Frank Catalano
A 28-year-old saxist whose resume already includes work with Tony Bennett, Von Freeman, and Randy Brecker, Frank Catalano swerves between the pop, soul, and jazz world. He’ll bring his own band to town for a taste of who he is under his own name. Mon., June 23, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
• Critic’s Pick:
Music for Bowlers
This fascinating, heady, and fun piano trio from Phoenix, Arizona, made a powerful impression in Santa Barbara earlier this year at SOhO. Led by dexterous young pianist Jacob Koller and with a sound loosely in the vein of The Bad Plus, the Bowlers return to town, logically to the Santa Barbara New Music Series at Muddy Waters. Thu., June 26, 8pm. Muddy Waters Cafe, 508 E. Haley St. Call 966-9328 or visit colterfrazier.com/sbemn.html.
Gillian Harwin
Jill of All Trades takes some time off from her touring band, Latin big timers Movimiento, to promote her debut solo album, Whiskey Sandwich. Mon., July 7, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
Inga Swearingen
Montreux Jazz Festival Voice Competition winner and recurring contributor to Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion broadcast makes a stop at SOhO. Mon., July 14, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
Judy Wexler
Glendale native hits the road and heads north in support of her latest smooth jazz release, Dreams & Shadows. Mon., July 21, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
• Critic’s Pick:
Larry Carlton
This ¼ber-tasteful veteran jazz-rock-pop guitarist, a one-time session king turned solo artist, has lent his sound to classic albums by Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan, not to mention David Cassidy and countless others. In the last few decades, Carlton has tended his solo career and also played with Fourplay (one of the few artistically redeeming “smooth jazz” acts). His current blues-based, horn-fortified band kicks up heat and dust. Wed., Aug. 13, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.
• Critic’s Pick:
David Sanborn
Even those with distaste for the calculated superficiality of smooth jazz-and those who feel the phrase itself is an oxymoron-can love David Sanborn, guilt-free. He is a true American musical veteran after all, who has worked with Gil Evans and David Bowie, hosted the visionary NBC show Night Music, and has been fashioning an agreeable mix of jazz, funk, blues, and tart alto sax mellifluousness for decades, long before the word “smooth” hit town. Sat., Aug. 16, 8pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com.