Our Critics' Picks

THURSDAY 5/1

Pops at the PopsA TRIBUTE TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG In Ken Burns’ documentary Jazz, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis comes off as a cranky purist whose regressive view of jazz would seek to bury the music in the graveyard of irrelevance, but he was right about one thing—Louis Armstrong is the shit. Arguably, no musician in any genre has been so integral to its development. Armstrong (a.k.a. “Satchmo,” a.k.a. “Pops”) combined dazzling technique and boundless creativity with that most elusive of traits: the ability to connect with listeners. Though today he’s most remembered for his ubiquitous vocal rendering of “What a Wonderful World” (and understandably so), his instrumental prowess and innovation have rarely been matched. Byron Stripling, a phenomenal trumpeter who’s played with just about every major pops orchestra—and who was selected to play Armstrong in the musical Satchmo—joins the Nashville Symphony for a tribute to the master. 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday at Schermerhorn Symphony Center —JACK SILVERMAN

ComedyJOHN HEFFRON With the winner of Last Comic Standing Season 2, you get the best of both worlds. Heffron is a remarkably seasoned performer, having gotten his start during college and firmly established himself as both a stand-up and a radio DJ by his mid-20s. He possesses the ease, insight and stage presence of a veteran, but he also boasts boyish good looks and an outlook that’s the polar opposite of often-bitter lifers. His chunks on relationships and growing up are bolstered by a kinetic naïveté, an attribute that feels authentic as opposed to merely persona-driven. Such style-and-substance combos don’t strike often. May 1-4 at Zanies —JULIE SEABAUGH

What’s Brewin’BOSCOS BREWMASTER’S BEER DINNER Grab a booth or barstool when craft-beer aficionado Lucy Saunders joins Boscos brewmasters Chuck Spycheck and Fred Scheer for a five-course meal with complementary beers. Saunders, a journalist, blogger and author of five books, including The Best of American Beer & Food: Pairing and Cooking with Craft Beer, will sign her books from 4 to 6 p.m. Dinner features an appetizer of Savannah shrimp and grits; salad of blue cheese, arugula celery hearts, pancetta, apple and hazelnuts; braised halibut, smoked pork chop and tiramisu made with bittersweet chocolate beer. Saunders and the brewmasters will also answer questions about pairing food and beer. Reservations are required for the $50 event. 6:45 p.m. at Boscos —CARRINGTON FOX

Yada Yada YadaJERRY SEINFELD Yes, Seinfeld was a phenomenal show—one of the best sitcoms of all time. But before the kooky characters and sweeping catchphrases, before the promotional onslaught of last year’s Bee Movie and way before that whole bizarre plagiarism hoopla over his wife’s cookbook, there was the stand-up. A workhorse wholly dedicated to the art form, Seinfeld is the master of observational humor, spawning an entire generation of “What’s the deal with…?” knockoffs. There’s a reason he landed at No. 12 on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, and it has far more to do with his 2002 documentary Comedian than with nine seasons worth of Puffy Shirts and Soup Nazis. 7 & 9:30 p.m. at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall —JULIE SEABAUGH

Re-BourneTHE BOURNE ULTIMATUM Matt Damon puts a foot upside your head from Morocco to Manhattan in last year’s slam-bang wrap-up of the Jason Bourne saga. It shows free and open to the public, projected on DVD, as this month’s “Movies @ Main” selection at the downtown public library. 5:30 p.m. at Nashville Public Library —JIM RIDLEY

FRIDAY 5/2

Top-Drawer ComedyTHE UNDERPANTS A little over two years ago, Actors Bridge Ensemble mounted this Steve Martin farce with uniform success. Now the Tennessee Rep has a go at the comedian’s update of Carl Sternheim’s 1910 story about a lady who accidentally drops her drawers during the king’s procession and wins unexpected new admirers. Lane Davies directs a promising cast of six, led by the indefatigable Marin Miller. Other performers include Patrick Waller, Martha Wilkinson and Bobby Wyckoff. May 1-17 at TPAC’S Polk Theater —MARTIN BRADY

All That JazzMAIN STREET JAZZFEST FEAT. NICHOLAS PAYTON Opportunities to see a jazz artist of Payton’s caliber in the Middle Tennessee area are few and far between these days. Born and raised in New Orleans, the Grammy-winning trumpeter weaves elements of bop and modern jazz with nods to his Crescent City lineage, including Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden and Wynton Marsalis. The festival also features a smorgasbord of area high school jazz bands, the MTSU Jazz Ensemble, the U.S. Army Ground Forces Jazz Guardians and several local acts: saxophonist Joe Johnson, vocalist Jeff Hall and trumpeter Jamey Simmons’ sextet. On Saturday, Kids’ Alley will feature a climbing wall, mural painting and a musical instrument “petting zoo.” 6-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday —JACK SILVERMAN