BOLA Music: Good Eats and Free Beats

Music is infiltrating Los Angeles' burgeoning dining scene at all hours and in all genres. Here's the latest list of where to find great eats and free beats.

Soulful brunch at MiddleBar; Credit: Michele Stueven

There’s no better way to start the week off and get your head straight than a good Sunday jazz brunch. Parlor Social performs every Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., for Soulful Jazz Brunch at MiddleBar in Inglewood. The band is comprised of world-class musicians including Madonna's piano player Ric'key Pageot and Dessy Di Lauro from Cirque du Soleil. The trio is known for bringing in special guest performers, and on any given Sunday you might catch a trumpet, a spoken word poet or even a tap dancer. Typically, there is a $5 support the arts fee to cover the band, but if people bring in their copies of L.A. Weekly, MiddleBar is happy to waive the fee. Brunch items include the farm fresh pan-crepe, seasonal bread pudding, freshly baked bagels topped with whipped cream cheese and house-cured salmon, and the famous MiddleBar Mary. MiddleBar, 129 N. Market St., Inglewood; (323) 454-7577, middlebar.com.

Parlor Social at MiddleBar; Credit: MiddleBar

If you’re heading downtown, check out the historic Mayfair Hotel, site of the first-ever Oscars afterparty. The hotel completed a top-to-bottom renovation led by renowned architect and designer Gulla Jónsdóttir last year. This new entertainment hotspot hosts musicians every week in its art-filled Library Bar, located off the lobby. Upcoming acts include Grammy-nominated soul and R&B singer Stacy Barthe, residencies with KCRW’s DJ Garth Trinidad, Cut Chemist and all-female lineups at events like Love Frequency featuring DJs Rashida, Valida and Syrehn. Try one of their signature cocktails, either Cissy's Fizz (Plymouth gin with raspberry syrup, lemon juice and egg white) or Little Sister (Grey Goose vodka with passion fruit, pineapple juice, lime juice, Angostura bitters and Hellfire bitters), both of which are nods to The Mayfair Hotel's cinematic past. As for an appetizer, go for the spicy tuna tartar wonton tacos with spicy aioli, sushi soy sauce, house-made guacamole, crème fraîche and sliced jalapeños. The Mayfair Hotel, 1256 W. 7th St., Westlake; (213) 632-1200, mayfairla.com.

Krystle Wright and Erik Hammer live at Mrs. Fish; Credit: Mrs. Fish

Sushi at Mrs. Fish; Credit: Michele Stueven

Up the street, Alex Reznik at Mrs. Fish just started a Friday and Saturday music series in their stunning multi-level art-filled basement space to go with some of the best sushi and Japanese whisky in the city. Kristian Attard’s band (best known for his work as Jason Mraz’s bassist,) is currently performing. DJs open the night at 8 p.m. with live band performances following at 10 p.m., producing late-night energy till close. Sit back and enjoy one of their signature rolls, like the golden yuzu (yellowtail, albacore, tuna, salmon, ikura, asparagus, cucumber, yuzu miso and gold flakes) or the oyabun (Maine lobster, wagyu beef tataki, garlic and nikiri soy sauce). And upstairs at Perch, Molly Miller from Mraz's band performs weekly. Mrs. Fish, 448 S. Hill St., downtown; (213) 873-4444, mrsfish.com.

The Hollywood Roosevelt just announced a new classical music series, JAZZ:||:SYMPOSIUM at Teddy’s Bar which puts a brand new shine on some of America’s greatest music. Inspired by classical music series, symposium performs complete conceptual works as they were recorded by composers like Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Art Blakey and intertwines these works with spontaneous improvisations from the band's members, which include trumpet, tenor saxophone, piano, bass and drums. Open to the public and complimentary with an RSVP, the June 13 show will be dedicated to Miles Davis and the iconic album Kind of Blue. Members include Gerrit Kinkel on trumpet, Jordan Donald on saxophone, Doug Carter on piano, Jimi Hawes on bass and Aaron Williams on drums. Bar bites include sweet and spicy sambal chicken wings, blistered shishito peppers and roasted Berkshire pork sliders. Teddy's Bar, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 856-970, thehollywoodroosevelt.com.

Jass Symposium in Teddy's Bar; Credit: Hollywood Roosevelt

If you’re looking for something funkier and unexpected, head toward the San Fernando Valley to the Maui Sugar Mill Saloon in Tarzana. Good dive bar drinks and an ever-changing lineup of acts including country nights with Chad Watson, live blues on Mondays and Thursday nights for locals only, celebrating the music of the Valley. And you never know when valley boy Dave Grohl might just show up at random and grab the mic. Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana; (818) 344-0034.

If you're by the beach, there is live music nightly at Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica overlooking the water — it's the perfect sunset spot for oysters and martinis. Musical performances range from jazz to flamenco with Joe LoPiccolo every night of the week in the historic hotel lobby. This May, the lobby welcomes performances from local talents Inbar Starr, the Adam Michaelson Band, Emma-Jane Thommen, Melissa Morgan. Hotel Casa del Mar, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica; (310) 581-5533, hotelcasadelmar.com.

Martinis, oysters and live music at Hotel Casa del Mar; Credit: Michele Stueven

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