Music: the week ahead

THE MUMLERS It's hard to nail down a genre for this young San Jose sextet, mostly because the band mashes up several of them so effortlessly on its new debut, "Don't Throw Me Away." From the horn-driven '60s soul to murky folk noir to junkyard blues, the Mumlers somehow make it all work, as if the detours were part of the original journey. 9 p.m. Nov. 6 $8. P.A.'s Lounge. 617-776-1557. www.paslounge.com

JAMES REED

WOLFMOTHER The latest export of thunder from Down Under, this power trio hits the Hub in support of its brawny and brutal sophomore album, “Cosmic Egg.’’ The rhythm section may be new, but the sound is familiar. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go to the RED campaign, which benefits AIDS charities in Africa. 7 p.m. Nov. 7. $25. House of Blues. 800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com

BROTHER ALI A master rhymer with unimpeachable cred who improves with every release, Ali comes with deep and deeply personal songs on his latest musical manifesto, “Us.’’ No bling required. 8 p.m. Nov. 8. $16. Paradise. 877-598-8689. www.livenation.com

ROB THOMAS A reminder to fans of the Matchbox Twenty frontman: His solo shows are just that, focusing mainly on his non-M20 material, including tunes from his latest release, “cradlesong.’’ 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9. $40.50-$56. Citi Wang Theatre. www.telecharge.com

DAN AUERBACH The Black Keys’ singer-guitarist has stepped out of his duo momentarily to promote his sterling solo debut, “Keep It Hid,’’ a gem of a jumble of blues, folk, country, and pop. The estimable-in-his-own-right alt-country troubadour Justin Townes Earle does the warm-up shuffle. 8 p.m. Nov. 9. $22.50. Paradise. 877-598-8689. www.livenation.com

SARAH RODMAN

ROCK EN ESPAÑOL 3 For the third consecutive year, the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts (formerly Casa de la Cultura/Center for Latino Arts) is giving Boston a sneak peek at New York’s up-and-coming Latin rock acts. Tomorrow’s showcase features the brash electro-rock of Zigmat, fronted by Berklee alumni Monica Rodriguez and Stephen Yonkin. Meanwhile, Zemog El Gallo Bueno traverses the map with Afro-Latin rhythms anchoring the music’s brash fusion. 9 p.m. Nov. 6. $15. Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, 85 West Newton St., Boston. 617-927-1717. www.villavictoriaarts.org

HERMAN DUNE That snapping you’ll hear tomorrow is the sound of hearts breaking right in two in Central Square. Herman Dune, a French folk-pop duo with all the twee charm of Jens Lekman and Belle & Sebastian, headlines an inspired lineup of sensitive souls, including Canadian singer-songwriter Julie Doiron, indie-pop songsmith Chris Garneau, and the brooding ensemble Tiny Fires. 9 p.m. Nov. 6. $10. T.T. the Bear’s. 617-492-2327. www.ticketweb.com

KING WILKIE Once branded emerging bluegrass hotshots, the men of King Wilkie tried something new on 2007’s “Low Country Suite,’’ proving there was just as much intensity and fire in their brand of sad-eyed Americana love songs. 8 p.m. Nov. 11. $18. Club Passim. 617-492-7679. www.clubpassim.com JAMES REED

PHIL SARGENT QUARTET The promising young guitarist/composer’s quartet melds Balkan music’s Eastern tonalities and odd meters with jazz improvisation. With vocalist Aubrey Johnson, bassist Greg Loughman, and drummer Mike Connors. The John Funkhouser Trio will also perform. 7 p.m. Nov. 6. $10. Rutman’s Violins, 11 Westland Ave, Boston. www.rutmansviolins.com

THE PAWNBROKER IN CONCERT Nonpareil pianist/educator Ran Blake, NEC’s film noir maven and impresario of improvisation, presents his annual multimedia event, this year focusing on Quincy Jones’s score for the 1964 Sidney Lumet movie starring Rod Steiger, performed along with excerpts from the film. Aaron Hartley’s Storyboard Noir Ensemble will be joined by Ken Schaphorst’s NEC Big Band, Hankus Netsky’s Jewish Music Ensemble, and keyboardist Anthony Coleman, among many others. 8 p.m. Nov. 9. Free. NEC’s Jordan Hall.

KAT EDMONSON Though the 26-year-old singer from Austin, Texas, hit the national scene only this year, she’s already made quite a splash. Far from a belter, her restrained, expressive voice evokes a cross between Blossom Dearie and Billie Holiday, and her repertoire includes surprisingly fresh takes on old standards as well as newer numbers in which she divines a jazz soul. 8 p.m. Nov. 10. $18. Scullers. 617-562-4111. www.scullersjazz.com KEVIN LOWENTHAL

HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY Conductor Jane Glover partners with fortepianist and Mozart guru Robert Levin for a program that includes Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, to be performed with an improvised cadenza. Also on the bill are entr’actes from Mozart’s “Thamos’’ and Haydn’s “Farewell’’ Symphony. 8 p.m. Nov. 6. 3 p.m. Nov. 8. Symphony Hall, 617-266-3605. www.handelandhaydn.org

OSSO and SUFJAN STEVENS This string quartet offers its own take on an indie rock icon, presenting arrangements of Sufjan Stevens’s “Enjoy Your Rabbit.’’ The performance comes directly after a screening of Stevens’s film “BQE,’’ a lushly scored cinematic take on the infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, premiered in 2007 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. 8 p.m. (film), 9 p.m. (concert). Nov. 6. Granoff Music Center at Tufts. 617-627-3679. www.tufts.edu/musiccenter

BOSTON CAMERATA Choral fellows from the Harvard University Choir join Camerata forces under the direction of Anne Azema for a program of Psalm settings from Renaissance Europe and beyond. 4 p.m. Nov. 8. Memorial Church, Harvard Yard. 617-262-2092. www.bostoncamerata.org

CANTATA SINGERS The chorus under David Hoose begins its Heinrich Schütz-themed season by performing the composer’s “Musikalische Exequien’’ in the company of works by Bach, Schoenberg, and Hugo Distler. Nov. 6. Jordan Hall. 617-868-5885. www.cantatasingers.org JEREMY EICHLER