Thurs., Sept. 12, John Hiatt and the Combo

John Hiatt is an artist's artist—the kind of performer better appreciated by music lovers than casual enthusiasts. He's sort of the American answer to Richard Thompson, a talented guitarist and canny writer whose songs possess both muscle and grace. Almost 30 years after his first release and a variety of guises in between, he's settled on a rootsy sound that blends his native heartland-rock sensibilities with a restless chiaroscuro running from introspective folk to gritty blues. His latest, Mystic Pinball, leans toward the latter with an unfussy, noticeably grimy, soulful stomp behind his lean, flinty baritone. 1013 K Street, www.johnhiatt.com.