SPOTLIGHT
Blues guitarist Samantha Fish (above) stops in at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay on Sept. 29. Opening for Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Fish is currently touring behind her latest album, “Faster,” a wonderful showcase for her powerhouse guitar playing. A blues virtuoso, with terrific leads and slide work, her music is topped by a voice that’s equal parts emotion and grit. But where Fish really excels is in her songwriting. Songs such as hard-driving “So Called Lover” and especially garage rocker, “Better Be Lonely,” are true earworms, with hooks so strong you’ll be singing along by the second pass of the chorus.
Samantha Fish: Thursday, Sept. 29 at Humphrey’s Concerts by The Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive 7 p.m. $58 humphreysconcerts.com.
RECOMMENDED
Revitalized alternative rockers, The Pixies, appear at Soma on Oct. 1. Touring in support of their album, “Doggerel,” released the day before, fans will find the new tunes to be worthy additions to the band’s canon. The first single, “There’s A Moon On,” is about as radio-friendly as it gets, with the atmospheric vocal interplay between frontman Frank Black and bassist Paz Lenchantin in the chorus, adding to the hook. While the night’s biggest cheers will be for classics such as “This Monkey’s Gone To Heaven” and “Gigantic,” the excellent new songs show the band to be in top form more than 30 years on from their Boston beginnings.
The Pixies: Saturday, Oct. 1 at Soma, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd. 8 p.m. $45. somasandiego.com.
Legendary soul singer Jesse Davis has led an amazing life in music, with a string of highly collectible recordings in a career now more than seven decades long. This year has brought long-deserved recognition to Davis and his accomplishments. Earlier this year he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement trophy by the San Diego Music Awards, meanwhile on Oct. 2, a new documentary, “Jesse Davis, My Life in Song,” will premiere with a special screening at Humphrey’s Backstage Live. For fans of soul, R&B, jazz, or San Diego’s music history, this event, with Davis in attendance, promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Jesse Davis Documentary: Sunday, Oct. 2 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. Noon. humphreysbackstagelive.com.
The Acoustic Evenings concert series returns to the Athenaeum on Oct. 7, with performances from Billy Galewood, Jamie Shadowlight, and Seawall Prophet. It’s an impressive lineup. Galewood is a longtime scene favorite, with several Jason Mraz collaborations to his credit, while Shadowlight is a gifted violinist who has performed with the likes of jazz great Gilbert Castellanos. Closing out the trio is Seawall Prophet, a reggae/funk/rocker recently signed to Pacific Records. The Acoustic Evenings series is a great way to take in a lot of great talent in one go, with the Athenaeum itself one of the city’s ideal listening rooms.
Acoustic Evenings: Friday, Oct. 7 at the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. 7:30 p.m. $5 – $20 ljathenaeum.org.
Polish chamber music group, Apollon Musagete Quartet, joined by pianist Garrick Ohlsson, perform at The Baker-Baum Concert Hall at The Conrad on Oct. 8. The night includes a prelude lecture by Michael Gerdes, with the concert itself, set to include works by Bach, Schubert, and Shostakovich. The quartet has drawn notice since its debut in 2006, its dynamic performances and practically telepathic musical interplay winning them fans both in and out of classical circles.
Apollon Musagete Quartet and Garrick Ohlsson: Saturday, Oct. 8 at, 7600 Fay Ave. 6:30 p.m. $31-$75 theconrad.org.
Acclaimed acoustic guitarist Fred Benedetti presents his annual John Lennon birthday celebration on Oct. 8 at Dizzy’s. Joined by vocalists Regina Moomjean and Julia Picone, bassist Jeff Pekarek, and percussionist James Morton, Benedetti’s arrangements of classic songs such as “Come Together” and “Across The Universe,” will impress even jaded Beatles fans. Particularly good is the vocal interplay between Benedetti, Moomjean, and Picone, which allows them to include such rarely performed songs as “Because” in their sets, complete with multi-part harmonies.
Fred Benedetti, Saturday, Oct. 8 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 8 p.m. $20. dizzysjazz.com.
