WAYNE SHORTER – a couple of corrections from his brief R.I.P. last week. I neglected to include that he was also a gifted composer ("Footprints," "Speak No Evil"). He was known mainly for his tenor sax and occasionally played soprano, but not alto.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
CHARLES LLOYD 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION – This will be soooo good. Lloyd is simply a melodic and creative master on the sax, a giant among the big names of the golden age of horn blowers, who disappeared for more than a decade but came back stronger than ever. His two trios are beyond stellar. Lloyd AND pianist Gerald Clayton TOGETHER? It really doesn’t get much better than this. Sat 8 p.m., The Soraya, Northridge, $36-86,
THE HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – Hot Club’s brand of virtuoso, sometimes breakneck Django-style 1930s gypsy swing jazz is found nowhere else and even if it was, it couldn’t possibly be this good. It’s a show worth 50 bucks cover, and worth waiting a year for. 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.
EM – Come see what you’ve been missing, one of the most talented and versatile performers in this whole dang ridiculously talented city of angels. The best shows aren’t always in the arenas and fancy clubs, and you don’t always get what you pay for. Sometimes, you get a lot more. This lady delivers a helluva show. Tues 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, $10.
RECOMMENDED:
TODAY! - BOB MARLEY ONE LOVE EXPERIENCE – Here’s why I recommend this exhibit that I have not yet seen. A lot of Americans still don’t get this, but Bob Marley was one of the greatest performers and musicians (no, not his guitar, his compelling, hypnotic, otherworldly vocal instrument) … ever. And his Wailers were musically phenomenal, and his songwriting ranks with the very best. He was also, not incidentally, a powerful spiritual and political leader worldwide.
Silverlake’s Roger Steffens, the world’s foremost authority on Marley, if not reggae itself, is leading tours every weekend at 1 and 3, and he would not do that if it wasn’t up to snuff. He does caution that this covers only "the Island (record label) years," but that’s what most people are familiar with. Thurs-Sun-Wed 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m. -10 p.m., Mon-Tues 11 a.m. -5:30 p.m., Ovation Hollywood, $20-70.
PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE" – I always knew there was magic coming off the Ruskin stage, and despite a launch with two hours notice, on a night that was pouring rain, it would appear they have done it again. Shows are selling out. Take into account, though, that their reputation for excellence precedes them, and that they have offered few shows in the last few COVID years, and we are starved for some good Ruskin Theatre. It also doesn’t hurt that this is an absurdist comedy about Einstein hanging with Picasso in a Paris Cafe when they were both "relatively" unknown, and it was written by that lovable and very talented goof Steve Martin. Fri, Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., Ruskin Group Theatre, Santa Monica Airport, $20-35.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – Unique, riveting, first class act. There’s nothing like it, it is high performance art and great fun. Degeneracy is rarely so well disciplined. Sun 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
LA PHIL, DVORAK — I’ve been hoping to catch something conducted by rising star Susanna Mälkki, and this program sounds delicious. Dvořák is an unusual and perhaps underrecognized composer who drew from his homeland’s folk traditions, and his inspirited "Slavonic Dances" can take you away. The other piece sounds equally sensual. When asked to describe Felipe Lara’s "Double Concerto" after its first rehearsal, Grammy-winning jazz vocalist and bassist esperanza spalding called it "magic, interdimensional space music," and partner Claire Chase comes armed with a traditional flute and her contrabass version nicknamed "Big Bertha." Next Thurs 8 p.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA, $55-190.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE, "PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE," 3/17, 24, 25, 26, 31, 4/1, 2; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s, 3/19, 26, 4/2, 9, 16, 23, 30; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 3/20, 27, 4/3, 10, 17, 24; EM, Harvelle’s, 3/21, 28, 4/4, 11, 18, 25; ;LA PHIL, SIBELIUS, TCHAIKOVSKY, Disney Hall, 3/30, 31; DEAD CAN DANCE, Greek Theatre, 4/1; HERBIE HANCOCK, Disney Hall, 4/2; MUSE, Crypto.com Arena, 4/6; LA PHIL, SIBELIUS, BRAHMS, 4/7, 8; LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin Theatre, 4/9; RICK SHEA, Cinema Bar, 4/13; BLONDIE, Greek Theatre, 4/19; IGGY POP, Regent, 4/20, Palladium 4/27; WILLIE NELSON 90, Hollywood Bowl, 4/29, 30.
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
