (sold out except resales); 18+; www.ticketfly.com.
Fri.-Sat. May 31-June 1 -- Guitar legend Kenny Burrell gets tribute during trying times from many star friends, including trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez, singer Barbara Morrison, guitarist Anthony Wilson, pianist John Beasley and bassist John Clayton. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30pm; $25; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sun. June 2 -- Director Hesam Abedini's Sibarg Ensemble presents Iranian folk & traditional music in a jazz-influenced quintet. Opening is guitarist G.E. Stinson's electrojam space trio with bassist Miller Wrenn and drummer Brian Christopherson. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Sun. June 2 -- Jazz Is Dead kicks off its Brazilian series here with Azymuth, returning from its '70s glory to expand the borders of samba with a couple of original members. At the Lodge Room, 104 N. Ave. 56, Highland Park 90042; 6pm; $43; all ages; full bar; (323) 509-2861; www.lodgeroomhlp.com.
Sun.-Mon. June 2-3 -- A cappella vocal imagineers Fish to Birds present "Organized Chaos," making sense of the idea that this is both a new composition and completely improvised. Part of "Studio," an intriguing program of conceptual avant music and dance works; details here. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 8:30pm; $15 (students $7); www.redcat.org.
Mon. June 3 -- Former Cluster electronic messman Hans-Joachim Rodelius teams with London electronic composer Christopher Chaplin. At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 8pm; $20; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Wed. June 5 -- Tenor saxist Jon Armstrong, a valuable member of the L.A. music community for quite a while, offers Gathering at the Juniper Grove, "music for rituals, celebrations, sorrow and dance," an octet featuring a remarkable assortment of talent including hand drummer Randy Gloss, clarinetist Brian Walsh and guitarist Alex Noice. Highly recommended. At Art Share, 801 E. Fourth Pl., downtown 90013; 8pm; $20; free parking across the street at 321 S. Hewitt; (213) 687-4278; www.artsharela.org.
Wed. June 5 -- Free-jazz & metal noisemakers Those Darn Gnomes party with friends In the Womb, Endometrium Cuntplow, FYB, Counsil. At Coaxial Arts Foundation, 1815 S. Main St., downtown 90015; 8pm; cheap; www.coaxialarts.org.
Thurs. June 6 -- Poet Brendan Constantine reads John Cage's "Lecture on Nothing" (from the Cage book "Silence"). At the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 90401; 7:30pm; free; smpl.org; (310) 458-8600.