By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– Mar. 30 (Wed.) Bill Cantos Quartet. Pianist/singer/songwriter Cantos is a first call rhythm section player. But he’s also a gifted performer in his own right, a songwriter whose works have the feel and the quality of the Great American Songbook. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
– April 1. (Fri.) Dale Fielder. Veteran saxophonist Fielder moves comfortably, and authentically, across all four of the basic saxophones, from baritone to soprano in a style that is as entertaining as it is instrumentally impressive. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
– April 2. (Sat.) The Pink Floyd Experience. A high intensity, live audio-visual recreation of the legendary ‘70s band. The performance features a complete recreation of the 1977 album, Animals, in its entirety. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. (562) 916-8501.
– Mar. 31. (Thurs.) Joe LaBarbera Quintet. LaBarbera, everybody’s A-list drummer steps into the leader’s role with four of the Southland’s most gifted players: pianist Bill Cunliffe, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, trumpeter Clay Jenkins and bassist Tom Warrington. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Mar. 31 – April 2. (Thurs. – Sat.) Lynda Carter. Many may still think of Carter as TV’s Wonder Woman. But in the decades that have passed since the show went off the air, she’s thoroughly established herself as a convincing musical artist. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210
– April 1 – 3. (Fri. – Sun.) Ades and Stravinsky. Thomas Ades conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a performance of Stravinsky’s Concerto for Two Pianos, Les Noce, and his own multi-media composition, In Seven Days. Also in the performance: pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque, Nicholas Hodges and Gregory DeTurck, the Pikrovsky Ensemble and video artist Tal Rosner. Walt Disney Concert Hall. (213) 972-7211.
– April 2. (Sat.) Bill Frisell Trio. An extremely versatile guitarist, Frisell leads a trio – with bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wolleson in a performance matching their live music to visual projections reaching from Buster Keaton to contemporary filmmaker Bill Morrison. A UCLA Live concert at Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101.
– April 3. (Sun.) Takacs Quartet with Nobuyuki Tsujii. The Takacs Quartet bring understanding and authenticity to Bartok’s String Quartet No. 1 and Haydn’s String Quartet No. 59. They will be joined in the second half by pianist Tsujii in a performance of Schumann’s Piano Quintet. A UCLA Live concert at Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101.
– April 3. (Sun.) Branford Marsalis Quartet and the Terence Blanchard Quintet. A pair of the most highly visible players on the contemporary jazz scene share the same state. Hopefully, they’ll find a spot to do something together, as well. Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. (714) 556-2787.
San Francisco
– April 1 – 3. (Fri. – Sun.) Stanley Clarke. The bassists’ favorite bassist takes some time off from his role in Chick Corea’s Return to Forever IV to display his virtuosic musical wares. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– April 2. (Sat.) John Santos. Percussionist, band leader and five time Grammy nominee Santos, a master of Latin traditional music, continually finds compelling relationships between jazz and Latin rhythms. An SFJAZZ concert at Herbst Theatre. (415) 398-5655.
New York
– Mar. 29 – April 3. (Tues. – Sun.) The Michel Legrand Trio. French pianist and composer Legrand has written the scores for dozens of classic films, collaborated with Alan and Marilyn Bergman on some equally classic songs and won three Oscars and five Grammys. He’s also an appealing jazz pianist who rarely performs in clubs, so don’t miss this one. The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.
– Mar. 29 – April 3. (Tues. – Sun.) Two Skirts and a Shirt. Rene Marie, Carla Cook and Allan Harris. Three of the jazz world’s unique and entertaining vocal stylists team up for an evening of wit, sass and song. Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. (212) 258-9800.
– April 1. (Fri.) Malaby/Motian/Sanchez/Monder. Saxophonist Tony Malaby, drummer Paul Motian, pianist Angelica Sanchez and guitarist Ben Monder join up in a dynamic, cross-generational jazz encounter. The Cornelia St. Café. (212) 989-9319.
The International Review of Music 