The Big Gigs: Critic's pics for the next week

POP/ROCK Dave Longstreth's Brooklyn art-rock project Dirty Projectors travels in many directions. Its most recent CD, 2007's "Rise Above," reimagined 11 songs from Black Flag's seminal debut, and it contributed a quirky acoustic ditty ("Knotty Pine," featuring David Byrne) as the opening track of the Red Hot Organization's new Pitchfork-centric compilation, "Dark Was the Night." Longstreth promises to preview DP's upcoming album in this concert. (8 p.m. today, Walker Art Center, $15-$18.) (J.B.)

After starting in bluegrass with David Grisman, mandolin master Mike Marshall has traversed the musical spectrum -- from jazz to folk-chamber to classical. His current Big Trio features 2007 fiddling champion Alex Hargreaves and Wisconsin-bred bassist Paul Kowert. They will be joined by classical mandolinist Caterina Lichtenberg, lutist Mirko Schrader and Minnesota mandolin/violin virtuoso Peter Ostroushko. It sounds like a mandolin summit. (8 p.m. today, Cedar Cultural Center, $18-$20.) (J.B.)

It's easy to think of a solo Dan Auerbach gig as Black Keys Lite -- his solo debut "Keep It Hid" features a lot of the same howling vocals and gritty guitar parts heard on Keys discs, but none of the heavy pounding of bandmate Patrick Carney. A careful listen, however, will find a more personalized and Dylanesque songwriting style and some experimental sonic elements, along with a few surprisingly lovely acoustic numbers (especially "When the Night Comes"). Two promising openers: San Antonio's Hacienda, one of Auerbach's discoveries as a producer, plus all-girl Tennessee twang trio Those Darlins. (6:30 p.m. Sat., First Avenue. 18 & older. $14-$16.) (C.R.)

Texas' wild wall-of-roar quintet ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead was impressive enough to get signed by Interscope Records at the tail end of the '90s alt-rock boom, but it was never commercial enough to make a dent there. Dueling vocalists/drummers Jason Reece and Conrad Keely and their partners in noise come back to their indie roots storming, but don't forsake their ambitious, orchestral-punk sound (think: Fugazi + Sonic Youth) on the bold new disc "Century of Self." Good record, but it still doesn't match their frenzied, maniacal live shows. (9 p.m. Sat., Triple Rock. $15-$18.) (C.R.)

When Sweet Honey in the Rock comes to town, it doesn't just do a concert. The uplifting, enlightening female a cappella sextet does workshops and educational programs about music, domestic abuse and International Women's Day. The first event of this residency was Thursday, and Sweet Honey will be in town till Tuesday (see avaspecial.com for schedule). The big gig, of course, is a concert featuring its special blend of gospel, jazz, blues, reggae, hip-hop and African music. (8 p.m. Sat., O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul, $20.50-$76.) (J.B.)

Cities 97 fave Dave Barnes is a sweet-voiced, garden-variety acoustic singer/songwriter. But the Nashville popster throws an unexpectedly wonderful curveball on his new EP, "You, the Night and Candlelight," with a deliciously soulful and often jazzy piano treatment of the Motown classic "My Girl." (7 p.m. Sun., Varsity, $13-$15.) (J.B.)

Minnesota-born, St. Louis-based singer/songwriter Erin Bode walks the line between folk and jazz. On her three albums, her sweet, subtle voice has been more convincing on covers of pop songs by Paul Simon, the Beatles and Simply Red than on original material, usually crafted with pianist/guitarist Adam Maness. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon., Dakota Jazz Club. $20 & $15.) (J.B.)

HIP-HOP While he's flirted with movie and TV fame, Busta Rhymes is one rapper who still shines brightest on record and stage, as proven by his snarling but smirking party track of late '08, "Arab Money." The Brooklyn-reared hip-hop vet is coming to town to kick off a tour behind his eighth album and first under a deal with Universal Motown, "Back on My B.S.," which lands March 24 with a lineup of guests including T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Linkin Park, Estelle, Jamie Foxx and Mary J. Blige. In concert, the guy usually needs no help tearing it up. Opener Rob Browz was the T-Pain-like singer on "Arab Money." (10 p.m. today, Epic. 18 & older. $20-$40.) (C.R.)

JAZZ One of the brighter lights of modern jazz, pianist Kenny Werner shows off his latest trio, featuring hot, versatile young drummer Richie Barshay -- a member of Herbie Hancock's quartet -- and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder. (7:30 p.m. today, University of Minnesota, Duluth, $15. 8 p.m. Sat. with singer Debbie Duncan, Dakota Jazz Club, $15.) (T.S.)

Truly a supergroup, the SFJazz Collective features Joe Lovano's stalwart sax, Robin Eubanks' acrobatic trombone, Dave Douglas' riveting trumpet, Renee Rosnes' piano eloquence, Stefon Harris' very modern vibes and sax savant Miguel Zenon, a recent MacArthur Fellowship winner heard last month on "The Colbert Report," of all places, along with a razor-sharp rhythm section of Matt Penman (bass) and Eric Harland (drums). Everybody composes in this amazing band, and on each tour the group also spotlights classic charts by a modern jazz legend. This time it's piano powerhouse McCoy Tyner. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Tue., Dakota. $38-$55.) (T.S.)

FOLK Iowa native Susan Werner is a great songsmith who makes a departure on her latest CD, "Classics" -- an unlikely collection of cover tunes (Marvin Gaye, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder) with string quartet accompaniment. She shares a bill with another notable folk singer/songwriter, Cheryl Wheeler, known for her impish wit. Better turn off your cell before she sings the biting "It's the Phone." (7:30 p.m. Sun., Cedar Cultural Center. $18-$20.) (T.S.)

LATIN Nothing erases the winter blahs quicker than a hot shot of Cuban dance music, as the potent Salsabrosa has proven on a weekly basis at their packed Saturday shows at Picosa in Riverplace and now monthly at Trocaderos. This weekend's free "fan appreciation show" is a great time to check out this talent-laden crew. Cuban-born percussionist Frank Rivery is also a soulful singer, while Viviana Pintado plays world-class Cubano piano and Matt Darling contributes powerhouse trombone solos. (8 p.m. Sun., Trocaderos. No cover.) (T.S.)

Pardon me while I rhapsodize about phenomenal American soprano Lucy Shelton. A composer's dream, she sings a vast variety of taxing new music as if it were written for her -- which much of it was. Her program on Macalester College's New Music Series, with pianist Margo Garrett and the Enso Quartet, reads like a latter-day hit parade: Milton Babbitt's "Philomel," Luciano Berio's "Sequenza III," Morton Feldman's "Four Poems of ee cummings," and works by Birtwistle, Carter, Ginastera and Schwantner. (7:30 p.m. Sun., Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, 130 Macalester St., St. Paul. Free. 651-696-6808.) (L.F.)