Music

A wellspring of joy is a weapon of resistance in the face of injustice. The urban Latin dancers of CONTRA-TIEMPO and the musicians of Las Cafeteras—all grounded in the communities of color in South Los Angeles—celebrate this fact in a work that flips the script on the usual narratives about minority communities.

If you’re in the mood for adventuresome jazz, the Thirsty Ear label offers plenty of options to quench your cravings—and one of the tastiest is cellist Tomeka Reid’s hard grooving quartet. Featuring guitarist Mary Halvorson (one of the hottest players to emerge in recent years), the quartet offers up a menu of musical flavors.

An ensemble of 13 exceptional musicians—including David Finckel on cello and David Shifrin on clarinet—celebrate the intrepid (and diverse) American spirit in a performance highlighting two pairs of composers who helped shape classical music in the twentieth century.

Chick Corea’s 2014 triple-disc set, Trilogy, added a live masterwork to the venerated pianist’s discography. Featuring bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade, the recording was a triumph. Now, Corea, McBride, and Blade are bringing the music from Trilogy back to live audiences.

The Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet returns with a concert featuring music by American composers and guitar virtuosos. Front and center: a new work by Pat Metheny written for LAGQ.

The numbers alone are impressive: six Tonys, two Grammys, and an Emmy. And the honors are remarkable: a spot on Time’s 100 most influential people list and a National Medal of the Arts. Supported by her trio, Audra McDonald will share her luminous soprano in an unmissable performance.

When Storm Large came to Club Hancher last season, she blew the doors off the place—so we’re taking the tempest outside. Bursting onto the scene on Rock Star: Supernova and then forging her own eclectic career, Large is a force of nature. From jazz standards to driving rock-n-roll, Large can do it all.

From her early days as the leader of The Supremes to her landmark solo career, Diana Ross helped shape the sound of popular music, changing the landscape and paving the way for contemporary music. Don’t miss the concert event of the summer at Hancher.