Northwest jazz guitarist Michael Powers is a musician's musician whose work has continually progressed far beyond the standard jazz genre. Born in New York and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Powers took up the guitar to strengthen his wrist after a skateboard accident.  After graduating from Berkeley High at 15, he relocated to the Emerald City where he continued his musical explorations playing everything from jazz, blues, rock and pop. Powers kept his fingers limber by sitting in with some of the finest musicians in the city.  He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of fine arts in composition and performance in 1982 from Seattle's prestigious Cornish College of the Arts. While some of his influences came from Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Charlie Parker, George Benson, Stanley Jordan, and Miles Davis, he has successfully developed his own unique touch.  Powers, celebrating a birthday, will perform with Carl Ratcliffe's fusion jazz band at the 502 Downtown bar. DJ Hitman spins at 11 p.m.

CARL RATCLIFFE FEATURING MICHAEL POWERS, w/DJ Hitman, 9:30 p.m., 502 Downtown, 100 S. Ninth St., Tacoma, $10 before 11 p.m., 253.572.9074