HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
“FRIDA & DIEGO,” LA Opera – Fresh on the heels of excellent stagings of chestnuts “The Barber of Seville’’ and “Don Giovanni,” LA Opera gives us more to be thankful for, a new production devoted to our favorite fun couple. Perhaps because of their proximity to LA, and our large Latin population, they have held a special place in our art hearts. Also, Hollywood loves a chaotic tale of love and hate, from a pair of mismatched geniuses. A Day of the Dead ghost story from Grammy Award-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz, resident Conductor Lina González-Granados commands a cast packed with international talent. I can’t wait to see it, but holiday travel means I won’t be able to give personal comment before it leaves. But I wouldn’t miss this one for anything. Sun 2 p.m., next Thurs 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA $89-274.
THE HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – Looking for something different? But really good? And on a Monday? EVERY Monday? – “Hot Club’s brand of virtuoso, Django-style 1930s gypsy swing jazz is found nowhere else and even if it were, it couldn’t possibly be this good. These guys are masters, individually and collectively. You will find it hard to stop smiling all night.” Mon 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, no cover.
RECOMMENDED:
Ends today! – “THE STONES AND BRIAN JONES” – I usually don’t check theater schedules but this sounds pretty good. A lot of times something of limited interest, no matter how good it is, will play only one week, but this is its second (and, alas, last) week, so, some people found out about it. Why didn’t you tell me?! Stones co-founder and early leader Jones was a fascinating character responsible for much of the band’s early and middle success, and musical innovation. But he plunged deep into substance abuse and was asked to leave the band, and died not long after, of drowning in his estate swimming pool, under very questionable circumstances. Much has been written about this, and I’m curious what this film has to say but alas I will be eating turkey in Tempe. If you saw it, please drop me a note. Thurs 1 p.m., 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 p.m., Monica Film Center, Santa Monica, $16.
PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC featuring GEORGE CLINTON, FISHBONE – It don’t get much funkier than this, and 40+ years after I saw them destroy their first club in LA, this cements Fis nhbone’s place in the funk firmament. Fri 8 p.m., Novo Theater, LA, $50-80.
RICK HOLSTROM BAND with STEVE BERLIN – This trio has been packing the house and tearing it up every time they hit McCabe’s, and no wonder. They may not have star name recognition, but the stars recognize them. Holmstrom was band director for 15 years for the genuinely legendary Mavis Staples, who has had Santa Monica drummer par excellence Steve Mugalian on the skins every time I’ve seen her. Mugalian can not only play any/every style of music, but play it expertly, and that’s rare. Every time I hear a live band that catches my ear, I expect to see him there as I get closer to the stage. He has played on albums by Dave Alvin, Johnny Dyer, Rod Piazza, Lucinda Williams, James Harman, Pinetop Perkins, San Pedro Slim. The trio is rounded out by bass man Gregory Boaz, and this night their special sit-in is the great sax man from Los Lobos (formerly with The Blasters), Steve Berlin. Sounds like a potent mix. Sun 8 p.m McCabe’s, $28.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – Unique, riveting, first class act. There’s nothing like it, it is high performance art and great decadent fun. Degeneracy is rarely so well disciplined. Toledo may have his trademark ciggy, but it’s the band that really smokes! Sun 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
KODÁLY, DVOŘÁK, KHATCHATURIAN, MARTINŮ – OK, not Mozart or Beethoven, maybe you aren’t familiar with some of these composers, but this is an all-star lineup of genius nonetheless, small group chamber music, mostly modern and adventurous, 19th-20th centuries, Armenian, Hungarian and two Czechs please. Optimism and joy, melancholy and grief, rhapsodic dialogues based on Caucasian folk tunes, a serenade that weaves modernist harmonies with Hungarian folk dances to create “a fairy world never dreamed of before,” and poetic miniatures inspired by English choral music, filled with inventive textures and explosions of bold, pulse-racing sound. And Dvořák’s String Quintet, written during his time in Iowa in 1893, which marries Bohemian style with music of the Iroquois and African American peoples. That’s quite a trip for 20 bucks. Tues 8 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA, $20-64.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: ‘FRIDA & DIEGO,” LA Opera, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 11/30. 12/3, 6, 9; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 12/3, 10, 17, 24; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 12/4, 11, 18, 25;TONY GILKYSON, Cinema Bar, 12/1; BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND, Kia Forum, 12/4, 6; MEHTA, MAHLER, SEONG-JIN CHO, Disney Hall, 12/7, 8, 9, 10; CHRIS ISAAK, Orpheum, 12/12; MEHTA, BEETHOVEN Symphonies, Disney Hall, 12/14, 15, 16, 17; MANHATTAN TRANSFER, Final Farewell Concert, Disney Hall, 12/15; QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, Kia Forum, 12/16; RICK SHEA, TONY GILKYSON, Cinema Bar, 12/28
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 3,000 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 37 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com(the real mr music…)