Positively State Street

FAST-FINGERED JAKE: The ukulele isn’t just for luaus anymore. At least that’s what Jake Shimabukuro thinks, and he proves his point very well by playing the instrument with a unique, wunderkind mastery. He aims to tap the ukulele’s unexpressed musical potential by playing a full range of genres not necessarily known for featuring extensive solos on the acoustic guitar’s smaller, Hawaiian cousin. Whether rocking out with Hendrix-inspired amplification and furious, high-energy picking, or coaxing the sad-yet-sweet chords out of ballads like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Shimabukuro has the ability to change styles effortlessly and often. Shimabukuro is definitely an artist to keep your eye on. Check him out at SOhO (1221 State St.) on Tuesday, November 13; show starts at 8 p.m. Call 962-7776. -Tyler Vickers

THE WRITING ON THE WALL: Somewhere in the middle of Nebraska lies Omaha. It’s the state’s largest city, and home to some of indie music’s most beloved innovators. It’s also the birthplace of what eventually became known as the “Omaha sound”-a melding of musical styles that drew from the town’s rhythm and blues background, as well as the decidedly divergent influences of country, indie, folk, and alt-rock. It’s a sound defined by artists like Conor Oberst and Elliott Smith, and it’s what helped propel Cursive to stardom. Combining the kind of high-concept, high-drama indie rock Oberst and Smith pioneered with a decidedly harder edge, Cursive rose to prominence by adding a punk-pop twist to the Omaha sound. Check them out at 9 p.m. on Friday, November 9, as they bring a little piece of Omaha to The Hub at UCSB. Visit aspb.as.ucsb.edu. -Mollie Vandor

DARING DIVA: Let’s face it; you’d have to have been born under a rock to not know the musical force of the incomparable Diana Ross. The woman is a cultural icon. From her illustrious musical career to her award-winning acting ventures, it’s safe to say Ms. Ross has seen and done it all. She’s been parodied by the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Candice Bergen, Beyonce, and my high school English teacher, Mr. Hill. It seems everyone has been touched by Ross in one way or another (Lil’ Kim, we’re looking at you), and its no wonder that she continues to showcase her vocal talents-though octaves lower-today, with a tour touting her 2006 album, I Love You. The supreme and prolific Diana Ross takes the Samala Showroom stage at the Chumash Casino Resort, on Thursday, November 8, at 8 p.m. Visit chumashcasino.com. -Jessica Hilo

KNOCKING ON HAVENS’S DOOR: Folk singer and Guild guitarist extraordinaire Richie Havens is a living legend whose sturdy baritone and distinctive thumb-fretting has encapsulated and immortalized an entire generation of peaceniks and their earthy, free-love idealism. Havens, whose career soared after his appearance at Woodstock, has produced timeless hits, like “Handsome Johnny” and “Freedom (Motherless Child),” but made a name for himself by reinventing the classics of his Summer of Love contemporaries, including George Harrison and Bob Dylan. Havens embodies a sound and mentality of an era that surely hasn’t been lost in these modern, troubled times. Catch the man John Lennon said “plays a pretty funky guitar” at the Lobero on Friday, November 9, at 8 p.m. Call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com. -JH

MAN WITH A JAM: For any fan of the Dave Matthews Band, Tim Reynolds‘s distinct sound will undoubtedly ring familiar. Part Jimi Hendrix, part Carlos Santana, Reynolds’s style has secured him a spot as something of an honorary DMB member: The guitarist has been featured on all the band’s major studio releases and has accompanied them on numerous tours. And though he’s been playing since he was 12, Reynolds long ago cemented his status as one of modern music’s most overlooked and underrated guitar masters. One year after his storied performance with Matthews at the Arlington Theatre, Reynolds will return to Santa Barbara for a set at SOhO on Wednesday, November 14, at 8 p.m. Call 962-7776 for details. -Joel Aurora