Enjoy the music. It flows from dance to original contemporary blues to blues/rock to New Orleans R&B to acoustic noodlings. There’s also music to be found in the Latin poetry of Ovid and the tranquil yet provocative paintings and prints of local arts. It’s a tuneful week of melody and harmony in New Haven.
Monday, January 7
“Movement: A Dance Showcase to End Youth Violence” moves to raise money for the mentoring group Save Our Sons, and has been co-organized by a New Haven Academy student, Carole Richardson, through The Future Project. The performance is 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at James Hillhouse High School, 480 Sherman Parkway, New Haven. (203) 497-7500, sarah.tankoos@thefutureproject.org.
Tuesday, January 8
The Hamden Art League is hosting an “Artist Demo” by oil painter Paul Batch, known for his expressive, glowing landscapes. The general public is invited to Batch’s talk and demonstration, which begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded at 7 p.m. by “coffee and conversation” and the brief monthly meeting of Arts League members. At the Miller Library Social Room, 2901 Dixwell Ave., Hamden. Free.
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Wednesday, January 9
The doleful blues/roots/rock outfit Grimm Generation (pictured above) is the featured act at The Outer Space’s Open Mic night. The band was founded by vocalist Carmen Champagne and guitarist Jason Krug, creating their cool blend of rustic and urban with the addition of Eric Bloomquist on bass, Julie Kay on cello and Lys Guillorn on multiple folk instruments. (It’s a busy week for Lys Guillorn; the celebrated local singer-songwriter will be performing the old murder ballad “Matty Groves” as part of the Get to the Point! storytelling series Monday, Jan. 7 at Cafe Nine.) Sign-up for the actual Open Mic parts of the evening (and there are no open mics quite like Space/Outer Space open mics) begins at 7 p.m. $3 admission. 295 Treadwell St., Hamden. (203) 288-6400.
Thursday, January 10
The Educational Center for the Arts performing arts high school is known for its audacious theatrical endeavors. Last year they did an epic 18th century Italian commedia dell’arte piece, The Green Bird. Tonight and tomorrow, students perform an original adaptation of the Roman poet Ovid’s transformative poetry cycle The Metamorphoses. 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the ECA Arts Hall, 55 Audubon St., New Haven. (203) 777-5451, ecainfo@aces.org. $12.
Friday, January 11
The legendary albino guitarist Johnny Winter, who’s been gigging since his teens and will turn 69 next month, returns to Toad’s Place, rocking the blues and shaking his white/yellow mane. The Johnny I Band and Murray the Wheel are also on the bill. 300 York St., New Haven; (203) 624-TOAD. 8:30 p.m. $20, $17.50 in advance.
Saturday, January 12
Vanilia Majoros is the latest artist to hang in the downstairs gallery at New Haven Free Public Library (133 Elm St., New Haven, 203-946-8835). The printmaker, who teaches at Creative Arts Workshop on Audubon St., has works in museums and private collections internationally.
The legendary Iguanas from New Orleans hit New Haven with their sinful rock/R&B/boogie-woogie blend, 8 p.m. at Cafe Nine (250 State St., New Haven; 203-789-8281). Joe Flood opens the 9 p.m., $15 show.
Sunday, January 13
The friendly and tidy downtown bar Stella Blues has three local guitarists going acoustic on its intimate front-window stage tonight: Cory Nebel, Rob Porto and Ian Biggs. The lack of electrical bombast makes for a nice way to have a night out yet still chill a bit before the workweek begins tomorrow. 204 Crown St., New Haven. (203) 752-9764.
Written by Christopher Arnott.
