For Jazz Buffs, Here Are Some Places

Here’s where jazz can be found in Orange County. Due to unpredictable changes in scheduling, it’s always best to call ahead.

Bistango, in The Atrium, 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. Stephen Boyd plays solo piano, Sundays and Mondays at 6 p.m.; The James Exchange every Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 p.m.; George Griffin on Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. (714) 752-5222.

Cafe Lido, 501 30th St., Newport Beach. Mike Patterson and Papa Bear’s R & B Band every Sunday; Brazilian singer Sonia Santos on Mondays; pianist Peggy Duguesnel with vocalist Julie Kelly and saxophonist Ann Patterson on Tuesdays; vocalist Sherry Scott on Wednesdays; Bobby Redfield’s Latin Jazz Band on Thursday, Jan. 24; trombonist Mike Fahn on Thursday, Jan. 31; The Bernie Pearl Blues Band with Harmonica Fats every Friday and singer Dee Dee McNeil on Saturdays. Performers go on at 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and on Thursday, and at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. (714) 675-2968.

The Cannery, 3010 Lafayette Ave., Newport Beach. Best known for pop, rock and blues, schedules jazz occasionally. On Sunday, Jan. 27, it’s the Don Miller Big Band, 8:30 p.m. (714) 675-5777.

C’est La Vie, 373 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. The Bill Nolte Duo every Friday and Bob Hawkins every Saturday, both at 8 p.m. (714) 497-5100.

Crown House Restaurant, 32802 Coast Highway, Monarch Beach. Charles Hayes, Sundays through Wednesdays through Feb. 4 (George Butts will cover the Sunday to Wednesday slot beginning Feb. 5); James Harris and Family, Thursdays through Saturdays, 9 p.m. (714) 496-5773.

The Marriott Hotel & Tennis Club, 900 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Robert Conti every Sunday, 7 p.m. (714) 640-4000.

El Matador, 16903 Algonquin St., Huntington Beach. The Luther Hughes Trio with special guests, Thursdays through Saturdays (Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26, guitarist Thom Rotella; Jan. 31, Miles Davis’ current keyboardist Kei Akagi). Big bands and others on Tuesdays (Tuesday, Jan. 29, the Pocket Rockets). All 9 p.m. (714) 846-5337).

Gustaf Anders, 3810 S. Plaza Drive, Santa Ana. Les Czimber, Thursdays through Saturdays, 9 p.m. One Sunday afternoon concert a month; the next is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 24. Call for late booking. (714) 668-1737.

Mr. Stox, 1105 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim. Ron Kobayashi, Thursdays through Saturdays, 9 p.m. (714) 634-2994.

Oysters, 2515 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Saxophonist Skip Thomas, Thursdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. (714) 675-7411).

The Rio Grande Bar & Grill in the Capistrano Depot, 26701 Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano. Traditional sound from the Golden Eagle Jazz Band Sundays, Feb. 3, 17, 24; March 3, 10 and 24, 1 p.m.; swing from the Paul Kent Trio every Sunday, 5:30 p.m. (714) 496-8181.

Studio Cafe, 100 S. Main St., Balboa Peninsula. John Huston, Mondays; the Karl Denson Quartet, Tuesdays; Eric Marienthal, Wednesdays; Melvin Davis, Thursdays; Robert Williams, Fridays, and Chiz Harris, Saturdays. All 9 p.m. Plus Tyrone Anthony on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2. (714) 675-7760.

Studio Cafe, 3201 E. Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar. Music, mostly jazz, seven nights a week: Sundays, Wally Stryk’s group Flight with Don Preston; Mondays and Tuesdays, keyboardist Preston plays solo; Thursdays, bassist Bruce Lett; Fridays, Just Havin’ Fun; Saturdays, the Mike Davis Quartet. Performers go on at 8:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (714) 675-7575.

Other Orange County venues that occasionally book jazz include: The Celebrity Theatre, 201 E. Broadway St., Anaheim, (714) 999-9536 (David Sanborn will be there March 9); the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (714) 496-8927 (Wynton Marsalis is scheduled April 11), and Pepper’s Golden Bear, Pierside Pavilion, 300 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, (714) 374-2327.

Nearby jazz clubs worth the drive include: Elario’s, 7955 La Jolla Shore Drive, La Jolla, (619) 459-0541 (Jimmy McGriff appears Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 24 through 27); Giorgio’s Place, Arco Tower, 300 Ocean Ave. at Maine St. Long Beach, (213) 432-6175 (a singer’s showcase that has vocalist Shelley Moore this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24 and 25); Birdland West, 105 W. Broadway, Long Beach, (213) 436-9341 (featuring keyboardist Les McCann this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26), and Stingaree Gulch, in the Sheraton San Pedro Hotel, 601 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro, (213) 519-8200 (where guitarist Kenny Burrell holds court Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26).