Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
265
Finds
All That Free Jazz
Art, jazz, beer, and free—baby, that's for me. That's why I always mark my calen-
dar for the free jazz concerts hosted Friday evenings at the
Los Angeles County
Museum of Art,
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles (
&
323/857-6000;
www.lacma.
org). The museum hosts free concerts in its open central courtyard every Friday
night from 6 to 8pm, April through Thanksgiving. It's a great way to listen to
good music with a glass of wine on a warm L os Angeles evening.
B. B. King himself would hav e played before he became famous. M ama Laura Gross is
the cultivator of the fabulous, endangered sound and the house goddess of this intimate
bar. Great guitarists are the rule, not the exception here.
4339 Leimert Blvd., Leimert Park.
&
323/295-9112.
www.bluesbar.com. Cover $8-$15.
The Baked Potato
This restaurant/nightspot offers missile-size spuds while hosting
a steady roster of jazz per formances by local and visiting acts. G uitarist Andy Summers
(of Police fame) has been kno wn to pop in no w and again. The valley location is a fe w
blocks fr om U niversal City.
3787 C ahuenga Blv d., Studio Cit y.
&
818/980-1615.
w ww.the
bakedpotato.com. No cover, but there is a 2-drink minimum.
Catalina Bar & Grill
This clubby old-timer r epresents the v ery best of do wntown
Hollywood's golden era. Though the neighborhood has become rough around the edges,
this premier supper club manages to book some of the biggest names in contemporar y
jazz for multi-night stints. The acoustics ar e great and ther e really are no bad seats. All
ages are w elcome.
6725 W. Sunset Blv d., Hollywood.
&
323/466-2210.
www.catalinajazzclub.
com. Cover $20.
Fais Do-Do
Most nights of the w eek, this ar chitecturally unique N ew Orleans-
style nightspot hosts jazz, blues, and the occasional r ock combo. It's located in a once-
upscale suburb w est of D owntown, but the surr ounding neighborhood has become
somewhat sketchy. Originally built as a bank, the building has gone through several jazz-
club incarnations. I t's even rumored that M iles Davis once graced the stage. The club
offers great music in a memorable atmosphere, as well as good Cajun and soul food from
the busy kitchen.
5257 W. A dams Blv d., L os Angeles .
&
323/931-4636.
w ww.faisdodo.com.
Cover $10-$20.
Harvelles Blues Club
Open since 1931, this Santa Monica bastion of blues claims
to be the oldest blues club in Los Angeles. D ark and sexy like a blues club should be, y ou
can always r ely on a good local band playing her e; many famous musicians hav e passed
through as w ell, including Alber t King and Bonnie Raitt. The mostly 30-and-up cr owd
usually needs a fe w cocktails befor e hitting the dance floor . Check out H arvelles' gr eat
website.
1432 4th St., Santa Monica.
&
310/395-1676.
www.harvelles.com. Cover $10-$20.
Jazz Bakery
Finds
Ruth Price's nonprofit venue was renowned for attracting some of
the most important names in jazz to its location in the H elms bakery complex, but due
to rising rents, she was forced to move in 2009. At the time of this printing, the club was
still looking for a ne w home, but P rice continued to sponsor the same acts in differ ent
venues ar ound to wn. F or the most up-to-date information, check the w
10
ebsite.
www.
jazzbakery.org.