Just back from a successful tour of Japan, the students of Mission Bay High School hit the ground running with a special show at the school on April 27. Organized by MBHS music director JP Balmat, recently named District High School Teacher of the Year, proceeds from the show go to help keep these award-winning music programs going. There will be performances from the MBHS Mambo Orchestra as well as the Mesa College Jazz Ensemble. It all adds up to a night that will include both Latin and big band sounds, while showcasing emerging talent. MBHS Mambo Orchestra: Thursday, April 27 at Mission Bay High School, 2475 Grand Ave. 7 p.m. All ages. www.missionbaymusic.com. Anyone who likes jazz with a touch of ’60s cool should check out Jason Hanna, appearing Fridays at the Tangier Bar located at the Bahia Resort. The location is a bit of a time warp, like stepping onto the set of an exotic movie, with Hanna’s great selection of tunes providing the perfect soundtrack. Hanna plays with different-sized combos around town, playing here as part of a trio. Hanna recently released an album, “Taking The Horns By The Bull,” full of his terrific renditions of classics by the likes of Bacharach, Ellington and Bowie, but Hanna and his crew are at their best when they can interact with their audience, such as this wonderfully intimate nightspot.
Jason Hanna: Fridays at the Tangier Bar in the Bahia Resort, 998 West Mission Bay Drive. 9:30 p.m. 21 and up. No cover. If there’s an unsung hero in local jazz right now, it’s keyboard player Ed Kornhauser. The man is just about everywhere, most recently playing with the likes of the band Juicebox, Whitney Shay and Jesse Lamonaca. On April 28, Kornhauser will step into the spotlight himself at Dizzy’s, when he performs a show with the Ed Kornhauser Organ Trio, featuring guitarist Michael Borowski and drummer Charlie Weller. Perhaps best known for his virtuoso piano playing, his organ work is revelatory with a touch that at times can range from Jimmy Smith cool to Jon Lord bombast, as the song dictates. One of the key players in today’s local jazz renaissance, Kornhauser is poised for a well-deserved national breakout.
The Ed Kornhauser Organ Trio: Friday, April 28 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 8 p.m. $15. www.dizzysjazz.com. Hard rock fans won’t want to miss a rare appearance by guitarist Richie Kotzen at Brick by Brick on April 26. While not quite a household name, savvy rock aficionados have been hip to his sounds since the 1990s when he began work with a slew of bands that has included Poison, Mr. Big and more recently, Winery Dogs. Currently touring behind his new album, “Salting Earth,” concert goers will love every second of Kotzen’s set, filled with songs such as “This Is Life,” which mix classic rock with touches of soul, not unlike some of fellow guitar icon Todd Rundgren’s mid-1970s favorites. Richie Kotzen: Wednesday April 26, at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 7 p.m. 21 and up. $30. www.brickbybrick.com. Blues fans have a new combo to champion, Mojo Workin’. Led by whiskey-throated singer/guitarist Scott Mathiasen, the trio excels at a range of classics from the 1950s through to today, including the sort of material the Beatles might have played during their Hamburg years: Larry Williams, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and others of that era. With a set list consisting of only crowd pleasers, Mojo Workin’ is all about getting crowds up and dancing, their energy as contagious as Mathiasen’s lead guitar burst are rockin’. These gents love mixing things up, so don’t be afraid to ask for a request – recent shows have seen them include everything from Rosie & The Originals “Angel Baby” to John Lennon’s “Crippled Inside.”
Mojo Workin’: Thursday April 27 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.tioleos.com. If there’s an unsung hero in local jazz right now, it’s keyboard player Ed Kornhauser. The man is just about everywhere, most recently playing with the likes of the band Juicebox, Whitney Shay and Jesse Lamonaca. On April 28, Kornhauser will step into the spotlight himself at Dizzy’s, when he performs a show with the Ed Kornhauser Organ Trio, featuring guitarist Michael Borowski and drummer Charlie Weller. Perhaps best known for his virtuoso piano playing, his organ work is revelatory with a touch that at times can range from Jimmy Smith cool to Jon Lord bombast, as the song dictates. One of the key players in today’s local jazz renaissance, Kornhauser is poised for a well-deserved national breakout.
The Ed Kornhauser Organ Trio: Friday, April 28 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 8 p.m. $15. www.dizzysjazz.com. Grammy award-winning jazz pianist Dianne Schuur comes to Humphrey’s Backstage Live on April 29 for two shows, 7 and 9 p.m. She hasn’t released an album since 2014’s, “I Remember You,” but with more than two dozen releases in her catalog since 1982, there won’t be any shortage of material for her set. Expect the biggest cheers to be for anything from her self-titled 1987 No. 1 jazz album with the Count Basie Orchestra, but there are no weak spots in her repertoire – anyone who enjoys piano based jazz will love Schuur’s performance.
Diane Schuur: Saturday, April 29 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 7 and 9 p.m. $34. www.humphreysbackstagelive.com.