Fri.-Sat. Oct. 8-9 -- For that combination of ancient dignity and divine spark, you can't beat the Festival of Classical Indian Dance & Music. Got a bunch of imported gurus/musicians on board. At REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown 90012; 7:30pm; $35, $25 students; www.redcat.org.
Fri. Oct. 8 -- Fifth event of the Angel City Jazz Fest. The wondrous pianist Motoko Honda raises intra/extrasensory abstraction to introduce globe-trotting conceptual music documentarian Steve Elkins' film "The Reach of Resonance." At the Gallery Theater of Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 90027; Honda 8:15pm; documentary 9pm; $15; www.angelcityjazz.com.
Sat. Oct. 9 -- Last event of the Angel City Jazz Fest. The ECM albums of electric guitarist John Abercrombie have provided inspiration to generations of jazzsters (including Nels Cline) looking for a more flowing, intuitive approach to improvisation. He's got guts, too. Abercrombie's quartet includes violinist Mark Feldman, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Joey Baron. Read my review of the first three Angel City events here. A co-presentation of the Jazz Bakery's Movable Feast at the Musicians Institute, 1655 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood 90028; 8pm & 9:30pm; $25; www.jazzbakery.org.
Sat. Oct. 9 -- Guitarist-singer Leni Stern adds Western songwriter flavor to the deep African rhythms of her world-derived band. Read my review of her new album here.. At the Blue Whale on the third floor of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; 9pm-midnight; $10; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sat. Oct. 9 -- Captain Beefheart fanatics will not want to miss this interview & film evening. At 7pm, the Magic Band documentary "Crow's Milk" screens. At 8pm, Beefheart skinsman John French (a.k.a. Drumbo) gets interviewed by Gerry Fialka. After that, French signs his book "Beefheart: Through the Eyes of Magic," and a film of the Magic Band live in London in 2003 is screened. At Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado St., L.A. 90026.
Sun. Oct. 10 -- The great jazz singer Jimmy Scott celebrates his 85th birthday, backed by his quartet, the Jazz Expressions. Scott, in case you don't know, can stop time, stop your heart and change the nature of reality. At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 8:30pm; $42.50; (323) 848-5800; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sun. Oct. 10 -- Latin-jazz star Poncho Sanchez gets honored at L.A. Jazz Society's Tribute Awards, with Leonard Maltin hosting and performances by Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Cunliffe Big Band, Mike Melvoin Trio, Chloe Feoranzo. At the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, 333 S. Figueroa St., downtown 90012; 4:30pm; $50-$250; (818) 994-4661; www.lajazz.org.
Tues. Oct 12 -- A quite awesome and varied heavy show: Alice in Chains, Deftones and Mastodon (pictured). Read my review of AiC's latest here and Mastodon's latest here. At Gibson Amphitheater, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608; 7:15pm; $25-$85; www.livenation.com.
Thurs. Oct. 14 -- The L.A. Jazz Collective presents Anthony Wilson, a guitarist who milks the tradition without losing energy. Son of bandleader Gerald Wilson, y'know. At the Blue Whale on the third floor of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; 9pm-midnight; $10; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs. Oct. 14 -- More of metal's best: Polish semimelodic darkmen Vader (pictured), Immolation (read my review of their current album here), Abigail Williams (no chicks in the band, sorry) and five more bands. At the Whisky, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; www.whiskyagogo.com; (310) 652-4202.
Thurs. Oct. 14 -- Devin Townsend has garnered wide acclaim in the metal community for his precision as a producer and his sharpness as a guitarist. As a singer, not so much. With a bunch of other acts. At the Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 7:30pm; $17; 15+; www.keyclub.com; (310) 274-5800.
Thurs. Oct. 14 -- Missincinnati don't mind if you sing along. Of course, you might not be a historian of obscure sea chanties like them, so you won't know the lyrics. With Slumber Beast, Marshweed, Ezra Buchla/Emily Lacy. At Echo Curio, 1519 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park 90026; 9pm; $5; (213) 977-1279; www.echocurio.com.
Thurs.-Sat. Oct. 14-16 -- When Stanley Clarke plays bass, you pretty much just gotta stand back and gape. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8 & 10pm; $30-$40; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Read Brick Wahl’s jazz picks in LA Weekly here, Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.