December Concert Picks from Rhythm Planet
Don't miss the terrific holiday and non-holiday concerts on the December calendar – from jazz guitar to the eclectic sounds of Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia to a festive show from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
By Tom Schnabel • • 1 min readThursday, December 5 | Bill Frisell & Julian Lage Duo | Royce Hall (Westwood)
Guitar enthusiasts won’t want to miss this evening featuring two master musicians, each with his own individual style—with Bill Frisell laid back and Julian Lage fast, precise, and expressive. They make for a great pair. Click HERE for tickets and more information.
Here’s a taste of what you can expect from the duo:
Julian Lage at the big 2019 NAMM (National Academy of Music Merchandisers) industry show:
Sunday, December 8 | Forever Flamenco Presents Noche de Triana | The Fountain Theatre (Hollywood)
Director and guitarist Antonio Triana and singer Antonio de Jerez have become two fixtures in Los Angeles’s flamenco scene, regularly performing before local audiences. Truth is, we have a world-class flamenco duo right here in our midst. Triana’s new production—appropriately called “Noche de Triana”—features dancers Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile, Misuda Cohen, Timo Nuñez, and Bianca Rodriguez. Click HERE for tickets and more information.
The company in action:
Saturday, December 14 | Kiran Ahluwalia | Beckman Auditorium at Cal Tech (Pasadena)
Indian crossover musician Kiran Ahluwalia comes to Beckman Auditorium this month on tour to support her new album 7 Billion. Ahluwalia performs an eclectic mix of Sufi songs, Punjabi folk, and her own originals. Joining her on this show and tour are guitarist Rez Abbasi, keyboardist Sam Barsh, drummer Marito Marques and Nitin Mitta, tabla. Click HERE for tickets and more information.
Saturday, December 21| Spanish Harlem Orchestra Presents Salsa Navidad | Samueli Theater at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (Costa Mesa)
I love the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO), led by Oscar Hernández, whom I interviewed last year. This is a refined, tasty, and punchy tropical orchestra led by veteran pianist-arranger-bandleader Hernández who was with Rubén Blades’s celebrated band Seis del Solar for many years, arranging Buscando America, Antecedente, and other classics. SHO received a Grammy award this year for their sixth and latest album Anniversary. I really love this group! Click HERE for tickets and more information.
Month of December | Los Angeles Ballet presents The Nutcracker | Multiple Venues in Southern California
I think everybody should experience Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Nutcracker at least once. If you have young children, it is a magical experience and a must-see. An interesting twist for this year, the production will be set in 1912 Los Angeles! Click HERE for tickets and more information on multiple performances throughout the month at venues across Southern California.