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Corey Harris
Get ready for a whirlwind tour of musical traditions and genres when guitarist and vocalist Corey Harris takes the stage. His eclectic sound draws on wide-ranging influences and experiences, including his start as a New Orleans street musician and a year early in his career living in West Africa. Blues and reggae underpin his lush, bright sound, which also embraces touches of soul, rock, West African music and a twang of folk here and there. Harris has performed and recorded with diverse artists such as B.B. King, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, R.L. Burnside, Ali Farka Touré, Dave Matthews Band, Tracy Chapman, Olu Dara and Wilco. His most recent album, 2024’s “Chicken Man,” adds swingy jazz and groovy funk to the mix, with even the more downbeat tracks vibrating with energy. Along with fellow acoustic blues masters Alvin Youngblood Hart and Guy Davis, Harris contributed tracks to a new album “Fight On!,” which is due out in April. He’s in town for a series of shows with Earthwise Productions.
Jan. 29-30, 8 p.m., at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto; $20-$45; eventbrite.com.
African American Composers Initiative
“Hold Out for Joy: Music of Hope and Resilience by African American Composers” is the theme of the African American Composers Initiative’s 15th annual benefit concert. The group celebrates the work of both contemporary and historic African American composers. The program features performances of works by composers historic and living, including William Grant Still, Harry Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, Betty Jackson King, Zenobia Powell Perry, Regina Baiocchi, Joshua McGhee, Valerie Capers and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 3 p.m., at Eastside College Preparatory School Performing Arts Center, 1041 Myrtle St., East Palo Alto; $5-$20; purplepass.com/organizer/62141.
Letters Home From Stanford Students
What was on the mind of one of the first students to attend Stanford University — or what did the storied campus look like during a rare snowfall? Find out when Alison Carpenter Davis talks about the new book she edited, “Letters Home From Stanford: 125 Years of Correspondence from Students of Stanford University.” Davis, herself a Stanford alum, will speak and sign books in an appearance at the Palo Alto Art Center.
Feb. 1, 2-4 p.m., at Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto; free admission; reedypress.com/author/davis/alison-carpenter-davis.
Gary Clark Jr.
The wail of the blues is loud and clear in Gary Clark Jr.’s expressive guitar, but as his multiple Grammy Awards can attest, Clark has built a powerful sound that draws on many influences, particularly a hard edge of rock and slow burn of R&B. In fact, his most recent Grammy nods, in 2020, honored his song “This Land” as “Best Rock Song” while the album that shares its name was lauded as “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” Clark has brought his unique sound to collaborations with an array of artists, including Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Foo Fighters, Nas, Brandi Carlile, Eric Clapton and Booker T. Jones. Clark comes to The Guild Theatre Jan. 30; the show was close to selling out as of press time
Jan. 29-30, 8 p.m., at The Guild Theatre, 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; $160-$1,215; guildtheatre.com.
The Sklar Brothers
There are a lot of reasons Jason and Randy Sklar may look familiar, from performances together or solo on a variety of TV shows such as “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Better Call Saul” to the fact that the comedians, actors and writers are also identical twins. The brothers come to the Oshman Family JCC for a night of comedy.
Jan. 31, 7 p.m. Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto; $35; paloaltojcc.org.
