By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– Sept. 21. (Tues.) Further. Featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir. The music of the Grateful dead still lives, as Lesh and Weir, with an all star band take the classics “further” out. The Greek Theatre. (323) 665-3125.
– Sept. 21. (Tues.) John Pisano’s Guitar Night. Pisano teams up for an evening of duets with the guitarist Frank Sinatra loved — Ron Anthony. Bassist John Belzaguy keeps the rhythm together. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Sept. 22. (Wed.) Sally Kellerman. “Hot Lips” returns with another display of Kellerman’s entertaining way with a song. Andy Langham’s piano and arrangements provide the backing. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Sept. 23. (Thurs.) Denise Donatelli. Her enchanting voice and intuitive way with a song are rapidly elevating Donatelli to the highest levels in the crowded field of female jazz vocalists. Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058.
– Sept. 23 – Oct. 3. (Starting Thurs.) Debbie Reynolds. Alive & Fabulous. The title tells it all. MGM’s hottest musical property from the ‘50s still knows how to light up a stage. The El Portal Theatre, North Hollywood. (818) 508-4200.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Kristin Korb. Versatile bassist/singer Korb supports her new CD, In the Meantime with a free performance and two bands: Llew Mathews and Steve Barnes in the first set; Bruce Forman and Aaron Serfaty in the second. LACMA. (323) 857-6000.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Phil Ranelin and Tribe Renaissance. Trombonist Ranelin and his players apply their own unique mainstream sound and style to a musically stimulating encounter with the veteran trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. The Culver Club at the Radisson. (310) 649-1776 ext. 4137.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Willie Nelson & Family. The one and only Willie performs selections from his latest CD, Country Music. Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses open the show. The Greek Theatre. (323) 665-3125.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Doug Webb. One of the Southland’s most popular go-to saxophonists, Webb explores the nocturnal selections on his latest CD, Midnight. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Babatunde Lea Quintet. With Patrice Rushen, Ernie Watts, Gary Brown and Dwight Trible. African, Cuban,, Caribbean and South American rhythms are blended into an irresistibly appealing jazz feast by Lea’s world class ensemble. Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Westchester. (310) 670-4777.
– Sept. 24 & 25. (Fri. & Sat.) Dave Liebman. Saxophonist – and 2011 Recipient of the NEA Masters of Jazz Award – brings his New York Quartet, with guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Marko Marcinko and bassist Tony Marino to a rare Southland club engagement. Don’t miss this one. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Sept. 24 & 25. (Fri. & Sat.) BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet. They’ve been performing traditional creole, cajun and zydeco music since the mid’’70s, and they’re still utterly compelling. On Friday at McCabe’s. (310) 828-4497. On Sat. in a free concert with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Mardi Gras Indians. at Orange County Great Park. (949) 854-4646.
– Sept. 25. (Sat.) Sound of Music Singalong. It’s the ultimate singalong, complete with a giant screen to keep everyone on the same beat in the same scene. There’ll be a pre-show parade for audience members courageous enough to wear costumes.The Hollywood Bowl. (323) 850-2000.
– Sept. 25. (Sat.) Charles Lloyd. Saxophonist/flutist Lloyd, one of the true – if sometimes under-appreciated – originals to emerge from the post-Coltrane era, performs selections from his new CD, Mirror, with the world class backing of pianist Jason Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Jazz Bakery Movable Feast. Nate Holden Performing Arts Center. (310) 271-9039.
– Sept. 25. (Sat.) Kris Kristofferson. A solo acoustic show from the Grammy-winning Kristofferson, one of the stellar talents of the singer/songwriter era . Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. http://www.cerritoscenter.com (562) 918-8501. Also Sept. 26. (Sun.) at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks. (805) 449-2700.
– Sept. 25. (Sat.) Symphonic Jazz Orch. A far too-rare performance by the 67 person SJO, performing jazz, Brazilian music, soul music, classical music and a few world premieres. With guest stars George Duke, Luciana Souza and Raul Midon. Conducted by Mitch Glickman. Host for the evening is comedian Tommy Davidson. Royce Hall. (310) 876-8130.
– Sept. 25. (Sat.) Fiesta Mexicana VIII. Sones, Bailes y Cantares. A colorful evening celebrating the rich folkloric music and dance of Mexico. Among the groups performing – Tamborazo Pancho Villa and Trio Jacaranda. Ford Amphitheatre. (323) 461-3673.
– Sept. 26. (Sun.) Red Holloway and Plas Johnson. Bubba Jackson hosts. KJAZZ Sunday Champagne Brunch. The Twist Restaurant in the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. h
– Sept. 26. (Sun.) 17th Annual Brazilian Summer Festival. The spirit of Brazil has been vividly alive in these Summer Festival events for nearly two decades. And Sunday night will be no exception, with a spectacular performance by the 23-member percussion and dance ensemble Olodum, the group that created samba reggae. Opening the performance, Brasilidade Samba and Pagode show combine body-moving pagode and samba rhythms with a coterie of stunning Brazilian dancers. Ford Amphitheater. (323) 461-3673.
San Francisco
– Sept. 20 & 21. (Mon. & Tues.) George Wein and the Newport All-Stars. An Evening of Conversation and Jazz. The inventor of the outdoor jazz festival displays his chops as a pianist and as an entertaining, anecdote-filled conversationalist. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.
– Sept. 21. (Tues.) Fred Hersch and Nancy King. Pianist Hersch and singer King, A pair of he jazz world’s most consistently inventive, musically adventurous artists, find common musical ground. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– Sept. 22 & 23. (Wed. & Thurs.) The Charles Lloyd New Quartet. Saxophonist/flutist Lloyd, one of the true – if sometimes under-appreciated – originals to emerge from the post-Coltrane era, performs selections from his new CD, Mirror, with the world class backing of pianist Jason Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– Sept. 23 – 26. (Thurs. – Sun.) The McCoy Tyner All-Stars. “All-Stars” is precisely the right title, with Roy Hargrove, trumpet, John Patitucci, bass and Willie Jones III, drums on stage with the ever-stellar Tyner. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.
– Sept. 24 – 26. (Fri. – Sun.) Fri. – Sun.) Geri Allen: Tribute to Eric Dolphy. Allen has assembled the right collection of players for a long overdue tribute to one of jazz’s most remarkable innovators — Oliver Lake, alto sax, Don Byron, bass clarinet, Dwayne Dolphin, bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
New York
– Sept. 21 – 25. (Tues. – Sat. ) “Coltrane Revisited’ Joe Lovano, Steve Kuhn, Lonnie Plaxico and Andrew Cyrille. Combine Lovano’s affection for Coltrane with Kuhn’s remembrances of having worked with Coltrane, add the solid bass and drum work of Plaxico and Cyrille, and expect a musically energizing evening. Birdland. (212) 581-3080.
– Sept. 21 – 26. (Tues. – Sun.) Ravi Coltrane Quartet. He comes from noble lineage, but the most intriguing aspect of Coltrane’s saxophone work is the way he has shaped it into a style which is uniquely, creatively his own. Village Vanguard. (212) 255-4037.
Sept. 23 – 26. (Thurs. – Sun.) Taylor Eigsti Trio with singer Becca Stevens. A former child jazz prodigy, now impressively in his mid-‘20s, Eigsti displays his versatility with his own group, with singer Stevens and with special guests Julian Lage, guitar (Thurs.), singer Gretchen Parlato and pianist Gerald Clayton (Sun.). Jazz Standard. (212) 576-2232.
– Sept. 24. (Fri.) Mike Melvoin Trio. L.A.’s master jazz pianists hits the Big Apple with his favorite New York rhythm team, bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Goodwin. Kitano. (212) 885-7119.
The International Review of Music 