Mission Mission

First: one of the baddest (in a good way) guitarists around Michael Abraham is leading a tribute to legendary jazz bassist/pianist Charles Mingus tonight at Amnesia as part of the SF Jazz Hotplate Series. The band features a sick (again, in good way) lineup of local musicians: Dayna Stephens, Erik Jekabson, Sylvain Carton, George Ban-Weiss, and Eric Garland. 8-11pm. Mike also leads the Wednesday night Jazz Jam Session at Amnesia.

Secondly, on another side of the musical spectrum: STRING METAL band Judgement Day will be performing an intimate little show at the Porto Franco Art Parlor tonight at 7:30pm. Anton Patzner is basically this sicko genius who runs his violin through a Marshall stack. His bro shreds out power chords on the cello and they are joined by a drummer. You will head bang. Hard. The Art Parlor is at 953 Valencia the show costs $15.

Last Wednesday at Michael Abraham Jazz Session, this Kora player showed up! Anyone know him? Check out this video of him doing his thing in glorious iPhonevision:

It sounds like there are angels in that gourd. The Kora is probably my favorite African harp/lute instrument that is fashioned out of a calabash. What’s yours?

Mike Abraham is also probably one of the baddest guitarists I’ve ever seen in any style. You never know who will pop in at his jam. Head over to Amnesia tomorrow at 10pm to check it out. I’ve got my fingers crossed that a jazz hand-farter will show up.