Germany probably isn't the first place that pops into mind at the suggestion of wild, adventurous jazz cultures. Yet the land of oompah music and Kraftwerk has had its moments, most notably during the pre-Nazi Weimar Era, a time of runaway inflation, political chaos and -- not coincidentally -- zesty cultural experimentation.
In case you missed the fun the first time around, SFJAZZ celebrates Weimar wildness this week with an eclectic trio of performances. First up Thursday is Ute Lemper, a cabaret singer like no other, working with a trio and the gutter poetry of Charles Bukowski.
Friday and Saturday belong to Max Raabe and Palast Orchester, a 13-piece big band that mixes period tunes with modern pop, all performed in the giddy, overtly sexy style that had the Nazis dreaming up laws like these.
Sunday has local iconoclasts Clubfoot Orchestra performing live accompaniment to "Metropolis," Fritz Lang's hugely influential 1927 dystopian/expressionist film fantasy/nightmare. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. (plus a 4 p.m. matinee for "Metropolis"), and tickets are $20 to $80.
Also worth noting on the Bay Area jazz scene this week:
- Trumpeter and Maynard Ferguson protege Wayne Bergeron performs with The Night Jazz Band, comprised of the best community college jazz players in the state. 8 and 10 p.m. Tuesday at Yoshi's Oakland. $11-$17
- Polish (and polished) pianist Leszek Mozdzer Leszek, one of Europe's top jazz players, performs 8 p.m. Wednesday at Yoshi's San Francisco. $24
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Pianist Vijay Iyer, one of the most influential jazz figures of the current generation, plays and discusses his music in an intimate salon setting, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hotel Rex. $20
- Pianist, soundtrack wizard and unreformed beatnik Ben Sidran plays tunes from his new album, "Don't Cry For No Hipster," 8 p.m. Wednesday at Yoshi's Oakland. $25
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Gritty, full-voiced singer Scheherazade Stone interprets the music of pro-rapper Gil Scott-Heron as part of the SFJAZZ Hotplate! series, with sets at 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m. Thursday at the SFJAZZ Center. $5
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Spencer Day, a gifted singer and pianist who skates a fuzzy but fun line between jazz tradition and modern pop, performs with his quintet, 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday at Yoshi's San Francisco. $16-$22
- Piano ace Dick Whittington peruses the standards with sax master Andrew Speight, 8 p.m. Friday at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland. $20
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Versatile vocalist Swami Iyer sings ballads, blues and bop, 8 p.m. Friday at Berkeley's Jazzschool. $15-$18
- Leo Kottke, a finger-picking sensation who makes an acoustic guitar do seemingly impossible things, mixes folk, blues and shaggy-dog stories, 8 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at Yoshi's San Francisco. $35
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In-demand drummer Shawn Baltazor leads a high-energy quartet, 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Berkeley's Jazzschool. $12-$15
- Flamenco guitar virtuoso Vahagni and his trio mix a delicious stew of Mediterranean influences, 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society near Half Moon Bay. $35
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