HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
EM THE MASTER — I know what you’re thinking. I’ve been giving EM’s show a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for months now and still do. For so many reasons. She has more talent than anyone has a right to. She recently came to the attention of Spectrum news, whose Kelvin Washington did a rave piece on her with some nice clips from her live show. She just announced the release on Tuesday of her new single “Bite,” produced by and featuring 2x Grammy winner Adrian Young of No Doubt. It’s a gripping number I’ve seen her do live several times, always one of my favorites. She says it is an autobiographical follow-up to her previous single “Get Out.” I would give you the link to it but I see that it is not yet mastered, so I’ll hold off on that. But, of course, you can go hear it live any Tuesday night, right here in town. Every Tues 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $10.
RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! - HAMILTON — Still with us, but only four more weeks. Tonight - Thurs, Fri, Sat, Tues, Wed, next Thurs 8 p.m., Sun 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m., also Sat 2 p.m., Pantages Theater, Hollywood, $49-3000+, depending on date/time.
TONIGHT! - LA PHIL with SALONEN plays BARTOK, BJARNASON, SIBELIUS — This should be adventurous, and really good. LA Phil former music director/conductor Esa-Pekka returns home to present two of his favorite composers, fellow Finn Jean Sibelius (in my Top 5 composers), and 20th Century titan, Hungarian Bela Bartok, sandwiching the Dudamel-commissioned world premier of “Feast” by rising Icelandic star Dnaiel Bjarnason. This will prepare you for the Bartok: “orchestration – two complete string orchestras divided spatially by the percussion (timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drums, tam-tam), xylophone, harp, piano (two- and four-hands), and celesta.” Doesn’t sound like Mozart or Bach. Sibelius 7th – 23 minutes of Arctic Circle serene beauty, here in 90 degree LA. Ain’t life wonderful, with this kind of music available, by masters? Thurs 1:30 p.m., donors invitational rehearsal; Fri 11 a.m., Sat, Sun Fri 8 p.m., Sat 2 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA, $20-189.
TOM BROSSEAU, JAKE XERXES FUSSELL – Not familiar with the headliner Jake Xerxes Fussell (great name, though), but I suggest you get in line nice and early so you don’t miss any of opener Tom Brosseau. For years he would perform occasionally at the monthly Friday night music show at the Church in Ocean Park and I would always recommend him for his sweet tenor and gentle way of storytelling in his songs that draw you in and take you there. Much of the time “there” is North Dakota, where he grew up. He has a ton o’ albums and tours the world, but don’t miss this return to Santa Monica. Maybe one of his fans, Bonnie Raitt, said it best: “Tom Brosseau is a soulful cat.” Sat 8 p.m. McCabe’s, $20.
SOUNDS OF LA with NOBUKO MIYAMOTO – The Getty’s live music shows are back! Kicking off with Nobuko Miyamoto’s “120,000 STORIES,” a genre-bridging concert inspired by her latest album, which reflects on her experience as one of 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II. Joined by a stellar group of musicians, this concert features “songstories,” political and personal reflections that cross race, culture and time, inviting the audience into “Bambutsu no Tsunagari,” a Japanese phrase meaning “the space where all things are connected.” All that, and you can check out the great Getty too.
Sat 8 p.m., Sun 4 p.m., Getty Center, LA, free with reservations, Getty Center parking $15-20.
SARAH SILVERMAN & Friends – apparently bumped for a Judd Aptow benefit, but she is still scheduled for 3/5, Largo at the Coronet, LA.
TOLEDO DIAMOND — Have you gone to catch his unique show yet, every Sunday night at Harvelle’s, here in SM? I’ve been recommending him for… decades. Trust me. You’ve never seen anything like Toledo. Sun 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
BLACK PATRIOTS: Heroes of the Civil War – He was one of the very best to ever touch a basketball, scored more career points than anyone ever (though LeBron may pass him), sure he was hilarious in his short bit in “Airplane” but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a brilliant, creative force who is a noted jazz collector, author of many books, and now narrating and producing this series. I’m sure he has dug up fascinating things that will entertain and educate us. History Channel, premieres Mon 9 p.m.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: LA PHIL with FATHER JOHN MISTY, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 2/25; HERBIE HANCOCK, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 2/27; HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS, Crypto.com Arena, 2/27; DAMN WELL PLEASE ORGAN TRIO, Mardi Gras! Harvelle’s; 3/1; JANIS IAN, McCabe’s, 3/1, 2; THE ENGLISH BEAT, The Bourbon Room, 3/4, 5; ARTURO SANDOVAL, Catalina Jazz Club, 3/4, 5; SARAH SILVERMAN & Friends,Largo at the Coronet, 3/5; RICK SHEA, JULIE CHRISTENSEN, McCabe’s, 3/6; SOUNDS OF LA with SALAR NADER, Getty Center, 3/12, 13; LA OPERA presents BACH’S ST. MATTHEW PASSION, 3/12. 17. 20.23. 26. 27; MIDORI, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 3/13; HILLARY HAHN, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 3/18, 19, 20; DAVID HIDALGO, RICK HOLMSTROM BAND, McCabe’s, 3/20; LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III, McCabe’s, 3/21. 22; LA PHIL plays MAHLER 7th, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 3/24. 26, 27; LA PHIL with ZUBIN MEHTA, MOZART’S GREAT MASS, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 3/31, 4/1, 2, 3.
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 36 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com