Cool jazz in the City of Angels
The Angel City event makes its mark around L.A.
How do you top a salute to Thelonious Monk at the Angel City Jazz Fest? With a bevy of L.A. gigs.
Now celebrating its 10th year, the boundary-pushing Angel City Jazz Festival opened last weekend with a tribute to the great Thelonious Monk, who would have turned 100 this year.
How will the festival top an opening night that featured the likes of Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jon Beasley and DJ Logic paying tribute to a late master? By offering eight more shows fanning across the city of a similar spirit:
THURSDAY
Metal Jazz Night. Fusing two genres that have long shared a spiritual kinship, this evening is led by local trumpeter Daniel Rosenboom, whose album “Reclamation” (released on John Zorn’s independent label Tzadik) burns with swift-twisting arrangements and barbed guitar. Not to be missed is a new quintet led by percussionist Dan Weiss, who has assembled a powerhouse band with Craig Taborn, Ben Monder, Matt Mitchell and Trevor Dunn. 8 p.m. Zebulon. $15.
FRIDAY
Jeff Parker Quartet. Also known as the guitarist for genre-straddling instrumentalists Tortoise, Parker released one of the top albums of 2016 with the hazy, funk-informed “The New Breed.” Here the Chicago transplant D also draws from a selection of Monk covers. Winners of the festival’s Young Artist competition will open. 6 p.m. LACMA. Free.
SATURDAY
Adam Rudolph’s Moving Pictures, the Go: Organic Orchestra featuring Bennie Maupin. Presented in association with the beat-centric radio station dublab, this night of two large ensembles both led by percussionist Adam Rudolph, offers multiple views of music’s possibilities. The Go: Organic Orchestra, which inhabits a number of global traditions, will be joined by Maupin, whose landmark “Jewel in the Lotus” album will also get a re-airing at this venue in December. 8 p.m. REDCAT. $35.
SUNDAY
Mark Dresser 7, Jonah Levine Collective. A longtime standard-bearer for the avant-garde, Dresser performs from his wryly titled latest album, “Sedimental You,” with a band that includes flutist Nicole Mitchell and clarinetist Ben Goldberg. 8 p.m. Moss Theatre.$25.
TUESDAY
Celebrating Monk’s Birthday. Cover-heavy sets by pianist Florian Weber’s Criss-Cross, which also includes Dan Weiss and David Bowie’s “Blackstar” saxophonist Donny McCaslin, as well as guitarist Marco Cappelli paired with bassist Ken Filiano, will expand the Monk legacy. Blue Whale, 9 p.m. $20.
OCT. 13
Extreme Trumpet Night. Three sonic explorers — Peter Evans, Taylor Ho Bynum and Jaimie Branch look to upend expectations in a series of solo sets. Pay special attention to Branch, whose crackling “Fly or Die” album is one of the year’s highlights. With Evans’ trio Being and Becoming. 9 p.m. Blue Whale. $20.
OCT. 14
Monk Tribute Concert. A selection of interpretations of Monk classics by an all-bass choir led by James Leary, who recorded with Eddie Harris and Earl Hines, followed by an ensemble led by the always transcendent vocals of Dwight Trible and his band Cosmic Vibrations, which will also feature spoken word by Roger Guenveur Smith. 8 p.m. The World Stage. $20.
OCT. 15
Jazz Night at the Bootleg. Angel City expands upon its monthly residency at the club with a bill that includes Monk tributes from guitarist Elliott Sharp and the high-wire mix of instrumental improvisation and beat music that is MAST (a.k.a. Tim Conley), as well as the reliably rambunctious ventures of Mostly Other People Do the Killing (joined by Daniel Rosenboom and Jeff Parker). 8 p.m. Bootleg Theater. $10.
chris.barton@latimes.com Twitter: @chrisbarton