Mary J. Blige, Larry Carlton, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Larry Carlton

THE BAKED POTATO

PHOTO BY CAROLINE KNOPF

Lucy Woodward: See Saturday.

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Torrance-born guitarist Larry Carlton's musical career features credits with Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and Michael Jackson among hundreds of others, including lengthy stints with groups The Crusaders and Fourplay. Named for the Gibson guitar also used by notables Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton, Carlton's nickname is "Mr. 335." Along the way, he's gathered four Grammy Awards for albums with the likes of Christopher Cross and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. It's been many years since Carlton played at the Baked Potato, and Wednesday (and Thursday) mark a rare local return to the intimate venue. Carlton will be joined by fellow veterans Greg Mathieson on keys, studio bass legend Abraham Laboriel Sr. and John Ferraro on drums. —Tom Meek

Also playing:

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS at House of Blues (Anaheim); VINCE GILL at Troubadour; SCOTT HEALY TENTET at Vitello's; CATHLENE PINEDA TRIO at Blue Whale.

thu 11/17

Roy Ayers, Pete Rock, Thundercat, J. Rocc

EXCHANGE Los Angeles

EVFA and ArtDontSleep present "Homage: Roy Ayers," a tribute to one of the most heavily sampled artists in hip-hop, the prophet of jazz funk. Vibraphonist Ayers is a soul and R&B legend who, after a career in jazz, shifted to funk, R&B and even a bit of disco. Now a New York mainstay, he grew up in Los Angeles, and he performs tonight with a full band and renowned producer Pete Rock, with whom Ayers collaborated earlier this year at the North Sea Jazz Festival. KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad hosts. Brainfeeder bass master general Thundercat and Stones Throw staple J. Rocc open. Anthony Valadez, Clifton Weaver, Destroyer, Lee Joseph and Marlon Fuentes spin in the lounge. —Lainna Fader

Mary J. Blige

CLUB NOKIA

The R&B star has a new album out Nov. 21, and to mark the occasion she's doing a handful of small-room dates in between her higher-profile media engagements. (Several days after she plays Club Nokia, for instance, she's set to appear alongside Justin Bieber and Katy Perry at the American Music Awards.) The record's rather elaborately titled My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1) promises to be a sequel of sorts to Blige's acclaimed 1994 sophomore disc. Unlike the largely Diddy-overseen My Life, though, the new one includes grab-bag collaborations with Danja, Kanye West and Rodney Jerkins, among other au courant hit makers. Lead single "25/8" indicates she's in a (relatively) bright mood — it's about how she needs more time in a week to show her man she cares. —Mikael Wood

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

UCLA ROYCE HALL

After nearly two decades of ups and downs in one of the United Kingdom's most revered rock bands, Oasis lead guitarist/songwriter is flying solo with his new project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Not a far cry from the Beatles-influenced melodies he churned out with brother Liam in Oasis, Birds' tunes surely will satisfy fans of the Manchester quintet, as will the classic Oasis tunes he promised to play live. That said, the High Flying Birds' self-titled debut certainly has charms of its own, boasting a relaxed confidence and appealing surprises like Dixieland band flourishes on lead single "The Death of You and Me," which make it utterly compelling in its own right. —Laura Ferreiro

Chromeo

WILTERN

Electrofunk duo Chromeo's Business Casual album of last year sent our little minds to some nasty, sexy nirvana, but then they threw in all these real sincere ballads and shit, too, and it didn't sound like a load of tripe. Montreal jokers P-Thugg on talk-box vocals and Dave 1 on squinky synth sounds are two smart guys whose mountain of vintage electronic gear and keenly old-school-savvy mind-sets bring an irony-rich but righteous electro-R&B mishmash whose slick, superficial sounds shine with concise construction and healthy doses of catchy melodies and happy harmonies. Their intelligent retro-vibe recalls the very best strands of electro-disco-funk-soul cheese from back in the day, when it was about having fun and just kinda messing around. —John Payne

Also playing:

DAWES, BLITZEN TRAPPER, BELLE BRIGADE at the Music Box; MARKÉTA IRGLOVÁ at Troubadour; JON BRION at Largo; FUTURE ISLANDS at the Echoplex; SONNYMOON, RYAT at Little Temple.