WEEKEND FORECAST

TODAY

JAZZ

Brubeck’s innovating rhythms

Over the course of his 50-plus-year career, legendary pianist-composer Dave Brubeck has been most noted for his rather cerebral approach to music -- experimenting with odd time signatures, polytonality and contrapuntal melodies, incorporating elements of classical and folk music, while still creating jazz both interesting and commercially successful. His 1959 classic album “Time Out” is one of the first jazz endeavors to consciously explore time signatures other than the standard 4/4 or 3/4 time. Its hit single was “Take Five,” a tune in the unconventional 5/4 meter, hence its name. Brubeck, along with saxophonist Bobby Militello, bassist Michael Moore and drummer Randy Jones, performs in Malibu tonight.

Dave Brubeck Quartet, Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. 8 tonight. $55. (310) 506-4522.

WORDS

Writing with the devil

In an industry town where there is not much distinction between enemies and friends, it’s refreshing to know exactly where a hot-tempered and brawny Hungarian such as screenwriter Joe Eszterhas sits -- and that would be on the side of the devil. In a Hollywood tell-all masquerading as an advice book for screenwriters, Eszterhas, the mind behind “Flashdance,” “Basic Instinct” and “Showgirls,” gives away such nuggets of wisdom as “star spells rats backward.” “The Devil’s Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God!” also has a blast pitchforking Mike Ovitz. What’s not to like?

Joe Eszterhas, Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7 tonight (310) 659-3110.

MUSIC

Stravinsky in swing

This season, the Pacific Symphony is embarking on a series of short festival events. Its “American Russian Festival” falls into two parts, one today and another in October. Part One focuses on jazz and its impact on Russian audiences and composer Igor Stravinsky. Carl St.Clair will conduct two Stravinsky works -- the World War II-influenced Symphony in Three Movements and the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments. The program also will include Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and “Three Dance Episodes” from Bernstein’s “On the Town.” Alexander Toradze and Edisher Savitski will be the piano soloists.

Pacific Symphony, Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 8 tonight. $22 to $150. (714) 755-5799; www.pacificsymphony.org.

* Also 8 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

WORLD MUSIC

Can you beat this?

What was the first instrument played by humans? Most anthropologists think it was the drum. That view is underscored by the fact that any drummer from any culture can probably find a way to communicate with any drummer from another culture. When Mickey Hart and Planet Drum won the first Grammy for world music 15 years ago with the CD “Planet Drum,” it not only reinforced that timeless and borderless connection, it also opened the ears of millions of listeners to the infinite pleasures of the world music genre. In this celebratory performance, Hart’s versatile drumming will interface with the tablas of Zakir Hussain, the Puerto Rican percussion of Giovanni Hidalgo and the Nigerian talking drums of Sikiru Adepoju.

Mickey Hart and Planet Drum, Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood. 9 tonight. $31.50. (323) 462-8900.

FRIDAY

MUSEUMS

Prints from art royalty

One of the goals of June Wayne’s Tamarind Lithography Workshop, established in L.A. in 1960, was to expose artists to the possibilities of printmaking in the tradition of European printing ateliers. Indeed, Ed Ruscha made some breakthroughs during his participation there -- his liquid text images emerged from one of these printmaking sessions. “Ooo: Early Prints by Ed Ruscha” features experimental graphic works with lithography including “Adios” and “Eye” from 1969.

“Ooo: Early Prints by Ed Ruscha,” Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Opens Friday. $4 to $8; 18 and younger, free. (626) 449-6840.

* Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays, except noon to 9 p.m. Fridays. Ends Jan. 22.

MOVIES

A case in the future

“Renaissance,” a strikingly noirish animated movie set in 2054 Paris, sort of resembles “Sin City” and “A Scanner Darkly” with the contrast cranked way up. Soon-to-be Agent 007 Daniel Craig brings to life a hard-boiled (are there any other kind?) detective investigating the disappearance of a scientist ostensibly working on the cure for a childhood aging disease, but the project has far more sinister goals.

“Renaissance,” rated R for some violent images, sexuality, nudity and language, opens Friday in selected theaters.

OPERA

A saga of young love

Written in 1598 by Tang Xianzu, “The Peony Pavilion,” a classic of Chinese kun opera, offers young lovers defying societal norms, a la “Romeo and Juliet,” and overcoming death itself, as in the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The opera’s three parts are performed over three days by the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province, but each can be seen as a stand-alone work.

“The Peony Pavilion,” Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. 7:30 p.m. Friday (sold out). $40 to $125. (949) 854-4646.

* Also 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.

* Also at UCLA’s Royce Hall, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. $30 to $65. (310) 825-2101.

SATURDAY

POP MUSIC

Rose still firing away

It’s a good bet that many ticket holders at this year’s KROQ Inland Invasion were in diapers the last time headliner Guns N’ Roses played a Southern California concert -- archeologists date it as October 1992 at the Rose Bowl. Since then, Axl Rose has reconfigured the band and spent a decade working on an album, but this year has seen some notable rumbles of activity, including concerts in New York and Europe. This return to where it all began for the L.A. band finds Axl and crew ending a day of rock from the likes of Alice in Chains, Papa Roach, Muse, Rise Against and more.

KROQ Inland Invasion, Hyundai Pavilion, 2575 Glen Helen Parkway, Devore. 3 p.m. Saturday. $35 to $75. (909) 880-6500.

DANCE

Rallying troupes

They call it “Synergy,” the shared program by two locally based contemporary ensembles -- Regina Klenjoski Dance Company and TRIP Dance Theatre -- at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday. Four premieres are scheduled, choreographed by Klenjoski and TRIP’s Monica Favand, with original music by Ron Bartlett, Charlie Campagna and Moira Smiley (performed live) not only featured during the dance segments but in interludes between them. Expect the often-provocative Favand to supply the sin in “Synergy,” with the energy coming from Klenjoski.

“Synergy,” John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. 8 p.m. Saturday. $12 (students, children) and $25. (323) 461-3673 or www.fordamphitheatre.com.

SUNDAY

EVENTS

Autos that ought to be seen

West Hollywood landmark Barney’s Beanery will host its second annual Route 66 Highway of Dreams Charity Car Show on Sunday. George Barris, the man responsible for the Batmobile from the 1960s TV show and many other customized vehicles, will return as honorary chair as more than 200 vintage and unusual cars take up several blocks of Santa Monica Boulevard from Kings Road to La Cienega Boulevard and Holloway Street between La Cienega and Santa Monica boulevards. George Gray of HGTV’s “What’s With That House?” will serve as emcee. Exhibits, food (including Barney’s famous chili for only 50 cents), performers and other festivities will be featured. Proceeds will benefit LifeWorks, a nonprofit dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Route 66 Highway of Dreams Charity Car Show, Barney’s Beanery, 8447 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. $5 to $10; 4 and younger, free. (818) 259-2183.