The Mystical Arts of Tibet ♦ Tuesday, 25th

Nashvillians get the unique opportunity to witness two astonishing artistic displays by monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Tibet this week. Tuesday, the monks will perform their uniquely stirring multiphonic chordal singing at the “Sacred Music, Sacred Dance” concert at the Blair School of Music’s Ingram Center for the Performing Arts. The show will also feature traditional instruments, including dungchen trumpets, gyaling horns, drums, bells and cymbals. In addition, beginning at noon on Monday, March 24, the monks will create a sand mandala painting over a six-day period at Watkins School of Art & Design. A closing ceremony takes place 2 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at which the painting will be swept away in recognition of the impermanence of life. For tickets to the concert, call Ticketmaster at 255-9600, and for information on the sand mandala painting, contact David Hinton at 512-9071. Or visit www.nashvilletibetbuddhism.com.

—C.D.

This week’s picks by Todd Anderson, Martin Brady, Chris Davis, Steve Erickson, Heather Johnson, Bill Levine, Steve Morley, Noel Murray, Jim Ridley, Joshua H. Rothkopf, Jack Silverman, Jon Weisberger, Angela Wibking and Ron Wynn.

Thursday, 20th

The Suntanama A psychedelic Southern-rock offshoot of New York’s No Neck Blues Band, this Drag City ensemble have drawn outrage from indie purists for liking unhip boogie bands such as Marshall Tucker and (as one sputtering online reviewer put it) “Lynyrd motherfucking Skynyrd.” Yes, they have a flute and three guitars, and they’re not afraid to use them in their fractured Mason-Dixon skronk. Nor should you be afraid to enjoy it. Supporting their self-titled 2002 LP, produced by ex-Royal Truxer Neil Hagerty, the group play The End.

—J.R.

Malcolm Holcombe Many of Music City’s so-called songwriters are really song manufacturers, churning out product via book-learned techniques or strategic planning based on current trends. Holcombe is a true songwriter who delivers his originals with an urgency that can be both puzzling and riveting, thanks to the artful abstractness of many of his lyrics. His 1999 release A Hundred Lies is a must-own, and his show at Douglas Corner, featuring longtime co-conspirators Jelly Roll Johnson on harmonica and Jared Tyler on Dobro, is highly recommended. Ray Sisk, whom Holcombe cites as one of his early mentors, opens.

—J.S.

Jolynn Daniel Boasting a Carole King-like voice that can sound vulnerably girlish or knowingly adult, Daniel has just released Come Closer, the follow-up to her 1998 album Cosmic Daughter, and if anything, her folk-rock sound has grown poppier and more painstakingly arranged. That’s not a surprise, since the record was recorded with studio craftsmen Joe Pisapia and John Mark Painter, longtime guitarist partner Jansen Press and a battery of special guests. Daniel showcases her new record at a Slow Bar “Girls Nite Out” with Dayna Kurtz, Jennifer Nicely and Amelia White.

—J.R.

Jeff Black If you crossed Bruce Springsteen with Neil Young, you might get Jeff Black, a sullen-voiced singer-songwriter who blends spare musical settings with personal, poetic lyrics. “I know why true love survives / And it is more than the red-hot fire of another’s touch,” he sings in “Bless My Soul,” one of the 10 tracks on his brand-new CD B-Sides and Confessions, Volume One, the recording of which was supervised by the legendary Billy Sherrill. In addition to this 9:30 p.m. gig at Cafe 123, Black will perform Sunday as part of 3rd & Lindsley’s 11th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Show.

—M.B.

Mark Wehner & The Left For Dead Band In an alternate universe, Mark Wehner might be a star. He’s got long blond hair, weathered good looks, a brooding attitude and an aggressive stage presence. As it is, Wehner’s a serious player in the Americana movement, singing his heartfelt, ballsy originals in a distinctive baritone. He’s got a new CD, That’s the Way That It Goes, which he’ll be showcasing 8 p.m. at The Broken Spoke Saloon. Wehner will also be part of the March 25 Western Beat Roots Revival at Exit/In.

—M.B.

Parts and Labor The slightly pejorative tag “noise rock” does little to convey the musical strengths of this NYC trio, who play at Springwater. Parts and Labor have chops enough to keep Rush fans happy; they also have plenty of catchy tunes, their synth melodies obscured by a veil of ambient sound and propelled by bombastic bass lines and insistent drumming. Fans of what’s next will want to see them and pick up a copy of Groundswell, their debut CD.

—C.D.

Val Emmich A strong songwriter with a feel for dynamic structures, Emmich pulls off power pop with panache, a sharp edge and a confessional tone. He plays songs from his new full-length debut at Springwater.

—S.E.

Friday, 21st

Tom Giampietro Quartet One of the city’s busiest, most versatile drummers, Tommy G. heads his own jazz ensemble at Cafe 123 with sterling trumpeter Rod McGaha, pianist Jody Nardone and bassist Jerry Navarro.

—R.W.

Friday, 21st-Sunday, 23rd