My dad was a jazz buff with a substantial record collection — yes, back in the day they called them records. Jazz was an enigma to me, a child of rock ‘n’ roll. I had little patience for it and didn’t understood its history, its improvisations or its nuances.
His heroes were the jazz artists identified with the 1950s, like Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck and John Coltrane. Theirs were the records playing on the stereo in the den– yes, back in the day they called it a stereo.
So with Thanksgiving here and the holiday season in full force, I’ve been more than sentimental about all this. First, on an Uber ride home the other day, the driver was playing the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s iconic “Take Five” with Paul Desmond on alto sax. Later I got a ping on my phone about a show at the Jacobs Music Center: a celebration of John Coltrane’s 1958 “Blue Train” album.
I’m sure that one was in my dad’s collection. Coltrane was a legend of the jazz idiom who I didn’t learn much about until my college years, maybe later. Somewhere along the line, I did learn that “Blue Train” was one of Coltrane’s most respected albums.
The “Blue Train” concert on Saturday night features Brian Levy on tenor sax with an ensemble that includes Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet. The Castellanos-founded Young Jazz Conservatory will open the show at 6:30 p.m. If I weren’t traveling this weekend for the holiday, I’d be there. But I’ll be there in spirit.
Comedian Louis C.K. will perform Wednesday at the San Diego Civic Theatre. FX
Standup comedy
Maybe there’s some truth in that cynical bromide “Anybody can write a novel.” Louis C.K. has.
The some-love-him/some-detest-him standup comic’s novel “Ingram” was released just a couple of weeks ago, just in time for joyous holiday gift-giving. It’s described as a (when have you heard this before?) coming-of-age story.
Could be Louis C.K. will tell you more about the book if you catch his “Ridiculous” tour that arrives Wednesday at the Civic Theatre downtown. It’s the tail end of a standup odyssey for him that began way back in April.
Classical Arts Entertainment brings its national touring ballet production of “Swan Lake” to the Balboa Theatre on Tuesday. (Classical Arts Entertainment)
Dance
Yes, Virginia, there is live dance during the holidays that is not “The Nutcracker.” On Tuesday, Classical Art Entertainment’s International Ballet Stars will perform Tchaikovsky’s timeless “Swan Lake” at 7 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre downtown.
“International” is the word for it, as dancers in the program hail from homelands including France, Japan, Ukraine, Moldovia and Italy. Among the many reasons for “Swan’s Lake” iconic status is its White Swan/Black Swan duality and, of course the “Dance of the Little Swans.”
Lindsay Mendez, left, Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe in “Merrily We Roll Along” on Broadway. A live-capture film version of the show arrives on cinema screens Dec. 5. (Matthew Murphy)
Film
The School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State’s recent production of the George Furth/Stephen Sondheim musical “Merrily We Roll Along” marked my first experience with the show. “Merrily” is a 1981 musical that was not well received at first, though it continued to be produced, including at La Jolla Playhouse in 1985.
A revival a couple of years ago on Broadway starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez was a big, Tony-winning hit and now a filmed performance of that “Merrily We Roll Along” with that threesome is almost here. It opens in theaters Dec. 5. It’s a don’t-miss for Sondheim fans, of which there are legion.
Drummer Russ Kunkel, guitarist Waddy Wachtel, and bassist Leland Sklar in the documentary “Immediate Family. (Magnolia Pictures)
Screening/concert
Studio session musicians are the unsung heroes of the recording business. One of the greats, bassist Leland Sklar, boasts a resume that includes supporting in the studio Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Carole King.
On Dec. 5, Sklar will be at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad for a performance with songwriter/pianist Patti Zlaket and a screening of Denny Tedesco’s documentary film “The Immediate Family.” The movie chronicles the careers of session musicians like Sklar as well as others such as Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel and Waddy Wachtel.
If you’ve got LPs or CDs especially from the ‘70s, check out the credits and you just may see some of those same names there.
UCTV
University of California Television invites you to enjoy this special selection of programs from throughout the University of California. Descriptions courtesy of and text written by UCTV staff:
“A Conversation with R.F. Kuang”
Writer R.F. Kuang has quickly become one of today’s most daring and original voices in fiction, blending sharp social critique with rich storytelling. Her most recent novel, “Katabasis,” takes readers on a darkly witty descent into the underworld, where academia, ambition and myth collide. Known for tackling power, politics, and the human cost of ambition, Kuang first captivated audiences with “The Poppy War” and later with the wildly successful “Babel,” both of which showcased her ability to fuse historical depth with page-turning drama. As part of the 30th anniversary of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, Kuang joins host Dean Nelson for a delightful conversation at Point Loma Nazarene University.
“The Challenge of Building Better Batteries”
Batteries have become an essential component of our daily life. They power our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and many of the cars around us. They are also key to the renewable energy transition. Building better batteries requires the design of materials whose chemical composition and structure evolve drastically on charge and discharge, yet those changes must be perfectly reversible for the device to sustain hundreds or thousands of charge-discharge cycles. Raphaële Clément, Associate Professor of Materials Department at UC Santa Barbara, explains why this is a challenging task that necessitates an atomic-level understanding of the inner workings of battery materials. Clément is working to establish materials design rules and optimize materials processing approaches to advance electrochemical energy storage.
“The Science of Bouncing Back”
What does it mean to “bounce back” from illness or stress as we age? Heather E. Whitson, M.D., M.H.S., explores how resilience — the ability to recover and adapt — changes across the lifespan. She explains that recovery often slows with age and varies widely based on biology, lifestyle, and environment. Research links lower inflammation, better cellular health and emotional well-being to stronger outcomes, such as regaining mobility after a hip fracture or coping with chronic pain. Whitson also notes that brain changes like amyloid and tau buildup can begin years before symptoms appear, underscoring the importance of early prevention. She outlines practical steps to support resilience at any age, including staying active, eating well, managing health conditions, and staying socially and mentally engaged.