FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011 >>>
1. The world famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band and choreographer Trey McIntyre have created Ma Maison, a mystical look at New Orleans jazz, where the dancers are more than spirited performers. The magic hits the Pantages Stage at 7:30 p.m.
2. Detour, a five-piece band bent on the time-worn tradition of country swing music that includes Steve and Kristi Nebel, will hold their album release party at 7 p.m. on the indoor porch of A Rhapsody in Bloom Florist and Cafe Latte on Sixth Avenue.
3. In a break from the band's tested formula of vaguely proggy indie guitar rock, Minus the Bear released the funk-inflected album Omni that, if nothing else, challenged their image as it had been built up over the years. With the exception of songs like "Secret Country," a driving New Wave number that recalls Traffic, the majority of the album is devoted to grooving dance and somewhat off-putting carnality. Read up on the band here. Then, check them out with People Eating People at 7 p.m. at the UPS Field House in Tacoma.
4. The University of Puget sound classical music Jacobsen Series presents an evening of operatic arias, duets, and ensembles performed by Ryan Bede, Michael Delos, Christina Kowalski, Gino Lucchetti, Dawn Padula and Denes Van Parys at 7:30 p.m. inside the Schneebeck Concert Hall.
5. In the grand, and unusual, tradition of skinny English boys bopping about in even skinnier ties to American soul and jazz music, local DJs Bobby Galaxy and dAb offer a night of are soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves under the tag Rare Groove. Back in the day, Brits loved obscure American soul records almost as much as they loved mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches. Galaxy and dAb celebrate this phenomenon by playing authentic, obscure soul, funk and jazz records. It's the kind of music that would have been heard at all-night parties in Manchester or Blackpool back in the day. Bring your own skinny tie to the Tempest Lounge beginning at 9:30 p.m.