I knew Seattle Symphony’s former principal cellist Joshua Roman was someone headed for bigger things the second I found out he slept on a yoga mat. The kid has too much music on his mind to worry about expendable furniture. He’s undaunted. I guarantee he’s made sure his evening at Town Hall will expand your horizons, too.

Undaunted, come to think of it, is a good word to describe Leonard Cohen, a Canadian who carved a distinguished career for himself in music even though he sounds like Boris Karloff’s more melodic cousin. Probably doesn’t hurt that he’s written some of the most haunting songs of the last century, including one ("Hallelujah") that thanks to the late Jeff Buckley is now required repertoire for any singers out to prove their vocal mettle.

Stephen Sondheim and collaborator James Lapine’s 1984 musical Sunday in the Park With George is, in my humble opinion, one of the finest works of art I’ll ever see created in my lifetime. I recently saw the Seattle cast give a free Sondheim concert and thought they were all smashing. Read my interview with director Sam Buntrock to find out what else is special about this particular production.

The Hours novelist Michael Cunningham shares the stage with Northwest Sinfonietta, the adventurous chamber company that decided to do something about the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s self-professed tendency to write to music. Cunningham gave me the scoop about what’s on the bill—and surprised me with his love for Blitzen Trapper.

Photographer Jini Dellaccio also gets the music treatment this week, thanks to a 92nd birthday exhibit at the new Crocodile that opens with a salute from local bands. Dellaccio shot arguably the most memorable images of Northwest rock during the 1960s boom—including an album cover for the Sonics that graced our Green Room this month.

Need a little lowbrow in your life? You’ll probably bump into me, then, at Black Samurai, half of a ’70s kung fu double bill at Central Cinema. Jim Kelly was black, beautiful, and badass in several deliriously over-the-top chop-schlocky flicks—including Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee—and in Samurai he even pummels little people. (I say that not as an endorsement of pummeling little people but only to prove the aforementioned schlock factor. Whew.)

Back to the highbrow: This weekend is your last chance to check out the wonders of Garden and Cosmos at Seattle Asian Art Museum. Don’t miss it. And look really close.

The African American Film Festival wraps up on Sunday with a documentary about Afro Cuban salsa queen Celia Cruz. She was royalty all the way through her final years: Jennifer Lopez opened for her, okay?

Just in case you’re not yet convinced to take a chance on the liberating powers of lowbrow, I’ll dangle some film school student’s Black Samurai trailer in front of you. After classical upstarts, Canuck legends, musical masterpieces, prize-winning literature, iconic rock photography, ancient paintings, and royal salsa, you’re allowed to escape with an agent from D.R.A.G.O.N. (Defense Reserve Agency Guardian Of Nations, of course):