By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– Feb. 2. (Tues.) John Pisano Guitar Night. With Anthony Wilson. Guitar Nights are always good. This should be one of the best. Guitarist, composer and bandleader Wilson is a stunningly versatile talent. Vitello’s (818) 769-0905.
– Feb. 4. (Thurs.) Beyond the Pale. Skirball. The Canadian band doesn’t hesitate to wrap klezmer around everything from bluegrass and jazz to reggae and funk. (310) 440-4500.
– Feb. 4. (Thurs.) Estaire Godinez. Percussionist/singer Godinez brings passionate intensity to eveerything she sings and plays. She celebrates the release of her new CD. Vibrato Grill Jazz… etc. (310) 474-9400.
– Feb. 5. (Fri.) Yamaha Piano All Star Review. A versatile line up of pianists pay tribute to the Yamaha brand with music reaching from romantic classical to straight ahead jazz. Performers include Anna Grinberg, Danny Holt, Milen Kirov, David Roitstein, David Rosenboom, Juris Vikovs, and Liam Viney. REDCAT. (213) 237-2800.
– Feb. 5. (Fri.) Sony Holland. Vocalist Holland’s intimate sound and dramatic phrasing find a perfect blend with the Theo Saunders Quartet. Steamers. (714) 871-8800.
– Feb. 5. (Fri.) Dave Liebman. A too-rare Los Angeles appearance by the versatile, veteran saxophonist Liebman, enhanced by the all-star Southland quartet of Bob Sheppard, bass, John Beasley, piano, Darek Oles, bass and Joe LaBarbera, drums. Upstairs at Vitellos. (818) 769-0905.
– Feb. 5. (Fri.) Laurence Hobgood Trio. Pianist Hobgood has had a lot of visibility as Kurt Elling’s musical associate, but he’s a gifted artist in his own right. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear him in action. Café Metropol. (310) 613-1537
– Feb. 5. (Fri.) Jon Mayer Quartet. Pianist Mayer is a bop master, but he crosses comfortably into other mainstream jazz areas as well. He’s backed by the vertain team of Ernie Watts, tenor saxophone, Chris Conner, bass, Roy McCurdy, drums. Spazio. (818) 728-8400.
– Feb. 5 & 6. (Fri. & Sat.) Strunz & Farah. The guitar duo, with roots in Costa Rica and Iran have been stretching the limits of flamenco jazz and fusion since world music was just becoming a genre on its own. Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210
– Feb. 5 & 6. (Fri. & Sat.) Sambaguru. When the super-heated Katia Moraes and her accomplices in Sambaguru hit the stage, the Brazilian rhythmic pyrotechnics never stop.Friday at Culver Club Raddison. Sat. at Spazio. . Sambaguru.
– Feb. 6. (Sat.) Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. They’ve gone through several incarnations since their founding in 1994, but JFJO continue to blur the boundaries between jazz, rock, funk and avant-garde. The Mint. (323) 954-9400
– Feb. 6. (Sat.) Lanny Morgan. Another bebopper on the loose, alto saxophonist Morgan is also a lyrical ballad player. He performs with the John Heard Trio. Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058.
– Feb. 6. (Sat.) Repast. The Baroque instrumental trio — Amelia Roosevelt (baroque violin), John Mark Rozendaal (baroque violoncello and viola da gamba), and Avi Stein (harpsichord) — are joined by baroque violinist Claire Jolivet and soprano Nell Snaidas for an evening of music from Amsterdam. Th performance complements the Getty’s current exhibit of drawings by Rembrandt and his students. The Getty. (310) 440-7300.
– Feb. 6 – 19. (Sat. – Fri.) Bob Barry Jazz Photography Exhibit. Barry’s extensive jazz performance photos are on display as part of the two week Celebration of Jazz at the Brand Library of Music and Art. (818) 548-2051
– Feb. 7. (Sun.) Mike Lang. The ever-versatile, always-swinging pianist appears with the solid backing of bassist Abraham Laboriel, Sr. and drummer Walter Rodriguez. Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.
San Francisco
– Feb. 2 – 28. Paula West. One of the Bay area’s many fine jazz vocalists, West still hasn’t received the recognition her extraordinary talent deserves. She sings with the George Mesterhazy Quartet. The Rrazz Room. (415) 394-1189.
– Feb. 4. (Thurs.) John Handy. Educator and long-time cutting-edge alto saxophonist brings his admirable skills to a rare one-nighter. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.
– Feb. 4 – 7. (Thurs. – Sun) Charisma!: The Music of Lee Morgan. Selections from the catalog of the great jazz trumpeter are performed by the sterline ensemble of Benny Maupin, Bill Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Geri Allen, Dwayne Burno, Billy Hart. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– Feb. 6. (Sat.) Dionne Warwick. The iconic hit-maker of the ’60s and ’70s still knows how to bring a song to life — even if it wasn’t written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.Castro Theatre. (415) 392-4500.
New York
– Feb. 2 & 3. (Tues. & Wed.) Dorado Schmitt‘ continues his cross-country celebration of the Django Reinhardt centennial. This time with special guest Curtis Stigers. Iridium. (212) 582-0161.
– Feb. 2 & 3. (Tues. & Wed.) Afinidad — the adventurous ensemble formed by Edward Simon and David Binney moves into even more colorful musical territory with special guests Gretchen Parlato, Ben Monder, Rogerio Boccato. Jazz Standard. (212) 576-2232.
– Feb. 2 – 6. (Tues. – Sat.) Oregon, the trail-breaking jazz/world music ensemble is still making superb music — forty years after its founding. With Ralph Towner, guitar, keyboards and trumpet, Paul McCandless, woodwinds, Glen Moore, bass and Mark Walker, drums. Birdland. (212) 581-3080.
– Feb. 2 – 7. (Tues. – Sun.) Jimmy Heath Big Band. Veteran saxophonist/educator Heath has been leading big bands of one sort or another for most of his long, productive musical life. And, at 84, he’s still at it. The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.
– Feb. 3. (Wed.) Mary Foster Conklin. Somewhere between cabaret and jazz, Mary Foster has found an utterly believable musical home. She’s always worth hearing, and never more so than at Café Vivaldi. (212) 691-7538.
– Feb. 4 – 6. (Thurs. – Sat.) David Sanchez Group. Puero Rican tenor saxophonist Sanchez has been honing and shaping his unique musical voice since he arrived on the scene. And it just keeps getting better. Jazz Standard. http://www.jazzstandard.com/red/index.html (212) 576-2232.
The International Review of Music 