THREE-DAY FORECAST

WORLD MUSIC

Flamenco fusion

Bebo Valdes and Diego El Cigala, darlings of the European jazz and world music circuits, draw raves for their unique fusion of Cuban danza with earthy flamenco on their CD “Lagrimas Negras.” Finally, the aging Cuban pianist, father of Irakere’s Chucho Valdes, and the young Gypsy singer make their West Coast debut. This promises to be a rare event.

Bebo Valdes, Diego El Cigala, the Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 9 tonight. $62.50/$30.

(323) 938-1696.

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ART

Loaded paintings

New work by Owen Smith: “Loaded” opens during the First Friday Artwalk on Friday evening in Los Feliz. Smith, who counts Rolling Stone, Time and the New Yorker magazines among his clients, has also done a set of mosaic murals in a Brooklyn subway station and is working on a mural for a hospital in San Francisco. Here, he shows paintings inspired by the imagery of old pulp magazines and Work Projects Administration (WPA) artists of the 1930s.

Owen Smith: “Loaded,” La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. Artist’s reception, 8-11 p.m. Friday. Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-6 p.m. Sundays. Ends Sept. 26.

(323) 666-7667.

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MUSEUMS

The Bible in context

The transformation of the Bible from a complex religious text for the literate few to a book made accessible to modern readers is traced in “The Bible and the People,” an exhibition that looks at the cultural history of the Bible and its audience. Included among the more than 130 Bibles drawn from the Huntington Library’s rare book and manuscript collections are one of 12 surviving copies of the Gutenberg Bible printed on vellum, the first Bible printed with movable type and the first American Bible printed in English.

“The Bible and the People,” Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Opens Saturday. Hours: noon-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Ends Jan. 5. $6-$15; 4 and younger, free.

(626) 405-2100.

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MOVIES

A brother’s mission

A Korean man takes up arms to save his younger brother in Kang Je-Gyu’s wartime drama “Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War.” In 1950, Jin Seok, an aspiring university student, is conscripted into the Korean army. His older brother, Jin-Tae, who shines shoes to earn money for Jin-Seok’s education, quickly enlists and volunteers for deadly missions. Jin-Tae hopes to bring the family honor -- in place of the money and influence they lack -- and win Jin-Seok’s freedom. Jang Dong-Gun, Won Bin and Lee Eun-Joo star.

“Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War,” rated R for strong graphic sequences of war violence, opens Friday in selected theaters.

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JAZZ

Partying on West Coast

Some of the Southland’s finest musicians travel down to Irvine this Labor Day weekend for the 10th annual West Coast Jazz Party -- four nights and three days of almost nonstop, straight-ahead jazz that includes a musical cruise Sunday in Newport Harbor. Those scheduled to perform include Jack Sheldon and his California Cool Quartet, Kenny Drew, the Count Basie Orchestra, the Four Freshmen, Jeff Hamilton Trio, the Holly Hofmann/Mike Wofford Quartet, Scott Hamilton and Rob McConnell.

West Coast Jazz Party, Irvine Marriott Hotel, 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Thursday, noon-1:30 a.m. Friday, noon-1 a.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Sunday. Daily events $15-$75, festival packages $275-$300. (949) 759-5003. www.westcoastjazzparty.com

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EVENT

Honoring 9/11 heroes

The Release of Souls Memorial Sculpture and Concert in honor of the uniformed public servants who lost their lives on

9/11 opens its national

tour in Pasadena on Friday with a concert featuring the California Professional Firefighters Pipes and Drums military band, the Pasadena Honor Guard, singers Fiona Blackburn, Glenda Rae, pianist Miles Black and percussionist Tony Chamberlist. The 18-foot-tall sculpture will remain on public display through Sunday.

The Release of Souls Memorial Sculpture and Concert, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. 7 p.m. Friday. $20-$30 for opening ceremony and concert. (310) 967-2952.

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THEATER

Kipling’s patriotism and family

David Haig’s play “My Boy Jack,” an American premiere, was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s poem of the same title. In 1913, patriotic Kipling’s determination that his teenage son become a World War I soldier causes a rift in his family and leaves the writer torn between love for his children and devotion to his country.

“My Boy Jack,” International City Theatre at Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. Opens Friday. Runs 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Ends Sept. 26. Opening night, $50-$60; other nights $30-$38. (562) 436-4610.

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MUSIC

Re-creating Handel’s fireworks

The first performance of Handel’s “Royal Fireworks Music” on April 27, 1749, was a disaster. The fireworks set off a fire and the spectators panicked, even as Handel conducted the orchestra. Since then, performances have gone better. Nicholas McGegan will conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Handel’s famous piece. The concert will include Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony and C.P.E. Bach’s Cello Concerto in A, with soloist Peter Stumpf.

Handel’s “Royal Fireworks Music,” Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. 8 p.m. today. $1-$78. (323) 850-2000.

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POP MUSIC

Hours of groovin’

There’ll be acres of space to dance, dance, dance and music galore at 10th Nocturnal Wonderland festival on Saturday. The National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino can handle up to 30,000 people, and this year the grounds will be divvied up into six themed areas a la Lewis Carroll (Alice’s House, Mad Hatter’s Castle, etc). Superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold is high on the list of dozens of music spinners from across the U.S. who promise to keep the grooves going for 10 straight hours. Other highlights figure to include Rabbit in the Moon, Chicago’s Greenskeepers and jungle act Goldie.

Nocturnal Wonderland 2004, National Orange Show Events Center, 689 South E St., San Bernardino. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. $30-$40. (877) 714-7668. www.nocturnalwonderland.com