If you’re like me, you probably won’t recognize Michael Glabicki’s name until it’s accompanied by that of the Pittsburgh sextet which he fronts, Rusted Root. Yes, Rusted Root has seen its share of successes since it formed in the late-1980s, the most notable of which is the song “Send Me On My Way” from the hit 1994 album When I Woke. But the band’s unique polyrhythmic, multicultural sound—and probably a good deal of its success—is probably owed to Glabicki, who lists Nicaraguan street music as a primary influence and who made African drumming prerequisite knowledge for that band’s drummer. His sound as a solo musician, though, is quite different; it’s less happy and hippy (which happens when you spend a lot of time alone), and more intimate and brooding. As always, Glabicki’s powerful voice—which variously hums and floats but is always fluidly expressive—is his greatest musical asset. This is Glabicki’s second solo tour, and he’ll soon start work recording his second studio album. Catch him next Thursday at Hilbert College, where he’ll perform an intimate, not to mention dirt-cheap, acoustic show.

Thursday, January 31 at 8pm. William E. Swan Auditorium @ Hilbert College (5200 South Park Ave., Hamburg, 926-8932) $5