For two nights starting on Sunday, the Dakota’s stage will be taken over by good-looking guys with guitars: one a bluesman born into music royalty, the other a jazz iconoclast who recorded his latest CD in “glorious mono.”

I first saw John Hammond at the Cedar in 2001, when he was on tour for “Wicked Grin,” his CD of Tom Waits songs. I could actually understand Waits’ lyrics when Hammond sang them — I had heard a few tracks on the radio — and thought he would be worth checking out. Since then he’s been on my must-see list.

Hammond usually performs solo, seated on a chair or a stool, embracing his guitar, harmonica on a metal rack worn around his neck, his big booted foot stomping out the time. His latest CD, “Rough & Tough,” was a 2010 Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues Album. Surely he’ll play from that, but I’m praying hard for “Slick Crown Vic” and his wily take on the Mick Jagger/Keith Richards B-side “Spider and the Fly.” He has more than 30 albums of material to choose from. Go here for video clips.

Born into music royalty? His father was John Hammond, the famed record producer and talent scout who discovered Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Billie Holiday (and also Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen).

John Hammond, Sunday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Dakota ($25). Hammond will be preceded by an opening act still TBD at this writing. Tickets at 612-312-JAZZ (5299) or online.

My first Charlie Hunter disc was “Songs from the Analog Playground” (2001), featuring guest artists Mos Def, Kurt Elling and then-unknown Norah Jones. I’ve filled in since with recordings like 1997’s “Natty Dread,” his gutsy take on the Bob Marley classic, and followed up with his improvisational “Groundtruther” projects from the mid-00’s with drummer Bobby Previte.

This will be Hunter’s second appearance at the Dakota; the first was in September 2005. He doesn’t come around very often so you might want to catch him while you can. He’s also a bargain — two musicians in one. He has designed a seven-string guitar that allows him to play both guitar riffs and bass lines at the same time. (For you musicians: The three bass strings are tuned G, C, F; the four guitar strings, C, F, B-flat and D.) When you see him play, you wonder where all that sound is coming from. Also, how does he physically/mentally do it? Is he a Man of Two Brains?

Hunter is on tour with his new CD, “Gentlemen, I Neglected to Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid” (2009), inspired by Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy and recorded on analog tape in monaural sound. “I make my own records now,” Hunter told NPR’s Liane Hansen,  “and I have to pay for them.... Live to tape is the most bang for your buck.”

The CD features an impressive horn section: trombonists Curtis Fowlkes and Alan Ferber and trumpeter Eric Biondo. Hunter is bringing Fowlkes and drummer Eric Kalb to the Dakota. Stream the first three tracks from “Gentlemen” here. Watch a video here of Hunter playing “Recess” from his 1999 Blue Note release, “Duo.”

Charlie Hunter, Monday, March 1, 7 and 9:30 p.m., Dakota ($25/$20). Tickets at 612-312-JAZZ (5299) or online. 

More choices for the weekend and into the week:

Friday-Saturday, February 26-27: Rick Germanson Trio. In-demand New York jazz pianist Germanson is an AQ favorite, performing at the St. Paul club at least once a year when he heads west to visit family in Wisconsin. Here’s an exquisite solo Ellington/Strayhorn medley from 2008.  Expect a very enjoyable evening of standards and originals. 9 p.m., Artists’ Quarter ($15).

Sunday, February 28: Mary Louise Knutson Trio “Spotlight on Melody.” Bring the family to this afternoon performance at the comfy Bloomington Center for the Arts. Pianist Knutson will be joined by Chris Bates on bass, Jay Epstein on drums and special guest Randy Sabien on violin. 2 p.m., Bloomington Center for the Arts ($22/$20 Twin Cities Jazz Society member/$19 students and seniors). Tickets at 952-563-8575 or online. 

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 2-3: Didier Petit. The Black Dog Café and Alliance Française of Minneapolis present two nights with the French avant-garde cellist. On Tuesday, Petit will play three sets: solo, duo with saxophonist Nathan Hanson (Fantastic Merlins), and trio with multi-instrumentalist Milo Fine and vocalist Viv Corringham. On Wednesday, he’ll cook a French dinner (for real) and play three more sets: duo with painter Lara Hanson, solo and trio with JT Bates and Adam Linz. Here’s a clip of Petit, Hanson, and Brian Roessler performing at a friend’s home in France. Tuesday: Music starts at 7 p.m. ($7). Wednesday: Dinner at 6:30 p.m., music at 7:30. ($20 dinner and concert — seating limited, prepayment required; call 651-228-9274. $7 concert only.) Black Dog, corner of 4th and Broadway in St. Paul’s Lowertown.

Pamela Espeland keeps a Twin Cities live jazz calendar, blogs about jazz at Bebopified and tweets about jazz on Twitter.