John Renbourn, McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 7.14.06, 8pm
Guitarist John Renbourn is a forefather of the contemporary British folk music scene and regarded as one of the world’s preeminent fingerstyle pickers. The Torquay, England native began honing his guitar skills while just a teen. One of his earliest influences was an instructional book by Rod McKuen entitled How to Play Guitar. It was responsible for familairiizing Renbourn with the music of many American folk artists and ultimately shaping his classic style. He is a founder of the legendary group, Pentangle, which blends British and Celtic folk with blues, jazz, British early music, classic guitar and Eastern styles. Come and experience this true pioneer in one of L.A.’s finest down-home venues. McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Blvd., SM, 310.828.4497, www.mccabes.com, $20
Dale Fielder, Jazz Bakery, July 13, 8/9:30pm
One of the things that causes saxophonist Dale Fielder to stand out is his uniqueness. Influenced primarily by John Coltrane, whom he refers to as his master and guiding light, Fielder is quite adept at playing all three saxophone varieties with equal mastery. Other influences include Wayne Shorter, Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington. When Dale is playing, he invariably does so with the utmost spirituality. Everything he conveys musically is both sincere and meaningful. Fielder learned to play music the old fashioned way: by ear. This was done by either by listening to albums or playing on stage with older, more experienced musicians. He feels this greatly contributed to his having found his own voice musically. Let Mr. Fielder demonstrate for you his ability to move hearts! Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., CC, 310.271.9039, www.jazzbakery.org
