Monday: The name of tonight's jazz event at the Sunset – "The Willie Nelson Project" – may sound vaguely illicit, but we would like to assure you and any concerned parties in the U.S. government that no unauthorized cloning will be taking place. Instead, trumpeter Thomas Marriott and his quartet will transform the songs of the country music great into abstract, humorous and even haunting jazz pieces. Cool, huh? Maybe not as cool as an entire army of Willies, but c'est la vie.


Tuesday: "Rock and roll's been going downhill since Buddy Holly died," laments Paul Le Mat in "American Graffiti." Tonight, you can make your own judgments as The 5th Avenue Theatre presents "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," a stage tribute to the rock and roll legend. Many of the production's roles are filled by working Seattle musicians, including Dusty 45s front-man Billy Joe Huels as the bespectacled rocker himself.

Wednesday: Nothin' says luvin' like ... Duran Duran. Members of Harvey Danger, Peter Parker, Speaker Speaker, Partman Parthorse, Siren Sister and many other local bands (some of which actually have names that aren't somewhat alliterative) cover the songs of the New Romantic band in a pastel-splashed production we like to call "Dancing on the Valentine," because that's its name. Shouted requests for the music of traitorous ex-Duran Andy Taylor will likely be ridiculed and ignored.

Thursday: Under normal circumstances, rival improv comedy troupes are engaged in bloody, no-holds-barred combat. However, during the Seattle Festival of Improv Theater, not only do members of the Unexpected Productions and Wing-It troupes play nice with each other, but they're joined by equally talented improv artists from Portland, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York and beyond. The result of this comedic détente is three solid nights of bust-a-gut hilarity, beginning tonight.

Friday: Speaking of busted guts, I hope you haven't turned against Tenacious D. Yes, their debut movie flopped and yes, this joke band is now a decade old – but Jack Black and Kyle Gass remain the caretakers of "the greatest and best song in the world," even if they've forgotten how to play it. Besides, rumors abound that the band may be taking a long hiatus, so if you've ever wanted to hear "Rock Your Socks," "Kyle Quit the Band" and "Wonderboy" performed by the masters, hit the Paramount tonight or wait five years.

Saturday: The International District is always a cool place to visit, but especially so during the Lunar New Year Celebration. Expect dancing dragons, taiko drumming, arts and crafts vendors, fantastic food, the whole works. Meanwhile, at Seattle Center, beats the heart of Festival Sundiata, a celebration of African-American art, music, culture, dance and cuisine.

Sunday: The Seattle Home Show, a must-see for any creative homeowner, turns the Qwest Field Event Center into a neighborhood of ideas. Browse through nearly 600 displays of home and garden products and talk to home improvement experts about ways to make that house into Your House.

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