Tonight in live music: Zakir Hussain's Masters of Percussion, Blackbird Blackbird, Chris Botti + more

Lots happening in the concert realms on this Thurs., April 7. Check out the breakdown below.

Zakir Hussain's Masters of Percussion The son of Ustad Allarakha – who’s credited with helping introduce Indian music to American audiences along with Ravi Shankar – carries on his father’s legacy and has been bringing the percussive and melodic sounds of his homeland here since 1996 via Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion. The virtuoso tabla player leads varying ensemble combinations; the 2016 tour features Indian masters Sabir Khan (sarangi), Navin Sharma (dholak) and Mannargudi Vasudevan (tavil). (Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)

Chris Botti The Grammy-winning contemporary jazz-pop trumpeter/composer hits town fresh off some dates with Sting and with full band in tow to perform material ranging from originals to re-imaginings of songs by Leonard Cohen, Ennio Morricone, Burt Bacharach and others. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)

Blackbird Blackbird with Chad Valley, Tideup, Hotbox, DJs Wally Clark & Rude100 San Francisco producer Mike Maramag toes the line between bedroom-grooving chillwave and bright dance pop as Blackbird Blackbird, mixing minimalist house beats and unexpected rhythmic textures with buoyant synths that vary from shoe-gazy to sparkling to smearing swirls, laying his dreamy high-toned coos over top. Chad Valley has that late night, down-tempo PBR&B appeal with added synthesized twinkle, and is another one-man project, that of UK-based Hugo Manuel. Recommended if you like: Washed Out, Purity Ring. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Black Uhuru with Tomorrows Bad Seeds Don’t be intimidated by the name; Black Uhuru ply heady reggae and dub music direct from Jamaica, and have been doing so since the early ‘70s in various formations anchored by the group’s sole remaining original member, vocalist Derrick "Duckie" Simpson. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)

Miss Tess and the Talkbacks She and her band push folk-Americana dosed in rockabilly twang, colored in jazz-slinking and blues-shuffling hues, and underscored by Miss Tess’ rich throaty vocal quality. The Brooklyn-based is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to pay for the independent release and promotion of her forthcoming album, Baby, We All Know, and at the time of this writing, she’d already surpassed her $15k goal. (DEN Stage at Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg)

ALSO TONIGHT
Rock the Park w/UnMotivated/The Tattered Saints/Kat Baumback Music Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, downtown Tampa
Frank Secich w/Room Full of Strangers/David Vassalotti/Gino and the Goons Mojo Books & Records, Tampa
Citizen w/Turnover/Sorority Noise/Milk Teeth Orpheum, Ybor City
Tampa Bay Blues Fest Kick-Off Party w/Victor Wainwright & Wild Roots Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg