> CONCERT SAMPLER

Live music highlights from April 16 to 22:

Friday Tony Bennett. The scorecard is beyond impressive: nearly 70 years of recordings and 18 Grammys. Bridging generations with efforts such as last year’s duets with Lady Gaga, he’s managed to stay relevant and in great voice for a man closing in on 90; this is a quick return visit with daughter Antonia, after Casino Rama last fall. (Roy Thomson Hall, 8 p.m.) Viet Cong. Calgary post-punk foursome stormed through winter with a heavy debut LP and aggressive touring, including a sold-out night at the Garrison. The buzz has cooled some since and this free show will be a nice gauge on how they’re holding together, brooding combustibility being the default setting. (Opera House, doors 8 p.m.) YO. Toronto debut of the Tokyobased trio of Yutaka Oyama on the

shamisen, Akihisa Kominato on shakuhachi (bamboo) flute and tabla player Ty Burhoe, who combine Japanese and Indian instrumentation and influences for a kind of new-age Zen lyricism, though they can rock out in their own way. (Small World Music Centre, 7:30 p.m.) Saturday Contact Contemporary Music. The rock-influenced leanings of the veteran T.O. new-music outfit set them up well for this first local performance of the late-20th century piece Professor Bad Trip by late Italian composer Fausto Romitelli. It’s a 45-minute journey through mind-bending sonic terrain with harmonica, guitar pitchpipes, kazoo, water gong and dabs of electronics, amid visuals from Music Gallery lighting director Sandor Ajzenstat. The coolest show of the season at the MG, it’s pick of the week. (Music Gallery, doors 7 p.m.) Charanga Habanera. David Calzado fronts one of Havana’s signature bands in their first T.O. show in five years. Given their experience, the brass ’n’ bling among their 16 pieces, the crowd’s post-winter anticipation to renew acquaintances, Sherbourne and environs will be hot stuff. (Phoenix, doors 8:30 p.m.) Sunday Richie Hawtin. Windsor to the world techno impresario returns with a reprise of his 2012 CNTRL college tour that combines workshopping and master classes by day (starting at 2 p.m. at University of Toronto’s MacLeod Auditorium; Hawtin and guests are scheduled for a 5 p.m. panel discussion, all open to the public) and a gig at night. The guest list includes Marc Houle, Justin James and Ean Golden. (Coda, 10 p.m.) Monday George Ezra. It’s a measure of the young Brit’s career arc and huskyvoiced, folk troubadour’s glow that he’s been in twice already this year as support for Sam Smith and Hozier. Dues duly paid, it’s headline time. Evidently he picked up some fans along the way as this small-hall show, rescheduled from March 27, is sold out. (Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.) Tuesday Chilly Gonzales & the Kaiser Quartet. Each visit from Jason Beck shows off a slightly different angle on his pianistic journey along the classicalpop continuum, and his ability to connect with audiences of all ages and ken. This time, his partnership with the Hamburg-based quartet of “chamber music reimagined as today’s pop music” is pretty and punny going, and surprise, surprise, another sellout. (Koerner Hall, 8 p.m.) Whitney Rose. It’s release day for the amiable Charlottetown native turned Toronto regular’s second LP, Heartbreaker of the Year. With its share of original stompers and the odd cover it should go down a storm in this one-time country and western palace. Just three days ahead of a slot at the Phoenix where she’s supporting the Mavericks (whose Raul Malo produced the record), expect some special guests. (Horseshoe, doors 8 p.m.) Wednesday Jazmine Sullivan. It’s a comeback and a trip back to a time before AutoTune, as the Philly R&B singer’s pure and powerful, gospel-schooled pipes hit with the mighty force of an oldfashioned revival meeting. Her third LP Reality Show is the impetus for this tour. It’s a little less retro-sounding than the previous but, as ever, relies on the emotion and timbre of her shake-the-walls voice to stand out at the front of the pack. (Phoenix, doors 7 p.m.)