Mahanthappa has an instantly identifiable sound, and his band is full of ringers.

Sunday, March 3, figures to be a noteworthy day in the San Diego jazz-concert landscape for 2013. Daniel Atkinson, the jazz-program-coordinator for Athenaeum Jazz brings alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa to Jazz at the Studio, located at 4441 Park Blvd. in …

Thrash/punk outfit featuring members of Festival of Dead Deer and The Locust to drop new LP May 7.

Having recently returned from a West Coast tour with Tomahawk, pissed-off thrash punk quartet Retox announced the release of their new album, YPLL, via Epitaph Records on May 7 (preorder). Vice plugged the release with a video for "Congratulations, You …

Slipknot and Velvet Revolver aren't saying nice things about him either...

“Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland,” according to a statement issued from the band’s management. Stone Temple Pilots came together when Scott Weiland met New Jersey-born bass player Robert DeLeo at a 1986 Black Flag …

A concert update with a few options in Balboa Park this weekend.

There is cutthroat competition going on Thursday, February the 28th at 6:30 pm. It’s all going down at the at the Mingei International Museum. The Mingei has long been known for it’s iconography and death matches. In reality, the competition …

Robinson is one of the most exciting saxophone players I've ever heard.

Fire-breathing former San Diego saxophonist Jason Robinson returns for a must-see concert on March 1, leading a core trio of bassist Rob Thorsen and drummer Duncan Moore, expanding to include special guest guitarist Joey Carano and saxophonist Ian Tordella. Robinson …

It’s not often that you can chat with a 45-year-old who can relate tales about hanging out with the likes of Black Flag and The Descendents when both of those bands were in their infancy. That’s because Steve McDonald was …

An eclectic, transborder lineup fills The Void in City Heights

A few days ago, I posted a blog heralding the return of resurrected Mexicali dance/noise punk icons Maniqui Lazer to San Diego on Wednesday, March 6 at The Office. Core member Valentin Torres aka Vampire Slayer will be in town …

Feeling like crap? Here's some music for flu season.

While most of my body continues to function properly and efficiently, I have been forced to turn my attention to music for influenza. I’m not admitting to any dis-ease but there are moments when I want to curl up in …

The house was full and the music superb.

The continued development of piano phenomenon Joshua White took a new turn on Feb. 23, in a cooperative venture with former San Diego bassist Jeff Denson in a superlative performance at the new Dizzy's with special guest tenor saxophonist Dayna …

Baja dance punks Maniqui Lazer strike in North Park.

On Wednesday, March 6, Club 1979 (first and third Wednesdays) presents perhaps the loudest lineup The Office (3936 30th St. – North Park) has seen since it was the comparatively rough-and-tumble Scolari’s Office. Maniqui Lazer put Mexicali’s then-bustling experimental punk/hardcore …

New Mexico gears up for post-punk LP debut

New Mexico (née Apes of Wrath) will be self-releasing their debut LP, Malpais, on Tuesday, April 23. The album deviates from their ornate and melodic Have You Met My Friend? EP (2010) and instead invokes a more mechanical, new wave/post-punk …

Featuring members of Soul-Junk, Trumans Water, fluf, and Olivelawn, Octa#grape a breath of fresh air in dusty garage.

Can we all agree that garage rock has reached an impasse? Don't get me wrong. I love fuzzed out guitars, lo-fi drum tracks, and retro vocals as much as the next guy - and San Diego has got its share …

What's classical in San Diego this weekend?

There are multiple concerts this weekend in classical music. Samson et Dalila continues at the Civic Theater on Friday the 22nd at 7:00 pm and Sunday the 24th at 2:00 pm. The San Diego Youth Symphony has a concert at …

Mike Turi of Wild Wild Wets delves into dark, synth-based solo project.

Psychedelic party rockers Wild Wild Wets recently returned from a West Coast tour with local garage coldwavers Barbarian, during which they released their debut Criminal Blue EP via Grizzly Records, who will have a limited run of 300 blue 7" …

This was the third gig for Bop Moderno, consisting of Peter and Tripp Sprague, Gilbert Castellanos, Gunnar Biggs and Duncan Moore.

Saturday, Feb. 16, the Museum of Making Music presented the San Diego debut performance of Bop Moderno a newly formed unit featuring Peter Sprague on guitar, Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet, Tripp Sprague on reeds Gunnar Biggs on bass and Duncan …

I talked to Clifton Forbis about everything except Samson.

Samson et Dalila opened at San Diego Opera on Saturday February 16th. I sat down to talk with the man singing Samson, Clifton Forbis. San Diego Reader: What's your darkest, deepest secret? Clifton Forbis: Is that thing recording? SDR: Yes. …

The complex music of Corea is a good fit for Green, who has loads of chops and an exquisite touch.

Local piano wizard Danny Green dropped into the new Dizzy's on Feb. 15, with a well-oiled group comprised of woodwind master Tripp Sprague, bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Julen Cantelm for an evening devoted to the music of Chick Corea. …

Backed by the Beatles on their first vinyl appearance and recorded with local troubadour

Tony Sheridan passed away on February 16 at the age of 72. It was Sheridan for whom the Fab Four played on their first-ever recording, “My Bonnie,” credited to Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers (renamed the Silver Beetles on …

Bedroom dream pop chillwaver Nacho Cano posts new track.

“I have this great admiration for girls and in particular my closest (girl) friends,” Nacho Cano of bedroom project Twin Cabins told the Reader last September. “I allow them into my life and I let them get close. Over time, …

Fronted by Scott Mercado (Via Satellite, Mr. Tube, Tristeza), Manuok drops video for Traps single.

Manuok posted a video for their single “Count on Us” from Traps, released in the U.S. last September. The stop motion video was made by Italo-Franco folk-rock group Grimoon, who Manuok frontman Scott Mercado met in 2005 while touring Europe …

Nadia Krasteva talks about going to the opera, other great singers, and Dalila.

An interview with Nadia Krasteva: San Diego Reader: What can opera audiences do to get the full opera experience, to get beyond the sets, costumes, and music? Nadia Krasteva: When I go to the opera it is always helpful if …

White led this red-hot quintet through the music of John Coltrane with imaginative arrangements in front of a packed house.

Wednesday, February 13, piano virtuoso Joshua White, celebrated the musical legacy of jazz icon John Coltrane before a sold-out house at The Loft--fronting an all-star aggregation featuring bassist Mark Dresser, trombonist Michael Dessen, saxophonist David Borgo and drummer Duncan Moore. …

Conductor Mei-Ann Chen whips Rimsky's beautiful concubine with the help of the San Diego Symphony.

After the intermission I noticed that there was no music stand for the conductor. Hmmm, guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen was going to do this one from memory. This could be good. My hopes increased. Concert master Jeff Thayer was going …

Never have I waited with more impatience for a piece than I did for Scheherazade on Sunday at Symphony Hall. There were a couple reasons for my restless anticipation. Reason number one is that I love Scheherazade. Reason number two …

Ninja Tune producer hits Middletown with locals Bency, Mawkus, and Collagey.

Born in Leningrad, USSR (now Saint Petersburg, Russia), producer DJ Vadim has worked with a list of pivotal artists as diverse as Kraftwerk, Prince, The Roots, and Super Furry Animals in his electronic exploration of hip hop, reggae, and soul. …

Vocalist Allison Adams Tucker is organizing a huge concert of four shows by nine musicians.

The infectious sounds of Brazilian music come to the new Dizzy's on Feb. 17, when the fifth annual Brasil Jazz Festa returns to San Diego, featuring nine musicians, four bands playing four shows, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending... Vocalist …

An ultra-intimate exchange of spontaneously conceived music from two masters of the genre.

Saturday, February 9, the San Diego Center for the Arts hosted a duo concert by pianist Joshua White and multi-instrumentalist David Borgo at Villa Musica in the Sorrento Valley area. This was spectacular in every possible sense. White is a …

Baja Prog 2013 features prog-rock luminaries including members of King Crimson

Mexicali progressive music conclave Baja Prog is returning to Baja California’s capital this spring following a four year hiatus. Festival director Alfonso Vidales pulled the plug on Prog in 2008 after some of the event’s major sponsors backed out. The …

Thrashy hardcore punk outfit Retox will be kicking off a West Coast tour Monday, February 11, and will be joined for much of the trip by Tomahawk (members of Mr. Bungle, The Jesus Lizard, Helmet, and Melvins). Feb 11 - …

Nathan Hubbard's episodic compositions came to life in bold relief with Ian Tordella, David Borgo and Rob Thorsen.

Last night, at 98 Bottles, the true depth of San Diego jazz talent was dramatically reinforced with two burning sets of thoroughly modern jazz by Along Came A Spider a new group organized by drummer/composer Nathan Hubbard, featuring stellar input …

One-man industrial doom-drone band tours with A Life Once Lost.

“There are a lot of ideas to what heavy is,” says Tristan Shone of one-man industrial doom-drone band Author & Punisher. “You can be really smart about the way you're heavy or really cliché when you're heavy. It's not a …

Punk supergroup OFF! has cancelled their show at the Casbah tonight due to illness. Negative Approach and Bad Antics are still on the bill and will be joined by Ghetto Blaster. Tickets will be available at a reduced cost of …

Bulgarian Mezzo Nadia Krasteva sings her first Dalila ever at San Diego Opera

Nadia Krasteva is making her San diego debut as the vengeful seductress Dalila in Saint Saens’ Samson et Dalila at San Diego Opera. Her American debut was as Carmen at the Chicago Lyric Opera. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/07/39700/ Long before she was a …

Expect incendiary exchanges from the long-time free jazz duo.

Curator Bonnie Wright's excellent cutting edge concert series, Fresh Sound, continues on Feb. 13 with a sure to be searing performance by saxophonist Larry Ochs and drummer Donald Robinson. For more than 30 years Ochs has been a key member …

San Diego jazz crooner recalls his journey from dark to light

"I got sick. I went from being able to run a million dollar show to not being able to add two numbers." Peter Marin thinks that the singing of jazz music has brought him back from the brink of wherever …

Andre Power hosts opening at Zion Lounge in College Area

The career of Detroit hip hop producer James ‘J Dilla’ Yancey was tragically cut short in 2006 when the 32-year-old visionary passed away from a rare blood disorder. Dewitt’s legacy (which included work with A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, …

Nathan Hubbard comes to 98 Bottles. Mike Garson and Mikan Zlatkovich appear in consecutive nights at the new Dizzy's.

Turns out there are even more worthwhile gigs to attend in these first two weeks of February than I originally posted. Here are some important additions. Feb. 7 San Diego's most creative drummer, Nathan Hubbard will present Along Came A …

The smell of cork grease and brass: perfect!

"We almost burned down. That was December 9." Gentry McCrea is not sure exactly how the fire got started, but the source turned out to be the restaurant next door. The flames toasted a part of an outside wall as …

New full-length Afraid of Heights due March 26, single available now

A new single, “Demon to Lean On,” off the upcoming Wavves full-length Afraid of Heights — recorded with producer John Hill (Rihanna, Santigold) and due March 26 via Mom + Pop/Warner Bros — is streaming online. Another new song and …

It might be a stretch but here's an attempt to compare Niners fans to Paul in Korngold's Die Tote Stadt.

The Super Bowl is over. Having been born in the Bay Area and having gone to high school near the Bay Area, needless to say I wanted the Niners to win the Super Bowl. I’m a left-coaster and prefer any …

Waits/Keith Richards jam and Zappa track on Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/03/39496/ The Tom Waits and Keith Richards jam “Shenandoah,” off the upcoming compilation Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys, is streaming now at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/01/08/168805385/new-music-from-tom-waits-keith-richards-ra-ra-riot-villagers-more. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/03/39497/ The two-disc compilation, produced by Hal Willner, set for release February …

Where do we party once the bomb drops? The Greek Sombrero in Jamul is one place to start.

“It is no secret that San Diego is a military target,” writes vox/guitarist Bobby Bray of post-prog-skronk space-tropicalia math lounge duo Innerds (members of Sleeping People, The Locust, Holy Molar). “There are of course a number of reasons why this …

Leading a superb quartet,Gilbert Castellanos burned through a set of Monk.

Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos returned to 98 Bottles last night for A Tribute to Thelonious Monk, earning a sold-out house in the process. Fronting a solid quartet featuring two LA players, (drummer Dan Schenelle and bassist Katie Thiroux) alongside powerhouse pianist …

Does the movie Platoon make good use of Barber's Adagio for Strings?

The opera chorus is in staging rehearsals for Samson et Dalila this week. In the story of Samson, the Philistines are the bad guys. Spoiler alert, everyone dies. With all the Philistines walking around the stage I couldn’t help but …

Connecting with the language of bebop, the two San Diego jazz masters made daring music over the redoubtable pulse of Thorsen.

Utilizing a shared study of the music of Sonny Rollins and an encyclopedic knowledge of the Great American Songbook, San Diego jazz icons Peter Sprague and Gilbert Castellanos met on common ground last night at the Westgate Hotel unraveling a …

There are a slew of worthwhile gigs from now through Feb. 13, with more to follow.

The first two weeks of February are literally jam-packed with jazz opportunities, and a few unfortunate conflicts as well. Feb. 1 Gilbert Castellanoscontinues his series at the Westgate Hotel, this month featuring collaborations with world-class guitarists. Fittingly, the celebration begins …

Local-centric legends at the Museum, or local chick rocker w/Michael Jackson's guitarist?

Two different events to consider tonight: Sounds Like San Diego at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad is a fundraiser with over a dozen local performers, performing the biggest and best known tunes ever to come out of San …

San Diego Getting Skipped: January 2013 Edition Every music fan in San Diego is all too familiar with the traditional skipping of America’s Finest City by some of America’s laziest bands. We all know the pattern: Play Phoenix or San …