By CHARLES ANDREWS
HELLO, MUSIC LOVERS –
Everyone loves some kind of music, and this is the place to find out if there is a performance this week you would not want to miss. LA is the greatest live music city in the world, for variety and quality, so don’t miss out. Some of you have been following this column for eight years. These are not listings; they are my personal recommendations. I would be at every one of these if I could. So look for NOTEWORTHY every week, and rock on!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Tonight – ESPERANZA SPAULDING – Seems hard to believe it’s been 17 years since this slight woman out of Portland hauled her acoustic bass onto stages and amazed everyone, had a smash album two years later, and became the first jazz artist ever to win the Best New Artist Grammy (sorry, Drake and Justin Bieber). She’s playing eight shows in four nights at the new Blue Note club in Hollywood. Aren’t we lucky? Thurs-Sun 7 and 9:30 p.m., Blue Note, Hollywood, $60-100.
Tonight – MOZART “REQUIEM,” BRAHMS, LA PHIL – Get used to not having Dudamel in front starting next season, and get used to reminding yourself this is the LA Philharmonic, one of the great symphony orchestras in the world. And Wolfgang A’s requiem is divine. Thurs 8:00 p.m., Hollywood Bowl, $13-186.
HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, from 9:00 to 11:30, free, for almost 14 years now, and hear these hot players run through Django Reinhardt-style ‘30s jazz. This amazing ensemble is a treasure. Mon 9:00 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, free.
Next Thurs – CELEBRATING ALAN BERGMAN – You may not recognize the name, but there is a reason the roster of artists who are performing at this tribute to the late great songwriter – is jaw-dropping. Peter Erskine, Michael Feinstein, Dave Grusin, Roger Kellaway, Jackson Browne, Seth McFarlane, Tierney Sutton, Lee Rittenour, Paul Reiser, and more and with video tributes, Barbra Streisand, Pat Metheny, and others. If you needed any more reason than that to celebrate this legendary lyricist (partnered with wife Marilyn), it’s a benefit for the precious JAZZ BAKERY in Santa Monica (struggling to replace the arts funding snatched away by Kennedy Center chair D.J. Trump), as requested by Alan Bergman before he died in July. This would have been his 100th birthday. He was also a founding board member of the Broad Center, so the venue is ideal. Next Thurs 7:30 p.m., Broad Stage, SDanga Monica, $105 – 313.
RECOMMENDED:
THEATRICUM BOTANICUM: – We can always count on Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, outdoors in the Topanga Canyon woods, now in their 50th year. It is one of the very best theatre companies in LA, with a mastery of The Bard and moving, thought-provoking topical productions. You had all summer, but it’s not too late. “Strife,” which sounds like today’s horrible headlines (“what compromise is possible when human dignity and health are on the line?”), is gripping, with a great ending. Ditto “Wine.” Then you also have two Shakespeare staples, TB’s forte. Just camp in the canyon all weekend. Will Geer’s TB, Topanga Canyon, “STRIFE,” Fri 7:30 p.m., “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING” Sat 3:30 p.m., Mon 7:30 p.m., “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” Sun 3:30 p.m., “WINE IN THE WILDERNESS” Sun 7:30 p.m., $15-60.
ALAN BROADBENT & HARVIES. – Not familiar with bassist S., but he’s partnered for years with Broadbent, who is a treasure, and that’s good enough for me. This gives you two chances in four days to support the Jazz Bakery and take home exquisite music memories. All in Santa Monica. What a place. Sun 7 p.m., Moss Theater at New Roads School, $43.
TOLEDO DIAMOND – His decades-long Sunday night residency at Santa Monica’s Harvelle’s, the oldest blues bar in LA (almost a century!), is a treasure that you shouldn’t assume will always be there. Toledo choreographs (literally) a truly unique show, a blend of ‘50s hipster jazz and his dancing dames and a most modern smokin’ hot band that gets better all the time. Every Sunday, 9:30 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $12.
COMING ATTRACTIONS (also recommended): THEATRICUM BOTANICUM: “STRIFE” 9/5, 14, 20, 28, 10/4, “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING” 9/6, 8, 13, “WINE IN THE WILDERNESS” 9/7, 14, 20, 27, 29, 10/5, 12, “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” 9/7, 15; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s Santa Monica, 9/7, 14, 21, 28, 10/5, 12, 19. 26; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 9/8, 15, 22, 29, 10/6, 13, 20, 27; LIBRARY GIRL, Ruskin Theatre, 9/14, 10/12, 11/9, 12/14.
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): NEIL YOUNG, Hwd Bowl, 9/15; NINE INCH NAILS, Kia Forum, 9/18, 19; LA PHIL, DUDAMEL LAUNCHES FINAL SEASON, Disney Hall, 9/25, 26, 27, 28; KAMASI WASHINGTON, Blur Note, 9/30-10/5; DWIGHT YOAKAM, Greek, 10/1; DUDAMEL, LA PHIL, STRAVINSKY, Disney Hall, 10/2, 4, 5; DENGUE FEVER, Alex’s Bar, 10/9; DUDAMEL LA PHIL, MAHLER #2 “RESURRECTION,” Disney Hall, 10/9, 10, 11, 12; PETER ERSKINE TRIO, Sam First, 10/11; LA PHIL GALA, DUDAMEL’S FIESTA, BEETHOVEN, DVOŘÁK, REVUELTAS, more, Disney Hall, 10/14; BOZ SCAGGS, Disney Hall, 10/25; ITZHAK PERLMAN, Disney Hall, 10/28; Halloween “HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME,” film + organ music, Disney Hall, 10/31; PATTI SMITH, “HORSES,” Disney Hall, 11/15; LA PHIL, MOZART, SIBELIUS, Disney Hall, 12/12, 13, 14.
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 3,500 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 39 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or hate mail to: therealmrmusic@gmail.com
