This weekend brings a showdown between two high-profile jazz divas. The challenger? Jane Monheit, a sparkling 24-year-old prodigy whose Come Dream with Me (N2K) includes versions of "Over the Rainbow" and Bread's "If." The heavyweight champion, of course, is Cassandra Wilson, whose new Belly of the Sun (Blue Note) includes expansive takes on Dylan and Robert Johnson, with help from Olu Dara and India.Arie. Monheit plays Scullers (617-562-4111) in Boston on Friday and Saturday before heading to the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton on Sunday. Wilson throws down at Symphony Hall (617-266-1200) on Saturday and at the Calvin Theatre (413-584-0610) in Northampton on Sunday.

Nick Cave, the gloomy prince of neo-soul cabaret and incendiary post-punk theatrics, gets over his fear of flying for a gig with his Bad Seeds at the Orpheum (617-931-2000) in Boston on Wednesday. The following night Bad Seed (and former Gun Club founder) Kid Congo Powers unveils tunes from an upcoming solo disc at T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge -- that's next Thursday, May 2.

The fabulous Cambridge singer/songwriter Patty Griffin has just released a new album, 1000 Kisses (ATO), which she'll support with gigs on Friday at the Somerville Theatre (617-931-2000) and on Saturday at the second annual WAM!: Women and Music Festival at Mount Holyoke College (800-477-3827). WAM! features sets by Jill Sobule, Voices on the Verge, Toshi Reagon, Kris Delmhorst, and more. Sobule also shows up at the House of Blues (617-491-BLUE) in Cambridge on Sunday; and Voices on the Verge warm up for WAM! tonight (April 25) at the Call (401-751-2255) in Providence.

Frat rock goes back to school as Nickelback, Injected, and Default hit the Mullins Center (413-545-0505) at UMass-Amherst on Friday and Johnson and Wales University (401-598-1000) in Providence on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Sugar Ray are at Wellesley College (781-283-1000) on Monday and at Mount Holyoke (800-477-6849) in South Hadley on Tuesday. In other college-rock gigs, Boston buzzboy Howie Day plays Providence College (401-865-1000) on Friday and a sold-out Berklee Performance Center (617-931-2000) in Boston on Sunday. Q and Not U, standard bearers for Dischord's new generation, team up with post-punk revivalists Radio 4 for gigs on Saturday at Flywheel (413-527-9800) in Easthampton; Sunday at MassArt (617-879-7726) in Boston; Monday at the Middle East (864-EAST) in Cambridge; and next Thursday at AS220 (413-831-9327) in Providence. How about some old school? Hip-hop legend Big Daddy Kane is at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on Saturday and at the Middle East on Sunday. And the skatepark goes skatepark as Agnostic Front hit Mass Skate Coalition (413-534-1000) in Westfield on Sunday.