There's plenty to see on the walls and floors at the new Taubman Museum of Art. But the museum has also laid out something for the ears -- a big music schedule.

Two series -- "Down Home and Out Back" and "Sunday Music" -- are well underway, and much more music is on the museum's schedule.

Scott Fore, a national champion flatpicker, is booking the series. He said last week that he wanted to give people a taste of what he has heard for years while attending music festivals and jamming with players from well beyond the valleys. People around here don't always realize what amazing talent exists so close to home. Acts such as Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven, from the Wirtz section of Franklin County, travel nationwide to enthusiastic crowds.

"I wanted to let folks know what's here, what the musical fabric of the region is," he said. "A lot of these artists are well-known out in the rest of the world, but maybe not so well-known in their own area."

The first couple of "Down Home and Out Back" shows, presented in the museum's atrium the first Saturday of each month, have gone well, he said. Fore joined David Doucet, of Cajun band BeauSoleil, to open the series with some guitar goodness in December. Old-time music master Mike Seeger performed on Jan. 3. Next up: Starkey and the Spiritual Seven on Feb. 7, bringing some serious, old-school soul gospel in the vein of the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Go to blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/cutnscratch to watch video of Starkey and co., and get the Taubman music schedule through April.

On Jan. 4, Fore was again performing at the museum, a Sunday Music show with his Hillbilly Hot Club.

As sunlight poured through the atrium, creating a mountain cliff shadow effect behind the band, Fore slung liquid tones from a big archtop electric guitar. Second guitarist Bob Casey nailed the Gypsy jazz-style rhythm chords and displayed a nice feel for Django Reinhardt-influenced solos. Upright bassist Steve Hunt was rock solid and delivered melodic solos of his own.

Look for the free Sunday shows from some of Southwest Virginia's other fine instrumentalists, including Tom Ohmsen, Leslie Brooks, Scott Perry and members of Solazo.

New at 202

In this space in October, I wrote about changes at 202 Market. Show promoter Gary Jackson had left for the new Kirk Avenue Music Hall, and 202 was beginning the process of changing its entertainment lineup.

I met up a couple weeks back with Daryn McCord, 202's new bar manager and entertainment director, and Danny Taylor, food and beverage director and event coordinator. They still believe in live music at the restaurant and bar, and will have it going at least two nights a week.

Those two nights are for sitting in and jamming. Duality, featuring Range Da Messenga, is the host for a wildly entertaining Sunday night open microphone show. Hoppie Vaughan's electric open mike night, a big sit-in for some of the Roanoke Valley's best players, has been moved from Wednesdays to Tuesdays.

Wednesdays are now for local bands, in a setting that McCord is calling "Wednesday Night Live." Singer/guitarist Ron Swann headlines it this week. Nancy & Two Meteors have the Jan. 21 slot. The night before that show, 202 is hosting a presidential inauguration party, featuring The Wading Girl.

Check the blog for details, and if you have a band and want a Wednesday night gig, contact McCord via e-mail: daryn@202market.net.

"Everything from bluegrass to electronica," he said. "We want to include it all."

McCord came to Roanoke from his hometown, Las Vegas, where he said he had a great run of work in the entertainment business. But he began to feel that the town had changed too much since his childhood.

"I feel like Roanoke is how Vegas was when I was very young -- a small [non-tourist] population, friendly people," he said.

Taylor is a Staunton native and Virginia Tech graduate who said he has worked in Washington, D.C., and the Boars Head Inn in Charlottesville. He said the move to 202 has rejuvenated his career.

"It's a challenge," he said, "especially in this economy."