Picks of the week

Rock picks

Tonight: Rhett Miller plays a solo acoustic show at the Paradise with opener Todd Thibaud ; Charlie Louvin is at Club Passim; the Downbeat 5 celebrate their new CD upstairs at the Middle East with headliner Holly Golightly ; Deborah Henson-Conant kicks off a two-night stand at the Natick Center for the Arts; Nightingales plays the Abbey Lounge; Session Americana celebrates the release of a new CD at the Lizard Lounge.Tomorrow: Mr. Lif plays the Paradise; Clinic is downstairs at the Middle East; Ute Lemper performs at Berklee; Anti-Flag is at the Roxy with Alexisonfire, Big D and the Kids Table , and Set Your Goals ; Guitarzan is at the Plough & Stars; the Japan Night Tour 2007 with Hy, the Emeralds, the 50 Kaitenz , and Asakusa Jinta is at T.T. the Bear's Place; the Rudds are at Great Scott.

Jazz picks

Tonight: Lyrical, post-bop pianist/composer Armen Donelian, who's played with Sonny Rollins and Chet Baker among others, appears with his longtime trio at the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham. The eclectic, pan-Latin Jazz Marauders perform at the Acton Jazz Cafe. Tonight and tomorrow night: Versatile and imaginative percussionist/composer John Hollenbeck performs at the Lily Pad with his wonderful working band the Claudia Quintet for two nights; tonight he'll also play with his Refuge Trio and tomorrow night with Triple Dutch, a trio including soulful pianist/organist Gary Versace and marvelous bassist John Hebert, as well as in a duo with adventurous saxophonist/composer Jorrit Dijkstra. Saturday: Alto saxophonist/composer Jon De Lucia brings his searching, Zen-influenced sounds to Ryles. Thursday: A-list bassist Brian Bromberg at Scullers with a truly all-star group , including keyboardist Jeff Lorber, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and drummer Dave Weckl.