Ladies of the canyon 1 (1969) – courtesy photo
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
JONI MITCHELL and the Joni Jam – I gave it some thought. RECOMMENDED, or HIGHLY? After all, her immediately identifiable soul-stirring high tones have dropped a bit over the years, and as a performer, she’s nothing like her former pre-stroke self. She deserves all praise and admiration for having so courageously fought back to learn to talk and sing and even play guitar again, but would you pay $1,600 for standing room right next to the stage? When she won’t be the one performing for most of the concert? I guess the answer is a resounding yes because this year’s Joni Jam is booked for two nights at the Bowl. Her friend and benefactor Brandi Carlisle will be handling most of the music direction role, but she is an outstanding performer in her own right. And she promises this one will be "even crazier" than previous ones. Let’s be real: it’s Joni Mitchell and there’s never been anyone like her and we will all be the poorer when she is gone. So go and catch a glimpse, get a listen, and you may well remember it the rest of your life. After all, few of us have the memory of having gone on a dinner date with her. Sat 7 p.m., Sun 6:30 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $57-2,668.
THEATRICUM BOTANICUM: "The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote" – The 2024 season is almost over! One more performance, of a terrific and oh-so-timely, thoughtful comedy. One of the best of an especially excellent season. How do they do it, for 60 years? Every actor on that stage is a total pro, and sometimes the casts are large. It takes a special talent to project in an outdoor theater, and still come across with the right nuance. Give credit to founder Will Geer’s family, who direct all the shows, act, and come up with new and offbeat material, and reworkings such as this season’s hilarious "Tartuffe - Born Again." I finally caught up with "Hispanic" this past weekend and it is much more involving, thought-provoking and funny than the title lets on. It revolves around a political consulting group looking to eke out the last few votes from a diverse and nuanced Hispanic community of US voters, and the woman they hire last minute who changes their perspectives as she finds her own changing. It is not at all as dry as that makes it sound, and the stage action and laughs are non-stop. This is your very last chance to experience the magic of Topanga Canyon’s Theatricum Botanicum forest setting so don’t miss it. And start planning for next season."Hispanic;" Sun 7:30 p.m. $15-60.
HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES — You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, 9-11:30, for more than a decade now, and hear these hot players run through Django Reinhart-style ‘30s jazz. This amazing ensemble is a treasure. Mon 9 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, free.
RECOMMENDED:
"KOOZA," CIRQUE DU SOLEIL – This is a good bet HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, but hopefully I will be able to report back on that. I’ve only seen a few of their shows but they seem to have retained their high standards all these years, ever since I saw their first one also here on SM Beach, by the Pier, 37 years ago, that launched them to great international success. I think they know they have a rep to maintain with Santa Monicans. Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m., Wed 8 p.m., next Thurs 8 p.m., Santa Monica Pier, $69-357.
CULVER CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL, DELFEAYO MARSALIS – What a treat and a bargain this is! Every Sunday in October, at the beautiful Kirk Douglas Theatre, and boy did they make the right move to bring in Ruth Price of Santa Monica’s Jazz Bakery to book it. After seven decades, her instincts for great players are still top of game. Is it possible to be a Marsalis and not be drenched in musical talent? Trombonist Delfeayo will be leading a quintet, and while he has made a name as a producer of more than 120 recordings, Grammy-nominated and winning, he has also toured with such jazz greats as Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Slide Hampton.There is free parking for three hours at the Culver City Hall with ticket validation. Sun 7 p.m., Kirk Douglas Theatre, Culver City, $10-20.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – No, he didn’t give up his decades-long Sunday night residency at our oldest blues bar in LA, Harvelle’s – somehow he slipped out of my listings and I just now noticed it. Toledo heads up a unique show, a blend of ‘50s hipster jazz and his dancing dames and a most modern smokin’ hot band that gets better all the time. Every Sunday, 9:30 p.m., $12.
COMING ATTRACTIONS (also recommended): Theatricum Botanicum - "The Hispanic/ Latino/ Latina/ Latinx/ Latine Vote" 10/20; JONI MITCHELL and the Joni Jam, Hollywood Bowl, 10/19, 20; "KOOZA," CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, Santa Monica Pier, 10/19-1/5/25; DELFEAYO MARSALIS, Jazz Bakery, 10/20; JEFF LYNNE’S E.L.O., Kia Forum, 10/25, 26; RICK HOLMSTROM BAND, DAVID HIDALGO, McCabe’s, 10/27; TERRY GIBBS, SHORTY ROGERS, Jazz Bakery, 10/27; DAVID GILMOUR, Hollywood Bowl, 10/29, 30, 31; Halloween Organ, Film & Music: "Nosferatu," Disney Hall, 10/31; LA SANTA CECILIA, Wiltern, 10/31.
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 38 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or hate mail to: mailto:therealmrmusic@gmail.com
