About & Out – What’s Hot In SoCal Jazz – The Week Of February 26, 2018

Monday 2/26 – Scott Kinsey at The Baked Potato

Keyboardist Scott Kinsey is at The Baked Potato with Katisse Buckingham on sax/flute/vocals, Jimmy Earl on bass, and Gergo Borlai on drums. Ions & Eras celebrate a CD release at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Saxophonist Henry Solomon opens for drummer Kevin Kanner’s Jazz Jam at The Mint in West L.A. Flutist Lori Bell is at Bacchus’ Kitchen in Pasadena. Pianist Carl Sonny Leyland is at Joe’s Great American in Burbank. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A. The Hot Club Of Los Angeles is at the Cinema Bar in Culver City. Other Monday jam sessions include guitarist Matthew Yeakley at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A., pianist Eric Ekstrand at Colombo’s in Eagle Rock, and Jazz Eclectic at the Sofitel Beverly Hills Riviera 31. The Santa Barbara City College Jazz Band is at SOhO in Santa Barbara.

Tuesday 2/27 – Ross Garren & Brady Cohan at Blue Whale

Harmonica player Ross Garren and guitarist Brady Cohan are at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Trombonist Corey King and drummer Jamire Williams are at Zebulon in downtown L.A. Snarky Puppy is at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. Guitarist Toshi Yanagi’s Buzz Wizards are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Entertainer Dick Van Dyke is at Catalina in Hollywood. John Pisano’s Guitar Night at The Mixx in Pasadena features guest John Stowell. Vocalist Douye’ is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vibraphonist Nick Mancini is at TRiP in Santa Monica opening for Blanco Diablo. The Boyd Cannon Big Band 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. Guitarist Terry Wollman and vocalist Melanie Taylor are at Nerano in Beverly Hills. Guitarist Jacques Lesure is at The Parker Room in Hollywood. Groovy Tuesday is at Seven Grand in downtown L.A. Guitarist David Marcus is at Il Piccolo Verde in Brentwood. The Route 66 Trio is at Bourbon Steak in Glendale. Guitarist Elyadeen Anbar’s trio is at The San Fernando in Glendale, followed by a jazz jam session. Vocalist Rose Mallett is at the Purple Room in Palm Springs. Pianist/vocalist Yve Evans and saxophonist John Bolivar are at Woody’s Palm House in Palm Springs.

Wednesday 2/28 – Bijon Watson & Maiya Sykes at Seven Degrees

Trumpeter Bijon Watson is at Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach with vocalist Maiya Sykes in a program dedicated to Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald. Vocalist Lalah Hathaway is at the Avalon Hollywood in Hollywood. Violinist Doug Cameron is at Catalina in Hollywood. Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra are at Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Feliz. The California Guitar Trio is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vocalist Liela Avila is at Edwin Mills in Pasadena. Guitarist Clinton Patterson is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Native Vibe is at Squashed Grapes in Ventura. Guitarist Doug MacDonald is at AJ’s On The Green in Cathedral City. Guitarist Elyadeen Anbar is at Blue Table in Agoura Hills. Drummer Bill Spoke has the happy hour gig at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. Chef Dave Rozier offers an evening of blues harmonica at The Baked Potato in Studio City.

Thursday 3/1 – Miles Electric Band at Valley Performing Arts Center

Drummer Vince Wilburn, Jr. leads the Miles Electric Band at the Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge with John Beasley and Robert Irving on keys, Christian Scott on trumpet, Debasish Chaudhury and Munyungo Jackson on percussion, Darryl Jones on bass, David Gilmore on guitar, and Antoine Roney on sax. Saxophonist Bob Reynolds is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Saxophonist Azar Lawrence celebrates a CD release at Gold Diggers in West L.A. Drummer Tina Raymond is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia is at The Merc in Temecula. Vocalist Bobby Caldwell opens a three-night (Thu-Sat) run at Catalina in Hollywood. Bassist David Ross is at the LA Athletic Club in downtown Los Angeles with vocalist Mary Stallings. Vibraphonist Nick Mancini is at the Brack Shop Tavern in downtown L.A. Saxophonist Javier Vergara is at Senor Fish in downtown L.A. Drummer Ben Rose is at Perch in downtown L.A. Saxophonist Reginald Paul is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Guitarist David Marcus is at Il Piccolo Verde in Brentwood. Blues vocalist Reverend Shawn Amos is at Vibrato in Bel Air.

Friday 3/2 – Jeff Babko & Zach Danziger at Blue Whale

Keyboardist Jeff Babko and drummer Zach Danziger are at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo. The Jazz Butchers are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Nutty is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vocalist Phyllis Battle is at The World Stage in South L.A. Brazilian vocalist Ana Gazzola is at Edwin Mills in Pasadena. Vocalist Claudia Villela and pianist Kenny Werner are at the Athenaeum Library in La Jolla. Vocalist Bobby Caldwell is at Catalina in Hollywood. Drummer Joel Taylor is at the 1881 Club in Pasadena. Bassist Paul Gormley is at Whale & Ale Pub in San Pedro. Guitarist/vocalist James Cornelison is at Perch in downtown L.A. Vocalist Jeff Robinson is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Pianist David Arnay is at the Parkway Grill in Pasadena.

Saturday 3/3 – Alan Pasqua at Blue Whale

Pianist Alan Pasqua celebrates a CD release at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Darek Oles on bass and Conor Malloy on drums. Guitarist Allen Hinds is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Gillian Margot and pianist Geoffrey Keezer are at Sam First in West L.A. Vocalist Mary Stallings is at Bar Fedora in downtown L.A. Saxophonist Ernie Watts is at Pete Carlson’s in Palm Desert. The Jazz Epistles are at CAP UCLA Royce Hall in Westwood. Pianist Benny Green is at the Moss Theatre in Santa Monica with vocalist Veronica Swift. Vocalist Jack Jones celebrates his 80th birthday at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Springs. Guitarist Jeff Askren and saxophonist Dave Benedict do a live video recording at Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood. Saxophonist Rob Lockhart is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Pianist David Benoit and guitarist Marc Antoine are at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage. Vocalists Cristina Rebull & Candi Sosa are at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro. The Billy Vera Big Band is at Vitello’s in Studio City. Vocalist Amanda Castro is at the Public House in Fullerton. Guitarist JJ Sansaverino is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Vaud & The Villians are at SOhO in Santa Barbara. Vocalist Bobby Caldwell is at Catalina in Hollywood. Drummer Mark Z. Stevens is at Desert Rose in Los Feliz. Saxophonist David Leech is at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood. Vocalist Rose Mallet is at Vicky’s Of Santa Fe in Indian Wells. Guitarist Elyadeen Anbar is at Bar Angeles in Hollywood. Vocalist Andy Cowan and pianist Nina Beck are at the Tompkins Square Bar & Grill in Westchester. Saturday brunch choices include bassist Ryan Roberts at Perch in downtown L.A. and Slide FX at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach.

Sunday 3/4 – Alex Machacek at The Baked Potato

Guitarist Alex Machacek is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Anthony Crawford on bass and Andy Prado, Jr. on drums. Saxophonist Donny McCaslin is at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo for the first of two nights (Sun-Mon). Pianist Gerald Clayton is at Sam First in West L.A. Pianist/vocalist Keiko Matsui is at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Guitarist Jacques Lesure is at Lavender Blue in Inglewood. Sunday brunch choices include saxophonist Charles Owens’ Big Band 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., bassist Rufus Philpot at The Springs in downtown L.A., saxophonist Cal Bennett at Pips on La Brea in West Hollywood, vocalist Bri Sarikcioglu at the Luxe Hotel Sunset in Bel Air, and guitarist Mark Fitchett at Chez Melange in Redondo Beach. The Harvard-Westlake Jazz Band is at Vibrato in Bel Air.

Monday 3/5 – Donny McCaslin Quartet at Blue Whale

Saxophonist Donny McCaslin leads the group that backed the late David Bowie’s final recording “Blackstar” at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Jason Lindner on keys, Tim Lefebvre on bass, and Mark Guiliana on drums. Guitarist John Chiodini and tuba player Jim Self celebrate a CD release at Vitello’s in Studio City.   The Thornton Jazz Orchestra hosts guest pianist Geoffrey Keezer at Carson Hall on the USC campus in downtown L.A.  The Harry Selvin Orchestra is at the Palm Garden Hotel in Newbury Park. Guitarist Molly Miller is at Perch in downtown L.A. The Hot Club Of Los Angeles is at the Cinema Bar in Culver City. Monday jam sessions include guitarist Jamie Kime at The Baked Potato in Studio City, trumpeter Jeff Elliott at SOhO in Santa Barbara, guitarist Matthew Yeakley at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A., pianist Eric Ekstrand at Colombo’s in Eagle Rock, and Jazz Eclectic at the Sofitel Beverly Hills Riviera 31. The Saddleback College Jazz Lab plays a concert at the McKinney Theatre in Mission Viejo. The UCLA Jazz Combos are at Schoenberg Hall in Westwood.

Tuesday 3/6 – Terry Wollman & Melanie Taylor at Nerano

Guitarist Terry Wollman and vocalist Melanie Taylor host a new weekly residency at Nerano in Beverly Hills. The Thelonious Monk Institute holds its monthly jam session at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo.  Saxophonist Dennis Mitcheltree opens for Blanco Diablo at TRiP in Santa Monica.  Kairos 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. Guitarist Jacques Lesure is at The Parker Room in Hollywood. The Makers are at Seven Grand in downtown L.A. Guitarist David Marcus is at Il Piccolo Verde in Brentwood. The Route 66 Trio is at Bourbon Steak in Glendale. Guitarist Elyadeen Anbar’s trio is at The San Fernando in Glendale, followed by a jazz jam session. Vocalist Rose Mallett is at the Purple Room in Palm Springs. Pianist/vocalist Yve Evans and saxophonist John Bolivar are at Woody’s Palm House in Palm Springs. The UCLA Latin Jazz Big Band is at Schoenberg Hall in Westwood.

Wednesday 3/7 – Christian Sands at Blue Whale

Pianist Christian Sands leads a trio at Blue Whale in Little Tokyo with Yasushi Nakamura on bass and Jerome Jennings on drums. Pianist Tom Ranier is at Pete Carlson’s in Palm Desert. Pianist Herbie Hancock is at the Balboa Theater in San Diego. Guitarist Blake Aaron is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Catatonic is at Vitello’s in Studio City. Guitarist Doug MacDonald is at AJ’s On The Green in Cathedral City. Guitarist Elyadeen Anbar is at Blue Table in Agoura Hills. Barbara Brighton’s Young Artists Jazz Series presents the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Band at Catalina in Hollywood.