Buddy Guy

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the May queen. Or something. Led Zeppelin's lyrics may mystify occasionally. But there's no doubting that the British heavy-metal gods knew how to wring pure dramatic power out of Jimmy Page's intricate guitar fingerings, Robert Plant's tenor shrieks, John Paul Jones' ferocious basslines and the late John Bonham's brilliant baroque drumming. So there's a certain poetic justice in the fact that Led Zeppelin is being honored this December by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts alongside another musician known for his primal urgency, Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy. Whether loudly bemoaning his woman troubles or bringing his guitar down to a hushed confessional, Guy has been praised by Page himself (among many others)

For many native Angelenos like Gail Samuel, summertime concerts at the Hollywood Bowl are a Southern California ritual as eagerly anticipated as the opening-day bite of a Dodger Dog. This year Samuel will be taking her lifelong Bowl-going habit to a new level in her recently appointed role as chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which spends its summers at the Bowl. Her programming prescription for the venue, Samuel said, will hew closely to the Bowl's decades-old philosophy.

The headliner at the Roxy on Wednesday night was respected blues singer-guitarist Buddy Guy, but much of the reason for the excited buzz as show time neared in the sold-out club was the rumor that guitar-god Eric Clapton would be sitting in with Guy. And unlike so many rumors about special guests at clubs, this one proved to be true.

WASHINGTON - Dustin Hoffman was praised for his perfectionism as an actor and David Letterman was applauded for "original and crazy" television comedy as they and five other artists were celebrated Sunday at the annual Kennedy Center Honors gala here. The honorees, seated with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, were rounded out by Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy, Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova and three British rockers from Led Zeppelin. The awards show leapt from the grace of the pas de deux to the growl of the blues, punctuated with some raucous laughter in between.

Most blues musicians need the spark of energy from a live audience to bring out their best. B.B. King's legendary "Live at the Regal" album is testament to the symbiotic relationship between a performer and crowd that can produce a truly magical performance. Guitarist-singer Buddy Guy may just be the exception to the rule: He seems to be better off in the isolated confines of a recording studio. His latest, "Feels Like Rain," shows why.

Buddy Guy has advice for young lovers. At the Universal Amphitheatre on Saturday (in a concert that also featured Joe Cocker and the Fabulous Thunderbirds), Guy offered it as he always has: with explosive bursts of blues guitar and crowd-pleasing humor. "We're going to make it so funky you can smell it," the Chicago bluesman promised early on, standing in front of the logo of the tour's sponsor, the House of Blues.

Blues music has plenty of Kings, but there's no one who can give Buddy Guy a run for the title of clown prince. As usual, Guy's performance on Thursday at the Coach House was virtually an over-amped, over-the-top caricature of the blues. And, as ever, the 56-year-old singer-guitarist's emotional intensity and irrepressible personality prevailed over the ludicrous setting he placed it in.

The blues has its heroes, shouters and players of profound emotion and ability. And Buddy Guy stands tall among them, even if his guitar chops are known mainly to blues aficionados, and less to fans of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and other pop-rock icons he's deeply influenced. So Guy was a fitting and amiable choice on Saturday to headline the first afternoon of the three-day Long Beach Blues Festival, which was attended by a large crowd scattered across the lawn at Cal State Long Beach.

During the 1980s, Buddy Guy discovered that he could keep working by playing very fast, very loud and catering to the lowest common denominator of the blues audience. A '90s career resurgence hasn't made him think about changing, as his excruciatingly excessive headlining set Saturday at the 16th annual Long Beach Blues Festival demonstrated. The formula: Take the most familiar blues classics and filter them through the high-energy blues-rock sound that developed in the '60s.

There may be no musician more aptly named than Buddy Guy. Eric Clapton has cited the Chicago bluesman as not only "by far and without a doubt the best guitar player alive" but also as a great, warm human being. Onstage, he's such a crowd-pleaser that he often seems to be pulled in 10 directions at once. He's the sort of family man who, when he has a day off touring, will fly home to mow the lawn or blow the snow.

David Letterman lost out on "The Tonight Show" to Jay Leno 20 years ago, but as of Wednesday he can boast of at least one accomplishment his rival doesn't have: He has been named a Kennedy Center honoree. The "Late Show" host, who recently celebrated his 30th year in late-night television, will receive the award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the performing arts and culture, during a gala in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2. This year's list of recipients draws from popular and high culture.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the May queen. Or something. Led Zeppelin's lyrics may mystify occasionally. But there's no doubting that the British heavy-metal gods knew how to wring pure dramatic power out of Jimmy Page's intricate guitar fingerings, Robert Plant's tenor shrieks, John Paul Jones' ferocious basslines and the late John Bonham's brilliant baroque drumming. So there's a certain poetic justice in the fact that Led Zeppelin is being honored this December by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts alongside another musician known for his primal urgency, Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy. Whether loudly bemoaning his woman troubles or bringing his guitar down to a hushed confessional, Guy has been praised by Page himself (among many others)

There are hundreds of spirited musical tales in "When I Left Home," Buddy Guy's new autobiography, which offers a colorful account of his 50-year-long tenure as perhaps the most influential guitar slinger in Chicago blues. One of the best comes when the young Guy, having recently headed north from Louisiana in the late 1950s to make his fortune, meets Muddy Waters, the reigning pasha of Chicago's blues scene, sitting in a red Chevy wagon parked behind a club, eating cold cuts. "His dark skin had a glow," Guy recalls.

A list of upcoming shows across the Southland, with on-sale dates in parentheses. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Epicenter 2011 with Limp Bizkit, Sept. 24; Kings of Leon, Sept. 8 (Sat.) Pantages Alicia Keys, June 24 (now) Shrine Auditorium Bon Iver, Sept. 19 (Fri.) Gibson Amphitheatre Jill Scott, Aug. 10; Marc Anthony, Sept. 25 (Fri.) Greek Theatre Thievery Corporation, Sept. 9; Fleet Foxes, Sept. 14 (Sat.) Hollywood Palladium Erasure, Oct. 1; Andrés Calamaro, Sept.

STAGE The Dirty Show The curtains are pulled back on the world of underground erotica as "The Dirty Show" comes to town. Merging highbrow erotic art and popular peep show, the exhibition features rooms curated by L.A.'s Lenora Claire, as well as a pop-up version of Rick Castro's Antebellum Gallery. City Center Hotel, 1135 W. 7th St. 8-11 p.m. (213) 627-2581. citycenterhotellosangeles.com. MOVIES Los Angeles Greek Film Festival This year the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, a celebration of Greek filmmakers from across the globe, zeroes in on the work of a daring new wave of Greek cinema.

An eclectic rite of spring at the Hollywood Bowl, the 33rd Playboy Jazz Festival offers its signature mix of established and up-and-coming jazz talent paired with flourishes from the worlds of pop, world music and funk. Among the top picks for what should be a rollicking weekend include rising star on trumpet Ambrose Akinmusire, New Orleans' Terence Blanchard teamed with the Roots, a pair of ageless musical titans in Lee Konitz and Buddy Guy and much more. 2301 N. Highland Ave., L.A. 3 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

What a source of resurgence the '90s have been for veteran Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy. After a decade without a domestic release, the Louisiana-born singer-guitarist found a happy home at Silvertone Records, an indie label in New York. All three of his studio releases since 1991 earned Grammy awards, and the records combined have sold nearly 2 million copies. In addition, the Rolling Stones picked Guy as the opening act for their 1994 tour.

WASHINGTON - Dustin Hoffman was praised for his perfectionism as an actor and David Letterman was applauded for "original and crazy" television comedy as they and five other artists were celebrated Sunday at the annual Kennedy Center Honors gala here. The honorees, seated with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, were rounded out by Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy, Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova and three British rockers from Led Zeppelin. The awards show leapt from the grace of the pas de deux to the growl of the blues, punctuated with some raucous laughter in between.

Playboy Jazz Festival When : 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, 3 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday Where : Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., L.A. Lineup : Saturday : The LAUSD All City High School Big Band, Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, Cosby All-Stars, A Night in Treme featuring Rebirth Brass Band and Kermit Ruffins, SFJAZZ Collective, Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Fourplay, Terence Blanchard with the Roots, Dianne Reeves. Sunday : Pullum High School Jazz Band, Carlos Varela, Bill Cunliffe and the Resonance Big Band, An African Tribute to James Brown, Geri Allen and Her Timeline Band, Harmony 3, Naturally 7, John Scofield and Robben Ford, Lee Konitz New Quartet, Buddy Guy. Price : $20 to $150 Info : (310)