The sounds of New Orleans will fill the stage at sold out Harry Connick Jr. concert

Harry Connick, Jr.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at the EKU Center for the Arts, 1 Hall Dr. in Richmond. Sold out. ekucenter.com, harryconnickjr.com.

Apparently, quite a few folks are still wild about Harry — as in Harry Connick, Jr.

The Dec. 1 concert by the pianist, composer, bandleader, actor and, until recently, talk show host at the EKU Center for the Arts is sold out.

For all of Connick’s myriad entertainment talents, his career boils to one city and one instrument — New Orleans and the piano. Playing publicly since the age of 5, he learned first hand from some of the city’s most acclaimed stylists, including James Booker and Ellis Marsalis. As his love of jazz and pop standards grew, so did an international reputation as a vocalist.

Records like the 1989 soundtrack to “When Harry Met Sally,” the 1991 big band collection “Blue Light, Red Light” and 1997’s orchestral “To See You” were testaments to Connick’s star power. But less prominent instrumental outings, such as 1990’s “Lofty’s Roach Souffle” and 2003’s “Other Hours,” highlight the deepest accents of his New Orleans heritage.

Connick is honoring the music of his homeland directly on his current tour with a program titled “A New Orleans Tricentennial Celebration.” That means the sounds of Booker, King Oliver, Lee Dorsey and more will dominate the evening. But expect a standard or two popularized during the “When Harry Met Sally” era to pop up, as well.

Thompson Trio dates

Lexington used to be a regular concert stop for Richard Thompson. Alas, it’s been well over five years since a local visit. The master British guitarist/songsmith will be doing two fly-by shows next week in the region, however, with his longstanding Electric Trio (completed by bassist Taras Prodaniuk and drummer Michael Jerome) to show off songs from an outstanding new recording, “13 Rivers.”

With a career that stems back 50 years to the formation of the groundbreaking British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, Thompson has had songs recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and perhaps, most notably, the Del McCoury Band. The latter transformed Thompson’s 1991 biker ballad “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” into a major bluegrass hit.

Thompson performs Dec. 5 at Headliners Music Hall, 1386 Lexington Road, Louisville (8 p.m.; $30-$125). Go to http://headlinerslouisville.com for tickets. The trio then travels to the Southgate House Revival, 111 E. 6th St. in Newport on Dec. 6 (8 p.m., $46-$125). For tickets, go to https://southgatehouse.com.

Louisville songstress Joan Shelley will open both shows.

Inside for Outside

The Outside the Spotlight series improvised and free jazz performances celebrates its 16th anniversary on Dec. 6 with its final concert of the year. The guest of honor will be an OTS semi-regular, Norwegian saxophonist and clarinetist Frode Gjerstad, whose music is full of combustible drive but rich dynamics. Gijerstad will perform alongside another OTS frequent flyer, drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and, curiously, both of the double bassists that have accompanied him at past Lexington performances, but never together — Jon Rune Strom and Oyvind Storesund.

Gjerstad last played in Lexington as part of the saxophone/guitar/percussion trio Tipple for a 2015 OTS show at the Farish Theatre. His Lexington return comes on the heels of a new collaborative album with trombonist Steve Swell called “Bop Stop.”

Next week’s free performance, which is being sponsored by WRFL-FM, will be presented at the Kentucky for Kentucky headquarters, often referred to as the Kentucky Fun Mall, 720 Bryan Ave. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

Brand name fusion

Here’s another treat for the jazz crowd, especially fans with preference for electric-based fusion music. The British ensemble Brand X, whose prog-flavored instrumental music developed a faithful but cult-sized audience in the late ‘70s, is a making an ultra-rare regional visit on Dec. 6 by way of a performance at Ludlow Garage, 342 Ludlow Ave. in Cincinnati (8:15 p.m.; $25-$50).

Not all of the original X men are still on board, of course. The band’s founding drummer was a lad by the name of Phil Collins, who we hear went on to greater fortunes elsewhere. Guitarist John Goodsall and bassist Percy Jones are still on board, though, reviving tunes from such early albums as “Unorthodox Behaviour,” “Moroccan Roll” and “Masques” with help from the new generation rhythm section of keyboardist Chris Clark, drummer Kenny Grohowski and percussionist Scott Weinberger.

The new/old Brand X has released three fine concert recordings since reforming in 2016, the newest being “Live from the Rites of Spring Festival 2018.” For tickets, go to ludlowgaragecincinnati.com.