Fri. Aug. 26 -- Slake, the mag that don't forsake the shake & bake of artistic lito-writarianism, throws another party in celebration of its new ish (No. 3 now, howbout that). Buy a copy for around $20 and soak up the atmosphere of experimental DJs from the Ojo collective, roots twang from Old Californio, visual display from the contributors, free flatbread and coffee, and purchaseable beer, chicken, franks and pie, but they should also have cake, which rhymes. Read Slake and stay awake. At Atwater Crossing, 3245 Casitas Ave., Atwater 90039; 7:30pm; $5 online, $8 at the site; full details here.
Sat. Aug. 27 -- Helmet, about the raddest and skronkiest band to arise from the murk of the nu-metal era, is doing a quickie tonight; you can get Page Hamilton's Portlandian sweat on your face in this intimate joint. Royal Pirates, Stretford End and Battle Tapes precede from 9pm; Helmet rocks at midnight. At the Viper Room, 8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; $20, advance tix recommended; (310) 652-7869; www.viperroom.com.
Sat. Aug. 27 -- The Gathering of the Bestial Legion metal fest has been POSTPONED to a different date and place yet to be determined, because the venue, the Proud Bird, canceled all events following a non-metal-related shooting there.
Sat. Aug. 27 -- A decade or so back, The Los Angeles Jazz Quartet played an important role in redefining SoCal jazz in a site-specific direction of quiet intellectual beauty. And they still get together now and then: saxist Chuck Manning, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Darek Oles and drummer Mark Ferber, masters all. 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; validated parking underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sun. Aug. 28 -- I See Hawks in L.A. meld the real and the surreal that have both always lurked beneath the surface of American country music. "Banjo fiddler" Cliff Wagner opens solo. At the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena 91001; 7pm; $18; reservations (626) 798-6236; www.coffeegallery.com.
Mon. Aug. 29 -- This is the last local theatrical screening for the documentary "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne," which takes an inside squint at the metal godfather through the eyes of son Jack Osbourne and directors Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli. Few own a storybook like the Ozzman's; good to have an authorized pro shoot. Get the schedule and buy tickets here. DVD release in November.
Tues.-Wed. Aug. 30-31 -- Michael Wolff is one versatile pianist-composer. I don’t want to say eclectic, because that implies lazy pick-and-choose; this guy does world, straight-ahead, New Orleans, etc. with complete discipline and imagination. Must be why he was Arsenio's music director. With an all-star band: the equally well-traveled trumpeter Mark Isham, bassist John B. Williams and drummer Mike Clark. At Vitello's Restaurant, 4349 Tujunga Ave., Studio City 91604; 8 &10 pm; $15 cover plus $13 minimum; (818) 769-0905; www.vitellosrestaurant.com.
Wed. Aug. 31 -- Drummer-vibraphonist Brad Dutz and his quartet always have something original to say in their alternate world of multitextured chamber/improv; the atmospherically appealing Slumgum have been getting their groove on all over town to great effect; read my recent review 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; validated parking underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs.-Sun. Sept. 1-4 -- You're kidding, Charlie Haden's Quartet West have been at it for 25 years? Now that I mention it, I vividly remember buying their debut record (in vinyl!) at Tower Records when it came out in 1988, not to mention seeing them in places that haven't existed for decades. Original drummer Larance Marable has been replaced by Rodney Green, I think; Ernie Watts (sax) and Alan Broadbent (piano) remain. Hall of Fame bassist Haden provides the rich heartbeat of vintage L.A. noir with which the group has always synchronized. The quartet's current album, "Sophisticated Ladies," features a raft of singers including Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Norah Jones and Haden's wife, Ruth Cameron, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a songbird at the mike. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8 & 10pm; $22-$35; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.