Friday just before dusk I was running an errand on South Lake Avenue, and I heard saxophone music. A musician was sitting by the Macy’s parking structure exit. He was good. I hope he comes back.

Now recruiting players (click here to see larger)

Lots of guitars

Guitar closeup

South Pasadena Music
1017 Fair Oaks Ave
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 403-2300
southpasadenamusic.com

Walking into the Pasadena Jazz Institute

Paul Lines greeted us at the door and showed us around

There was a large performance space with lots of cozy little tables, and there were separate bar, pool and patio areas where you could hear the music and watch it on screen, but where you could also move around and socialize more or enjoy a little more privacy.

Saxophonist at the Pasadena Jazz Institute

Main performance space

Out on the patio

Pool in the back room at Pasadena Jazz Institute

Pasadena Jazz Institute
260 East Colorado Blvd.
Suite 206
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-398-3344
www.pasjazz.org

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Then we rode the free Art Night shuttle over to the Armory.

Art Night at the Armory

Local community ensemble Kan Zaman was there playing classical Arabic music.

Kan Zaman, 1

Kan Zaman, 2

You can hear samples of their music here: http://www.kanzaman.org/cds.htm

Armory Center for the Arts
145 N. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91103
626-792-5101
www.armoryarts.org

South Pasadena Music feels like a third place. It’s a great place to buy an instrument and to take lessons, but it’s more than a store. It feels good to be there. It feels kind of like a low key community hub. When I walked in this week, they had a copy of the South Pasadena Downtown Redevelopment Plan on the counter, and people (including me) looked at it and got into discussions about it. It felt like something out of a Ray Oldenburg book.

Kathy of Aphrodite in Jeans likes it there, too.

South Pasadena Music
1017 Fair Oaks Ave
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 403-2300
southpasadenamusic.com