By CHARLES ANDREWS
“GIVING TUESDAY”?
Just another day invented to separate us from our money? Probably. But if you were involved with a group trying to improve the world, wouldn’t you jump all over it?
Sure. Of course, the first question is, why is that necessary, when we invest our governments with immense money, power, and systems to take care of things like hunger, shelter, education? Well, that’s getting into a whole other can of worms called dirty politics, so dirty that children go hungry in the wealthiest nation on earth. There is no lack of food or money, just a lack of political will. Gotta keep the billionaires and corporations fat and happy. I get so sick of TV ads pulling at our heartstrings, asking us to help kids with cancer and veterans and families without shelter, and mistreated animals. Not a single person in Canada or the UK, or many other developed nations, is suffering from medical debt, not one. It’s insane.
But the fact remains that for now, there are many worthwhile groups who need financial help. And let’s not forget the arts. So even though it’s not “Giving Tuesday” anymore, I’m sure they would gladly accept your help. We are “starving” for the arts in good ol’ America, so let’s help out there. It is proven to provide a better life for us all.
So many to choose from. I’m going to suggest a local one I’m familiar with, doing such great work, and an international one, also providing unique support, that you might never otherwise discover.
THE RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE
Far too many Santa Monicans don’t even know they’re there, at the Santa Monica Airport, since 2003. They are so missing out on exceptional theatre you might not expect in such a small city. Many of their original productions go on to larger and more famous venues, even internationally. I have seen almost every production over the past eight years, and while live theatre can be a very personal taste, I have never seen anything there that wasn’t top shelf, even when not my particular cuppa tea. They tackle classics and a lot of original, almost experimental scripts. They are great with musicals. Full disclosure: their producing artistic director, Mike Myers, is a longtime friend of mine. The group was founded by John Ruskin. Myers does a lot of teaching and has also taken on fundraising (nearly $1M) for their imminent move to new digs, just down the street. They still need donations to make that move a reality. Once a month for 17 years, the Ruskin has been the home of the treasured monthly spoken word series “Library Girl,” founded and produced by local author Susan Hayden. We are lucky they all chose Santa Monica as home, and we must help them survive. You can go to the Ruskin web page to donate: https://www.ruskingrouptheatre.com/
THE CENTER FOR CUBAN STUDIES
What?! For those Commies? Think what you will of the Cuban government, Fidel is long gone and so is his successor brother Raul, but the American embargo has cruelly persisted for 65 years and has been a terrible hardship for the Cuban people, who are no threat to the U.S. and as gracious and artistic as any I have ever encountered. People think of their music, but they are just as accomplished in all art forms. Fidel was shunned by the U.S. and forced to turn to the Russians for the survival of his country, cut off because he nationalized business, including American ones – all politics is $$, isn’t it? To this day, some Cuban ex-pats furiously resist any relations with Cuba. Many of them left Cuba because they were in favor with the dictator Batista, whom Fidel overthrew. When the U.S. was suffering terribly through COVID, the Cubans offered to send medical teams, which we refused. (They didn’t need our vaccines: they developed their own, just as effective.) I never verified it, but was told by several Cubans that Trump wanted to build a tower in Havana, and they said no.
Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful ever, recently devastated the eastern half of the island, making power, water and food, and other necessities even scarcer. The Center for Cuban Studies has been helping the people there since 1972. You can support their humanitarian work for our Caribbean neighbors in three ways: become a member, buy their great calendar (this year: album cover art), or do yourself the favor of your life and go to Cuba on one of their tours. The website could be a bit more helpful, but if you want to do any of those things, contact Director/co-founder Sandra Levinson (you can tell her I sent you). She is truly a force of nature and a beautiful human being. https://www.centerforcubanstudiestours.org/
DAN HALL – CAROLINE TOROSIS – NATALYA ZERNITSKYA – JESSE ZWICK
My weekly reminder of which four City Council members voted down the best offer we will ever have to restore our historic Civic Auditorium, likely because all are full on board with densifying Santa Monica housing even more than it already is. Build higher, much higher, and build tiny apartments not meant for families. And the Civic is likely not the only site in their sights.
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
LA OPERA, “LA BOHEME,” PUCCINI – Think of it as “Friends,” two centuries ago, having more raucous fun on a lot less money. Sure, it’s a “warhorse,” but that just means it’s really popular, standing the test of time, across borders. The story is realistic and involving (LA audiences can relate to starving young artists), a heartbreaker, but the key, of course, is Puccini’s score. You probably wouldn’t recognize the Italian titles, but there are a couple of arias and a duet in the first two acts that may have you humming along (not too loud). The reviews are a little mixed, but not on any major considerations. This is an original LA Opera production that I saw nine years ago, so definitely I’m ready again. No excuse for missing this classic. Thurs, Sat, next Wed 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA, $49-435.
JACKY TERRASSON TRIO – I knew the name forever, but never saw him until Ruth Price brought him to the Jazz Bakery, maybe a year ago. He is sensational. Don’t miss. Fri, Sat 7:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., Sam First, LAX, $45-50.
“HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU” – Panel game show format takes on politics and current events, but it’s more important to be funny than right. Often hilarious. The chaos is overseen by one of my favorites, Roy Wood Jr., but his two team captains, Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, dish up the biggest laughs, most of them spontaneously. Sometimes they have a lame guest panelist on, but Michael, Amber, and Roy carry the show. Every Sat, 9 p.m., CNN
HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES – You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, 9-11:30, 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 p.m., Cinema Bar, Culver City, free.
RECOMMENDED:
HOLY TOLEDO!
TOLEDO DIAMOND – His decades-long Sunday night residency at Santa Monica’s Harvelle’s, the oldest blues bar in LA (almost a century!), is the stuff of myth. 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. Sun 9 p.m., Harvelle’s, Santa Monica, $13.
JACKSHIT – Well, you still might not know Jackshit because, amazingly, kudos to booker Wayne Griffith, this Tues-Wed-Thurs mid-week booking of this niche act is sold out. Proving how hip the McCabe’s crowd is because Jack is really good, a lot country, a bit rock and roll, a dash of punk, and a barrel of attitude. And they can play. Only in LA. Tues, Wed, Thurs 8 p.m., McCabe’s, Santa Monica.
COMING ATTRACTIONS (also recommend): JACKSHIT, McCabe’s, 12/9, 10, 11; TOLEDO DIAMOND, Harvelle’s Santa Monica, 12/7, 14, 21, 28; LA OPERA’s “LA BOHEME,” Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 12/4, 6, 10, 14; HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES, Cinema Bar, 12/8, 15, 22, 29; JACKY TERRASSON TRIO, Sam First, 12/5, 6; JACKSHIT, McCabe’s, 12/9, 10, 11;
DOWN THE ROAD (also recommended): LA PHIL, MOZART, SIBELIUS, Disney Hall, 12/12, 13, 14; CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET w/ GERALD CLAYTON, Blue Note, 12/15; ALLMAN BETTS FAMILY REVIVAL, Orpheum Theatre, 12/20.
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
