Fri. April 5 -- Cornetist Bobby Bradford (Ornette alum and mentor to many) reunites with longtime improvisin' tuba pard William Roper and adds drummer Vijay Anderson. Read my auld interviews with Bradford here and Roper here. At The Battery Books & Music, 26 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena 91101; 8pm; $10; (626) 376-9913.
Fri. April 5 -- Havana Cuba All-Stars are a buncha musicians and a coupla dancers who dig into the gnarly Afro-originated rhythms and joyful plaints of their native commie isle. (No, I don't know any of their names, what am I, a mind reader? Info on the site and the web is scant.) But the government makes sure they're all trained real good, as I can attest from having visited Cuba, where even the guitarist on the streetcorner was a government-trained virtuoso who probably also moonlighted as an endocrinologist. At Cal State L.A.’s Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Drive, L.A. 90032; 8pm; $35-$55; (323) 343-6600; www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri. April 5 -- Individualistic country-rock genii I See Hawks in L.A. celebrate their double-decade anniversary with an acoustic set. Ray Bonneville and Richie Lawrence support. At the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena 91001; 8pm; $25; reservations (626) 798-6236; cash or checks only; no booze; www.coffeegallery.com.
Fri. April 5 -- What a pair: universal piano explorer John Beasley with ex-Headhunters windman Bennie Maupin. Gonna be tunefully abstract. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Sat. April 6 -- The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra celebrates the birthday of its late leader, Horace Tapscott. Members include saxist Michael Session, windman Jesse Sharps, bassist Roberto Miranda, flutist Maia, pianist Bobby West, drummer Mekala Session and more. The roots continue to grow. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $20; www.theworldstage.org.
Sat. April 6 -- The beautiful trumpet of Christian Scott (7:30) echoes around the equally impressive interior of our vintage rail station in a triply impressive bill featuring wild Afro-groovers Black Nile (5:00), trueborn traditionalist Ryan Cross (6:00) and popular singer Sara Gazarek (4:15). A presentation of Metro Art at Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St., downtown 90012; free but SOLD OUT unless you know the stationmaster or, I assume, unless you're catching a train.
Sat. April 6 -- Guitarist John 5 shreds instrumentals in every genre except Tuvan. With Jared James Nichols, Dead Girls Academy. At the Whisky, 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 7pm; $25 (sold out); (310) 652-4202; www.whiskyagogo.com.
Sun. April 7 -- The Last Days have finally arrived with masked Colombian-American blackmetalmen Thy Antichrist; L.A. blackthrashers Witchaven support, along with Aire Como Plomo, Vile Descent. At Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., downtown 90017; 8pm; $20; www.teragramballroom.com.
Sun. April 7 -- Hay Fever is the wondrous union of L.A. avant all-stars Emily Hay (flute, voice, electronix), Wayne Peet (keys), Steuart Liebig (bass), Brad Dutz (percussion) and Lucio Menegon (guitar). Drummer Breeze Smith, windman Seung Jun Park and bassist Tony Green open as Inversion. At Center for the Arts, 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 7pm; $10; (626) 795-4989.
Mon. April 8 -- Scoop Seattle sludgecore with Heiress, plus Great Falls, This White Light; also, Intrcptr pairs 5ive guitarist Ben Carr and Pelican drummer Larry Herweg for waves of propulsive instro goosh. At Resident, 428 S. Hewitt St., downtown 90013; 8pm; $10; 21+; www.residentdtla.com.
Wed. April 10 -- Well-traveled NYC trumpeter David Weiss leads a star sextet with pianist Josh Nelson, windman Myron Walden, saxist J.D. Allen, drummer E.J. Strickland and bassist Alex Boneham. At Mr. Musichead Gallery, 7420 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90046; 7:30pm; $20-$30; www.justjazz.tv.
Thurs. April 11 -- Garretson & Gorodetsky assemble the quartet version of their offbeat jazzaret experience. At the Love Song Bar, 450 Main St., downtown 90013; 8pm; FREE; 21+. (Also in duo at Cafe NELA Sun. April 7, 5pm.)
Thurs. April 11 -- Melodic New York avant trumpeter Kenny Warren plays duets with pals Garrett Wingfield (sax), Booker Stardrum (drums), Clint Dodson (drums), Patrick Shiroishi (sax) and Miller Wrenn (bass). At The Battery Books & Music, 26 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena 91101; 8pm; $7 suggested donation; (626) 376-9913.