JOE VAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL This venerable music extravaganza, which pays homage to the legacy of the late Boston bluegrass pioneer, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend with master classes, performances, and workshops. Highlights include fiddle virtuoso Michael Cleveland (above) and banjo legend J.D. Crowe, both performing with their respective bands Saturday. For a full schedule, go to www.bbu.org. Various showtimes. Feb. 12-14. Weekend tickets: $90, $30 (for ages 12-16). Friday: $25, $10 (ages 12-16). Saturday: $50, $25 (ages 12-16). Sunday: $30, $15 (ages 12-16). Free for children 12 and under. Sheraton Framingham, 1657 Worcester Road, Framingham.
(Jim Mcguire)
Music: the week ahead
JOE VAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL This venerable music extravaganza, which pays homage to the legacy of the late Boston bluegrass pioneer, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend with master classes, performances, and workshops. Highlights include fiddle virtuoso Michael Cleveland (above) and banjo legend J.D. Crowe, both performing with their respective bands Saturday. For a full schedule, go to www.bbu.org. Various showtimes. Feb. 12-14. Weekend tickets: $90, $30 (for ages 12-16). Friday: $25, $10 (ages 12-16). Saturday: $50, $25 (ages 12-16). Sunday: $30, $15 (ages 12-16). Free for children 12 and under. Sheraton Framingham, 1657 Worcester Road, Framingham.
(Jim Mcguire)
POP & ROCK
SONNY LANDRETH When it is said that the Louisiana slide guitarist is a musician’s musician, it’s no joke. The axmaster lured no less than Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Vince Gill, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, and Dr. John to his most recent release, “From the Reach.’’ What’s even more impressive is that the all-star cast played actual songs, not just self-indulgent chops rock. Hear a few of those tunes tonight. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11. $28. Regattabar. 617-395-7757. www.regattabarjazz.comTREAT HER RIGHT Part of the old gang - harp master Jim Fitting and guitarist Dave Champagne - is getting back together to enjoy the lowdown, blues-rocking sound of the band that spawned Billy Conway and the late Mark Sandman of Morphine. Billy Beard, Tim Gearan, and Steve Mayone lend a hand. 9 p.m. Feb. 14. Free. Toad. 617-497-4950. www.toadcambridge.com
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS The Glasgow indie rock quartet drew good notices for its blend of edgy post-punk and charming Scots pop on its 2009 debut, “These Four Walls.’’ The group brings that sound and the justifiable outrage at the conspicuous absence of personal rocket transport in 2010 to Cambridge Sunday. 8 p.m. Feb. 14. $12. Middle East. 800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com
CARLENE CARTER The gifted singer-songwriter has had a tough row to hoe over the last decade, kicking drug addiction and enduring the deaths of several loved ones, including both her parents - country legends June Carter Cash and Carl Smith. But in 2008 she rebounded with the appropriately titled “Stronger,’’ and it’s encouraging to see, with this gig in Fall River, she’s still going. 8 p.m. Feb. 15. $20. Water Street Cafe. 508-672-8748. www.waterstreetcafe.com
SARAH RODMAN
FOLK, WORLD & COUNTRY
VIKESH KAPOOR A highlight of his recent shows, Kurt Weill’s “Mack the Knife’’ becomes a finger-picked folk dirge in Kapoor’s capable hands. That rendition - credited as Kapoor’s arrangement (with some help from the late, great Dave Van Ronk) - appears on the promising local singer-songwriter’s new three-song EP, “Newspress Scare,’’ available as a limited-edition 7-inch record or a digital download. With special guests, Kapoor celebrates the album tonight with a release party. 7 p.m. Feb. 11. $8, $5 advance. The Democracy Center, 45 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. www.brownpapertickets.comAMY BLACK & THE RED CLAY RASCALS Don’t be fooled by the fact that their set list is mostly covers. Black and her band put their own rootsy Americana stamp on everything from country (Emmylou Harris’s “Red Dirt Girl’’) to soul (Bill Withers’s “Ain’t No Sunshine’’) to rock ’n’ roll (Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog’’) - all highlights from their new self-titled debut. 9 p.m. Feb. 11. Free. Sally O’Brien’s. 617-666-3589. www.sallyobriensbar.com
ALAN KAUFMAN One of the more unexpected and pleasant surprises of Tony Trischka’s show at Club Passim last month was when he invited up an old friend from the audience. Wearing a beret, the Arlington-based Kaufman politely made his way to the stage and proceeded to electrify the crowd with his fiery fiddle accompaniment, making the idea of Kaufman’s own show all the more enticing. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16. $10. Johnny D’s. 617-776-2004. www.johnnyds.com JAMES REED
JAZZ, BLUES & CABARET
THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR The Celebrity Series of Boston presents an enticing all-star aggregation: swinging violinist Regina Carter, uber-hip vocalist Kurt Elling, deep guitarist Russell Malone, and elegantly masterful pianist Kenny Barron, supported by bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Jonathan Blake. 8 p.m. Feb. 11. $39-$49. Berklee Performance Center. 617-482-6661, www.celebrityseries.orgTHE MATT SAVAGE TRIO The 17-year-old, wunderkind pianist/composer has worked with jazz notables from Clark Terry to Jimmy Heath and performed at famed venues and festivals worldwide. In a rare area appearance, he’ll premiere new compositions and revisit old favorites with his top-notch rhythm section of bassist John Funkhouser and drummer Steve Silverstein. 7 p.m. Feb. 12. $10-$12. Acton Jazz Cafe, 452 Great Road, Acton. 978-263-6161, www.actonjazzcafe.com
WILL MCMILLAN & BOBBI CARREY The local cabaret luminaries, accompanied by pianist Doug Hammer, present a Valentine’s weekend program titled “If I Loved You,’’ featuring songs by Gershwin, Rodgers, Berlin, and Sondheim, among others. Feb. 13, 8 p.m.; Feb. 14, 3 p.m. $30. Parker Gallery at the Whistler House Museum, 243 Worthen St., Lowell. 978-452-7641, www.whistlerhouse.org
CLAIRE DICKSON Startlingly accomplished for her age, the vocalist celebrates her 13th birthday with a concert showcasing her agile scat singing and inventive interpretations of standards from the realms of bebop, the Great American Songbook, and bossa nova. With pianist Michael McLaughlin, bassist Greg Loughman, and drummer Eric Rosenthal. 7 p.m. Feb. 15. $10 (children $5). Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge. 617-395-1393, www.lily-pad.net
KEVIN LOWENTHAL
CLASSICAL
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA In a keenly anticipated program, James Levine leads the BSO in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony and Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra (Op. 6) alongside Strauss’s “Four Last Songs’’ with Renee Fleming, a singer who has made Strauss her calling card. Feb 11 (morning open rehearsal and 8 p.m. concert); Feb. 12, Feb. 13, $29-$115. Symphony Hall. 617-266-1200, www.bso.orgCHIARA STRING QUARTET This rising young ensemble continues its traversal of the complete Beethoven Quartets with a program in Harvard’s Paine Hall featuring the Quartets Op. 18, No. 3 and Op. 59, No. 3 as well as the great A Minor Quartet, Op. 132. 8 p.m. Feb. 12. Paine Hall. Free but passes required from Harvard Box Office, 617-496-2222, www.chiaraquartet.net
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY Laurence Cummings leads members of the H&H chorus in works by Monteverdi, Marini, Bennet, Wilbye, Gesualdo, Tomkins, Vautor, and Merula. Feb. 12 at Jordan Hall, Feb. 14 at Sanders Theatre. $37-$74. 617-266-3605, www.handelandhaydn.org
BOSTON BAROQUE Martin Pearlman conducts two performances of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, with sopranos Mary Wilson and Kristen Watson, tenors Derek Chester, Aaron Sheehan, and Lawrence Jones, and baritones Sumner Thompson and Donald Wilkinson. 8 p.m. Feb. 19-20. $25-$64. Jordan Hall. 617-484-9200. www.bostonbaroque.org JEREMY EICHLER 
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