About & Out – What’s Hot – The Week Of May 30, 2016

Monday 5/30 – James Torme & The Paul McDonald Big Band at Typhoon

Vocalist James Torme fronts the Paul McDonald Big Band at Typhoon at the Santa Monica Airport.  Guitarist Molly Miller’s trio plays an extended Memorial Day brunch at Perch in downtown L.A.. UCLA offers the midday Jazz Reggae Festival at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center including performances from the Thelonious Monk Institute Ensemble and the Nate Schwartz Jazz Orchestra. Sax/flutist Katisse Buckingham is at Seven Grand in downtown L.A.. Vocalist Howie Levine and Richie Freidman’s Cool Blue are at Las Hadas in Northridge. Organist Carey Frank is at the Sassafras Saloon in 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 5/31 – Les McCann & Lee Hartley with the Charles Owens Big Band at Typhoon

Keyboardist Les McCann and vocalist Lee Hartley front the Charles Owens Big Band at Typhoon at the Santa Monica Airport. Drummer Aaron McClendon celebrates a birthday at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Vocalist Tiffany Bailey is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City.   Pianist Ron Kobayashi & vocalist Andrea Miller are at the Port Restaurant in Corona Del Mar.  Blues guitarist Josh Smith is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Guitarist/vocalist Frank Stallone is at Vibrato in Bel Air. 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 Guitar Night at Viva Cantina in Burbank features John Chiodini.

Wednesday 6/1 – Thelonious Monkey at The Baked Potato

Drummer Chris Wabich’s Thelonious Monkey is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Jenny Wabich on vocals, keys, and sax, Lauren Baba and Leah Zeger on violins, Joo Lee on cello, and Jerry Watts on bass. Cellist Artyom Manukyan is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Bassist Pet Senatore leads a trio with Josh Nelson on piano and Mark Ferber on drums at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vocalist Sally Kellerman is at Catalina in Hollywood. Vocalist Debora Galan & Silk are at the California Center For The Arts in Escondido. Pianist Karen Hernandez and vocalist Jimmy Spencer are at Colombo’s in Eagle Rock. Organist Carey Frank is at the Culver Hotel in Culver City. Drummer Alex Snydman has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Thursday 6/2 – Bob Reynolds at The Baked Potato

Saxophonist Bob Reynolds is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Nir Felder and Brady Cohan on guitars, Ruslan Sirota on keys, Sean Hurley on bass, and Gary Novak on drums. Trumpeter Ralph Alessi is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. The Billy Vera Big Band is at Catalina in Hollywood. Organist Carey Frank is at The Merc in Temecula. The Ben Rose Band with vocalist Laura Mace is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Guitarist Gregory Lawrence is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. The Baldy Mountain Jazz Band is at The Press Restaurant in Claremont.

Friday 6/3 – Nir Felder at Blue Whale

Guitarist Nir Felder is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Kaveh Rastegar on bass and Aaron Sterling on drums. Vocalist Cecilia Noel & The New Wild Clams are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Freda Payne is at Catalina in Hollywood for the first of two nights (Fri-Sat). Vocalist Kathryn Bostic is at The E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Vocalist Michelle Coltrane is at Aldabella Winery in Westlake Village. The Lighthouse celebrates 67 years of jazz with an early evening performance at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Summer Jazz Festival begins Friday night and continues through Sunday. Organist Joey DeFrancesco appears with the El Dorado High School Band in Placentia. Vocalist Kevin Ahart is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Saxophonist Phil Denny is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Pianist David Arnay is at the Parkway Grill in Pasadena. Vocalist Janice Anderson is at Caufield’s in Beverly Hills. Vocalist Andy Cowan and pianist Nina Beck are at Edwin Mills in Pasadena. Trombonist Phil Ranelin has the free Friday jazz show at LACMA in West L.A..

Saturday 6/4 – Forman, Brechtlein & Bromberg at Squashed Grapes

Pianist Mitchel Forman is at Squashed Grapes in Ventura with bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Tom Brechtlein. Guitarist Thom Rotella is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with a group including saxophonist Ernie Watts. Guitarist Julian Lage is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Trumpeter Carl Saunders is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vocalist Freda Payne is at Catalina in Hollywood. Vocalist Sharon Marie Cline is at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro. Down To The Bone is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Saxophonist David Leech is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood.   Pianist Jon Mayer’s trio is at Desert Rose in Los Feliz.  Vocalist Stayce Branch is at Bar Fedora in downtown L.A.. 4 Level Interchange is at Di Piazza’s in Long Beach.   Cuban violinist Dayren Santamaria has the free Saturday Latin Sounds evening show at LACMA in West L.A..  Vocalist Mari Nobre has an early evening show at Colombo’s in Eagle Rock.  Trumpeter James Blackwell has the Saturday brunch at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, keyboardist Todd Hunter is at Perch in downtown L.A..

Sunday 6/5 – Sabine Pothier at The Baked Potato

Pianist Sabine Pothier is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Sherry Lucette on bass and Rivkah Ross on drums. Vocalist Beverly Church Hogan is at Catalina in Hollywood. The LA Jazz Collective holds its monthly jam session at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Pianist Cougar Estrada is at The Press Restaurant in Claremont.  Pianist Richard Glaser is at the Barkley Restaurant in South Pasadena.  Vocalist Sherwood Sledge is at Maverick’s Flat in South L.A..  Guitarist Peter White and saxophonists Paul Taylor & Euge Groove are at the Thornton Winery in Temecula for a late afternoon show.  Vocalist Seth MacFarlane and the Ron Jones Influence Orchestra are at Vibrato in Bel Air. Sunday brunch choices include pianist Jon Mayer at Post & Beam in South L.A., trombonist Paul Young 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., the UCSB Big Band at SOhO in Santa Barbara, and saxophonist Cal Bennett at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood.

Monday 6/6 – Dennis Dreith Big Band at Typhoon

Composer/arranger Dennis Dreith leads his big band at Typhoon at the Santa Monica Airport.  Trombonist Alex Rodriguez is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A.. Organist Carey Frank is at the Sassafras Saloon in 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 6/7 – Connie Han at Catalina

Barbara Brighton’s Young Artists Jazz Series features pianist Connie Han with Bob Sheppard on saxes, Chris Colangelo on bass, and Bill Wysaske on drums. Drummer Joe Farnsworth and pianist Harold Mabern are at Vibrato in Bel Air. The Thelonious Monk Institute holds its monthly jam session at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. The Jazz Butchers are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Lorraina Marro is at Bogie’s in Westlake Village. 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 Guitar Night is at Viva Cantina in Burbank.

Wednesday 6/8 – Harold Mabern Trio at Blue Whale

Veteran pianist Harold Mabern leads a trio at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Vocalist Tamara Gabriel is at Vibrato in Bel Air.   Keyboardist Scott Kinsey is at The Baked Potato with Doug Webb on sax, Jimmy Earl on bass, and Kirk Covington on drums.  Pianist Karen Hernandez and vocalist Jimmy Spencer are at Colombo’s in Eagle Rock. Organist Carey Frank is at the Culver Hotel in Culver City. Bassist Bruce Lett has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.