Select chronological listings.
* Frogtown's adventurous avant/modern/world club Zebulon offers surprises from the present and past. Fri. Jan. 3: NYC drummer Guillermo E. Brown (Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Vijay Iyer, et al.). Sun. Jan. 12: Unpredictable drummer Corey Fogel puts on a free show with a large ensemble. 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 LAX-area bar Sam First offers 7:30pm and 9pm jazz shows, in person and sometimes STREAMING. Fri. Jan. 3: pianist Bill Cunliffe's "Acid Cole Trio" with guitarist Larry Koonse and bassist Darek Oles pays tribute to the same configuration made popular by Nat "King" Cole. Sat. Jan. 4: rising pianist Michael Ragonese leads a hot quartet featuring saxist Devin Daniels, bassist Luca Alemanno & drummer JK Kim. Tuesdays are Happenings hosted by top local artists. Fri. & Sat. Jan. 10 & 11: classic drummer Joe LaBarbera Quintet. Wed. Jan. 22: saxist Bob Sheppard Fresh Quartet with all-star mates John Beasley (piano), Tim Lefebvre (bass) & Gary Novak (drums). Fri. & Sat. Jan. 24 & 25: Venezuelan pianist Edward Simon Trio with famed bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Adam Cruz. Fri. Feb. 7: keyboardist John Escreet Quartet. Wed. Feb. 26: drummer Tina Raymond Two Guitar Band with Anthony Wilson, Andrew Renfroe & Eric Revis. Look here for full schedule and options.
* 1720 (east of downtown, south of the 10 freeway) books metal etc. Fri. Jan. 3: veteran Florida deathsters Atheist; established L.A. death metal from 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. Sat. June 28: 19 heavy bands concluding with Terrorizer L.A., Apartment 213. Full calendar here.
* The Baked Potato in Universal City presents fusion (etc.) concerts at 8 & 10pm nightly. Fri. & Sat. Jan. 3 & 4: keyboard mainstay Billy Childs. Tues. Jan. 7: drummer to the stars Marvin "Smitty" Smith leads his own combo. Thurs. Jan. 9: guitarist Chris Poland and Ohm fuse it till you lose it. Sun. Jan. 12: L.A. Jazz Quartet. Thurs. Feb. 13: Danny Janklow. Full schedule here.
* Sat. Jan. 4, 9pm: Fun eclectic bill of L.A. vets; in reverse order: hard rock from Backbiter (with Dez Cadena), creative instrumental magic from Double Naught 3, surf from Lawndale, Furious Nakamura. At Maui Sugar Mill, 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana 91356, full bar, no cover.
* Vibrato, a luxurious restaurant high up in Bel Air, books mostly mainstream jazz singers. Sat. Jan. 4: Brazilian jazz from Téka, with Bob Sheppard on sax. Sun. Jan. 12: Louie Cruz Beltran. Thurs. Jan. 16: Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz Orchestra. Schedule here.
* 2220 Arts + Archives (Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado) hosts a variety of cultural presentations including jazz & electronic. Sun. Jan. 5: 25 synthesizers play Pauline Lay's "A Composition for 25 Synthesizers." Listings 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. Jan. 11: Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet; Whitesnake/Dio bassist Marco Mendoza Band. 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. Jan. 6: drummer Max Jaffe Quartet with Brandon Lopez (double bass) Rob Magill (sax), John Welsh (guitar). Mon. Jan. 13: avant trumpeter Steph Richards Quartet is an incredibly strong & wild unit 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. Mon. Feb. 10: Efajemue featuring Ted Taforo (alto sax), Efa Etoroma (drums), Francisco Ojeda (bass). Mon. Feb. 17: keyboardist Lee Pardini & friends. Mon. Feb. 24: L.A. windman supreme Vinny Golia. Mon. Feb. 3: windman Gavin Templeton. Calendar here.
* Healing Force of the Universe Records in Pasadena has live folk/jazz/experimental music 8-10:30pm. 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. Wed. Jan. 29: universal electric guitarist Jeff Parker. Calendar here.
* Knucklehead in Hollywood has metal DJs and live music. Thurs. Jan. 9: murky synth freakery from God Is War; industrial noise from Lana del Rabies. Sat. Jan. 11: L.A. thrashers Fueled by Fire; L.A. deathsters Blistering Rot; Pestilent Death; Rot Within. Fri. Jan. 31: free show with Trouble Andrew, Oddly Shrugs, more. Fri. Feb. 28: Florida's Lust Era; NoCal's DustBowl Champion; New York's Stare Away; Death by Nature. Sign in here.
* The Whisky on Sunset Strip books metal etc. Thurs. Jan. 9: original Brit thrash spinoff Venom Inc. Sun. Jan. 19: Slaughter. 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. Sun. March 23: Kings X. 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. 10: well-traveled pianist Bobby West with infallible drummer Roy McCurdy and bassist Kevin O'Neal. Fri. Jan. 17: saxophonist Rickey Washington. Fri. Jan. 24: drummer Tony Austin. Fri. Jan. 31: Brian Hargrove / Double G Chamber Session. Fri. Feb. 7: vocalist Runson Willis. Sat. Feb. 8: a young Chicago saxist with a lungful of power and a headful of ideas, Isaiah Collier. Fri. Feb. 14: keyboardist-singer Brandon Coleman. Fri. Feb. 21: typhoon pianist Joshua White. Fri. Feb. 28: Dexter Gordon Birthday Tribute.
* 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: bassist Jeong Lim Trio at The Paramount in Boyle Heights.
* The Jazz Bakery sponsors live shows at mostly Westside venues; view its calendar here. Sat. Jan. 18: African bassist Richard Bona at Santa Monica'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 Santa Monica's Moss Theater. Sat. Feb. 22: Edmar Castañeda at Santa Monica's Moss Theater.
* The Fonda Theater in Hollywood has occasional metal & world. Fri. Jan. 24: 3 Inches of Blood. Fri. Feb. 21: Kerry King. Calendar here.
* The Broad Stage in Santa Monica books some jazz. Sat. Jan. 25: Marlon Martinez and Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. Sat. Feb. 15: Terri Lyne Carrington. Calendar/tickets 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. Sat. March 29: notable heavy lineup with Danzig, Down, Abbath, Cro-Mags. Wed. April 9: Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass. 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.