A bit of Bob Marley, jazz-inspired artworks, and other happenings this week in Philly music

This Philly music week is highlighted by a terrific double bill at the Met headlined by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, a show with former Bob Marley band members well-timed to the Bob Marley: One Love movie, and lots of Philly bands with new music.

Before Isbell gets here, there’s another top-flight Americana artist playing Philly this week. That would be Jess Williamson, the Texas songwriter who teamed with Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee in the band Plains in 2022. Williamson’s solo album, Time Ain’t Accidental, came out early in 2023 and would have landed on many year-end best-of lists if critics didn’t have such short memories. She’s at World Cafe Live on Thursday.

On Friday, Isbell and the 400 Unit play the Met, joined by opener Aimee Mann. Besides impressing as the most prominent musician-actor in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon — Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Musselwhite, and Terry Allen also have roles — Isbell won Grammys this month for “Cast Iron Skillet” and his album Reunions.

His take on “Look What You’ve Done to Your Brother” is on an upcoming tribute to Drivin N Cryin singer Kevn Kinney. Queens of the Summer Hotel, by the well-matched Mann, was inspired by Susanna Kaysen’s memoir, Girl, Interrupted.

The Legendary Wailers play the Keswick Theatre in Glenside on Friday. The band includes Junior Marvin, who played with Marley from Exodus in 1977 until his death in 1981, and Marley alum Stephen Samuels. Not to be confused with the Wailers, another touring Marley-associated group.

Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell plays Ardmore Music Hall on Tuesday with the Bill Frisell Three. Frisell’s album Four, includes “Waltz for Hal Willner,” dedicated to the late Philadelphia-born record producer whose father owned Hymie’s Deli in Merion. Play that song please!

On Thursday, James Everhart and Hannah Taylor of Philly band Cosmic Guilt play an intimate show billed as “A Night of Rare British Psych Folk” at 48 Record Bar, the new vinyl-focused lounge in Old City. It’s a 6 p.m. show.

Marah, whose 2000 LP Kids in Philly is a 215 classic, play Friday at Ardmore Music Hall without guitarist Serge Bielanko, who has left the band. Patti LaBelle band member Matt Cappy is in the horn section, and will play an opening set. His flugelhorn-forward single is a take on Genesis’ “Follow You, Follow Me.”

On Saturday, Alabama retro-soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones play the Fillmore. Odds are good they’ll do their cover of the Bay City Rollers’ “Saturday Night.” That same night, Alison Mosshart’s winningly grimy rock and roll band The Kills are at Union Transfer.

Penn Live Arts’ series “Ukraine: The Edge of Freedom” at the Zellerbach Theater continues Sunday with Balaklava Blues, whose multi-media presentation mixes Ukrainian folk and techno.

Slaughter Beach, Dog’s Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling was a 2023 Philly standout. On Valentine’s Day, leader Jake Ewald released the not-so-romantic “I’m in Love,” about being “in love with a contract killer.”

The countdown continues to Tierra Whack’s World Wide Whack, due March 15. The Philly rapper and high concept creator has a new collaborative video, “27 Club,” with Philly visual artist Alex Da Corte. And Philly poet and activist Moor Mother has released “All the Money” from her new The Great Bailout, due March 8.

DJ Drama, the Germantown-raised hip-hop impresario known for his Gangsta Grillz mix tapes, has a new collection of accelerated songs called I’m Really Like That (Sped Up). Among the quickened tracks is Lil Uzi Vert’s “Free Game.” Last fall, Philly-connected power trio Screaming Females announced they were calling it quits. They’re still broken up, but have released Clover, a final EP.

The Art and Influence of John Dowell at the Parkway Central Free Library showcases the Philadelphia printmaker, painter, and photographer, and runs through through March 2. Dowell is also a musician, and many of his works are inspired by Philly jazz greats like John Coltrane and Archie Shepp. The exhibit’s excellent accompanying playlist runs from Bach to Dizzy Gillespie to Albert King.

Ray Benson’s journey to become leader of Asleep at the Wheel, the custodian of the western swing legacy of Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, began growing up in Montgomery County watching Philly children’s entertainer Sally Starr on TV. The Wheel’s lively new EP is Live at Larry’s Country Diner.

There are also big-name acts coming to Philly this summer with new music. This includes Jennifer Lopez, whose new song “Can’t Get Enough,” is presumably about her romance with Ben Affleck, though she acted perturbed with him in that Super Bowl Dunkin commercial. She plays Wells Fargo Center on Aug. 13.

Vampire Weekend are back with songs from their forthcoming Only God Was Above Us. The Ezra Koenig-led band play the Mann Center on Sept. 28.