Traveling with a double bass in pre-9/11 days was possible, but it wasn’t fun.  Usually you’d have to buy a seat for your instrument.

Jim White
"Jailbird"
Playing at: Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street, East Village)
Get: Tickets | Directions

Lucky Dragons
"Power Melody"
Playing at: Zebulon (258 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg)
Get: Tickets Donation after show | Directions

The Cuban Cowboys
"The Devil's Dance"
Playing at: Maxwell's (1039 Washington St., Hoboken)
Get: Tickets ($8 at door) | Directions

These days, getting a song placed on a commercial, or a TV series, has proven to be a career-making move for a wide variety of artists, from the long-dead (Nick Drake) to the rapidly emerging (the Ting Tings).

Real Estate
"Dumb Luck"
Playing at: Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg)
Get: Tickets FREE | Directions

Los Angeles' hottest export opened for hip-hop legend Q-Tip at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Bowl on New Year’s Eve, and you can stream his entire set here.

Forbes Graham
"Quartet For Friends"
Playing at: The Stone (Ave. C and 2nd St., East Village)
Get: Tickets ($10 at door) | Directions

Eskalators
"Future Fire"
Playing at: Death By Audio (49 S. 2nd St., Williamsburg)
Get: Tickets ($8 at door) | Directions

Aaron Weinstein
"I Want to Be Happy"
Playing at: Birdland (315 W. 44th St., Hell's Kitchen)
Get: Tickets | Directions

The Babies
"Meet Me In The City"
Playing at: Death By Audio (49 S. 2nd St., Williamsburg)
Get: Tickets (Available at door, price TBA) | Directions

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears
"(It's A) Gambler's Whirl"
Playing at: Mercury Lounge (217 E. Houston St., East Village)
Get: Tickets | Directions

Cordero
"Guardasecretos"
Playing at: The Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights)
Get: Tickets (FREE) | Directions

Quick hits of live music.

Every weekday, we're offering downloadable songs from artists playing in the New York City area. Here's one from a piano player with a futuristic sound who's performing at Sullivan Hall on Saturday night.

Cumbia is folk music from rural Columbia that's become party music at clubs around the world.

Quick hits of live music.

Nôze
"Danse Avec Moi (DJ Koze Rework)"
Playing at: SECRET
Get: Tickets (Available at door, price TBA) | Directions (E-mail blkmnye(at)gmail.com for location)

Gretchen Parlato
"Turning Into Blue"
Playing at: Jazz Gallery (290 Hudson St., Soho)
Get: Tickets | Directions