Photo: Joshua Black Wilkins

Pokey Lafarge, playing at Lincoln Hall on May 23

FOLK, COUNTRY, WORLD

BIG SANDY AND HIS FLY-RITE BOYS
5/24 at 9 This California group has been refining rockabilly into country boogie for over 20 years—it’s a contagious blend of western swing and Big Sandy’s versatile tenor voice. $15. FitzGerald’s, 6615 Roosevelt, Berwyn. fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

POKEY LAFARGE
5/23 at 9 He’s a cockeyed preservationist whose style stands up against an arsenal of ragtime, early jazz, and blues. His lyrics will keep your attention focused while the band chucks out railroad-traveler grooves. $15. Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln. lincolnhallchicago.com.

SCHUBAS
5/11 at 7 Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Danielle is a solo folk act who grew to a national level through devoted online followers, a testament to her undeniable charm and delightfully complex musical wit. $12. danielleatethesandwich.net. 5/11 at 10 Stornoway. This folk band of the indie-pop variety falls somewhere between Belle and Sebastian and Vampire Weekend. $14. 3159 N Southport. schubas.com.

SPACE
5/15 at 7:30 Colin Gilmore. A son of Lubbock, Texas, who adds his own quirks to the state’s long country tradition that includes Buddy Holly and Joe Ely, to name two. But Gilmore also weaves in the punk styles of childhood influences like the Clash. $10–$18. colingilmore.com. 5/24 at 7 Kruger Brothers. A finely tuned acoustic trio who consistently write strong personal narratives in the bluegrass and folk traditions. Its attention to detail gives the music a compositional depth often missed in bluegrass. $20–$35. krugerbrothers.com. 1245 Chicago Ave, Evanston. evanstonspace.com.
 

JAZZ

AMINA FIGAROVA TRIO
5/17 at 8 She’s got beauty and talent. The lovely Azerbaijani pianist is as well regarded for her rich small-ensemble compositions as she is for her sparkling work at the keyboard. Here, Figarova and her piano trio reinterpret some of those works penned originally penned for sextet. $20–$40. Mayne Stage, 1328 W Morse. maynestage.com.

CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC
5/24 at 8 The “third stream” meets the river as Orbert Davis and his impressive classical-jazz hybrid ensemble debut a newly commissioned piece exploring the history of the Chicago River and its impact on its hometown. $23–$74. Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan. cso.org.

DELFEAYO MARSALIS
5/18 at 8 Perhaps the most unsung member of the famous New Orleans musical clan, the veteran trombonist tackles a body of work that would make his traditionalist brother Wynton proud—the music of Duke Ellington. $36. Raue Center for the Performing Arts, 26 N Williams, Crystal Lake. rauecenter.org.

NEXTGENJAZZ IN THE PARK
5/10 at 7 The young trombonist Kendall Moore leads a group called New Frontline, which features up-and-comers including trumpeter Marquis Hill and saxophonist Christopher McBride, in the latest JazzCity offering from the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Free. Sherman Park, 1301 W 52nd. jazzinchicago.org.

SPACE
5/17 at 7 Jane Monheit. The singer has the pipes to belt it to the back row of a concert hall, but does she have the nuance to rein it in for an intimate room like this one? 5/31 at 8 Howard Levy. If anyone can bring the harmonica to the jazz forefront, it’s Levy. $14–$40. 1245 Chicago, Evanston. evanstonspace.com.

UMBRELLA MUSIC
5/9 at 9 A typically adventurous month of improvised Thursday nights includes this atmospheric French trio of Guylaine Cosseron on vocals, Xavier Charles on clarinet, and Frédéric Blondy on piano. 5/16 at 9 Hard-hitting duo of Dave Rempis on saxophone and Tim Daisy on drums. $8. Elastic, 2830 N Milwaukee. umbrellamusic.org.
 

More events:
Theatre | Music: Rock, Pop, and more | Music: Jazz, Folk, and more | Art Galleries
Music: Classical and Opera | Dance | Museums | Musicals