Theo Saunders and George Herms tonite at LACMA–6-8 pm FREE.

Sitting here listening to Theo Saunders Jassemblage for the umpteenth time, digging how each tune is different tunes pieced together crazy logically illogically into new things, like Nuttiness that is half a dozen Monk tunes in one, or I Steal Good Moments that somehow slides Oliver Nelson’s Stolen Moments inside James Brown’s I Feel Good (or is that vice versa?), or the gorgeous Naimanox or Caramanteca or or more Monk in Rubistrophy–Theo Saunders digs his Monk. Great band on board this CD too–Chuck Manning and Louis Van Taylor on saxes, George Bohannon on the trombone. Love this album. Love it even more as the great George Herms designed the sleeve. Meanwhile, as I listen I’m flipping for the umpteenth time through the gorgeous double volume The River Book, which just gushes with George Herms crazy brilliant art. Madness, this stuff, things he finds and turns into other, cooler things. It incluides a DVD of a show he did at the REDCAT a few years ago that I still have difficulty describing. But why should I? After all, tonite, Friday, September 16 from 6-8 pm George Herms and Theo Saunders and band–including Phil Ranelin and Chuck Manning–will share the stage at LACMA and its free. Free free free. Be there. This has to be one of the jazz and art events of the summer. The year, even. Certainly the now. What a spectacularly groovy and weird and swinging and out way to begin the weekend. Believe you me, this will be something pretty special. And believe you me, be there or be unassembled.