• The overlapping bands of violinist Jason Kao Hwang and trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum. Bynum’s band includes the much-talked-about guitarist Mary Halvorson. For one of his two sets, Hwang will augment his quartet with Kerrytown’s Relyea, a mezzo-soprano, and Ann Arbor reed player Piotr Michalowski.

• A tribute to the music of the recently deceased Faruq Z. Bey led by former Griot Galaxy bassist Jaribu Shahid, with former Griot saxophonist Tony Holland in the horn section along with Skeeter Shelton and Mark Carey.

• Saxophonist Marty Ehrlich’s Fables, in which he joins up with klezmer star Hankus Netsky (piano and accordion) and Marcus Rojas (tuba).

• Ben Allison Band, about as mainstream as this festival gets. Allusions to Brit rock, Neil Young and Brazilian pop are fair game for Allison, but hardly the point of the game.

• “Double Dutch Threat” billing luminaries from the uniquely off-kilter Netherlands scene: the team of violaist Ig Henneman and saxophonist Ab Baars, plus solo piano from Fred Van Hove.

• The duet team of singer, Navajo flute player Mary Redhouse and bassist John Lindberg.

W. Kim Heron is editor of Metro Times. Send comments to letters@metrotimes.com.

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