Join jazz diva Diane Schuur at Rams Head On Stage | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Ms. Schuur carries on in the footsteps of her heroes, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. Diane Schuur made a record with B.B. King and another with the Count Basie Orchestra. While her newest studio collection is called "Some Other Time," the time for an evening with Diane Schuur is now. Don't miss it!

Blues mama Ann Rabson of Saffire the Uppity Blues Women fame brings her solo act to Coffee East in Easton tonight (8 p.m.). She was nominated this year for the prestigious Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award and her first solo release, "Music Makin' Mama," was nominated as Album of the Year. Spend an intimate evening with Ann Rabson as she paints the town blue, keeping the spirit of the blues mamas alive and well.

Following close in the footsteps of the Dead Symphony this week is The Music of Led Zeppelin conducted by Brent Havens, presented tonight under the stars at Pier Six Concert Pavilion on the Baltimore Harbor (8 p.m.). The presentation brings together rock and classical with a full rock band fronting Maestro Haven's orchestra.

The Black Cat Club in Washington, D.C., is transformed by a "thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety" of rock music as performed by the band We Are Scientists tonight (9 p.m.). These guys also love to have a good laugh.

Tonight at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore its a double bill with the heavy metal bands Extreme and Kings X (6 p.m. show, all ages welcome). Extreme's music is characterized as funky metal in shades of Queen and Van Halen. Extreme had their biggest success with a 90s album called "Pornograffitti." King's X combines metal, grunge, funk and soul with blues lyrics. King's X was ranked No. 83 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Aimee Mann continues her study of the broken American dream, of characters who lose their way and wallow in an inability to love. Her new single "Freeway" continues the journey begun with band albums ("Til Tuesday"), early solo albums from the 90s with tunes such as "I'm With Stupid" and "Whatever."

The sound to the Paul Thomas Anderson film "Magnolia" was chock full of Aimee Mann classics such as "Save Me," which was nominated for a Grammy, an Oscar and a Golden Globe award. But what makes her music shine is the uplifting pop melodies and songcraft which have proven timeless. Aimee Mann performs tonight at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., (8 p.m.).

Tomorrow

One of the hottest acts in the world right now is the band Coldplay led by vocalist Chris Martin. Since their debut release "Parachutes" in 2000, Coldplay has sold more than 34 million CDs. Their heartfelt stadium rock, more than vaguely reminiscent of U2 with the use of the infinite guitar and Mr. Martin's trademark falsetto vocals, is perfectly placed in the cavernous Verizon Center where the band performs on tomorrow night (7:30 p.m.).

Their album "A Rush of Blood to the Head" cemented Coldplay's status as a major act. The much decorated album was chosen by Rolling Stone magazine at No. 473 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The latest album by Coldplay is called "Viva la Vida" (or "Death and All His Friends").

Underrated Boston songwriter Vance Gilbert makes an all too rare appearance at Coffee East in Easton tomorrow night (7 p.m.).

Vance Gilbert burst onto the singer-songwriter scene in the early 90's when the buzz started spreading in the folk clubs of Boston about an ex-multicultural arts teacher and jazz singer who was knocking 'em dead at open mikes. The word spread of this Philadelphia-area born and raised performer to New York. Shawn Colvin invited Vance Gilbert to be a special guest on her Fat City tour. Gilbert took audiences across the country by storm.

Tomorrow at Rams Head On Stage you're invited to check out new British rock sensation Passenger. After releasing their first EP this summer, these guys have been touring relentlessly, opening for Kate Nash and The Hold Steady. One of their tunes insightfully samples Allen Ginsburg and the band's music was embedded in a BBC short film comedy. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to see and her one of the region's finest unsigned acts as Ruut performs her songs to open the show. Passenger and Ruut perform at Rams Head On Stage tomorrow night (8 p.m.) for just 12 bucks a ticket.

Tomorrow night one of Motown's royalty steps up to the mic at Pier Six Concert Pavilion in Baltimore (7:30 p.m.). In 1952, at age 7, little Gladys Knight won an American Idol-like "amateur hour" television contest. Just a year later her family band, the Pips, were formed with brother Merald Jr., sister Brenda and two cousins. Almost 10 years of touring later, the Pips recorded the single "Every Beat of My Heart" which went to No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 6 on the pop chart, making it a crossover hit.

The daughter of a trapeze artist, Patty Smyth was the lead singer for the band Scandal in their heyday. At one point, after David Lee Roth departed from Van Halen, Ms. Smyth was invited to become the band's new lead singer. (She declined the offer).

Tomorrow night Patty Smyth reunites with surviving members of her old band Scandal at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach, Delaware (5 p.m.).

Monday

Monday night it's another reunion concert, this time with the jazz fusion super group Return to Forever. The group evolved out of the jazz rock experiments conducted by Miles Davis with the Bitches Brew band featuring pianist Chick Corea. By the seventies, the kids were primed for the ultimate musical journey, one which not only offered volume and passion, but also the highest level of precision and consummate musicianship.

The call was answered by a group of stellar jazz musicians hungry for a taste of mega stardom and money. The result was Mahavishnu Orchestra with guitarist John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham and others, Weather Report with Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and others.

But perhaps the most impressive of these speed demons was Return to Forever with its all-star lineup of Mr. Corea with bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White and a 19-year old guitarist named Al DiMeola. On the heels of sophisticated art rock bands like Genesis and King Crimson, Return to Forever was in the right place at the right time.

Taken in smaller doses, guitar solos rediscover their place in the music. Although drum solos are still taboo, the musicians of today care less about those critical of movements. They take what they need and pay their respects to the rest. It's a Return to Forever evening at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Monday night (8 p.m.).

Tuesday

The new movement to stamp out the guitar solo eventually came full circle with three bands once considered "modern rock." The modern rockers provided an alternative to the soon to be called "classic" rockers of the seventies. Punk ethos and incessant strumming took the place of self-indulgent and endless guitar with groups such as Live and Collective Soul, while Blues Traveler somehow beat the system by blending the blues of their fathers and the million-notes-a-minute harp solos of John Popper.

One of the most festive places to see a show during the summer is Pier Six Concert Pavilion on the harbor in Baltimore where you can reconnect with Live, Collective Soul and Blues Traveler on Tuesday night (6 p.m.). Whoo-hoo!

Other shows this week include new singer-songwriter Pricilla Ahn at Rams Head On Stage (7:30 p.m.), Bullets for My Valentine at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore (doors 6:30 p.m., all ages), both on Tuesday night.

Also Tuesday night, blast back to the past with folk superstar Neil Diamond, who cranked out a string of Top 40 hits during the sixties and early seventies. He wrote songs as a staff writer at the legendary Brill Building in New York City, penning tunes such as "I'm a Believer" and "A Little Bit of Me, A Little Bit of You," which were both hits for The Monkees. "Sweet Caroline" was covered early on by Elvis Presley and "Kentucky Woman" was a hit for Deep Purple.

In the 1970s, Neil Diamond came into his own as a performer with hits such as "Cracklin' Rosie," "Holly Holy," "Songs Sung Blue," "I Am, I Said" and the aforementioned "Sweet Caroline."

Neil Diamond performs Tuesday night (8 p.m.) at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Wednesday

Wednesday night it's lighthearted rockers the Jonas Brothers at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore (7 p.m.). Their RIAA-platinum selling album was celebrated on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" and was recorded live from the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn at The White House. And the trio performed on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve" show. But the icing on the cake, I'm sure was performing live on "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars."

Thursday

Thursday night watch out for The Metal Masters featuring Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament at Nissan Pavilion (5:30 p.m.).

Judas Priest is expected to focus on its classic material and showcase a few tracks from its new set, Nostradamus. Thrash-metal veterans Testament also are supporting a new record, "The Formation of the Damnation," Heaven & Hell features Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former Sabbath members Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice, and Motorhead is putting the finishing touches on its 20th album.

Also Thursday night it's the Joe Piscopo Sextet offering a big band tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis (7 p.m.). Premiere reggae band Culture plays Sonar in Baltimore (8 p.m.), and it's dancehall reggae with international superstar Kinky at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (7:30 p.m.), both on Thursday night.

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Michael Buckley is writer, producer and host of the Sunday Brunch each week from 7-10 a.m. on 103.1 WRNR-FM. You can reach Michael at voicesofthebay@aol.com