Once a rock 'n' roll rebel, Elvis Costello has lately assumed the more genteel mantle of gracious gentleman rocker.

It's an appropriate stance, since Costello can hardly be considered an angry young man now, at age 58. Still, Costello must have some fire burning, since he makes stimulating new albums and tours steadily in a variety of formats.

This week, Costello turns into a barnstorming troubadour of sorts as he traipses across Northern California for a string of solo concerts that will take him to Redding, Chico and Arcata before touching down on Sept. 28 at the Mondavi Center at UC Davis.

Costello played a satisfying, wide-ranging solo concert in Davis just two years ago, but don't expect next week's show to be a repeat.

Such is the beauty and latitude of Costello's career and broad musical interests that he could do anything. His solo shows, even more than his concerts with longtime backing band the Imposters, allow Costello opportunities to dig into his extensive musical catalog and display his innate musicality.

In the performance two years ago, Costello reached all the way back to tunes from his 1977 debut record "My Aim Is True" ("Alison" and "Watching the Detectives") and played songs from throughout his 35-year career, including some he'd recently written but not yet recorded. He might just as easily play a suite of tunes from his 1986 masterpiece "King of America" or deconstruct a gem from 1982's highly polished "Imperial Bedroom."

Most interesting and instructive about Costello are what he has and has not done during his long, successful career. He hasn't had to retire because he's become irrelevant (R.E.M.) and he hasn't had to become his own tribute band, cranking out dutiful, audience-pleasing versions of his greatest hits (any band famous in the 1980s besides the Smiths). Costello's clearly not cowed by his imposing back catalog.

He's liberated himself from expectations by indulging musically in different but fruitful avenues of what could be called roots music – Americana/country and jazz. Costello has embraced both forms with high-level results, without becoming a musical dilettante in the process.

Costello's jazz interest has led him to work with the Mingus Big Band, writing lyrics for a famous Billy Strayhorn melody and heavily influencing wife Diana Krall's work. Krall's latest record, "Glad Rag Doll" (to be released next month) was produced by Costello's good friend T Bone Burnett, who also produced Costello's latest studio album, 2010's "National Ransom," and it includes many of the same musicians and themes.

"National Ransom" builds on 2009's lighter, shabbier "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," also made with Burnett.

The 2010 record has much more heft and co- hesion than the earlier one, and Costello deftly melds his many influences into a work that has both historical perspective and modern resonance. The music wraps around Costello's big, expressive voice with punching horns, sad violins and haunting tack piano tinkling in the record's thick shadows. Guests such as guitarist Marc Ribot, pianist Leon Russell and old bandmate Steve Nieve tuck into the tracks in Burnett's graceful production.

This is moving, mature and sophisticated pop music from an artist still working at the highest level.

One looks forward to hearing how he'll incorporate some of this rich recent work into his upcoming solo performance.

ELVIS COSTELLO

What: The singer-songwriter performs a solo concert

When: 8 p.m. Sept. 28

Where: Mondavi Center's Jackson Hall, UC Davis

Tickets: $17.50-$65

Information: (530) 754-2787, www.mondaviarts.org

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