About & Out – What’s Hot In SoCal Jazz – The Week Of January 4, 2021

SPECIAL NOTE:  It is with considerable sadness I report that owner Joon Lee announced the permanent closure of downtown L.A.’s Blue Whale as of December 30, 2020.  For more than a decade Blue Whale was the hub for experimental jazz and much more in Los Angeles, and was a home to hundreds of younger musicians (and many thousands of jazz fans) who gained invaluable experience from playing and spending time at Blue Whale.  I’ve been glad to call Joon a friend for many years, and there are no words to adequately express his impact over the past ten years on the jazz community in Southern California.

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During the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, LAjazz.com will continue to do its best to update you as to the status of live jazz events across Southern California.

Due to rising infection rates of COVID-19 across much of California, in July Governor Newsom ordered indoor dining and bars to close in the most affected areas of the state including nearly all of Southern California. Restaurants in Orange and San Diego Counties were allowed to re-open limited indoor seating in mid-September, but indoor seating was suspended again in Mid-November. On November 25, 2020, Los Angeles County suspended all indoor and outdoor restaurant seating, followed by Orange County. Beginning Monday, December 7, 2020, all leisure travel in Southern California has been prohibited because of rising hospitalization rates related to COVID-19.

Bars in Los Angeles generally remain closed along with nearly all major entertainment venues. Most larger concert venues including the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre have canceled their performance schedules for the first half of 2021.

Most restaurants have also implemented an advance reservations policy to help comply with seating and social distancing needs, and most have ended live music indoors or out to comply with the latest order from Governor Newsom. Please check with any venue listed below for exact times and information regarding music and reservations before heading out. Some venues and musicians have begun offering livestream events – please visit your favorite club and artist websites for more information about livestream events – LAjazz.com has a limited schedule of livestream events available with showtimes and event weblinks when available.

LAjazz.com highly recommends wearing a mask whenever possible in music venues (and generally in public) out of respect for musicians, staff, and your fellow patrons. If you’re not feeling well, please stay home.

Be smart and help your local musicians, venues, and neighbors during this period – LAjazz.com will do its part to keep you up to date and informed throughout the week. Stay safe out there, and remember what a gift live music is to all of us.

Please see the Quick Calendar at LAjazz.com and the online version of About & Out for the latest updates – both are updated on a regular basis throughout the week.

NOTE: The LAjazz.com Quick Calendar contains showtimes and links (whenever possible) to livestream events.

Monday 1/4 – Cathy Segal-Garcia w/Moira Smiley (Livestream Only)

Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia’s guest for her noon Facebook livestream hang is singer Moira Smiley.

 

Tuesday 1/5 – Sam Hirsh Solo (Livestream Only)

Pianist Sam Hirsh hosts a livestream solo event via Instagram.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s noon Facebook livestream hang guest is vocalist Gina Eckstine.

 

Wednesday 1/6 – Josh Nelson Encounter (Livestream Only)

Pianist Josh Nelson hosts his latest livestream “Encounter” via Facebook.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s noon Facebook livestream hang guest is vocalist Alison Wedding.

 

Thursday 1/7 – Four Guitarists Live At Zero BPM (Livestream Only)

Billy Hulting hosts a Live At Zero BPM livestream event featuring guitarists Bruce Forman, Brad Rabuchin, Jeff Miley and Will Brahm.

 

Friday 1/8 – Brandon Coleman at The World Stage (Livestream Only)

Keyboardist/vocalist Brandon Coleman offers a livestream concert via The World Stage in South L.A.

 

Saturday 1/9 – Tamir Hendelman Plays Bud Powell (Livestream Only)

Pianist Tamir Hendelman offers a solo livestream performance dedicated to the music of Bud Powell.

 

Sunday 1/10 – Cathy Segal-Garcia & Carey Frank Concert & Jam (Livestream Only)

Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia hosts a Facebook livestream concert and following jam session, backed by pianist/organist Carey Frank.  Saxophonist Keith Bishop plays a late afternoon jazz vespers outdoor show at St. Michael’s By The Sea Episcopal Church in Carlsbad.

 

Monday 1/11 – Peter Erskine/Alan Pasqua/Darek Oles at the Athenaeum Library (Livestream Only)

Drummer Peter Erskine, pianist Alan Pasqua, and bassist Darek Oles play a livestream concert from the Athenaeum Library in La Jolla.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s noon Facebook livestream hang guest is artist and Living Jazz Director Stacey Hoffman.

 

Tuesday 1/12 – Tamir Hendelamn & Jeff Hamilton (Livestream Only)

Pianist Tamir Hendelman and drummer Jeff Hamilton play music of Oscar Peterson and more in a livestream duet concert.  Pianist Sam Hirsh hosts a livestream solo event via Instagram.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s noon Facebook livestream hang guest is guitarist Zvon Tot.

 

Wednesday 1/13 – The Innocence Project Vocalists (Livestream Only)

Debra Graff’s concerts for The Innocence Project continue with am livestream featuring Dante Chambers with Bradley Young, Craig Cochrane with David Moscoe, Natalie Jacob with Paul McDonald, Dyan Kane, Jenna Mammina with Tom Castonzo, and Andrea Miller.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s noon Facebook livestream hang guest is drummer Ferenc Nemeth.