Former guitarist tries hand at Indian music

At the same time musician Todd Green studied composition and arrangement at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, he studied privately with jazz guitar legend Mick Goodrich, Grammy-winner guitarist Pat Metheny, and recording star George Benson.

Green, who performs tonight in Lynnwood, took those skills to performances with the top echelon of studio musicians, and later wrote columns on improvisation for Fingerstyle Guitar magazine.

Green also began studying Western flute, East Indian bansuri bamboo flute and tablas (Indian hand drums). He also decided to stop playing the electric guitar and concentrate on acoustic music.

Captain Smartypants: Song (with beautiful harmonies), dance, and biting satire will be delivered Saturday in Everett by one of the Seattle Men’s Chorus’ ensembles. The group will combine the best parts of its Undercover tour with selections from the upcoming show, Camp. While they can be hilariously funny, Captain Smartypants’ humor is not for children.

Redbird: The sleeper show of the week may be this one, with Kris Delmhorst, Jeffrey Foucault and Peter Mulvey joining forces Thursday in Seattle. They’ll deliver traditional tunes, jazz standards, country songs and other tunes of America. Delmhorst’s “Songs for a Hurricane” was a masterful CD from the winner of the 2001 Telluride Troubadour Songwriter Competition; Mulvey makes sense out of his folk, funk and rock blend in a high-energy way; and Foucault’s weathered (but young) voice carries on the troubadour tradition.

Todd Snider: His “East Nashville Skyline” album has been out nearly a year but still picks up praise from critics, landing in several top-100 and best-of lists, including Associated Press and Rollingstone.com. Snider will perform Sunday in Seattle. Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffet and Garth Brooks have covered his songs. Hard-core honky-tonk-and-bluegrass hybrids South Austin Jug Band, winners of Best New Band Award at the 2002 Telluride Festival, will open.

John-Alex Mason: The award-winning blues singer loves pre-war blues styles but delivers originals as well as interpretations. He’ll perform Tuesday in Everett. Mason has won blues competitions and has earned emerging-artist kudos from critics.

Where to hear it

Todd Green: 7:30 tonight, Triton Union Building, Edmonds Community College, 20200 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood; $2, $3; also a 5 p.m. master class for music students and musicians; 425-771-4030.

Captain Smartypants: 8 p.m. Saturday, Everett Theater, 2911 Colby Ave.; $12; 425-258-6766.

Redbird: 8 p.m. Thursday, Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle; $15; 206-789-4250.