By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Aug. 14 & 15. (Tues. & Wed.) Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour. Cirque du Soleil. The music and lyrics of Michael Jackson are the foundation for a show that “immerses audiences in Michael’s creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down,” performed by the incomparable artists… Read More Picks of the Week: Aug. 14 – 19
By Michael Katz The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival announced its complete schedule yesterday, adding Tony Bennett and Michael Wolff (leading his Cal Tjader tribute band) to a program already rich with stars that include Pat Metheny, Showcase Artist Jack DeJohnette, Esperanza Spalding, Trombone Shorty, Bill Frisell and Artist-in-residence Ambrose Akinmusire. More on all that later.… Read More News: The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival Final Line Up.
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Mar. 6. (Tues.) John Pisano’s “Guitar Night.” Pisano takes his ever-entertaining, ever-popular “Guitar Night” to a new venue. To celebrate the move, the featured guest is veteran guitarist Mundell Lowe. Lucy’s 51. Toluca Lake. (818) 763-5200. Mar. 6. (Tues.) The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet. Guitarist Bergara and his crew bring… Read More Picks of the Week: March 6 – 11
By Michael Katz I’ve made it no secret over the years that I consider The Monterey Jazz Festival one of the world’s great musical weekends. This morning MJF, celebrating its 55th anniversary September 21-23, released a preview of its program: Pat Metheny, Esperanza Spaulding, Trombone Shorty and a new edition of the Monterey All-Stars highlight… Read More News: THE 2012 MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL – FIRST LOOK
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Feb. 14. (Tues.) Nedra Wheeler. Bassist/vocalist Wheeler is a convincing performer as an instrumentalist and a singer. and she’ll no doubt be in rare form with the backing of Lanny Hartley, piano, Clarence Webb, saxophone and Munyungo Jackson, drums. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. – Feb. 15. (Wed.) Spanky… Read More Picks of the Week: Feb. 14 – 19
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Jan. 16. (Mon.) Clare Fischer Big Band. The multiple Grammy-winning composer/arranger/pianist (and more) has a resume reaching from Dizzy Gillespie and Donald Byrd to Prince and Paul McCartney, with numerous stops in between. His own groups have reached from small to large, covering a brilliantly eclectic array of creative… Read More Picks of the Week: Jan. 16 – 22
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Aug. 2 (Tues.) Yes and Styx. Two of the classic rock franchises — still going strong — team up for a display of some of the archetypal music of the ’70s and ’80s. The Greek Theatre. (323) 665-5857. – Aug. 3 – 7. (Wed. – Sun.) John Pizzarelli and… Read More Picks of the Week: August 2 – 7
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – May 31. (Tues.) Bruce Cockburn and Jenny Scheinman. Versatile guitarist/composer Cockburn performs selections from his latest album, Small Source of Comfort, with the aid of eclectic violinist Scheinman. The El Rey. http://www.theelrey.com (323) 936-6400. – May 31. (Tues.) Wayne Bergeron Big Band. One of the jazz world’s finest, most… Read More Picks of the Week: May 31 – June 5
By Tony Gieske I never thought I would be bored at a Bill Frisell concert, but that is what happened to me at Royce Hall on Saturday night. I was looking forward to a rich evening of fully developed playing by Frisell, one of a handful of electric guitar players worth hearing (others being, to… Read More Live Jazz: Bill Frisell at a UCLA Live concert in Royce Hall
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.… Read More Picks of the Week: Mar. 29 – April 3
The International Review of Music 