Best Bets: Waukegan blues woman Ivy Ford at Aurora’s Venue, Herbie Hancock in Chicago
Meet the blues kitten
Ivy Ford, the blues multi-instrumentalist known as “the blues kitten,” headlines The Venue, 21 S. Broadway, Aurora. A Waukegan native and rising Midwest star, the 20-something singer/guitarist has opened for the legendary Buddy Guy. $20-$25 in advance, $25-$30 at the door. (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.org. 8 p.m. Friday, March 29
Standup in Rosemont
Comedian Nick Hoff, an MTV veteran who appeared in Netflix’s “Wild West Comedy Fest,” headlines Zanies, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. $30, plus a two-item food or beverage minimum. (847) 813-0484 or rosemont.zanies.com. 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 29-30
Jazz great returns
Jazz legend and 14-time Grammy Award-winner Herbie Hancock, the Chicago piano prodigy whose compositions “Cantaloupe Island,” “Watermelon Man,” “Maiden Voyage” and “Chameleon” are jazz standards, returns to Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, as part of the Symphony Center’s jazz series. $115-$299. (312) 294-3000 or cso.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 30
Meet the conductor
Elgin Symphony Orchestra conductor Chad Goodman discusses his career, trends in orchestras and the future of classical music as part of the Wednesdays @ One series at the Baker Community Center, 101 S. Second St., St. Charles. Free, but reservations are required at norrisculturalarts.com. 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 3
Magic men
• International magician and Chicago Magic Lounge artist-in-residence Ondřej Pšenička performs his show “52 Lovers” at the Chicago Magic Lounge, 5050 N. Clark St., Chicago. $42.50, $47.50. (312) 366-4500 or chicagomagiclounge.com. 7 p.m. Wednesdays, April 3, through June 26
• Joshua Jay, fresh from his New York City run that launched at Carnegie Hall, brings his magic show “Look Closer” to the Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $30, VIP tickets $75. rhapsodytheater.com. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 4-5; 2, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. April 6 and through April 28
Chicago artist retrospective
The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, presents “Christina Ramberg: A Retrospective,” which consists of paintings, drawings, quilts, sketchbooks, dolls and 35 mm slides by the famed Chicago artist, who is part of the Chicago Imagists, representational artists who attended the School of the Art Institute during the late 1960s. The first comprehensive Ramberg exhibition in 30 years includes 100 works, many of them stylized images of fragmented female bodies. $32 adults, $26 seniors, teens and students. artic.edu. Thursday, April 4, through Aug. 11
Sing Hallelujah
Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, Chicago native and Moody Bible Institute graduate Jonathan McReynolds joins fellow gospel all-stars Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell, Israel Houghton and Jekalyn Carr for a “One Hallelujah” concert at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $39.95. auditoriumtheatre.org. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4
Silent film fest
Celebrate the art of silent cinema during the 19th Annual Sound of Silent Film Festival showcasing 21st-century films by living filmmakers. Sponsored by Access Contemporary Music, the fest takes place at The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $25, $15 with student ID. acmusic.org. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4