By the iRoM Staff
Los Angeles
– Jan. 22. (Tues.) Vicki Ray. Piano Spheres. Exploration of contemporary music is at the heart of the Piano Spheres program. This time, adventurous pianist Ray (with a chamber ensemble of musician friends) interprets the music of Stravinsky as well as new works by composers from Asia, Europe and the U.S. Zipper Hall, Colburn School.
– Jan. 22 & 23. (Tues. & Wed.) Shen Yun 2013 World Tour. Founded by expatriate Falun Gong practitioners in New York, works to “revive the essence of 5000 years of Chinese culture” via extraordinary displays of Chinese classical, ethnic and folk dance. With Orchestra. The Fred Kavli Theater in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. (805) 449-2787.
– Jan. 23. (Wed.) The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour. High quality music is the basic foundation of the MJF. And this rare evening underscores how captivating that music can get in the hands of artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Benny Green, Lewis Nash, Chris Potter, Ambrose Akinmusire. Valley Performing Arts Center. (818) 677-3000.
– Jan. 23. (Wed.) Mike Lang. Pianist Lang’s long productive career reaches from Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles to Lee Konitz to Barbra Streisand, John Lennon and dozens of stops in between. He’s also recorded more than 2000 film scores. But here’s a chance to hear the ultimate inner Lang, musically up close and personal in a trio setting. Catalina Bar & Grill. (223) 466-2210.
– Jan. 23. (Wed.) “A Jazzy Tribute to the Negro Baseball Leagues.” Film maker and singer Byron Motley and special guests guitarist Phil Upchurch and pianist Corky Hale-Stoller celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the great athletes of the Negro Baseball Leagues. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Jan. 24. (Thurs.) John Beasley Residency III. The Monk’estra Big Band. Beasley’s impressive skills as a pianist and composer are applied to a fascinating evening of large group jazz. The Blue Whale. (213) 620-0908.
– Jan. 24 – 26. (Thurs. – Sat.) Stanley Clarke Band. The brilliant bass playing of Clarke brings vivid life to wherever he plays. And it’s even better when he’s leading his own band of talented young artists. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.
– Jan. 24 – 27. (Thurs. – Sun.) The Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor Ludovic Morlot, leads the L.A. Phil in a program of great classics – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 — and contemporary French composer Henri Dutilleux’s Shadows of Time. Walt Disney Hall. (323) 850-2000.
– Jan. 26 & 27. (Sat. & Sun.) The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Helmuth Rilling offers a rare performance of Mozart’s poignant Requiem and his classic Symphony No. 39. With the aid of the USC Thornton Chamber Singers. Sat: at the Alex Theatre. http://www.alextheatre.org Sun: At Royce Hall. http://cap.ucla.edu/visit/royce_hall.asp (213) 622-7001.
– Jan 27, 28 and 29. (Fri., Sat. & Sun.) The New West Symphony. The N.W.S., under the baton of Marcelo Lehninger, performs the West Coast Premiere of “Visions of America: A Photo Symphony.” Music by Roger Kellaway. Lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Photography by Joseph Sohm. Vocals by Judith Hill and Steve Tyrell. With piano by Norman Krieger. And a recorded narration by Clint Eastwood. Friday at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Saturday at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and on Sunday at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica.
– Jan. 27. (Sun.) Ron Jones Jazz Influence Orchestra. The Jazz Influence Orchestra returns to Vitello’s for yet another banquet of big band jazz, played by the Southland’s finest musicians. To read a recent iRoM review of the Jazz Influence Orchestra click HERE. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Jan. 27. (Sun.) Lisa Hilton. Her highly personal style, as a pianist, a composer and an improviser, has established Hilton as one of the uniquely individualistic performers on the contemporary music scene. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
San Francisco
– Jan. 24 – 26. (Thurs. – Sat.) Joe Lovano’s Us Five. Adventurous saxophonist Lovano leads the way for his current Us Five ensemble, featuring Esperanza Spalding, James Weidmann, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– Jan. 26. (Sat.) Turtle Island Quartet. The Grammy-winning string quartet, always trying out new ideas, offers a program of original works and music inspired by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. Freight and Salvage. (510) 644-2020.
New York
– Jan. 22. (Tues.) Taarka. The husband and wife leaders of the acoustic group Taarka – the duo of mandolinist David Tiller and violinist Enion Pelta-Tiller — celebrate the release of their new CD, Adventures in Vagabondia. Barbes in Brooklyn. (347) 422-0248.
– Jan. 22 – 26. )Tues. – Sat.) Ann Hampton Callaway. Callaway not only has a gorgeous voice, she also knows exactly how to use it. And it’s especially memorable when she applies it – along with her talents as a musical story teller – to the classics of the Great American Songbook. Birdland. (212) 581-3080.
– Jan. 24 – 27. (Thurs. – Sun.) Omar Sosa and Paolo Fresu. They seem to be an unlikely combination – Cuban keyboardist Sosa and Italian trumpeter Fresu. But the stirring results of their partnership attest to the true globalization of jazz. The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.
London
– Jan. 25 & 26. (Fri. & Sat.) Milton Nascimento. He’s one of the icons of Brazilian music, as a performer and as a composer. And at 70, he’s still going strong. Ronnie Scott’s. +44 (0)7439 0747.
Paris
– Jan. 24. (Thurs.) Steve Cropper and the Animals. The guitarist in Stax Records legendary house band, Cropper takes his unique blend of soul, blues, funk and beyond on the road with a band of eager associates. New Morning. n 01 45 23 51 41.
Berlin
– Jan. 22. (Tues.) Judy Niemack presents “New Voices in Jazz 2013.” A gifted, imaginative singer as well as an admired educator, Niemack introduces a collection of talented, if still relatively unknown young vocal artists: Zola Mennenöh, Laura Winkler, Anna Marlene Bicking and Sophie-Charlott Götte. A-Trane. 030/313 25 50.
Milan
– Jan. 23. (Wed.) Philip Catherine. Belgian jazz guitarist Catherine’s resume reaches from the ‘60s to the present with artists such as Dexter Gordon, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chet Baker, Charlie Mariano, Stephane Grappelli and more. At 70, his playing continues to be as eclectic as it is accomplished. Blue Note Milan. 02.6901 6888.
The International Review of Music 
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