ALEXA WOODWARD You can’t pick your destiny, which this Southern banjo picker and singer learned almost by happenstance. While attending law school, Woodward simultaneously started pursuing a career in music; the day after she graduated, she embarked on her first tour. A onetime Boston resident, Woodward returns to celebrate the release of her third album, “It’s a Good Life, Honey, If You Don’t Grow Weary,’’ which shimmers with the spectral Americana of her previous work. Jenee Halstead opens. Feb. 8, 8 p.m. Tickets: $12. Club Passim. 617-492-7679, www.clubpassim.com
Music: the week ahead
ALEXA WOODWARD You can’t pick your destiny, which this Southern banjo picker and singer learned almost by happenstance. While attending law school, Woodward simultaneously started pursuing a career in music; the day after she graduated, she embarked on her first tour. A onetime Boston resident, Woodward returns to celebrate the release of her third album, “It’s a Good Life, Honey, If You Don’t Grow Weary,’’ which shimmers with the spectral Americana of her previous work. Jenee Halstead opens. Feb. 8, 8 p.m. Tickets: $12. Club Passim. 617-492-7679, www.clubpassim.com
POP & ROCK
JOHN MELLENCAMP A few programming notes: Instead of an opening act, the pride of Indiana is screening “It’s About You,’’ a documentary that details the creation of his superb recent release, “No Better Than This.’’ Mellencamp recently told Rolling Stone that fans expecting to hear only the hits should stay home because he’s doing a plethora of new material, covers, and hits retrofitted to his recent folkier, noir-ish style. His appearance at the all-star Speaking Clock Revue in October was a stunner. Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Tickets: $46.50-$255. Lowell Memorial Auditorium. 978-454-2299, www.lowellauditorium.com
CHROMEO These delightful electro-pop hipsters from the Great White North will have you warmed up in no time as you shake off the shivers and boogie to the sweet beats of their latest retro-dancefloor offering “Business Casual.’’ Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Tickets: $22.50-$35. House of Blues. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com
ROBYN The Swedish songbird has been getting shown mad love from critics, including this one, since returning stateside in 2008 with a string of irresistible pop singles, EPs, and albums. Come and hear the seductive and booty-shaking sounds of her “Body Talk’’ Friday night. Feb. 4, 7 p.m. Tickets: $22.50-$37.50. House of Blues. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com
OZOMATLI Come early and bring the young ’uns as LA’s ambassadors of melting pot rock — cumbia, salsa, pop, rock, hip-hop, funk, country, jazz, you name it — offer up what will surely be a lively all-ages show. Feb. 4, 5:30 p.m. Tickets: $25. Royale. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com
SARAH RODMAN
FOLK, WORLD & COUNTRY
WILL DAILEY & THE RIVALS While fans await a new album, this buoyant local folk-rocker is keeping busy on the road and on recent compilations and tribute albums (including a fine cover of Bob Dylan’s “California’’). Dailey starts a new residency at Lizard Lounge tonight, welcoming guests every Thursday this month. Feb. 3, 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. Lizard Lounge. 617-547-0759, www.brownpapertickets.com
VISIONS The provenance is Boston, but the twang is strictly Southern. At least that’s the impression you get from this local alt-country band whose new debut, “Re: VISIONS,’’ sounds best over the clink of glasses. They’ll put a tear in your beer with help from theatrical rockers Hayley Jane and the Primates and the Rodeo Church. Feb. 5, 8 p.m. $10. Cafe 939. 800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com
BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO After 30 years of making global party music, Buckwheat Zydeco targeted a new audience on last year’s “Buckwheat Zydeco’s Bayou Boogie.’’ It’s a children’s zydeco record with family-friendly lyrics such as, “The mice ate my rice/ And that is not so nice.’’ Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $24. Regattabar. 617-395-7757, www.regattabarjazz.com
JAMES REED
JAZZ, BLUES & CABARET
TRIBUTE TO ABBEY LINCOLN Vocalist Diane Richardson pays homage to the late Lincoln (1930-2010), unique among the great jazz singers for writing much of her own repertoire. The program will include such Lincoln-penned songs as “Throw It Away,’’ “Bird Alone,’’ and “The Music Is the Magic,’’ each already well on its way to becoming a jazz standard. The band will be anchored by drummer Yoron Israel, who learned Lincoln’s tunes firsthand as a member of her ensemble, and includes trombonist Bill Lowe, keyboardist John Kordalewski, and bassist John Lockwood. Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Tickets: $12; $26 for dinner and show (6:30 p.m.) Café Tatant at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley St. Boston. 617-849-6322, www.madison-park.org/cafe-tatant
DARRELL NULISCH BAND The soulful blues singer and harmonica player, former frontman of Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, takes time out from his current tour with the James Cotton Band to front his own rocking ensemble, featuring “Monster’’ Mike Welch. Feb. 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets: $15. Regattabar. 617-395-7757, www.regattabarjazz.com
WAYNE SHORTER QUARTET A linchpin in the bands of Art Blakey and Miles Davis among others, the mightily influential saxophonist, composer, and bandleader ranks high among the living titans of jazz. This gig celebrates a decade with his acclaimed current quartet, featuring pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade, each a respected jazz master in his own right. Feb. 8, 8 p.m. Tickets: $46-$66. Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass. Ave., Boston. 617-747-2261, www.berkleebpc.com
KEVIN LOWENTHAL
CLASSICAL
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Radu Lupu is the soloist this week in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, to be led by Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo in his BSO debut. Oramo also leads the orchestra in Prokofiev’s Sixth Symphony and Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain.’’ Feb. 3-8. $29-$108. Symphony Hall. 617-266-1200, www.bso.org
CHARLES BLANDY For his intriguing free recital, this prominent local tenor takes on Janacek’s haunting song cycle “The Diary of One Who Disappeared,’’ to be performed alongside Britten’s “The Poet’s Echo.’’ Linda Osborn-Blaschke is the pianist. Feb. 4, 8 p.m. Granoff Music Center, Tufts University. as.tufts.edu/music/musiccenter
A FAR CRY Pianist Joel Fan joins the conductorless chamber orchestra as soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 11. Also on the program will be Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout.’’ Feb. 5 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain; Feb. 6 at Pozen Center, MassArt. www.afarcry.org, www.gardnermuseum.org
JOSHUA BELL The violinist’s Celebrity Series recital is devoted to works by Brahms, Grieg, and Schubert. He will be joined by pianist Sam Haywood. Feb. 4, 8 p.m. $40-$83. Symphony Hall. 617-482-6661, www.celebrityseries.org
JEREMY EICHLER 
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