Local music roundup: April 11-17

Your intrepid music reporter feels overwhelmed by the coming week of performances.

First off, there is an ongoing event that is not included in the calendar below. The Noyes Cultural Arts Center placed a donated piano in Tallmadge Park (927 Noyes St.) on April 6 – it is available for all visitors to play until June 2. The Bienen School of Music at Northwestern is in full swing again. The amazing Gateways Music Festival will be at Pick-Staiger on Monday. Blues diva Shemekia Copeland is coming to town! Our ETHS bluegrass superstars, The Sullivan Sisters, are back at SPACE on Sunday night. Finally, the great jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman will be appearing right across the border (at Skokie’s North Shore Center for the Performing Arts) on Wednesday, April 17.

Be still, my heart!!

Thursday, April 11

• Jazz Appreciation Month Concert, noon at Performing Arts Center Lobby, Oakton College, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines. Take a short ride west to Oakton College for this lunchtime concert. Trumpet player and OCC faculty member Mark Olen will lead a sextet that includes fellow faculty member Tim McNamara on soprano saxophone, baritone saxophones and clarinet. Other players in the group are Nick Bisesi on alto sax, tenor sax and flute; Dennis Caroll on bass; and Bob Rummage on drums. The esteemed local pianist Jim Trompeter will round out the group. Trompeter frequently plays with the great jazz vocalist Kurt Elling. This is an excellent opportunity to hear fantastic jazz in broad daylight. Free admission.
• Gwendolen Boros, French horn student recital, 6 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Boros will be accompanied by Mark Morris, Lily Kern and Michael Wattai, French horns; Zach Hommel and Parisa Tofigh, trumpets; Tim George, trombone; Lola Stevenson, bass trombone; and Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio, piano. The program will include works by Duke Ellington, Reinhold Glière and Vitaly Buyanovsky. Free admission.
• BYO Vinyl Night, Bitter Blossom, 6:30 p.m. at 1707 Maple Ave. OK, this isn’t live music, but it’s awesome. Bitter Blossom is one of Evanston’s newest bars, located next to the AMC movie theaters. They host do-it-yourself DJ nights on Thursdays, vinyl only. You also might get to see artist Daniel Burnett work on an amazing mural on the bar’s wall. As a bonus, the drinks are very good. Free admission.
• The Bart Attacks! 7 p.m. at Double Clutch Brewing, 2121 Ashland Ave. These two versatile musicians (Mike Ferriter, guitar; Bart Piet, guitar and vox) will play original songs and covers of tunes by the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, The Beatles and others. The duo sometimes adds a couple of friends to become a quartet to play some funky music. Free admission.
• Ben Paterson Organ Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Downbeat Magazine said that Paterson is “as soulful a pianist/organist as exists anywhere.” He played for several years with the great Chicago tenor player Von Freeman. Paterson also has a wonderful singing voice. Le Piano has a Hammond B3 organ performance every Thursday evening. $15.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a motherlode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023-24 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. This production required a license from Music Theater International and permission from the Estate of Stephen Sondheim. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Shemekia Copeland 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. Copeland is an extraordinary blues diva in the tradition of Bessie Smith and Koko Taylor. She adds her unique vocal delivery to this historic legacy – full of passion, conviction and entreaties for a better tomorrow.  Copeland has a family legacy in the blues – her father was the great Johnny Copeland, an under-rated guitarist and vocalist who was a blues road warrior in the 1970s and ’80s. $25.
• Wiktoria Godawa, flute and piccolo graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Godawa will be accompanied by Kay Kim on piano. Her program will include works by Handel, Valerie Coleman and Jacques Ibert. Free admission.

Friday, April 12

• Sarah Heimberg, trumpet graduate student recital, 6 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Regenstein Master Class Room, 60 Arts Circle Dr. Heimberg will be accompanied by Charlie Jones on trumpet and Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio on piano. Her program will include works by Telemann and Rossini. Free admission.
• Community Drum Circle, 7 p.m. at Art Makers Outpost, 609 South Blvd. Hosted by Tony Toneji Garrett. Garrett is an Evanston-based musician, teacher, percussionist and drum circle facilitator. He is an expert in the African and Latin styles of drumming. Garrett’s philosophy: If you have a heartbeat, you have rhythm! Some drums are provided, but feel free to bring your own. This is an all-ages event. Suggested donation $5.
• Reggae Music Night, 7 p.m. at Good To Go Jamaican Cuisine, 711 Howard St. Lenice and Tony Levy have created a marvelous destination for Jamaican food and reggae music. Tony is from Jamaica and has said “I want to bring Jamaica here!” Music happens every Friday night – the Hurricane Reggae Band is one of the regular bands. Free admission.
• Chad Willetts Quartet, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Willetts is a drummer, pianist and owner/operator of this excellent East Rogers Park jazz club/restaurant. His jazz quartet features a guest artist every Friday night. $15.
• St. Paul’s Boys Choir of Harvard Square, 7 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Ave. This remarkable choir from Cambridge, Mass., is touring the Chicago area. The touring group includes 25 treble choristers alongside five music scholars with changed voices. Peter Morey, St. Luke’s associate director of music and organist, will accompany the choir on the church’s magnificent Opus 327 organ. Free admission.
• Maria João Pires – piano, 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. This is part of Northwestern’s Skyline Piano Artist Series. Pires is the winner of Bienen’s 2023 Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance. She was born in 1944 and gave her first public performance at the age of 4. Pires won first prize at the Beethoven Bicentennial Competition in Brussels in 1970 and embarked on an illustrious career playing with the world’s greatest symphony orchestras and as a soloist. In addition to being a superstar classical pianist, she is a passionate teacher. SOLD OUT, but there may be a few tickets available at the door right before the performance.
• Camerata Chicago Orchestra with pianist Marta Aznavoorian, 7:30 p.m. At Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave. This is the 20th season for Camerata Chicago, a fine chamber orchestra led by music director Drostan Hall. The ensemble will play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Pianist Aznavoorian is a Chicago native who made her professional debut at the age of 13 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is a sought-after soloist and educator and has been a featured soloist with many excellent orchestras in the U.S. and abroad. Aznavoorian is a member of the faculty at DePaul University. Camerata Chicago will also perform the New World Symphony No. 9 by Dvorak and the William Tell Overture by Rossini. $50/$40 seniors/$10 students.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a motherlode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023-24 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. This production required a license from Music Theater International and permission from the Estate of Stephen Sondheim. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Henhouse Prowlers with Arkansauce, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. All Chicagoans should be proud of the Henhouse Prowlers. Through their work with the American Music Abroad program of the U.S. State Department and their own Bluegrass Ambassadors nonprofit, they have brought their high-energy bluegrass music to 25 nations, from Kenya to Kyrgystan. This band may have done more for international understanding than the United Nations. The opening act hails from Fayetteville, Ark., and the players in Arkansauce are excellent representatives of the “newgrass” wing of the bluegrass world – think Béla Fleck and the Flecktones with no drums or amplification. $25/$32.
• Uncle Pigeon, 8:30 p.m. at Cary’s Lounge, 2251 W. Devon Ave., Chicago. This Chicago alt-rock quartet has some well-constructed original songs. Joey Acopiado (lead guitar and vocals) and and Karl Kirkpatrick (guitar and vocals) are the songwriters of the group. This is a tight band! Free admission.
• Christy Bennett, 11 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Bennett is a busy jazz vocalist who performs a late-night set at Le Piano every Friday night. She is accompanied by Kevin Fort on piano. $15.

Saturday, April 13

• Charlie Jones, trumpet graduate student recital 12 p.m. noon at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Jones will be accompanied by Sarah Heimberg on trumpet and Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio on piano. The program will include works by Aaron Copland and Henri Tomasi. Free admission.
• Alex Ertl, trombone graduate student recital 2:30 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Ertl will be accompanied by Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio on piano. His program will include works by Schumann and Sibelius. Free admission.
• Calista Smith, soprano recital, 6 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Regenstein Master Class Room, 60 Arts Circle Dr. According to the Bienen School’s calendar, Smith will be accompanied by two pianists and eight cellists (presumably not at the same time). Her program will include works by Mozart, Schubert and Dvorak. Free admission.
• Álvaro Pierri, guitar, 7:30 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Pierri is a regular guest in the major concert houses of Europe, the Americas and Asia. The Vancouver Sun said the guitarist has “fluent technique, golden tone and singing musicality.” This is part of Northwestern’s Segovia Classical Guitar Series. SOLD OUT, but there may be a few tickets available at the door right before the performance.
• Chad Willetts Quartet, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Willetts is a drummer, pianist and owner/operator of this excellent East Rogers Park jazz club/restaurant. His Saturday night quartet features Dez Desormeaux on tenor sax. Desormeaux has that full-throated Chicago tenor sax tone. $15 
• Sean Cleland Presents: Mayor Harrison’s Fedora, 7:30 p.m. at Seman Violins, 4447 Oakton St., Skokie. This concert will explore the heritage of Irish music in the City of Chicago. Cleland is the curator of the program and also plays the fiddle. Much of the music will be drawn from pieces written by Chicago Police Chief Francis O’Neill between 1903 and 1924. This is a BYOB event. $25.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 7:30 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a motherlode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023 – 2024 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. This production required a license from Music Theater International and permission from the Estate of Stephen Sondheim. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Henhouse Prowlers with Carrie Sue and the Woodburners, 8 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. All Chicagoans should be proud of the Henhouse Prowlers. Through their work with the American Music Abroad program of the U.S. State Department and their own Bluegrass Ambassadors non-profit, they have brought their high-energy bluegrass music to 25 nations, from Kenya to Kyrgystan. This band may have done more for international understanding than the United Nations. The opening act, Carrie Sue and the Woodburners, is a country/folk trio that came together three hours south of Chicago in Urbana. Carrie Sue has a lovely voice.  $25/$32.
• Blue Lorraine Quartet, 8:30 p.m. at Cary’s Lounge, 2251 W. Devon, Chicago. Hey, this country music quartet has a lap steel player! What a wonderful instrument: It tugs at the heartstrings and makes one crave whiskey. Free admission.
• Petra Van Nuis, 11 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Van Nuis is jazz vocalist with a light, delicate voice. She performs the late-night set at Le Piano every Saturday. Van Nuis is a very active artist in Chicago and often works with her husband, jazz guitarist Andy Brown. Pianist Dennis “Deluxe” Luxon accompanies Van Nuis during the late-night set at Le Piano. $15.

Sunday, April 14

• Rock and Roll Playhouse plays the Music of Bob Marley, 12 p.m. at SPACE, 1635 Chicago Ave. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is a family concert series hosted at music venues across the country, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (The New York Times). This concert focuses on the music of reggae icon Bob Marley. $15.
• Uma Singh, soprano graduate student recital, 12 p.m. noon at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Singh will be accompanied by pianist Jonathan Gmeinder. Her program will include works by Schubert, Samuel Barber and Nadia Boulanger. Free admission.
• Eden Stargardt, French horn graduate student recital, 2:30 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral and Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Stargardt will be accompanied by Aidan Alcocer, Dena Levy and Ryan Williamson on French horns and Kay Kim on piano. The program will include works by Dennis Leclaire and Nadia Boulanger. Free admission.
• Northshore Concert Band – Making Waves, 3 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. The Northshore Concert Band’s spring concert will feature saxophonist Taimur Sullivan playing William Bolcom’s Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Band. Sullivan is professor of saxophone at Bienen School of Music. He has also been a member and co-artistic director of the Prism Quartet, a group of virtuoso saxophonists who performs all over the world. The 100-member Northshore Concert Band was established in 1956 and is internationally known. The ensemble has hosted many esteemed artists, including jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The band’s musicians come from all over the Chicago area. Half the players are involved in music education and the rest come from a broad variety of professional backgrounds. This band consistently delivers a high level of musicianship. $25/$20 senior/$10 students.
• Music of the Baroque Orchestra – Birds, Frogs, Crickets and Dogs, 3 p.m. at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The Chicago Sun-Times writes, “Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may be the big guys on the local classical music scene, but in terms of sheer quality of performance … Music of the Baroque inhabits the same stratosphere.” This concert focuses on pieces that mimic animal sounds. Dogs bark in Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto from the famous Four Seasons. Crickets chirp in Telemann’s Cricket Symphony, while frogs ribbit in his concerto for violin. There is lots of “clucking” and “scratching” in Haydn’s Hen Symphony, which closes the program. This sounds like a fun afternoon. Tickets begin at $35.
• John Eadie, 3 p.m. at the Fat Shallot, 2902 Central St. Singer/song writer is Eadie from New Hampshire but was recently transplanted to Highwood, IL. He plays acoustic folk & blues music inspired by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot & the early blues & gospel artists. Free admission.
• Nora O’Connor and Casey McDonough, 4 p.m. at Sketchbook Brewery in Skokie, 4901 Main St., Skokie. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist O’Connor is ubiquitous – everyone wants her to join their band. She has toured with a formidable list of acts including Iron & Wine, The Decemberists and violinist/vocalist Andrew Bird. She also is a great songwriter and solo performer. O’Connor and McDonough are both in the Flat Five, a group that mashes up jazz, country and 60s pop. McDonough has been part of The Western Elstons, NRBQ and many other projects. Free admission.
• Alexis Chae, viola student recital, 6 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Chae will be accompanied by pianist Kay Kim. The program includes works by Brahms, William Walton and Amy Beach. Free admission.
• Sondheim Tribute Review, 6 p.m. at Theo, 721 Howard St. Stephen Sondheim was one of the giants of musical theater and left us with a motherlode of iconic songs. Theo has devoted much of its 2023 – 2024 season to Sondheim’s works – this tribute show plus the musicals Assassins and A Little Night Music. Theo’s Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has created a cabaret revue that is a one-of-a-kind tribute evening. This production required a license from Music Theater International and permission from the Estate of Stephen Sondheim. The show runs through April 28. Tickets start at $54/$49 seniors.
• Amr Fahmy Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Fahmy is the pianist for the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective, a hard-grooving group of top-notch musicians who often perform with the marvelous vocalist Dee Alexander. He brings his trio to Le Piano every Sunday. $15.
• Kruger Brothers with the Sullivan Sisters, 8 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. It will be  a family affair at SPACE! Jens and Uwe Kruger fell in love with American country and folk music when they were kids, but they lived in Switzerland.  They came over to the U.S. to perform in the big roots music event, MerleFest. They began touring and their songs resonated with American audiences. The brothers immigrated to North Carolina and are serious stars in the Americana music world. Evanston’s own Sullivan Sisters, two bluegrass prodigies who attend Evanston Township High School, will open for the Krugers. $20/$35.
• Claire McClean, percussion recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall 70 Arts Circle Dr. McLean will be accompanied by fellow percussionist Blake Parker. The program includes works by Bach, Franco Donatoni and Irwin Bazelon. Free admission.
• Dena Raquel Levy, French horn graduate student recital, 8:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Regenstein Master Class Room, 60 Arts Circle Dr. Levy will be accompanied by pianist Kay Kim. The program will include works by Bertold Hummel, Reinhold Glière and Eric Ewazen. Free admission.

Monday, April 15

• Ila Gupta, saxophone recital, 6 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Dr. Gupta will be accompanied by Isaac Boone, soprano saxophone; Sam Alvarez, tenor saxophone; Kurt Cox, baritone saxophone; Nathan Canfield, piano. The program includes works by Steven Banks and David Lang. Free admission.
• Gateway Chamber Players with Tai Murray and Phylicia Rashad, 7:30 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. This is the opening performance of the Gateway Music Festival’s Chicago residency that runs from April 15-19. The folks at Gateway state that the festival “connects and supports professional classical musicians of African descent and enlightens and inspires communities through the power of performance.” The chamber group is loaded with high-powered players including the great violinist Tai Murray.  A marvelous star of stage and screen, Phylicia Rashad serves as guest narrator. Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale Suite and Wynton Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale are the featured works. This group just played Carnegie Hall and now they are in E-Town on a Monday night! How great is this? $35/$10 students.
• NU Small Jazz Ensembles Present the Music of Joshua Redman and Jackie McLean. 7:30 p.m. at Bienen School of Music, McClintock Choral and Recital Room, 70 Arts Circle Dr. The ensemble led by faculty member Darius Hampton will present the music of Joshua Redman; the ensemble led by faculty member Derrick Gardner will present the music of Jackie McLean. These two giants of the jazz saxophone were also prolific composers. This event is a great preview for Redman’s show on April 17 (see listing below). $6/$4 students.
• Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, 8 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. This is an unusual folk music duo – Suzzy is Lucy’s mom (and Lucy’s dad is Loudon Wainwright III). Not surprisingly, the voices of this mother/daughter duo blend beautifully. Suzzy Roche is a founding member of the musical group The Roches – the three Roche sisters formed the trio. Lucy has released five records on her own label. She has been the opening act for major artists such as The Indigo Girls and Neko Case. $20.

Tuesday, April 16

• Northwestern Concerto/Aria Competition, 5 p.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. Do you love classical music? Do you also love American Idol? If you have this broad-ranging musical appetite, you will be delighted by this event. The Bienen School has been working through the preliminary rounds of competitors from its amazingly talented student pool. The finalists line up for the final smack-down at Pick-Staiger. Free admission.
• Irish Music Session, 7 p.m. at Sketchbook Brewing Evanston, 821 Chicago Ave. Traditional Irish music session with a shifting cast of players. Sketchbook owner Shawn Decker usually brings his fiddle and joins in the session. Folks who can play Irish music can join in! Free admission.
• Cabaret Night featuring Nitz and Friends North, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Daryl Nitz has been performing and producing cabaret shows in Chicago for years while teaching for three decades in Chicago area public schools. He retired last year from his teaching career and is devoting his full efforts to his art. This is a recurring show every Tuesday night. $15
• Canaan Cox – Lost and Found Tour with Iris Marlowe, 8 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. Cox grew up in North Carolina immersed in country music. His parents both played and wrote songs in that genre. Cox’s seven sisters made sure he also heard some pop music, and the first CD he ever bought was a Michael Jackson record. His music is a blend of country, pop and a little R&B – it sounds like a macho version of Taylor Swift. Cox has energy and talent. Opening for Cox is Chicagoan Iris Marlowe, a honky-tonk angel who has written the best “bad boyfriend” song I’ve heard in a long time. Marlowe qualifies as a true country punk (aka Cowpunk) artist. $15.

Wednesday, April 17

• Stuart Rosenberg Ensemble, 6 p.m. at Le Tour, 625 Davis St. Local violinist/ mandolinist Rosenberg and his backing band have a Wednesday evening residency at Amy Morton’s newest restaurant. The repertoire includes Django Reinhardt jazz, Brazilian Choro, Italian film music and more. Free admission.
• The Tim Fitzgerald Guitar Trio, 7 p.m. at Le Piano, 6970 N Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Fitzgerald is a skilled guitarist heavily influenced by jazz great Wes Montgomery. Organist Tom Vaitsas often joins Fitzgerald. This is a recurring show on Wednesday nights. $15.
• Stewart Goodyear, piano, 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Galvin Recital Hall 70 Arts Circle Dr. This is part of the Gateways Music Festival. Goodyear was described as “one of the best pianists of his generation” by the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is an accomplished pianist, improviser and composer who has appeared with many of the world’s major orchestras and chamber ensembles. Goodyear will be performing his own compositions as well as works by Beethoven. $35/$10.
• Joshua Redman, 7:30 p.m. at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Redman, 55, is at the peak of his creative powers as a saxophonist, composer and re-interpreter of familiar songs such as Count Basie’s “Going to Chicago” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia.” He has released dozens of albums through the years and is a prolific touring artist. Redman is the son of free jazz icon Dewey Redman, who played with Ornette Coleman, Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. Redman’s group includes Gabrielle Cavassa on vocals, Paul Cornish on piano, Philip Norris on bass and Nazir Ebo on drums. This is going to be one of the top jazz performances in the Chicago area this year! $45/$85.
• Sue Foley with Nikki O’Neill, 8 p.m. at SPACE 1635 Chicago Ave. Foley was born in Canada and picked up a guitar at 13. The blues bug bit her and she moved to Austin, Texas, in the late 1980s, played at the famed Antone’s blues club and put out recordings on owner Clifford Antone’s record label. This woman has soaked up that Texas “blues sauce” and she is a force of nature as a guitarist and vocalist. She is a great songwriter, and let’s not forget that she rocks out on a pink paisley guitar! Opening act O’Neill is based in Chicago and her original songs are deeply soulful. One senses the influence of Pops Staples. $15.
• Devin Foster Trio, 9 p.m. at Prairie Moon,1635 Chicago Ave. Foster is an up-and-coming young bassist who has been active on the Chicago scene for a while. He is bringing a trio to Prairie Moon that does not have a chordal accompanist – just sax, bass and drums.  The saxophone great Sonny Rollins liked this format.  Foster’s band mates are Fred Jackson on saxophone and Marcus Evans on drums. $7.

Updated to add information regarding the Community Drum Circle event at Art Makers Outpost on April 12 and the John Eadie event at the Fat Shallot on April 14.