Roots

by Mary Armstrong

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Published: Jan 14, 2009

A genius on strings, especially violin and mandolin, Ostroushko draws with equal ease on his heartland raising and his Ukrainian heritage. He's charming and funny and will undoubtedly do some inspired pairings with Philly's Eastern European vocal champs, Svitanya, whose repertoire already includes a number of Ukrainian songs.

Jan. 17, Crossroads, Calvary Center, 801 S. 48th St., 215-729-1028, crossroadsconcerts.org.

Believe it: Some Philadelphia Orchestra musicians can and do play bluegrass, without a trace of preciousness. The DePue Brothers and Philly Grass are jaw-dropping good.

Jan. 18, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

What kind of fate destines Wink Keziah to test his hillbilly draw in these parts only in coldest of winter yet again? Doylestown seems far, but Keziah's rocking honkytonk energy will warm you all the way home. Beyond the juice, he's a working-class poet, calling 'em exactly as he sees 'em.

Jan. 23, Puck, Printers Alley, Doylestown, 215-348-9000, pucklive.com.

However she does it — a meeting at the crossroads or some other Dorian G hookup — Rory Block is a preternaturally youthful link to early-20th-century country-blues players. As a teenager in the '60s she learned from Reverend Gary Davis, Son House, John Hurt and others who were enjoying their last hurrah. Forty years of practice has Block's blues polished to a fine sheen.

Jan. 24, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0978, tinangel.com.

You needn't be a guitar geek to be fascinated by International Guitar Night. There's Pierre Bensusan, a citizen of France who favors open tunings; Benjamin Verdery, who prefers nylon strings and has been Yale's guitar chair for decades; Cecilia Zabala, a young Argentine who sings as beautifully as she plays, in a very contemporary style. And let's not forget "guitar poet" Brian Gore.

Jan. 28, Crossroads.

The peaceful side of Palestine can have no better representative than Simon Shaheen, violin and oud master.

Feb. 1, Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St., 215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org.

Astor Piazzola's music lives here in Philly in the competent interpretations of the Oscuro Quintet. Expect to see tangos danced in the main hall of the Art Museum at this dinner concert.

Feb. 6, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-763-8100, philamuseum.org.

Tongue-tied on Valentine's? Let Sicilia's steamy blues do the talking.

Feb. 14, World Café Live.

Sweet tight harmonies, songs written to inspire and encourage, City Paper favorite Angel Band rivets the audience, convinces them it's never too late to dream.

Feb. 20, Tin Angel.

Irish music, traditional but with an extra swing, a little change here and there to the rhythm to make the dancers enjoy it all the more — that's this Dublin-based band's appeal.

Feb. 28, Irish Center, 8515 Emlem St., 215-248-0502, philadelphiaceiligroup.org.

Is there a more romantic male voice working today?

April 5, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-1894, keswicktheatre.com.

Leave it to the Bride to ferret out yet another hidden jewel of Indian music and dance. Sidi Goma promises Sufi tradtions from Gujarat as practiced by the Sidi people who maintained East African rhythms in the subcontinent for many centuries.

May 9, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., paintedbride.org.

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