The legendary Tower of Power horn section was featured on everybody’s records throughout the ’70s. The band was surely in demand and the list of recordings is long. It includes Elton John, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, David Sanborn, Michelle Shocked and Aaron Neville, among many others. They’ll pitch you some sultry ballads and level the playing field with searing guitar solos.

But it’s the “wall of sound” Tower of Power brass section that hits it out of the park every time. Brace yourself for the timeless smash hit “What Is Hip” and the soul-stirring ballad “You’re Still a Young Man.”

Meanwhile, the NightCat in Easton hosts some blistering blues performed by another Bay Area favorite, Joe Louis Walker, on Friday night (shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.). Blues Revue calls Walker “one of contemporary blues’ most dynamic and innovative musicians, releasing consistently exciting music. No matter what he’s singing, Walker’s approach is soulful, heartfelt and spellbinding.”

For a righteous and mellow evening of roots music, you’ll want to head on over to the historic Avalon Theatre in Easton for an audience Friday night with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (8 p.m.). The orchestra features all-singing, all-strumming ukulele players, using instruments bought with loose change. They believe all genres of music are available for reinterpretation, as long as they are played on the uke. A concert by the Ukulele Orchestra is a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, foot-stomping experience that goes from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana via Otis Redding and spaghetti western soundtracks.

At the Barns of Wolf Trap on Friday night, they’ve got Scottish Folk Band of the Year the Battlefield Band playing Celtic classics and pub fare (8 p.m.). Inspired by a rich heritage of Celtic music and fired by the strength and vibrancy of today’s Scottish cultural scene, the Battlefield Band has led the great revival in Scottish traditional music. They mix the old songs and music with a new self-penned repertoire, all played on a fusion of ancient and modern instruments — bagpipes, fiddle, synthesizer, guitar, flutes, bodhran and accordion.

Other shows Friday night include singer-songwriter Ben Kweller performing at the 9:30 Club (7 p.m.), Blues Traveler appearing at The Hamilton (8:30 p.m.), plus The Jacksons soldiering on with a show at the Howard Theatre (8 p.m.), all in Washington, D.C.

Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito Jackson are out on their Unity Tour, the first of the brothers since their Victory Tour in 1984. The Jacksons will honor Michael’s memory as they play all the timeless hits from “I Want You Back” and “ABC” to “Can You Feel It,” “Lovely One” and “Blame It on the Boogie” — plus a selection of Michael’s solo hits such as “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Rock With You” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Like we could ever get enough of these great pop classics!

Oh, and don’t let me forget that there is one more performance of And God Created Great Whales at the Clarice Smith Center on the University of Maryland’s Silver Spring campus Friday (8 p.m.). This is a performance piece by writer, composer, librettist, musician, performer and director Rinde Eckert, who returns to the stage with his trademark command of gesture, language and song, stretching boundaries of what a play, a dance piece, an opera or a musical can be. Saturday

Saturday is looking good as the Indigo Girls return to Rams Head Live! in Baltimore with their full band plus an opening performance by Shadowboxers (8 p.m.). The Grammy-winning folk rock duo recently released their 14 studio album. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school and in small clubs before their careers took off with the release of their self-titled album that included the smash hit “Closer To Fine,” and went on to win Best Contemporary Folk Recording at the 1990 Grammys. There’s no looking back as these talented women stand tall for their music and personal beliefs in a politically charged season.

Livingston Taylor is forever considered as a brother of “Sweet Baby” James. His vocal delivery is similar in tone and attitude. Livingston is actually one sibling in a musical family that also includes the late Alex, plus Kate and Hugh Taylor.

Over a long and fruitful career as a songwriter and performer, Livingston has enjoyed Top 40 hits such as “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running,” to “I Can Dream of You” and “Boatman,” recorded by his brother James. He’s likely to explore a variety of musical styles, including folk, pop, gospel and jazz. And, of course, as in the finest folk song tradition, there are stories galore to be told, both serious and funny. Well, perhaps mostly funny.

Livingston Taylor was the first act ever to perform at Rams Head On Stage. He returns to the scene for a Saturday night show not to be missed (8 p.m.).

They’ll be getting seriously funky at the Avalon Theatre in Easton this Saturday night with bombastic bass player Bootsy Collins (8 p.m.). The legendary boogiemaster’s innovative bass lines laid the groundwork for James Brown and Parliament Funkadelic in the ‘60s and ‘70s before venturing out as a solo act. In the process, Collins has performed and recorded with an A-list of musical cohorts including Snoop Dogg and Fatboy Slim, Hank Williams Jr., Jimmy Cliff and guitarist Buckethead.

His business card might say Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. Collins is a one-of-a-kind performer you’ll want to experience live and in person. The Avalon’s dance floor is going to be open, so be ready to party when Bootsy comes to Easton!

Also this Saturday night, it’s papa Jim Avett performing Americana and classic country music at the NightCat in Easton (7 p.m.), loveable cellist Ben Sollee plays revved-up rock and soulful songwriter stuff at U Street Music Hall (7 p.m.), the Dave Matthews tribute act Crowded Streets appears at the Fillmore in Silver Spring (8 p.m.), and John Oates (of Hall & Oates fame) plays his passion for American roots music at The Hamilton in Washington (8 p.m.).

Get up and dance to ska music from D.C.’s own The Pietasters as they share the stage with Spring Heeled Jack, The Pilfers and Murphy’s Kids at the 9:30 Club on Saturday night (7 p.m.). And don’t miss a unique afternoon with Rose of Sharon performing across 100 years of American music (1770-1870) at the Library of Congress on Saturday (2 p.m.). Also Saturday, you can also get the groove going at the Priddy Music Academy Battle of the Bands presented at Rams Head On Stage (noon, all-ages show). Sunday

On Sunday night, Blues Traveler returns to Rams Head On Stage (8:30 p.m.). Their 11th studio album, “Suzie Cracks The Whip,” was released in June, just in time to hit the road in celebration of their 25th anniversary as a band. Blues-rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul and Southern rock, it’s all present in the music of Blues Traveler.

Another not-to-be-missed international act this Sunday night is Staff Benda Bilili, appearing at The Howard Theatre in Washington (8 p.m. show). Benda Bilili means “look beyond appearances” and “put forward what is hidden.” Staff Benda Bilili is a group of street musicians who used to live and play around the grounds of the zoo in Kinshasa, Congo. They make music of astonishing power and beauty with mesmerizing rumba-rooted grooves, overlaid with vibrant vocals and extraordinary tin-can guitar solos, which have been dazzling audiences the world over, on record, on stage and on the big screen.

Four paraplegic singer-guitarists form the core of the band, assisted by a “hype man” on crutches who whips the crowd into a frenzy, backed by an all-acoustic rhythm section pounding out tight grooves under the occasional solos performed by a teenage prodigy on a one-string electric lute he designed and built himself out of a tin can.

Other Sunday night shows include Langhorne Slim & The Law with the Last Bison standing tall at The Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington (8 p.m.), while Say Anything performs on a bill with Murder By Death and the Sidekicks at the Fillmore in Silver Spring on Sunday (7:30 p.m.). Monday-Tuesday

Monday and Tuesday nights this week you can catch up with the big band sounds of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on its Rattle Them Bones Tour at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis (8 p.m. each night). This San Diego-born band led the charge during the big band revival of the last decade. But don’t believe that music has to be popular in waves. You’re welcome to enjoy this music every year across the generations as it morphs and bends with the influence of current times.

Also this Monday, enjoy an evening with singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin at the NightCat in Easton (8 p.m.), while the sultry and seductive Cat Power (Chan Marshall) proves why she is still the greatest at the 9:30 Club in D.C. (8 p.m.).

The ‘80s are comin’ on strong over at The Howard Theatre on Monday night with the Psychedelic Furs and the Lemonheads starring Evan Dando and featuring Juliana Hatfield (8 p.m.). Soul superstar John Legend appears for a command performance with Stacy Barthe at Constitution Hall (8 p.m.).

One of my favorite rock bands is Sea Wolf. They’ve got the tunes and the chops with a sound that resonates with joyful harmonies. Don’t miss them as they perform songs from their new album, “Old World Romance,” at DC9 on Monday night (9 p.m.).

Tuesday night, it’s Canadian vocal sensation Alanis Morissette raving on at the Fillmore in Silver Spring (7 p.m.), while Jerry Douglas shows that as a performer and Dobro player he’s in a class all his own in a performance at Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington (8 p.m.). Wednesday

West African music is featured Wednesday night at the Stoltz Listening Room of the Avalon Theatre in Easton (7 p.m.). The group Anansegromma is composed of drummers Kofi Dennis and Kwame Ansah-Brew from Ghana. They create music, storytelling and dance derived from West African cultural traditions.

Miike Snow spells his name the Swedish way with an extra “i,” and he performs indie pop music with big-time producers Christian Karlsson (Bloodshy) and Pontus Winnberg (Avant) in his band at the 9:30 Club Wednesday (sold-out 7 p.m. show, and 10:30 p.m. show).

If you want to hear some smokin’ hot salsa music, get on over to The Howard Theatre this Wednesday night for the show with Orquesta Aragon (8 p.m.). This band was formed in 1939 by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. Though they did not create the cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s and ‘60s. Their trademarks included high-class instrumentalists playing in a tight ensemble style and rhythmical innovations that kept their sound up-to-date.

Wednesday night, Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis welcomes country singer-songwriter Phil Vassar to recreate songs he wrote that became big hits for others (two shows at 6 and 9 p.m.). One of New Orleans’ great piano professors, Henry Butler, appears Wednesday night at Blues Alley in D.C. (8 and 10 p.m. shows). Butler is absolutely fabulous whether he’s rockin’ or rollin’.

And Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio appears with his solo band at The Fillmore on Wednesday (8 p.m.). Along with revealing tunes from his new solo disc, “Traveler,” maybe Trey will end with a howling version of “Black Dog”! Thursday, Oct. 25

Next Thursday night, Jackie Greene will perform at Rams Head On Stage (8 p.m.). He just got off the road from a series of shows featuring him alongside the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and Bob Weir, performing as an acoustic trio. Greene will premiere some of the most introspective, intimate music of his career, focusing on themes of personal significance, ranging from the loss of his father to his love of the Americana music genre and his affection for the South. Greene plans to play every instrument on the album himself.

Greene’s debut album was named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Albums of the Year.

Also next Thursday night, Rams Head Live! presents State Radio with Zap & The Naturals (8 p.m.), and at Rams Head Center Stage in the Maryland Live! casino, it’s a flashback with The Grassroots (8 p.m.). They are one of only nine bands that have charted 29 or more top 100 Billboard singles. They have sold more than 20 million records worldwide.

And finally next Thursday, Dinosaur Jr. is at the Black Cat (8 p.m.), and at the 9:30 Club, Sharron Van Etten growls and moans her early set (6 p.m.) before Major Lazer lays down the dance groove a little later on (10 p.m. show). And Roberta Flack puts on a show for the ages at the Kennedy Center as part of the National Symphony Orchestra Pops series (8 p.m.).