Music

Previews by Ann Powers (A.P.)., Richard Cromelin (R.C.), Casey Dolan (C.D.), Randy Lewis (R.L.) and on Heckman (D.H.).

George Clinton The era of musical titans may be fading under the weight of information overload, but a few remain standing. Clinton, the funk inventor, inner-terrestrial explorer and ultimate party dude, is one such artist. (A.P.) Vault 350, 350 Pine Ave., Long Beach. Today, 7 p.m. $35. (562) 590-5566.

Michael Hurley The sleepy-voiced singer released his first album more than 40 years ago. His latest, “Ancestral Swamp,” is on Devendra Banhart’s Gnomonsong label. (R.C.) McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Today, 7 p.m. $15. (310) 828-4497.

Drive-By Truckers Their passion for Southern rock and their flair for the mythology of the common man yielded some great albums. Their gift for myth persists on their new one, “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark.”(R.C.) House of Blues Anaheim, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. Mon., 8 p.m. $22.50. (714) 778-2583. Also at Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood. Tue., 7 p.m. $25. (323) 462-8900.

Rickie Lee Jones The idiosyncratic artist has had her creative ups and downs since “Chuck E.’s in Love” cast her as a quirky boho raconteur in the late ’70s, but her latter-day resurgence has reached critical mass with her latest album, “The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard.” (R.C.) Echoplex (below the Echo), 1152 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park. Mon., 8 p.m. $25. (213) 413-8200.

Hank Jones Smart minds would do well to find out whatever the tonic is that jazz pianist Jones is taking and pick up a good supply. (D.H.) Fowler Museum at UCLA, Sunset Boulevard and Westwood Plaza, Westwood. Tue., 7:30 p.m. $35-$40. (310) 825-4361.

Common In the film “American Gangster,” rapper Common plays rapper T.I.’s dad. If this were real life, Common would have fathered that boy when he was 12. The casting says something about the elder-statesman status of the underground MC turned mainstream star. (A.P.) House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Tue., 8 p.m. $40. (323) 848-5100. Also at House of Blues Anaheim, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. Wed., 8 p.m. $40. (714) 778-2583.

Rufus Wainwright After hitting town in recent months with some special concept concerts the idiosyncratic singer-songwriter is back with his own material and band. (R.C.) The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Tue., 8 p.m. $37.50-$47.50. (213) 380-5005.

Jill Scott and Raheem DeVaughn Scott and DeVaughn are stylish, supremely intelligent purveyors of love-sexy R&B – expect the crowd at this show to be rocking lots of silk and sipping from splits of Dom Pérignon. (A.P.) The Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim. Tue., 8:30 p.m. $51-$71. (714) 712-2700. Also at Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. Thu., 7:45 p.m. $35-$65. (818) 622-4440.

Was (Not Was) Don and David Was rouse their great dada funk ensemble into action for their second annual Valentine’s Day show and onstage collaborations with Brian Wilson and Kris Kristofferson. (R.C.) Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, L.A. Thu., 7 p.m. $30-$45. (877) 677-4386.

DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist These two DJs perform alchemy with vinyl, mining classic old-school R&B 45s, mixing it up with “found sounds” and nonmusic sources. (C.D.) House of Blues Anaheim, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. Thu., 8 p.m. $27.50. (714) 778-2583. Also at the Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Fri., 9 p.m. $35.50. (213) 380-5005.

Eels The perpetually underappreciated Los Angeles outfit carries on undaunted, reemerging to mark its 10th anniversary . The Galaxy, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana. Thu., 8 p.m. $20. (714) 957-0600.

Judy Chamberlain What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than hearing a singer who is almost guaranteed to know your favorite love song, no matter how obscure it may be. (D.H.) Spazio, 14755 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Thu., 8 p.m. (818) 728-8400.

Raul Midon With a gentle spirit and some fierce political convictions, Raul Midon updates the joyful protest music of Stevie Wonder, with whom he’s inevitably compared not only because of his blindness but because his music so effortlessly blends Latin, blues, jazz and pop influences. (A.P.) The Roxy, 9009 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Thu., 8 p.m. $24. (310) 278-9457.

Aretha Franklin The Queen of Soul should be in a munificent mood after receiving the Person of the Year Award from Music Cares during Grammy week. (A.P.) Nokia Theatre, 777 Chick Hearn Court, L.A. Thu., 8:15 p.m. $55-$85. (213) 763-6000.

Entrance Band Peers such as Conor Oberst, M. Ward and Jim James perpetually rave about the visionary, blues-based musician Guy Blakeslee, better known as Entrance. (R.C.) The Fold at Silverlake Lounge, 2906 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake. Thu., 9 p.m. $13. (323) 666-2407.

Siouxsie The mascara will never come off, the iridescent eye shadow will glimmer and Siouxsie’s “Mantaray” from last year shows her to be in a creative resurgence. (C.D.) Music Box @ Fonda, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Fri.-Sat. $43. (213) 480-3232.

Brett Dennen Dennen’s voice, incongruous with his Dennis the Menace looks, sounds like Paul Simon with nodes but warmly lingers in the mind like Proust’s comforting madeleine cakes. (C.D.) Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, Fri., Feb. 15, 8 p.m., $25, (310) 440-4500. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Fri., 8 p.m. $25. (310) 440-4500.

St. Vincent Looking like Leslie Feist’s and PJ Harvey’s hypothyroid sister, with more than a touch of mischief or madness, this refugee (nee Annie Clark) from the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ touring band has as much personality and ingenuity as both aforementioned singers. (C.D.) Echoplex (below the Echo), 1152 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park. Fri., 8 p.m. $13. (213) 413-8200.

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars An intriguing mix of reggae and traditional West African music from an ensemble made up of refugees from one of the world’s cruelest and most emotionally devastating killing fields – Sierra Leone. (C.D.) Royce Hall, UCLA, 340 Royce Drive, L.A. Sat. $22-$36. (310) 825-2101.

Baby Dee Now that she’s gracing the concert stage, Baby Dee doesn’t offer quite the startling image she did when busking in a bear costume in Central Park, playing her harp. But her frank, often more than bawdy lyrics are set to dance hall melodies that often glimmer with grace. (A.P.) The Echo, 1822 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. Next Sun., 6 p.m. $10. (213) 413-8200.

Wooden Shjips Fuzzy psychedelia is all the rage (again), and frankly the whole hippier-than-thou vibe can get a bit pretentious. But not this band. The quartet just lays out its fuzzy, rambling rock meditations without fuss. (A.P.) McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Next Sun., 7 p.m. $12. (310) 828-4497.