November starts off with efforts to recover from Hurricane Sandy. Once the power comes back, hit the town for some tunes and some strong adult beverages to ease the pain of completing the insurance paperwork.

By Kathleen Burke.

Andrea Gillis — Johnny D’s is the perfect place to take in the rock and soul greatness that is the Andrea Gillis Band.

New York Ska Jazz Ensemble. At Dover Brickhouse, Dover, NH, November 3, 9 p.m., $10.
New York could use a little love after what Sandy left them with, so head up to the Dover Brickhouse in New Hampshire to check out the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble. Expect a mix of ska, reggae, jazz, and dancehall from this six-piece ensemble who have been recording and touring the world since 1994. Visit the NYSJE Facebook page for additional tour dates, photos, and more. These guys have released 15 albums, played numerous international festivals, and have been heard on MTV, Nickelodeon, and a couple of Campbells Soup commercials. The only thing better than being MMM, MMM, Good (yes I did) is being the first American band to play in Poland after the wall came down, and guess what? New York Ska Jazz Ensemble did just that. See them in Dover, NH this Saturday!

Andrea Gillis. At Johnny D’s Uptown, Somerville, MA, November 9, 10 p.m., $12.
Andrea Gillis is a musical force. If Steven Tyler came crawling out of the mouth of Robert Plant while Guns N Roses played a duet with Aretha Franklin it might sound something like Andrea Gillis Band. Her ease onstage is matched by her vocal punch. This woman has won many Boston Music Awards over the years, and if you haven’t had the chance to see her perform, now is your chance. The intimate and comfortable setting at Johnny D’s is the perfect place to take in the rock and soul greatness that is the Andrea Gillis Band.

David Maxwell’s Maximum Blues All Stars comes to town.

David Maxwell’s Maximum Blues All Stars, CD Release Blues in Other Colors. At The Regattabar, Cambridge, MA, November 19, 7:30 p.m., $20.
David Maxwell, another Boston Music Award winner, comes to Cambridge this month with the Minimum Blues All Star band featuring Darrell Nulisch, with Troy Gonyea, Marty Ballou, and Per Hanson. Maxwell has played on Grammy nominated albums and toured with legendary artists including Bonnie Raitt, James Cotton, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rodgers, Charley Musselwhite, and Ronnie Earl. He has played gigs with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Levon Helm, and many, many more. The just as famous Regattabar located in the Charles Hotel will no doubt be packed for this real-deal blues virtuoso.

Cannibal Corpse. At The Met Café, Providence, RI, November 27, 8 p.m., $17 in advance, $20 day of show.
And now for something completely different, we venture south to the Met Café in Providence, Rhode Island for what is sure to be a mind-bleeding, soul-infesting night of blackest black metal brought to you by the unreasonable Cannibal Corpse. If you were flooded out by the storm, still don’t have power, or are experiencing any other number of life’s frustrations than an evening with Cannibal Corpse might be just the kind of violent catharsis you need in order to face the impending onslaught of Christmas Music and mall visits. Formed in Buffalo, NY in 1988, Cannibal Corpse has had many lineup changes over the years, but nothing has stopped their die-hard, cult-ish followers from keeping up with their gruesome, night-terror inducing ways.