Fri. June 15 -- It's great that, some 14 years after first coalescing, Los Angeles Jazz Quartet still get together on an irregular basis. Bassist Darek Oles, guitarist Larry Koonse, saxist Chuck Manning and (lately) drummer Kendall Kay poured something like a template for the educated younger L.A. jazzists of today: coolly virtuosic, melodic, intelligent but not making a big point of it. Perfect for good weather. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 6-8pm; FREE; Friday summer jazz schedule here.
Sat. June 16 -- Not just a concert pianist/composer for the posh crowd, multi-Grammy winner Billy Childs knows how to keep a bar swaying with post-Trane percolations. The band includes topnotch saxist Bob Sheppard plus bassist Reggie Hamilton and drummer Michael Baker. At the Blue Whale on the third level 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.
Sat. June 16 -- The shred, the heaviness, the complexity, the energy, and no vocals: guitarist Tosin Abasi's Animals As Leaders are making significant inroads in the directions of both the metal and fusion communities, active only three years but really a band to watch. Read my LA Times interview with Abasi here. Not to take anything away from headliners Thrice ("Before the cock crows twice, thou shalt deny me . . ."), a wide-ranging band of postpunk songwriters who're about to suspend campaigning so singer Dustin Kensrue can do the family and church thing. O'Brother opens. At Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown 90015; 7pm; SOLD OUT; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sun. June 17 -- With understated charm (left) and pierced humor (right), Weba Garretson & Ralph Gorodetsky sing and play an original song cycle that skates the outer edges of poetic folk. Gonna do any Brazilian, Weba? At Battery Books and Music, 1005B Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 7pm; free I think; (626) 376-9913.
Sun. June 17 -- Party down with the nonfake '50s-plus jazz of The Elliott Caine Quintet, featuring the trumpeter plus saxist Carl Randall, pianist Mahesh Balasooriya, bassist Trevor Ware and drummer Kenny Elliott. At the York Bar and Restaurant, 5018 York Blvd., Highland Park 90042; 7:30-10pm; (323) 255-9675.
Tues. June 19 -- Swedish gloomsters Marduk have been belching the finest in pagan blasphemy for two decades. And those who enjoy waves of noise with goop-soaked guitar melodies will enjoy Norway's blackened 1349 (celebrating the year the Black Death reached their country) as much as I do. Enough corpsepaint onstage to cover your living room. At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 8pm; $23; (323) 848-5100; www.livenation.com.
Wed. June 20 -- Hang all night. At 5pm there's a reception celebrating the visual art of Bryan Schnelle, brother of drummer-about-town Dan Schnelle, I bet. Then around 9, Nine Winds Records blows up another segment in its festival of Wednesdays with the California modernism of the Daniel Rosenboom Septet (Rosenboom also trumpets in Vinny Golia's unit), and the always brain-twisting (yet increasingly accessible) Vinny Golia Sextet. Plus good food and booze. Why leave? At the Blue Whale on the third level of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; $10; validated parking underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Wed. June 20 -- Time to go bassmental as Pure Filth installs a special speaker systesm so The Echodelic Soundsystem DJs can maximally battle The Dublab DJs and rock you to your very roots in this edition of Dub Club, which also includes legendary U.K. DJ David Rodigan, modern phenoms Seven Star International, cumbia groovers Buyepongo, DJ Lengua, beatmaniacs Matthewdavid & Diva, and videos. Is there gonna be any room for the audience? Maybe so, since the upstairs Echo is part of the deal. At the EchoPlex, 1154 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park 90026; doors 9pm; $15 ($10 before 10pm); www.attheecho.com.
Thurs. June 21 -- I got a familiar twinge when Al Jourgensen announced the retirement of original industrial beat noisemasters Ministry a few years ago, and sure enuf . . . At Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown 90015; 7:30pm; $26-$107; www.ticketmaster.com.
Kyle C. Kyle, drummer in my band as well as the Skulls, the Willys, Wild Stares, W.A.C.O., Listing Ship, Motels and many more, is ill and could use some help getting established in convalescence. Send a donation if you can.
Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.
Remember "Dogphotoman," the Greg Burk musical mystery novella you used to get on this site for free? You can now pay 99 cents for it as a Kindle eBook! Click here. Readable on any computer by downloading the free Kindle reader.