At Johnny D’s in Somerville, there’s Texas swingers ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL (November 15), Celtic outfit OLD BLIND DOG (September 27), the CARPATHIAN FOLK QUARTET (September 28), PETER CASE AND JOHN DEE GRAHAM (October 10), guitarist BADI ASSAD (October 17), DUKE ROBILLARD fresh from touring with Tom Waits (November 4), and PAUL RISHELL & ANNIE RAINES (November 21). The Regattabar in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge has historic soul and R&B man AL KOOPER (September 28), ROOMFUL OF BLUES (November 10), and SHEMEKIAH COPELAND (November 16). Rock room T.T. the Bear’s Place in Cambridge gets in on the scene with ROSIE THOMAS and DAMIEN JURADO (October 5) and the DETROIT COBRAS (November 18). Just around the corner, the Middle East has the REVEREND HORTON HEAT and TH’ LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS (November 5). Harpers Ferry in Allston has New Orleans’s REBIRTH BRASS BAND (November 3). MARTA TOPFEROVA brings her blend of Czech and Latin music to Scullers in the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel in Boston (September 27); KEVIN CONNOLLY holds court at Tír na nÓg in Somerville (October 7).
Ryles in Inman Square in Cambridge has become a presence in the local roots, jazz, and world-music arena over the past year. Upcoming shows include bluesman RACKY THOMAS (September 29) and old-school West Coast blues belter JANIVA MAGNESS (October 27).
Fans of accomplished musical imports are advised to check the Web site of presenter World Music/CRASH Arts and to be on the lookout for events listed under the World Rhythm umbrella. Both outfits sport a varied and impressive menu this fall. In addition to Anoushka Shankar, World Music offers blazing Mexican guitar duo RODRIGO Y GABRIELA (September 23), Ireland’s LÚNASA (October 14), and the CELTIC FIDDLE FESTIVAL (October 28), all at the Somerville Theatre, and African percussion ensemble the ROYAL DRUMMERS OF BURUNDI plus MOMBASSA PARTY at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge (September 30).
The season’s African-music highlight will be the “Putamayo Presents Acoustic Africa” revue at the Somerville Theatre (November 17), a triple bill with the great Malian guitarist and vocalist HABIB KOITÉ, South African songwriter VUSI MAHLASELA, and, in her Boston-area debut, Ivory Coast singer, dancer, and percussionist DOBET GNAHORÉ, whose exciting performances are generating a buzz in world-music circles.
Also at the Somerville, Guinea’s BA CISSOKO will bring his Manding rock sound to town (November 10), and giant of Irish song MAURA O’CONNELL plays there the following night.
The Afro-Cuban jazz outfit ENCLAVE plays Ryles (September 27). And the MFA gets into the act with YAT-KHA (September 23), who blend traditional Tuvan throat singing (think Genghis Blues) with edgy rock and roll.
