Anyone who enjoys jazz won’t want to miss the second annual Vocal Summit being held at Dizzy’s on Jan. 29. The night will celebrate the power and connection of the human voice, with sounds set to include swing, blues, soul, R&B and world jazz, such as French, Latin and Brazilian music. On hand will be some of the area’s top jazz singers, including Allison Adams Tucker, Leonard Patton, Sacha Boutros, Gillian Margot and Whitney Shay, backed by an all-star combo of bassist Rob Thorsen, pianist Melonie Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm. With so much talent on the stage, this concert promises to be one of the year’s first jazz-themed highlights.
Vocal Summit: Sunday, Jan. 29, at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 7 p.m. $20. www.dizzysjazz.com. You’ll never know what you might hear at an open mic night, but for both performers and audiences alike, the grab bag nature of such events is a lot of fun. One of the area’s best is the weekly event held at the 710 Beach Club each Wednesday. Open to all types of acts, the show includes the full stage, pro lighting and sound and even a backline of drums and amps for budding musicians. With each show a unique happening, anyone looking for fresh entertainment will love these performances. Open Mic Night: Wednesdays at the 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave. 7 p.m. 21 and up. www.710bc.com. San Diego has one of the most vibrant jazz scenes in California and that fact is directly attributable to music programs such as those at Mission Bay High School under the direction of JP Balmat and Correia Middle School under the direction of M. Dwyer. On Feb. 3, both schools will team up for a special show at Dizzy’s, teaming the students with New Orleans trumpet legend Wendell Brunious. Backed by pianist Mark Massey, bassist Glen Fisher and drummer Marvin Smith, the students will perform classic material from the Crescent City, with funds raised by ticket sales going directly to keep these worthy music programs going. Wendell Brunious: Friday, Feb. 3, at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 7 p.m. $10. Students 18 and under free. Fans of frenzied fretwork will enjoy every second of a performance from prog trio Stick Men at Brick by Brick on Jan. 27. The night features a terrific bill, set to include Pet Shark, Agent 22 and Tom Griesgraber, all great musicians in their own right, but the focus will be on the headliners, featuring stick players Pat Mastelotto and Tony Levin, alongside drummer Markus Reuter. Levin was a member of legendary rock band King Crimson, and Peter Gabriel’s band. He is a member of rock royalty having played on such classics as John Lennon’s “Double Fantasy,” Lou Reed’s “Berlin” and Pink Floyds “Momentary Lapse of Reason.” Don’t miss this chance to see him on far more intimate stage than his usual touring allows.
Stick Men: Friday, Jan. 27, at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 8 p.m. 21 and up. $25. www.brickbybrick.com. It’s hard to get going on a Sunday morning, but blues fans have an extra good reason to rise and shine early on Jan. 29, with a 10 a.m. brunch performance from singer Mercedes Moore. Moore is wonderful vocalist, with a sassy style and a killer repertoire of blues standards and like minded originals. The format for this show is semi-acoustic, the perfect soundtrack to compliment the fine dining at Humphreys. Moore is currently in the studio working on a new album, as great as that will likely be, it’s no match for experiencing the music of Moore and accompanying guitarist John Simons in person.
Mercedes Moore: Sunday, Jan. 29 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 10 a.m. No cover. www.humphreysbackstagelive.com. Formed in 1982, recently reunited hard rockers Rough Cutt never quite made it to the big leagues, yet drew a loyal following that more than three decades later, still makes them a solid draw. The band is based in Los Angeles, but notably featured at different times, three guitarists originally from San Diego, all of whom went on to bigger bands: Jake E Lee (’82-’83), Craig Goldy (’83-’84) and Amir Derakh (’84-’88), who went on to play with Ozzy Osbourne, Dio and Orgy respectively. The bands current line up is the same as their ’84-’88 heyday, including guitarist Derakh. Expect to hear a few new tunes from their forthcoming reunion album, but the bulk of the set will adrenaline charged favorites such as “Cutt Your Heart Out.” Rough Cutt: Friday, Feb. 3 at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 7 p.m. 21 and up. $25. www.brickbybrick.com.
