Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band, December 16, 8pm
For most folks, being one of our nation’s finest, most original filmmakers would suffice – not for the overachieving Woody Allen, though. A longtime lover of American jazz, the “Woodman” is an accomplished Dixieland jazz clarinetist who, for nearly twenty-five years, has been surprising audiences with his impressive musical acumen.
Having been the subject of the 1998 documentary Wild Man Blues, Allen knows a thing or two about how to entertain musically. Join Woody and his sextet as they tear into an assortment of Dixieland numbers sure to please both fans of the nebbishy-one as well as New Orleans jazz proponents alike.
UCLA Live, Royce Hall, Westwood, 310.825.2101, www.uclalive.org, $125/$105/$85/$60
Anthony Wilson, December 16, 8/9:30pm
Jazz guitarist-composer Anthony Wilson’s inceptive, self-titled CD received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Recording in 1998. Additionally, his subsequent releases such as Goat Hill Junket and Power of Nine have garnered enviable notices too. While both a sensitive and gifted accompanist, Wilson shines as a formidable soloist as well – something he’s likely to exemplify on this night at one of LA’s primo jazz venues. He’s also recorded and/or toured with the likes of Diana Krall, Al Jarreau, Aaron Neville and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra to name but a few.
The Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., CC, 310.271.9039, www.jazzbakery.org, $25
