Greyboy Allstars, with DJ Greyboy and DJ Johnny Basil
When are album-release concerts not album-release concerts?
That question arises with regards to the Greyboy Allstars‘ gigs at the Belly Up Friday night and Saturday.
Neither is billed as an album-release concert despite coming just a week after the release of the band’s new album, “Grab Bag: 2007-2023.”
As that title implies, the music covers a span of 16 years by the San Diego-bred funk-jazz favorites. It features two new numbers and such previously recorded but unreleased songs as the slinky “Slip the Grip,” the atmospheric “Suadela” and a boogaloo-flavored version of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.”
No matter their year of origin, each reaffirms that — 31 years after Greyboy Allstars was launched — this band still gets its groove on with the best of them. That’s not surprising, as a quick look at the career trajectories of Greyboy’s attests.
Saxophonist Karl Denson has led his own band, Tiny Universe, since 1998 and has spent the past decade as a touring member of the Rolling Stones.
Keyboardist Robert Walter led his own band, 20th Congress, toured with Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and has recorded solo albums with such heavyweights as drummer Harvey Mason, guitarist Phil Upchurch and saxophonist Gary Bartz.
Guitarist Michael Andrews has thrived composing the scores for “Bridesmaids,” “Donnie Darko” and other films.
Drummer Aaron Redfield has played on albums by Elton John, Sia, Charli xcx, Kelly Clarkson and others.
Credit the Allstars’ creation to DJ Greyboy, who sparked the formation of the group in 1993 when he wanted a live band to accompany him. He’ll perform at Friday night’s concert, while DJ Johnny Basil will open Saturday’s concert.
9 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday. $35 (general ission), $62 (reserved seating) Belly Up, 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. (must be 21 or older to attend). bellyup.com
Leslie Odom Jr. – “The Christmas Tour”
A versatile singer who earned a Tony Award for his electrifying portrayal of Aaron Burr in the smash musical “Hamilton,” Leslie Odom Jr. also portrayed vocal legend Sam Cooke in the film “One Night in Miami” and won a Grammy Award for his self-titled debut album.
With two Christmas releases to his credit, he’ll have lots of songs to choose from during his orchestra-free concert here at the home of the San Diego Symphony. Odom was interviewed recently by my colleague, Pam Kragen. You can read it here.
7:30 p.m. Saturday. Jacobs Music Center, 750 B Street, downtown. $39-$147. sandiegosymphony.org
The Acid Cole Trio
Before he became a pioneering international pop singing sensation, Nat “King” Cole earned acclaim as a first-rate jazz pianist whose trio set a heady standard for its impeccable taste, urbane instrumental interplay and joyous sense of swing. Indeed, the group started off as King Cole & His Swingsters before changing its name to the Nat “King” Cole Trio,
The original lineup teamed Cole with the superb guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley Prince. Its drummer-free lineup repeatedly soared in the late 1930 and early 1940s, although it was thanks to “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” “Route 66” and other classics that featured Cole’s luminous vocals that led to major stardom.
Cole’s legacy as an instrumentalist and band leader will be saluted here Sunday by Los Angeles’ 9-month-old Acid Cole Trio. The group teams Grammy-winning pianist and arranger Bill Cunliffe with ace bassist Darek Oles and fleet-fingered guitarist Larry Koonse.
Their combined credits as musicians could fill this page. The fact that their ission to their performance is free makes this the aural bargain of the week.
5 p.m. Sunday. Tio Leo’s 5302 Napa Street, Bay Park. Free. tioleos.com
2z
What’s a South Korean K-Pop group that features five young male models-turned-performers doing playing at Brick by Brick, the Bay Park venue that since 1995 has billed itself as “San Diego’s home for heavy music?”
And why is a group whose target audience is teen and tween girls booked at this (or any other) 21-and-up venue?
Those questions came to mind upon learning that 2z — also known as Tuzi — is coming to Brick by Brick, whose schedule includes the bands Snot, Filth, Aborted, Parasitic Existence and Abysmal Dawn.
The all-ages Soma Live would be a more suitable setting, but is hosting a sold-out show by hometown favorites Thee Sacred Souls the same night 2Z is at Brick by Brick.
That said, the incongruous choice of venue boosts the curiosity factor exponentially, just as it did when English songbird Corinne Bailey Rae and the impossible-to-classify French band Magma performed at Brick by Brick. Then again, Magma’s merch guy was — unironically, I think — wearing a Michael Franks t-shirt.
Clearly, then, almost anything goes (musically speaking) at Brick by Brick, which was purchased in 2014 by three former of the San Diego Christian metalcore band As I Lay Dying.
7 p.m. Tuesday. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. $37.51-$89.01 (must be 21 or older to attend). brickbybrick.com
