Coming on the tail (feather) end of Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous Carnival, Eugene Arte Latino and Students Helping Street Kids International (SHKSI) host the Carnaval Brasil! 7 pm Saturday, March 14, at Cozmic; $12, kids 12 and under get in free. Costumes are encouraged, so break out your glitter, feathers, sequins and, of course, rhythm: Samba dance lessons start at 9:15 pm. All night Cozmic will be filled with the sounds of samba de roda, bossa nova, samba reggae and more, performed by local groups Samba Já, Sun Bossa, Dan Howard, Calango and CTE Capoeiragem.

The nonprofit Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene kicked off its inaugural all-ages Make-A-Band competition with its Spotlight Events series March 12 at the Ninkasi Administration Building. Also scheduled for March 19 and 26 at Ninkasi and March 17, 24 and 31 at Cozmic, the Spotlight Events feature musicians performing for live audiences who then choose which musicians to throw together for a band. Guest producers — including Thaddeus Moore of Sprout City Studios, Matrisha Armitage of Grrrlz Rock, Mike Meyer of KVRM and musician-producer Tyler Fortier — will also weigh in. Ten of these bands will perform May 1 at the Make-A-Band showcase during First Friday ArtWalk. Visit make-a-band.com for details.

Eugene singer-songwriter Caroline Bauer releases her first full-length studio album this month. The timing is perfect. To Kneel and Kiss the Ground is a kind of spring awakening, like crawling out of a cave of past relationships and feeling the sun hit your face for the first time — the sound is at once liberating, sweet and wistful. “This album is about resilience and grace and finding strength in vulnerability. It’s a patchwork of experiences that cover six years of my life. The title of the album comes from a poem by Rumi that says, ‘Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground,’” Bauer tells EW. She adds that she wanted the album’s sound to run the gamut from naked to cinematic, and she succeeded. Album opener “Vegas” has the same fluttering grace of Iron & Wine anchored by the blue violin work of Amara Sperber and Noah Jenkins, the viola of Bryce Caster and the bass of Elijah Medina (formerly of Volifonix); Bauer’s vocals hover above, equal parts Joni Mitchell and First Aid Kit. Bauer, who doesn’t read sheet music, brought in Andy Page (of local band Bustin’ Jieber) to write the “Vegas” arrangement. “My first time hearing it, playing with them, and I just started crying,” she says. “It was so powerful. He just really got the essence of the song.” Portland’s Jeffrey Martin and Anna Tivel, who also plays violin on the album, will join Bauer for the album release show 8:30 pm Sunday, March 15, at Sam Bond’s; $6. Read more about Bauer and the new album here.

Don’t miss: The interstellar and desert-like soundscapes of innovative ambient artist and producer Tycho 8 pm Sunday, March 15, and the boys of Greensky Bluegrass touring with their fantastic 2014 album If Sorrows Swim (listen to “Burn Them”) 8 pm Thursday, March 19 — both at McDonald Theatre.