Fri. Nov. 23 -- As long as it's Black Friday, might as well celebrate the music of Black Flag with It's Casual, Fatso Jetson, Generators and Chuck Dukowski Sextet. (Chuck used to wave the Flag as bassist, y'know; he'll be taking a jazzier approach to the punque-metalle tradition.) Just like the bargain floor at Wal Mart, by the end of this blowout there'll be "Nothing Left Inside." Anything you don't like, see Henry at the Returns counter. At the Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 7:30pm; $10; all ages; www.troubadour.com.
Fri.-Sat. Nov. 23-24 & Thurs. Nov. 29 -- Keep the formidable Afro-soul quartet of Azar Lawrence, Theo Saunders, Henry Franklin & Alphonse Mouzon in mind during their every-Thursday-thru-Saturday stand, which ends next week. At the RG Club, 2536 Lincoln Blvd., Venice 90291; 9pm; cheap.
Fri.-Sun. Nov. 23-25 -- King of gloom Dmitri Shostakovich wiped his brow over Stalin's death with his 10th Symphony (1953), described in the program notes as "48 minutes of tragedy, despair, terror and violence, and two minutes of triumph." That Allegro kicks tail, though, and the program spotlights some younger stars: Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko and, playing the instantly familiar Grieg Piano Concerto, Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski. Nielsen's Maskarade Overture opens. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown 90012; Fri. 8pm, Sat.-Sun. 2pm; $24-$187; call (323) 850-2000; www.laphil.org.
Sat. Nov. 24 -- Jazz, blues and class combine in seasoned singer Barbara Morrison with BMPC All-Stars Band. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30pm; $25; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sat. Nov. 24 -- Ulrich Krieger & His Brass Trio gonna git ya some oblique concepts of the kind that the composer-saxist has squeezed out of associations with John Cage, Lou Reed, Merzbow, et al. At Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice 90291; 9:30pm; $20, students $10; (310) 822-3006; www.beyondbaroque.org.
Tues. Nov. 27 -- Because it's truly metal and truly funny, I'd probably watch Adult Swim's "Metalocalypse" more often if I bothered with DVRs, knowing the virtual band Dethklok actually has good tunes; in concert, the masked non-cartoon musicians include top dudes: mastermind Brendon Small plus guitarist Mike Keneally, drummer Gene Hoglan and bassist Bryan Beller. And that ain't all. This mega-show also includes Bay Area thrash-plus vets Machine Head (whose latest, "Unto the Locust" was one of last year's most masterful metal drops), popular melodi-riffers All That Remains and deathly power punchers The Black Dahlia Murder. Looks as if it ain't sold out yet, so act now. At Hollywood Palladium, 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 6pm; $48; www.ticketmaster.com; (323) 962-7600.
Tues.-Fri. Nov. 27-30 -- Now, here's an odd combination that works on some levels: the trio of pianist Marcus Roberts (who brilliantly adds personality and modernism to older jazz traditions) with Bela Fleck (who plays, y'know, jazz banjo among other things). The two released the appropriately titled "Across the Imaginary Divide" this year, and even though it's kinda cutesy, it skips along real nice. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30 & 10:30pm; $35-$50; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Wed. Nov. 28 -- For something outfield but listenable, try the electronified trombone-bass-drums trio of Michael Dessen, Chris Tordini & Dan Weiss. 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; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs. Nov. 29 -- Past his '90s roots in the L.A. post-trad jazz group Black/Note, bassist-composer Marcus Shelby has built himself into something of a Bay Area cultural-educational institution, but he still comes down here now and then to run one of his conceptual projects up the flagpole. This time he's doing "Blues and the Pursuit of Freedom," with tunes about Harriet Tubman, MLK and a bunch more. His quintet features vocalist Tiffany Austin, sax man Howard Wiley, pianist Adam Shulman and drummer Jeff Marrs. At the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., LA 90049; 8pm; $20, students $10; www.skirball.org.
Thurs. Nov. 29 -- UFO rarely power down, but I happen to think Phil Mogg & the gang's current "Seven Deadly" is a particularly ragin' collection, with rock strutters like "Wonderland" and potent emotional statements like "Angel Station." Even without classic bass madman Pete Way, it's got a soulful feel. With Stonebreed and probably more. At the Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 6:30pm (UFO 11pm I'm guessing, but get there earlier cuz it fills up); $25; 18+; www.keyclub.com; (310) 274-5800.
Thurs. Nov. 29 -- When Alice Cooper stopped being a dangerous rock star and started being a career professional around 1974, I admit I was disappointed. But he's still got a big, fun show, and a catalog of songs ("Under My Wheels," "Black Juju," "Poison") that's hard to match. I fully expect that one day he'll be singing "I'm 80, and I don't know what I want." With Kill Devil Hill, the hard-rock supergroup featuring Rex Brown (Pantera), Vinny Appice (Dio), Mark Zavon and Dewey Bragg -- sounds a bit like that other Alice, In Chains. At the Orpheum Theater, 842 S. Broadway, downtown 90014; 8pm; $51-$94; all ages; (877) 677-4386; www.laorpheum.com, www.ticketmaster.com.
Thurs. Nov. 29 -- Swiss pagan melodo-metal mythologists Eluveitie play their whole new concept album, "Helvetios," plus the hits. I never know whether to wear the buckskin, the armor or the wizard outfit. With compatible Finns Wintersun and Germans Varg. At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 8pm; $25; (323) 848-5100; www.livenation.com.
Thurs.-Sun. Nov. 29-Dec. 2 -- L.A.'s groovinest eclectomorphs, Kneebody, launch a four-day stand with special guests, including Daedalus (Friday) and Louis Cole & Genevieve Artadi (Saturday). 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; parking $5 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908, RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
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Read Don Heckman’s jazz picks here and MoshKing's metal listings here. Read John Payne's plutonic Bluefat.com here.