About & Out – What’s Hot – The Week Of January 4, 2016

Monday 1/4 – Levon Henry at Blue Whale

Woodwind multi-instrumentalist Levon Henry is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Tom Csatari on guitar, David Piltch on bass, and Jay Bellerose on drums. Guitarist Doug MacDonald is at Jax in Glendale. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Monday jam sessions include John Ziegler and Jamie Kime at The Baked Potato in Studio City, Matthew Yeakley at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A., trumpeter Jeff Elliott at SoHo in Santa Barbara, and Jazz Eclectic at the Sofitel Beverly Hills Riviera 31.

Tuesday 1/5 – Andy Sanesi at TRiP

TRiP in Santa Monica hosts drummer Andy Sanesi with Oz Noy on guitar, Hadrien Feraud on bass, and Joe Bagg on keys.  The Thelonious Monk Institute holds its monthly first Tuesday jam session at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo.  Trumpeter Brian Swartz is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Vocalist Barbara Morrison is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. The Makers are at Seven Grand in downtown L.A.. Blues harmonica specialist Big Dave Rozier is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with a band including guitarist Toshi Yanagi and drummer Joe Travers.

Wednesday 1/6 – Carlton, Coye & Coleman at The Baked Potato

Bassist Travis Carlton, drummer Gene Coye and keyboardist Brandon Coleman are at The Baked Potato in Studio City with guest guitarist Samir Moulay. Vocalist Kathleen Grace is at Vibrato in Bel Air with pianist Josh Nelson and bassist Pat Senatore. Organist Carey Frank leads a trio at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Combo Llamativo is at Jax in Glendale. Pianist Sabine Pothier is at redwhite+bluezz in Pasadena. Drummer Al Williams has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Thursday 1/7 – Lado B at Vibrato

2016 Grammy-nominated Lado B is at Vibrato in Bel Air with Catina DeLuna on vocals, Otmaro Ruiz on piano, Ramon Stagnaro on guitar, Chris Colangelo on bass, and Aaron Serfaty on drums. Vocalist Natasha Agrama is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Keyboardist Lao Tizer is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with guest saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Vocalist Sally Kellerman is at Catalina in Hollywood. Pianist Bijan Taghavi is at The Merc in Temecula. Saxophonist David Leech is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. The Jazz Butchers are at Jax in Glendale. Vocalist Dave Damiani is at Spaghettini in Beverly Hills. Drummer Tina Raymond celebrates a birthday by hosting a jam session at Osso in Downtown L.A.. Drummer Calixto Oviedo is at Mambo’s Cafe in Glendale. Bassist David Ross is the Los Angeles Athletic Club in downtown L.A. with guest vocalist Maria Howell.

Friday 1/8 – Gilad Hekselman Trio at Blue Whale

Guitarist Gilad Hekselman opens a two-night run at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Dave Robaire on bass and Jonathan Pinson on drums. Latin percussionist Poncho Sanchez begins a two-night run at Catalina in Hollywood. Brent Fischer leads the Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Group in a salute to Cal Tjader at Pete Carlson’s in Palm Desert. Pianist Bijan Taghavi is at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro. Guitarist Richie Kotzen begins a two-night (Fri-Sat) run at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Gregg Arthur is at Spaghettini in Beverly Hills. Nutty is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Pianist David Arnay is at the Parkway Grill in Pasadena.

Saturday 1/9 – Johnny Mandel Big Band at The E Spot Lounge

Grammy and Oscar-winning composer/arranger Johnny Mandel conducts his big band at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Latin percussionist Poncho Sanchez is at Catalina in Hollywood. Guitarist Gilad Hekselman is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Saxophonist Pete Christlieb is at Pete Carlson’s in Palm Desert. Pianist Connie Han is at redwhite+bluezz in Pasadena.  Guitarist Richie Kotzen is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Bassist Ryan Cross is at Spaghettini in Beverly Hills. Latin trumpeter Bob DeSena is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Keyboardist Gail Jhonson is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Vocalist Thisbe Vos is at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills.  Vocalist Francis Coche has the Saturday brunch at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Sunday 1/10 – Dayren Santamaria at Catalina

Violinist Dayren Santamaria is at Catalina in Hollywood with an Afro-Cuban band including Oscar Hernandez on piano, Jimmy Branly on drums, Joey de Leon on percussion, Jorge Perez on bass, and Candi Sosa on vocals. The Jazz Bakery presents the trumpeter Jeremy Pelt’s Power Quintet with drummer Bill Stewart at the Moss Theater in Santa Monica. Joe-Less Shoe is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Guitarist Scrote is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Pianist Lenny Stack is at Jax in Glendale. Vocalist Laura Pursell is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City.  Vocalist Mark Christian Miller performs an early evening concert at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica.   The Encore Saxophone Quartet has a late afternoon show at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro.  Sunday brunch choices include trumpeter Dmitry Matheny at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, vocalist Jesse Palter at Perch in downtown L.A., vocalist Sharon Marie Cline at The Little Easy in downtown L.A., and saxophonist Cal Bennett at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood.

Monday 1/11 – True North at Blue Whale

Vocal quartet True North is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Katie Campbell, Sharmila G. Lash, Fletcher Sheridan and Matt Falker, backed by a trio including pianist Josh Nelson. The Tim Davies Big Band is at Typhoon in Santa Monica. Vocalist Leslie Nesbitt is at Jax in Glendale. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Monday jam sessions include John Ziegler and Jamie Kime at The Baked Potato in Studio City, Matthew Yeakley at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A., and Jazz Eclectic at the Sofitel Beverly Hills Riviera 31.

Tuesday 1/12 – California Jazz Foundation Benefit at Catalina

The California Jazz Foundation hosts its annual “Give The Band A Hand” benefit concert honoring bassist John Clayton at Catalina in Hollywood with a show including Plas Johnson, Billy Mitchell, Josh Nelson, Thom Rotella, Ryan Cross, and Joey Heredia, among others. The River Song Quintet is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo.  Trumpeter Brian Swartz is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Vocalist Barbara Morrison is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. The Makers are at Seven Grand in downtown L.A..

Wednesday 1/13 – Jerry Vivino at The Baked Potato

“Conan” saxophonist Jerry Vivino is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Mitchel Forman on keys, Will Lee on bass, and Andy Sanesi on drums. Pianist Yougjoo Song leads a trio at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Pianist Cougar Estrada is at Jax in Glendale. Bassist Jennifer Leitham and vocalist Lauren Koval headline a jazz benefit for victims of the recent shootings in San Bernardino at the Crafton Hills College Performing Arts Center in Yucaipa. The McDaniel Livingstone Project is at Osso in downtown L.A. Guitarist Mike Scott has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.