Guitarist Stephen Ulrich leads the band Big Lazy. He's also written twangy guitar instrumentals for the show This American Life. He plays some of both on Feb. 4 at the Sultan Room. 

The Irish singer and guitarist Anna Mieke writes songs as sonic journeys, with dream-like vocals that evoke time and places in the past. She plays Feb. 3 at Mercury Lounge.

Violinists Trina Basu and Arun Ramamurthy celebrate their album "Nakshatra", Feb. 1 at National Sawdust, which draws from South Indian classical music, Western chamber music, and jazz.

Kenyan composer/sound artist Nyokabi Kariuki combines field recordings and improvisations to process her experience of Long Covid on "Nazama" from her latest release, 'Feeling Body'.

Trumpeter Keyon Harrold has a wide and varied range, which includes electronic music, hip hop, and Jamaican dub as well as jazz. He plays at the Blue Note Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. 

Composer and songwriter Yasmin Williams is a fingerstyle lap-tapping guitar player who plays and taps from above. She premieres her new score to 'The Kid' at Brookfield Place on Jan. 26.

The contemporary silent film, Electric Appalachia, was created with guitarist William Tyler and harpist Mary Lattimore in mind. They play their score live at Brookfield Place on Jan. 25.

Outsider artist Lonnie Holley is also a musician, who improvises lyrics when he speaks or sings. His haunting prayer, “oh me and oh my”, features Michael Stipe of REM helping out.

Trombonist Conrad Herwig and his band, the Latin Side All-Stars, are in residence at The Django for three months, playing Latin versions of jazz classics every Tuesday night.