O.K., so file this show under weird and awesome: The noted vibraphone and marimba player Khan Jamal is playing a house show in town tonight. (No address is listed, by design, but head up Preston Ave. past McGrady’s and listen for music.) What’s bringing the kids out is Jamal’s supposed association with cosmic loose jazz freak Sun Ra—only, (as far as I can tell) they never collaborated. Nonetheless, fans won’t be disappointed by Jamal’s loose, strange, free-flowing jams; WFMU’s Beware of the Blog says of his recordings (listen below), "truly bizarre, a live psychedelic-tinged improv manipulated by sound engineer Mario Falana in real time." Beware, indeed. At 64, Jamal has probably clocked more years the rest of bands playing combined. Those include Charlottesville’s loudest and loosest: Great Dads, Myceum, plus Nidra, Attached Hands and Trysts Acts. Bring cash.
UVA continues its celebration of MLK Jr. Day through the weekend with a panel at the Paramount to discuss The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (which Amazon called the best book of 2010). The book, by Rebecca Skloot, is the true story of African-American woman suffering from cervical cancer from whom biologists harvested the first immortal human cell line. While Lacks’ cells advance medical research the world over, much of her family lives today without health insurance. Should be an interesting discussion, with bioethicist James Childress and other community members on hand; that’s free, 4pm at the Paramount on Sunday.
Feel like dancing? The Jefferson has a dance party tonight helmed by a regular spinner at D.C.’s 9:30 Club, DJ Lil’e, who mashes cuts from three leading lady iconoclasts: Madonna, Lady Gaga and M.I.A. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
M.I.A.’s "Bucky Done Gun." More below.
And finally, tonight’s a big one for local folk. Folk rockers Pantherburn do the Tea Bazaar. Paul Curreri, the local king of New Americana who probably needs no introduction by now, plays tonight at The Southern, with Chris Campanelli and the Dusty Jackets in tow. Campanelli has been a presence on the folk circuit since splintering from The Hill and Wood. You might’ve seen this group when they were called the Threshing Floor. Watch ’em live:
What else is going on this weekend?
