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

Monday 4/4 – Paul McDonald Big Band at Typhoon

The Paul McDonald Big Band with vocalist Ned Rifken is at Typhoon at the Santa Monica Airport. Vocalist Makiko Sakurai is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Guitarist Brent Canter is at Harlowe in West Hollywood. 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 4/5 – Oz Noy Trio at Catalina

Guitarist Oz Noy is at Catalina in Hollywood for the first of two nights (Tue-Wed) with Jimmy Haslip on bass and Dave Weckl on drums. Keyboardist Ed Roth is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Brenna Whitaker is at Vibrato in Bel Air. The Thelonious Monk Institute hosts its monthly jam session at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. The Boyd Cannon Big Band is at Bogie’s in Westlake Village. Vocalist Dyan Kane is at TriP in Santa Monica. 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.. John Pisano’s guest for Guitar Night at Viva Cantina in Burbank is Frank Potenza.

Wednesday 4/6 – Groove Legacy at The Baked Potato

Groove Legacy is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Paulie Cerra on sax, Andrew Lippman on trombone, Billy Steinway on keys, Sam Meek on guitar, Travis Carlton on bass, and Lemar Carter on drums. Nolatet is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Guitarist Oz Noy is at Catalina in Hollywood. Trumpeter Farnell Newton is at Iguana Kelley’s in Laguna Beach. Vocalist Judy Wexler is at Le Petit Paris in downtown L.A.. Saxophonist Jarez is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Guitarist Jacques Lesure has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Thursday 4/7 – Bob Reynolds at The Baked Potato

Saxophonist Bob Reynolds is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Ruslan Sirota on keys, Sean Hurley on bass, and Gary Novak on drums. Pianist Jon Mayer leads a trio at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Composer/arranger Gordon Goodwin leads the University of Queensland (Australia) Big Band in a free performance at Cal State LA in downtown Los Angeles. Brazilian vocalist Paulinho Garcia is at Vibrato in Bel Air. The Ben Rose Band with vocalist Laura Mace is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Pianist Dave Mackay is at The Merc in Temecula. Pianist Matt Politano is at the Langham Hotel Tap Room in Pasadena. Guitarist Gregory Lawrence is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Guitarist Chris Standring is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City.

Friday 4/8 – Billy Childs at Blue Whale

Pianist Billy Childs is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Josh Johnson on sax, Ben Shepherd on bass, and Louis Cole on drums. Trumpeter Dmitri Matheny leads a tribute to Tom Harrell at the Soka Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo. Pianist Josh Nelson is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Strunz & Farah open a two-night (Fri-Sat) run at Catalina in Hollywood. Keyboardist Don Randi & Quest are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Pianist Rachel Flowers is at Squashed Grapes in Ventura. Saxophonist Dan Kusz is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Pianist David Arnay is at the Parkway Grill in Pasadena. Pianist Lenny Stack plays Henri’s Back Room in Canoga Park. Marseille Express is at Aldabella Winery in Westlake Village.

Saturday 4/9 – Lado B at Blue Whale

Vocalist Catina DeLuna and pianist Otmaro Ruiz lead Lado B at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Guitarist Jeff Richman is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Mitchel Forman on keys, Jimmy Haslip on bass, and Chad Wackerman on drums. Guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli is at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge with guest vocalist Catherine Russell. Percussionist/vocalist Poncho Sanchez is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Pianist/guitarist Frank Unzueta is at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro. Trumpeter Nolan Shaheed is at Bar Fedora in downtown L.A..  Saxophonist Bob Sheppard is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Strunz & Farah are at Catalina in Hollywood. Pianist Connie Han is at redwhite+bluezz in Pasadena. Drummer Mark Z. Stevens leads a trio at Desert Rose in Los Feliz. Saxophonist David Leech is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Keyboardist Brian Simpson is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. El Camino College in Torrance hosts a jazz festival featuring Bob Mintzer and Alan Chan, among others. Keyboardist Todd Hunter is at the Perch Saturday brunch in downtown L.A, saxophonist Chuck Johnson has the Saturday brunch at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Sunday 4/10 – Poncho Sanchez at Spaghettini

Percussionist/vocalist Poncho Sanchez is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Drummer Jason Harnell leads a trio at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Bassist Yonatan is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Pianist Larry Fuller leads a trio in an afternoon house concert for Jazz At The A Frame in the Hollywood Hills. Saxophonist Gene Cipriano & vocalist Cat Conner are at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica for an early evening performance. Organist Akiko Tsuruga leads a late afternoon trio at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro. Guitarist Mike Miller, keyboardist Mitchel Forman, and saxophonist Eric Marienthal headline a brunch to benefit research for Myeloma and bone cancer at Catalina in Hollywood. Sunday brunch choices include guitarist Frank Potenza at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, vocalist Jesse Palter at Perch in downtown L.A., pianist Connie Han at Post & Beam in South 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 4/11 – LA Jazz Unlimited Orchestra at Catalina

Kenny Burrell and Dr. Bobby Rodriguez lead the LA Jazz Unlimited Orchestra at Catalina in Hollywood. Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia plays a tribute to the late Stephanie Haynes at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in Leimert Park with pianist Karen Hammack. Dhara World Music celebrates a CD release at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. The Steve Spiegl Big Band is at Typhoon in Santa Monica. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Guitarist Brent Canter is at Harlowe in West Hollywood. 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., Jeff Elliott at SOhO in Santa Barbara, and Jazz Eclectic at the Sofitel Beverly Hills Riviera 31.

Tuesday 4/12 – Rachel Eckroth at The Baked Potato

Vocalist Rachel Eckroth is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Gary Novak on drums, Hagar Ben Ari on bass, Jeff Babko on keys, and Gabriel Johnson on trumpet. Violinist Ted Falcon and guitarist/vocalist Eduardo Souza are 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 4/13 – Raggedy Andy at The Baked Potato

Drummer Andy Sanesi’s Raggedy Andy is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Bob Sheppard on reeds, Matt Rohde on keys, Jamie Kime on guitar, Julian Coryell on guitar, Ben Shepherd on bass, and Tiki Pasillas on percussion. Saxophonist Scott Martin’s Latin Soul Band is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Organist Organist Akiko Tsuruga is at Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach. Guitarist Greg Uhlmann is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Vocalist Iris Williams is at Catalina in Hollywood. Guitarist Riner Scivally has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.