Fri. May 24 -- Slave to beauty Alan Pasqua leads an openhearted piano trio with nonpareil bassist Darek Oles and drummer Conor Malloy. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $30; www.jazzbakery.org.
Fri. May 24 -- Former Whitesnake bassist Marco Mendoza has always fused with El Trio (featuring drummer Joey Heredia and keyboardist Steve Weingart) as well as rocking and metallicizing. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $25; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Fri. May 24 -- Saxist Danny Janklow regularly cuts clean lines with the perky modernist Collective of vibesman Nick Mancini, who joins Janklow's own band tonight along with bassist Ben Shepherd, drummer Jonathan Pinson, pianist Michael Ragonese and more. 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; $20; 21+; parking $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Fri. May 24 -- Bind it and grind it with lurching, blastbeating Maryland deathmetalmen Noisem, who remind me of the Germs. With Short Temper, more. At the Lexington, 129 E. Third St., downtown 90013; doors 8pm; $10; 21+; (213) 291-5723.
Fri.-Sat. May 24-25 -- Simon Phillips' Protocol finds the well-traveled drummer (Manzanera, Eno, Whitesnake) in intellectual fusion mode with keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz, bassist Ernest Tibbs, guitarist Alex Sill and saxist Jacob Scesney. At Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 8:30pm; $30 Fri., $35 Sat; (323) 466-2210; www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Sat. May 25 -- Ably anchored by drummer Gene Coye and bassist Ben Shepherd, pianist John Beasley's Monk'estra septet fluidly renegotiates the difficult Thelonian oeuvre without pissing off the faithful. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $35; www.jazzbakery.org.
Sat. May 25 -- Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos (formerly of '90s South L.A. champs Black Note) presents a downhome take on postbop with pianist Sam Hirsh, bassist Dave Robaire and drummer Kevin Kanner. At Sam First, 6171 W. Century Blvd., L.A. 90045 (near LAX in front of Marriott Courtyard); 8 & 9:30pm; $25 plus one-drink minimum per set; full bar; snacks; small parking lot in rear, reduced-rate validated parking at nearby Joe's Auto Park; (424) 800-2006; www.samfirstbar.com.
Sat. May 25 -- Bill Evans drummer Joe LaBarbera forms a suitably authoritative quintet with trumpeter Clay Jenkins, windman Bob Sheppard, pianist Bill Cunliffe and bassist Jonathan Richards. 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; $20; 21+; parking $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sat. May 25 -- Atmo-guitar ghost Loren Connors makes a rare L.A. appearance, solo and in duo with Clint Heidorn. The evening starts with the premiere of a documentary about Connors. At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 7pm; $15; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Sat. May 25 -- Enjoy the trumpet and energetic compositions of John Daversa's Progressive Big Band, and afterward send money to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. At the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Studio City 91604; 9:30 & 11:30pm; $28; (818) 980-1615; www.thebakedpotato.com.
Sat. May 25 -- Trumpeter Elliott Caine and friends show retro jazz can be betro jazz. At Colombo's Restaurant, 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041; 9:30pm-midnight; no cover; (323) 254-9138.
Sun. May 26 -- Phil Ranelin & Tribe Renaissance celebrate the souljazz trombonist's 80th birthday and offer a new collectible reissue box of rare Ranelin LPs from the days when he was a young Detroit revolutionary. Wonderful jazzgroove space modernists Black Nile support; read my review of their new album here. And The Kabasa Drum & Dance Ensemble opens. Great night. At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 8pm; $20; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Mon. May 27 -- Saxist Randal Fisher, a mainstay of the younger South L.A. generation, carries the tradition with worthy allies. 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; $15; 21+; parking $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Mon. May 27 -- Smoke the sludge, wallow in the metallic rumble and trip to the gossamer atmospherics of Virginia's Inter Arma, one of the more intriguing heft units out there. With Canadian blackmetalmen Thantifaxath (band name of the week), Dead to a Dying World. At Resident, 428 S. Hewitt St., downtown 90013; 8pm; $15; www.residentdtla.com.
Tues. May 28 -- Femme-fronted Chicago blackmetallians Immortal Bird buzzpick your liver with L.A. blackmetal masters Exhausted Prayer (glad to see them back in church). Metal bargain of the week. At Jewel's Catch One, 4067 W. Pico Blvd. (east of Crenshaw), L.A. 90019; 8:30pm; $6; (323) 734-8849; website here.
Wed. May 29 -- Pianist Jean-Michel Pilc gives ya the melody, the light touch and the considered phrasing. Solo, a swell way to hear a thoughtful musician like this. At Mr. Musichead Gallery, 7420 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 90046; 7:30pm; $15-$25; www.justjazz.tv.
Wed. May 29 -- Guitarist & pianist Larry Koonse & David Roitstein put their educative proclivities into practice with a beautiful, sinuous aesthetic. At Sam First, 6171 W. Century Blvd., L.A. 90045 (near LAX in front of Marriott Courtyard); 8 & 9:30pm; $20 plus one-drink minimum per set; full bar; snacks; small parking lot in rear, reduced-rate validated parking at nearby Joe's Auto Park; (424) 800-2006; www.samfirstbar.com.
Thurs. May 30 -- Essential saxist David Binney never gets kicked out of his residency, nor should he, cuz he's tilling the soil of jazz's future. 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; $15; 21+; parking $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Thurs. May 30 -- Quiet avantitude reigns with multi-instrumentalist Ted Taforo's trio featuring bassist Joe Salcedo and drummer Kevin Valco. At Sunspace, 9683 Sunland Blvd., Shadow Hills 91040; 8-10pm; $10.