Michael Hochanadel

SARATOGA SPRINGS — And then, there were 40: Eight area musical or media heroes joined the Eddies Hall of Fame Monday at Universal Preservation Hall where plaques in a downstairs corridor show their faces and feats; so did an often emotional public gathering in the upstairs performance space.

When Bassekou Kouyate asked “Are you happy?” at Universal Preservation Hall Friday, he knew the answer. Everybody was, both in the audience and onstage. The intricate, uplifting African-bluesy music Malian griot Kouyate made with his quintet amazed and charmed the audience; a mid-winter throng that arrived all bundled-up then listened, attentive but not dancing as in past shows here when Kouyate led bigger bands.

Hubby Jenkins might be best known as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but he’ll play solo at Caffe Lena on Sunday. The Carolina Chocolate Drops made a giant splash as a leading roots music band that revived Black string-band traditions and famously launched Rhiannon Giddens on her superstar trajectory. The groundbreaking, old-timey band was a key stop on the Brooklyn-born Jenkins’ pilgrimage into half-forgotten antique musical styles in projects and achievements of his own.