SPOTLIGHT

Singer Allison Adams Tucker (encima) celebrates the release of her new album, “Retro Trilogy,” with a special show at Humphrey’s Backstage Live on Jan. 7. “Retro Trilogy” collects Tucker’s recent series of three EPs, each celebrating the music of a decade: 1977, 1988, and 1999. Her jazzy recasting of classic tunes shows that Tucker is as gifted with song arrangements as she is with her vocals. In Tucker’s hands, such songs as Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend” and Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years,” are given new life, while “Mr. Blue Sky” comes across like a wonderful mix of Kate Bush pop and Stevie Wonder. With Tucker backed for this concert by the likes of guitarist Peter Sprague and pianist Danny Green, both jazz and pop fans will love every second of this show.

Allison Adams Tucker: Sunday, Jan. 7 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 6 p.m. $30. humphreysbackstagelive.com.

RECOMMENDED

It’s an amazing booking. Intimate nightspot, Beaumont’s Eatery, will host rock supergroup Hookers & Blow on Jan. 5. Featuring keyboardist Dizzy Reed of stadium rockers Guns N’ Roses, and guitarist Alex Grossi of iconic rockers Quiet Riot, Hookers & Blow specializes in hard-edged covers of wide range of artists, from The Rolling Stones to the Beastie Boys. The band recently released a self-titled album featuring the best of their covers, all uniformly excellent, but they’re even better live. For fans of either Reed or Grossi’s respective bands, the opportunity to see them in such a small venue as Beaumont’s shouldn’t be passed up.

Hookers & Blow: Friday, Jan. 5 at Beaumont’s Eatery, 5662 La Jolla Blvd. 9 p.m. $20. beaumontseatery.com.

Hawaiian singer-songwriter Kekoa the Artist brings his island sounds to Moonshine Beach on Jan. 11. It may be wintertime, but Kekoa’s summery mix of reggae, hip-hop, and touches of pop, is the perfect antidote to cold nights in PB. It’s a far cry from Moonshine Beach’s usual country fare, but as Kekoa’s latest album, “Love Addict,” shows, his music has universal appeal, with a set list full of love songs and breezy rhythms. The night’s lineup also includes opening sets from local reggae combos, Indica Stereo, and Cruz Roots.

Kekoa the Artist: Thursday, Jan. 11 at Moonshine Beach 1165 Garnet Ave. 8:30 p.m. $15. moonshinebeachsd.com.

Anyone looking to hit the dance floor this month will want to check out Detroit Underground, performing at Tio Leo’s on Jan. 13. One of the area’s longest-running groups, the 9-piece Detroit Underground features both male and female vocals as well as a full horn section, playing hits by the likes of Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, and Earth, Wind & Fire. The band sticks to tunes meant to get crowds up on their feet moving, offering up a veritable jukebox of soul, funk, and blues classics, and in the process turning any night out into a party.

Detroit Underground: Saturday, Jan. 13 at Tio Leo’s, 6333 Mission Gorge Road. 7 p.m. $15. www.tioleos.com.

Early rising music fans will want to head to the La Valencia’s brunch on Jan. 14 for music from award-winning blues and jazz vocalist, Whitney Shay. Kicking off at 11 a.m. Shay will play a mix of standards and more recent covers, such as Bonnie Raitt’s song, “Nick of Time,” but keep an ear out for her terrific original tunes as well. Her most recent album, “Stand Up,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Blues chart, with Shay also picking up cinco San Diego Music Awards along the way, a testament to both her vocals and songwriting prowess. If you have yet to catch a set from a music legend in the making, this daytime set is the perfect opportunity.

Whitney Shay: Sunday, Jan. 14 at The La Valencia, 1132 Prospect St. 11 a.m. No cover. lavalencia.com.

Now in its 53rd year, the Athenaeum’s free lunchtime concert series continues into 2024 with a performance from jazz pianist Mikan Slatkovich on Jan. 15. A mainstay of the local music community Slatkovich is one of the busiest artists in town, often seen playing with the likes of Gilbert Castellanos, Charles McPherson, Rob Thorsen, and many other top jazz luminaries. However, it’s his solo shows that especially dazzle, with his virtuoso keyboard work at the fore. Fans of Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, or Chick Corea will find much to admire in Slatkovich’s performances.

Mikan Zlatkovich: Monday, Jan. 15 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. Noon. Free. ljathenaeum.org.