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Mighty Sparrow flies high Sunday at Ashkenaz. Urban Guide Listings to plan your week by Mighty Sparrow This weekend get a little Caribbean spice in your diet with Mighty Sparrow and his band TNT (Trinidad & Tobago). Calypso king Sparrow has made over 70 albums since his rise to fame in the 1950s. His music addresses cultural and political issues in the Caribbean and around the world. While his roots are in traditional calypso form, he still can get down with the '80s evolved form soca (soul calypso). He was one of the first old-school calypsonians to add more pointed lyrics to his repertoire like some of the younger soca stars, such as Ronnie Macintosh. Mighty Sparrow is a legend, which should not be missed by anyone that has love for the West Indies and its unique sounds. So go down to Ashkenaz, and as Trinidadians say, get on the dance floor and "wined" those hips. Sun/25, 9pm. Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo, Berk. $15. 525.5054; www.askenaz.com. (GS) Goapele Finding urban soul in the Bay Area is always a treat, which is why starting off your Thanks-giving weekend seeing one of Goapele and Martin Luther's two shows at Mingles Lounge will be the perfect way to sink into the brief vacation. The feature act is Goapele, who is a stunning lady with vocals that will leave you begging for more; expect to get your groove on to Goapele's smooth sound. Martin Luther will bring a unique funk-rock sound to heal the soul. His music is a mixture of the streets and harmonies that create an urban spirituality. These native singers both have albums that must be picked up at your local record store. So don't be afraid, come discover these artists because their sounds will transcend the mind and body. Wed/21, 8 and 11pm. Mingles Lounge, 370 Embarcadero, Jack London Square, Oakl. $15-$20. www.goapele.com. (GS) Eat your heart out, Archie Bunker. The Bank Dick and Unfaithfully Yours These hilariously misanthropic comedies from the 1940s haven't aged a day. The Bank Dick is W.C. Fields's masterpiece. Fields wrote the screenplay -- fantastic nonsense about moviemaking and bank robberies -- under the pseudo-nym Mahatma Kane Jeeves. He plays Egbert Sousé (pronounced soo-ZAY), a shiftless, drunken, hen-pecked husband who hates children and mutters quips to the audience. Unfaithfully Yours is a sub-versive romantic comedy by Preston Sturges. The dashing Rex Harrison stars as an orchestra conductor who learns that his wife has cheated on him. As he conducts a symphony, he envisions several revenge scenarios (up to and including murder). We see his black-hearted imaginings enacted -- and each dark fantasy is synchronized with the music he's conducting. Fri/23, The Bank Dick, 7:30pm; Unfaithfully Yours, 9:05pm. Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft, Berk. 642.1412. (CB) Lavay Smith and her Red Hot what?! Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers Warm up those dancing shoes, because Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers want to lick your skillet. This swing-ing jazz and blues band promises a night of grooving to world-class singing and musicianship at the Ashkenaz. Lavay Smith has the glamour and stage presence of the jazz queens gone by, but adds a modern sense of humor and provocative edge to her powerful vocals. She combines original tunes with classics by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington. Lavay and her eight-piece band began performing together in 1989 and by 1998 were voted the San Francisco Bay Area's Best Band by annual reader's polls in The Chronicle and The Examiner. Their new album, Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing, combines swing, bebop, salsa, jump blues, and New Orleans R&B. Lavay Smith's Fat Note Records published this album and its predecessor, One Hour Mama. The dance lessons with Nick and Shanna offered before the show will warm up even the rustiest folks, because no one will be able to resist a dance with Ms. Smith. Sat/24, dance lessons 8 pm; show 9:30pm. Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo, Berk. $11. 525.5054; www.askenaz.com. (SB) Break Up at The Rock Show The women of Glitter Mini 9 make us think without taking themselves too seriously. This is a trio of grown-up women with lots to say and clever ways to say it. The music is angry at times, but has a sweetness that keeps it out of the super angry woman realm. The album's articulate track "Cuckoo" has a bite to it, and is reminiscent of Hole. 'Dreamstalker' reads like diary lyrics sung over power chords. "Are You Bad" is simultaneously gritty and witty. You can't help but think of Liz Phair when listening to the beautiful "Wings and Forwards." It's rare that a band has one com-pelling lead singer, let alone two. Both Poirer and Skinfill have strong and distinct voices. Skinfill's guitar parts are haunting and uncomplicated with Levias holding it down on drums. GM9's frequent use of harmonies gives the music a girly sound that is more thought provoking than inflammatory. There are enough "ooh-ooh-ooh's" to put this group right on the edge of cute -- but the songs have a depth and creativity that make them memorable. GM9 is not a strikingly original band, but one that is engaging for its original amalgamation of elements we already like. Give a listen so you can say you knew them when. Sun/25, 7pm. El Rio, Mission at Cesar Chavez, SF. $12 donation; www.glittermini.com. (LH) Picks by Chris Baker (CB), Susan Batchelder (SB), Lisa Hayle (LH), and Gabriel Serpa (GS). [ East Bay | Metroactive | Archives ]