Our Critics' Picks

CHARLIE LOUVIN

FRIDAY, 6TH

One of country music’s greatest figures, Charlie Louvin turns 80 on Saturday. Along with his brother Ira, who died in 1965, Charlie has influenced an untold number of musicians. He’s still an inspiration, as this weekend’s slate of events demonstrates. On Friday, he’ll appear at The Mercy Lounge along with young admirers such as Laura Cantrell, Bobby Bare Jr. and Teddy Thompson, whose forthcoming Upfront and Down Low features a version of his “You Finally Said Something Good (When You Said Goodbye).” On Saturday at 1 p.m., Louvin signs CDs and does a stint as guest DJ at Grimey’s, swings over to The Grand Ole Opry, and ends the day with a show at The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. He’ll appear at 2 p.m. on Sunday at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater, where he’ll premiere the video for “Ira,” one of the songs on this year’s fine Charlie Louvin. —EDD HURT

MUSIC

THURSDAY, 5TH

BLUEGRASS NIGHTS AT THE RYMAN FEATURING VINCE GILL WITH JESSE MCREYNOLDS & THE VIRGINIA BOYSLook for lots of deft mandolin picking at tonight’s entry in the Ryman’s annual summer bluegrass series, “Bluegrass Nights at The Ryman.” While IBMA Hall of Famer McReynolds is an acknowledged master whose innovative cross-picking style still bears creative fruit, Vince Gill is no slouch on the instrument himself. For proof, just listen to his work on the two solo albums by guitarist Jeff White, a frequent Gill sideman who’ll be part of tonight’s band—along with bass man Mike Bub, banjo whiz Charlie Cushman (who’s been touring with Gill) and a few other yet-to-be-named but undoubtedly top-notch players. Given the breadth of his interests, it can’t be said too often that bluegrass is one of Gill’s oldest and most enduring pursuits. And whether he’s tackling an old Stanley Brothers’ classic (he recorded their “Lonesome River” more than 25 years ago with Here Today) or one of the new ’grass songs from his These Days set, the man knows how to do it right. Ryman Auditorium —JON WEISBERGER

FRIDAY, 6TH

KINK ADOR From Lafayette, Ind., Sharon Koltick is a bass-playing singer and songwriter with a flair for subtly reggae-inflected pop tunes that embrace ’80s new-wave ennui. Having already garnered notice in the Indianapolis area for her band Kink Ador, Koltick moved to Nashville a year ago and promptly assembled a new edition of the group, which includes guitarist and violinist John Zambricki, keyboardist Wade Van Orman and drummer Brad Naylor. They’ve been writing, and lately have been recording with producers Jack Clement and Mo Sweeney at Clement’s famed Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa. Clement says he plans to sit in with the band at a show later this summer, and Kink Ador has cut a new-wave version of Allen Reynolds’ “Ready for the Times to Get Better,” a 1978 country hit for Crystal Gayle, which ought to suit Cowboy Jack’s aesthetic just fine. The 5 Spot; also playing Tuesday, 10th at The Rutledge —EDD HURT

MYSORE V.K. RAMAN South Indian music has three primary lead instruments: the veena, a stringed instrument that’s cousin to the better known sitar, the violin and the bamboo flute. The South Indian flute couldn’t be simpler—a piece of bamboo closed at one end with simple mouth and finger holes drilled in it, and no keys like Western flutes. Virtuosos on the instrument have a clear, refined sound that isn’t woody at all, and in spite of the flute’s simplicity (or perhaps because of it), players can draw out a wide range of sounds, bending and shaping notes for expression. Sri Ganesha Temple in Bellevue is presenting a concert that features a leading Indian flautist, Mysore Raman, who was a student of one of the most famous players and teachers of the instrument. Mysore V. Srikanth will accompany him on violin and B. Ravishankar on the mridangam, the Indian two-headed drum. 7 p.m., Sri Ganesha—DAVID MADDOX

SATURDAY, 7TH

THE WINTER SOUNDS Four guys and one gal from Georgia and South Carolina have a debut CD, Porcelain Empire, that’s old-fashioned modern rock. Built on chiming guitars, intermittent synths and catchy choruses, there’s a dash of emo here and a pinch of U2 there. They are better when they generate windswept romantic tunes, as on the energetic “Windy City Nights” and the slower “Poor Sailors.” And like most young bands aiming for bigger and better things, they could use more personality—or at least a novelty song or two—but then again, U2 was never a laugh riot and they’ve done OK for themselves. Cafe Coco —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

JESSE MALIN Singer-songwriter Jesse Malin is capable of writing some pretty darn excellent rock ’n’ roll infused with a radiant pop sensibility that’s pleasantly cosmopolitan. It’s a shame he also has a tendency to drop the occasional clunker of a line—something so cumbersome and rhymey that it makes the eyebrows involuntarily rise. Fortunately, the good stuff is worth the price of admission. Malin has a casual, expressive voice and a distinct delivery that matches well with his crisp guitars and stuck-in-your-head hooks. Bruce Springsteen is a fan, as is Malin’s good friend Ryan Adams, and it’s easy to hear how they could appreciate his subject matter—a pitch-perfect balance of the mundane and the heartbreaking: a girlfriend moving to Brooklyn (which might as well be the end of the earth), riding on the subway or his sister’s love of John Travolta. Malin’s latest, Glitter in the Gutter, is another collection of rampaging, just-dirty-enough pop—an apt soundtrack for a hot summer in the city (just what we’re having). Exit/In—LEE STABERT