Select chronological listings.
* ETA, a bar in Highland Park, brings top local (etc.) jazz. Check in anytime here, as it often books on short notice. Fri. Dec. 1: a wowser of an outthink event featuring the star clarinet-bass-drums trio of Ben Goldberg, Todd Sickafoose & Scott Amendola, in town to do some recording and try out the material onstage (Westsiders also see Sat.).
* The World Stage in Leimert Park has Friday 8pm PT (and sometimes other days) in-person presentations with occasional simultaneous live streams of righteous jazz; keep up with the schedule here. Fri. Dec. 1: high-flying trumpeter Emile Martinez. Sat. Dec. 2: vocalist Phyliss Causey. Fri. Dec. 8: saxist Azar Lawrence. Donations encouraged here.
* Downtown's Belasco Theater stages some rock & metal shows. Fri., Sat., Mon. & Tues. Dec. 1, 2, 4 & 5: Vancouver industrial noise founders Skinny Puppy say goodbye. Fri. Dec. 15: Cattle Decapitation. Sat. Jan. 20: Zakk Sabbath. Sun. March 24: KMFDM. Calendar & tix here.
* The Baked Potato in Universal City presents fusion (etc.) concerts at 8 & 10pm nightly. Fri.-Sun. Dec. 1-3: John Daversa Progressive Big Band. Sat. & Sun. Dec. 9 & 10: Mike Stern. Thurs.-Sun. Dec. 14-17: Joe Bonamassa and Rock Candy Funk Party. Thurs. & Fri. Dec. 21 & 22: Jeff Lorber Fusion. Sat. Dec. 23: Mike Garson Trio. Fri. & Sat. Dec. 29 & 30: Billy Childs. Thurs. & Fri. Jan. 18 & 19: Mike Keneally. Full schedule here.
* LACMA on Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile offers FREE outdoor jazz concerts every Friday at 6pm through November. Calendar here.
* The new-music and avant-jazz series Soundwaves presents regular Saturday 3:30pm concerts at Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 90401; FREE. Sat. Dec. 2: clarinetist Ben Goldberg with bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Scott Amendola guarantees heady chemistry. Sat. Dec. 9: Berlin-based oboist Cathy Milliken with bassist Jeff Schwartz and clarinetist Daniel Rothman.
* The Mint (Pico & Crescent Heights) has mostly Sunday jazz shows anchored by pianist Sam Hirsh Trio. Check listings here.
* Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood hosts mostly mainstream jazz and singers, but there are exceptions. Thurs.-Sat. Dec. 7-9: guitarist Michael Landau, keyboardist Jeff Babko, trumpeter Walt Fowler and bassist Travis Carlton form the all-star ranks of legendary drummer Steve Gadd Band. Fri.-Sun. Dec. 29-31: Poncho Sanchez. Full calendar here.
* The LAX-area bar Sam First offers 7:30pm and 9pm jazz shows, in person and sometimes STREAMING. Tuesdays often feature jams with world-class pianist Gerald Clayton. Fri. & Sat. Dec. 8 & 9: Joe LaBarbera Quintet. Wed. Dec. 13: John Escreet's Seismic Shift Quartet. Fri. & Sat. Dec. 15 & 16: John Beasley Trio. Sat. Dec. 23: Artyom Manukyan Trio with Vardan Ovsepian & Mark Ferber. Fri. & Sat. Dec. 29 & 30: Roy McCurdy Quartet. Look here for full schedule and options.
* Sat. Dec. 9: Former Textone and Gene Clark duo pard Carla Olson splits a bill with chestful I See Hawks in L.A. singer Robert Rex Waller Jr., whose new album she produced; you haven't lived until you've heard him climb the tall mountain of the Walker Brothers' "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore." At West L.A.'s McCabe's; tickets here. This will sell out.
* 2220 Arts + Archives (Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado) hosts a variety of cultural presentations including jazz & electronic. Sat. Dec. 9: Wild Up presents the distinctive compositions and collaborations of Jodie Landau, performed by Jodie Landau, Meara O'Reilly & William Brittelle. Wed. Dec. 13: Dave Harrington & the Pictures Band, Sarah Safaie & Friends, Mastless Into Dawn. Listings here.
* 1720 (east of downtown, south of the 10 freeway) books metal etc. Sun. Dec. 10: Free Metal Sunday presents an unholy night of bands including Wyrmhaven, Last of Our Kind, Sacrificer, Velosity, Exile, more. Sun. Jan. 7: Behold the Monolith, Destroy Judas, more (free with RSVP). Mon. Jan. 22: Gorod. Fri. March 8: Ov Sulfur. Full calendar here.
* Atwater's adventurous avant/modern/world club Zebulon offers surprises from the present and past. Tues. Dec. 12: Suicide's Martin Rev takes you back to the late '70s, when things were minimal, if not simple. Mon. Dec. 18: drummer Mark Guiliana. Full calendar here.
* The Whisky on Sunset Strip books metal etc. Thurs. Dec. 14: Kings of Thrash with Dave Ellefson & Jeff Young, both formerly of Megadeth. Sun. Dec. 31: L.A. Guns. Calendar here.
* The Kia Forum in Inglewood gets heavy now and then. Sat. Dec. 16: Queens of the Stone Age. Listings here.
* Open Gate Theater has moved its long-running and invaluable avant concert series to the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, 301 N. Orange Grove Ave., Pasadena. Sun. Dec. 17: Andrea Centazzo West Coast Chamber Jazz Trio, featuring the percussionist plus Ellen Burr on flutes and Jeff Schwartz on upright bass; also bassist Miller Wrenn Quartet with Steph Richards on trumpet, Cathlene Pineda on piano and Clint Dodson on drums. Sun. Jan. 7: new-musical piano genius Vicki Ray with the Open Gate Ensemble, plus the fantastic piano-drums duo of Joshua White & Alex Cline. More here.
* Highland Park's Lodge Room occasionally books jazz, metal, heft and influential obscurities. Thurs. Dec. 21: Minaret Winter Jazz Festival presents eight of the label's signees, which include jazz (Sasha Berliner-Nicole McCabe Quartet) and DJs (DJ Mejiwahn). Sun. Feb. 4: Jazz Is Dead blowout with Gerald Clayton, Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott, Matt Brewer. Thurs. Feb. 22: Bassekou Kouyate. Full schedule here.
* Vibrato, a luxurious restaurant high up in Bel Air, books mostly mainstream jazz. Thurs. Dec. 21: Latin music from Louie Cruz Beltran. Full schedule here.
* El Rey Theater on Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile books yer occasional metal show. Sat. Jan. 27: From Rob Halford to Marilyn Manson to Motley Crue to his own wild solo records, John 5 plays the hell out of a guitar. Calendar here.
* Sat. Feb. 10, 8pm: The wild twin guitars and rhythm of Double Naught Spy Car team up with Dr. Christoph Bull on the Great Organs of First Congregational Church in North Central L.A.; tickets here.
* Santa Monica's Jacaranda music series presents a great selection of forward-looking modern classical and world music. Sun. Feb. 25: Kahil El'Zabar directs the Lyris Quartet and his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in exploring the influence of Arnold Schoenberg's 12-tone music upon John Coltrane. Full listings here.
* Piano Spheres always has topflight outward programming from the classically trained world at the Thayer or Zipper halls downtown. Calendar here.
* Keep up with L.A. Jazz Society events, including its Young Musician Showcases, here.
* The Jazz Salon presents top singers on Thursdays and sometimes Sundays at downtown's Los Angeles Athletic Club. Check in here.
* REDCAT (beneath downtown's Disney Hall) presents some experimental music and jazz. Calendar here.
* Downtown's Disney Hall presents some jazz and events of note beyond classical. Tickets here.
* The Canyon in Agoura Hills books its share of metal, fusion and original good stuff. Calendar here.
* The Mayan downtown has jazz and rock sometimes. Calendar here.
* The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills occasionally melts faces or brings in an outside master. Calendar here.
* The Fonda Theater in Hollywood has occasional metal & world. Calendar here.
* Inglewood's midsize YouTube Theater brings variety programming. Calendar here.
* The Orpheum downtown rocks and jazzes at times. Tickets here.
* Downtown's Peacock Theater (formerly Microsoft Theater) occasionally books heavy music. Lineup here.
PHOTO BY FUZZY BORG.