Select chronological listings.
* 2220 Arts + Archives (Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado) hosts a variety of cultural presentations including jazz & electronic. Fri. Dec. 20: Avant improvisers go to town -- Corsano/Fujioka/Giffoni/Shiroishi, Lay/Tullgren. Listings here.
* The LAX-area bar Sam First offers 7:30pm and 9pm jazz shows, in person and sometimes STREAMING. Fri. Dec. 20: Well-traveled George Colligan steps off his piano bench and onto his drum stool to lead an ace band featuring saxist Nicole McCabe, saxist Alden Hellmuth and bassist Logan Kane. Tuesdays are Happenings hosted by top local artists. Fri. Dec. 27: Nicole McCabe-Darynn Dean Quintet. Fri. & Sat. Jan. 10 & 11: Joe LaBarbera Quintet. Wed. Feb. 26: drummer Tina Raymond Two Guitar Band with Anthony Wilson, Andrew Renfroe & Eric Revis. Look here for full schedule and options.
* The Broad Stage in Santa Monica books some jazz. Fri. Dec. 20: pianist John Beasley's Holidaze. Sat. Jan. 25: Marlon Martinez and Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. Sat. Feb. 15: Terri Lyne Carrington. Calendar/tickets here.
* The Baked Potato in Universal City presents fusion (etc.) concerts at 8 & 10pm nightly. Fri.-Sun. Dec. 20-22: John Daversa Big Band makes progress accessible. Thurs. Jan. 2: Danny Janklow. Fri. & Sat. Jan. 3 & 4: Billy Childs. Tues. Jan. 7: Marvin "Smitty" Smith. Thurs. Jan. 9: Ohm. Thurs. Feb. 13: Danny Janklow. Full schedule here.
* Sat. Dec. 21, 8pm: Double Naught 3 continues in the roaring instrumental tradition of the late Paul Lacques. In the middle of a five-band bill at The Redwood, 316 W. Second St., downtown 90012.
* Knucklehead in Hollywood has metal DJs and live music. Sat. Dec. 21: Aztec ritual corrido metal from Mictlantecuhtli; black metal from Pagan Ritual; major show. Thurs. Jan. 9: God Is War, Lana del Rabies. Sign in here.
* 1720 (east of downtown, south of the 10 freeway) books metal etc. Sat. Dec. 21: metal toy drive gashes tots with Syn Absence, Vexxum, Corrupt, Avolition, more. Fri. Jan. 3: Atheist, Abysmal Dawn. Fri. Feb. 14: Aborted, Ingested, Peeling Flesh. Sat. Feb. 15: Nile, Six Feet Under, Psycroptic. Sun. Feb. 16: Septicflesh. Sat. March 1: Decapitated, Incantation, Darkest Hour, Exmortus. Full calendar here.
* The Jazz Bakery sponsors live shows at mostly Westside venues; view its calendar here. Sat. Dec. 21: singer Loston Harris Xmas show at Westwood's Moss Theater. Fri. Jan. 24: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble at Atwater's Motivo L.A. Sat. Feb. 15: Mike Wofford & Josh Nelson Piano Duo at Westwood's Moss Theater. Sat. Feb. 22: Edmar Castañeda at Westwood's Moss Theater.
* Frogtown's adventurous avant/modern/world club Zebulon offers surprises from the present and past. Sun. Dec. 22: Outmusic forefather Fred Frith stages two duet sets, one on strange instruments with Sudhu Tewari, and the other a guitar-harp alliance with Shelley Burgon. Fri. Jan. 3: NYC drummer Guillermo E. Brown. Tues. Jan. 28: Jeremiah Chiu, Yuka Honda, Monde UFO. Thurs. Jan. 30: Mark Guiliana. Tues. Feb. 4: Secret Chiefs 3. Sat. May 3: mssv, Mike Baggetta-Stephen Hodges-Mike Watt. Tues. & Wed. May 13 & 14: Bill Frisell's Good Dog. Full calendar here.
* The Mint (Pico & Crescent Heights) usually has Sunday jazz shows with a rotating early slot and a later jam session led by drummer Kevin Kanner. Plus -- Sat. Dec. 28: Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Sat. Jan. 11: Graham Bonnet, Marco Mendoza. Check listings here.
* The High Low, a bar (with pool and good Tex-Mex food) in Atwater, has well-selected local jazz every Monday in its intimate sealed-off lounge. Mon. Dec. 23: saxist Joe Santa Maria Quartet. Mon. Jan. 6: drummer Max Jaffe Quartet with Brandon Lopez (double bass) Rob Magill (sax), John Welsh (guitar). Mon. Jan. 13: trumpeter Steph Richards Quartet with Joshua White (keys) Billy Mohler (electric bass), Max Jaffe (drums). Mon. Jan. 20: keyboardist Todd Hunter & the Brazilians. Mon. Jan. 27: bassist Joe Davencens Quartet with Max Jaffe (drums) Daniel Rotem (sax), Miro Sprague (Wurlitzer). Mon. Feb. 3: Veazy/Baba/Wrenn/Dodson, a guitar/viola/bass/drums quartet.
* The York, a big bar in Highland Park, has excellent trumpeter and fine composer Julien Knowles hosting the York Session every Wednesday; house set 8pm, Session 9pm. Website here.
* Healing Force of the Universe Records in Pasadena has live folk/jazz/experimental music 8-10:30pm. Sat. Dec. 28: saxist Mitch Marcus Quintet. Thurs. Jan. 9: "freeform psychogeographical sound" from Ruehlen/Trejo Duo plus MESH, Cassia Streb, Tim Feeney. Sat. Jan. 11: tapdance & organ from Melinda Sullivan & Larry Goldings. Calendar here.
* Vibrato, a luxurious restaurant high up in Bel Air, books mostly mainstream jazz singers. Sun. Dec. 29: Greg Adams & East Bay Soul. Schedule here.
* The Whisky on Sunset Strip books metal etc. Tues. Dec. 31: L.A. Guns. Thurs. Jan. 9: Venom Inc. Thurs. Jan. 23: Denver industrialists Rorschach Test ("Blow Up America"). Wed. Jan. 29: Dark Angel. Thurs. & Fri. Feb. 13 & 14: Pentagram. Sat. Feb. 22: Marty Friedman. Thurs. May 15: Gene Loves Jezebel. Fri. May 16: Lizzy Borden. Sat. June 7: Angel. Calendar here.
* The World Stage in Leimert Park has Friday 8:30pm PT (and sometimes other days) in-person presentations with occasional simultaneous live streams of righteous jazz; keep up with the schedule here. Donations encouraged here. Fri. Jan. 3: TBA.
* Highland Park's Lodge Room occasionally books jazz, metal, heft and influential obscurities. Tues. & Wed. Jan. 14 & 15: Meshell Ndegeocello (Tues. & early show Wed. sold out). Fri. Jan. 24: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Wed. March 19: SML. Full schedule here.
* Fri. Jan. 17: John Schneider plays microtonal (etc.) compositions by Lou Harrison, Harry Partch, Manuel Ponce and more on guitars that've been f*cked up just for the purpose. At the Sierra Madre Playhouse; tickets here.
* JustJazzTV is a resource for live jazz. Thurs. Jan. 23: Jeong Lim Trio at The Paramount in Boyle Heights.
* The Fonda Theater in Hollywood has occasional metal & world. Fri. Jan. 24: 3 Inches of Blood. Fri. Feb. 21: Kerry King. Calendar here.
* Alva's Showroom in San Pedro brings in some intriguing music from the edges in addition to tributes and stuff. Sun. Jan. 26: Oz Noy-Andrew Synowiec Band featuring Hadrien Feraud (bass) and Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums). Full schedule here.
* Fri. Jan. 31, 8pm: Killer triple bill at the comfortable Hollywood bar The Three Clubs: saxist Nicole McCabe Quartet featuring Spencer Zahn (bass), Zach Tenorio (keys) & Max Jaffe (drums); trumpeter Dan Rosenboom Septet featuring Gavin Templeton (saxophone), Jake Vossler (guitar), John Escreet (keys), Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (electric viola), Jerry Watts Jr. (bass) & Gene Coye (drums); and the guitar-sax-drums trio of Dave Harrington, Patrick Shiroshi & Max Jaffe. $23 tickets here.
* Downtown's Disney Hall presents some jazz and events of note beyond classical. Tues. Feb. 4: Taiko drums from Kodo. Sun. March 30: Herbie Hancock. Fri. May 2: Patrice Rushen. Tickets here.
* Downtown's Belasco Theater stages some rock, metal, etc. Fri. Feb. 21: Cavalera, Necrot. Tues. March 4: Alice in Chains axman Jerry Cantrell. Tues. & Wed. April 8 & 9: Dir En Grey. Thurs. April 10: Napalm Death, Melvins. Fri. April 11: Mayhem. Calendar & tix here.
* Inglewood's midsize YouTube Theater brings variety programming. Sat. Feb. 22: Dream Theater. Calendar here.
* You say The Regent downtown has fragments o' metal? Tues. Feb. 25: Helmet. Sat. March 15: Korpiklaani. Thurs. March 20: Tigran Hamasyan. Fri. April 4: All Shall Perish. Fri. April 18: Leprous. Calendar here.
* The Kia Forum in Inglewood gets heavy now and then. Wed. & Thurs. March 5 & 6: Deftones, The Mars Volta. Tues. May 13: Disturbed. Listings here.
* Echo Park's EchoPlex hosts a smattering of metal. Fri. March 7: Swallow the Sun. Website here.
* Sat. March 8, 8pm: Pianist Joshua White Trio roils Pasadena's Boston Court; tickets here.
* The Canyon in Agoura Hills books its share of metal, fusion and original good stuff. Fri. March 21: King's X. Calendar here.
* The Orpheum downtown rocks and jazzes at times. Tues. April 1: Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride & Marcus Gilmore. Tickets here.
* Midtown's The Wiltern hosts eclectic acts within its classic Art Deco halls. Thurs. April 10: Machine Head. Full lineup here.
* Fri. April 18: AC/DC rocks the Rose Bowl in Pasadena; tix here.
* The Hollywood Palladium might rock. Fri. May 16: Emperor. Calendar here.
* The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills occasionally melts faces or hosts an outside master. Sun. Oct. 19: Zucchero. Calendar here.
* REDCAT (beneath downtown's Disney Hall) presents some experimental music and jazz along with its culturally edgy programming. Calendar here.
* The Jazz Salon presents top singers on Sundays at downtown's Los Angeles Athletic Club. Check in here.
* Piano Spheres always has topflight outward programming from the classically trained world at venues around town. Calendar here.
* Keep up with L.A. Jazz Society events, including its Young Musician Showcases, here.
* El Rey Theater on Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile books yer occasional metal show. Calendar here.
* The Novo near Staples Center downtown hosts some metal. Full listings here.
* The Mayan downtown has jazz and rock sometimes. Calendar here.
* Downtown's Bellwether rocks a fair amount. Calendar here.
* Downtown's Peacock Theater occasionally books heavy music. Lineup here.
* Teragram Ballroom downtown mixes in bits of metal. Calendar here.