Fri.-Sat. Aug. 28-29 -- Pharoah Sanders blows the tenor Trane whistle. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8 & 10pm; $25-$35; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Fri. Aug. 28 -- Vibesman Nick Mancini plays ORIGINAL modern jazz without sacrificing beauty or virtuosity. His quartet with organist Joe Bagg, tenor saxist Tom Catanzaro and drummer Matt Mayhall plays at midnight; he staffs vocalist Elizabeth Lamers’ quartet at 6pm; in between you get The Bill Watrous Quartet, The Matt Falker Trio and The San Gabriel 7. At Pasadena Jazz Institute, 260 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 206, Pasadena 91101; $15; (626) 398-3344; www.pasjazz.org.
Fri. Aug. 28 -- When drummer Virgil Donatli leads a fusionistic unit, you know it’s gonna mess up your head with mastery and mathematics. Featuring keysman Dennis Hamm, guitarist Alex Machacek and bassist Doug Shreeve. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $20; (818) 980-1615.
Sat. Aug. 29 -- Guitarist-keyboardist-singer, composer, distinctively emotional human artist -- former Zappa crony Mike Keneally fronts a self-seasoned metafusion band including guitarist Rick Musallam, bassist Doug Lunn and drummer Joe Travers. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $20; (818) 980-1615.
Sat. Aug. 29 -- Ilka advertises a free burger/dog grill, cheap beer and loose women, not to mention seven heavy bands closing from 10pm with The Chuck Dukowski Sextet, The Shrine and Behold! The Monolith. A no-brainer on so many great levels. Hellfire Red Rock Art & Photography presents the latest “Blazed & Confused” event at Blue Star, 2100 E. 15th St., downtown 90021; doors 5pm; $10; 21+.
Sat. Aug. 29 -- ‘80s-style Strip metal rocks your dick with ex-Dokken/Lynch Mob guitar slinger George Lynch’s Souls of We. Closing a bill of about 300 bands jamming Club Vodka at the Knitting Factory, 7021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 90028; $18; http://la.knittingfactory.com.
Sun. Aug. 30 -- Local/international psychedelians The Mars Volta rock big and freaky. Read my LA Times review from last year here. At Hollywood Palladium, 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 7pm; $35; www.livenation.com.
Wed. Sept. 2 -- For fusion admirers, I just don’t see how this can suck: Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke & Lenny White (three-quarters of Return to Forever) with guests Chaka Khan, Jean Luc Ponty and Bill Connors. Funkjazzy ex-Miles guitarist (and Medeski collaborator) John Scofield precedes with his Piety Street Band; there’s supposed to be another act too. At the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 Highland Ave., Hollywood 90068; 8pm; $1-$96; (323) 850-2000; www.hollywoodbowl.com.
Thurs. Sept. 3 -- Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares’ Divine Heresy goes down like newly sawn metal scraps. With Cazares’ side project Asesino and more. At the Whisky, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; $22; www.whiskyagogo.com; (310) 652-4202.
Read Brick’s Picks in LA Weekly here and Don Heckman’s picks here.
Mark your calendar to avoid leaving town during this year’s Angel City Jazz Fest, Sunday and Monday of Labor Day Weekend, September 6-7 at the John Anson Ford Theater in Hollywood’s Cahuenga Pass. Check the great lineup (Dave Douglas, Bennie Maupin, Tapscott vets, Billy Childs, Alex Cline, lots more) and listen to clips of the artists here.