JAMES MONTGOMERY BAND. Boston has given rise to lots of good things--North End pizza, civil disobedience, and James Montgomery, to name a few. Montgomery's finally released an album after years of perfecting his band's performance, and if it's half as exciting as his live appearances, his debut should sell a million among local fans alone. Skinny James is a sizzling blues harpist; he also sings better than Paul Butterfield, and is a master of the extended rap-turns-into-a-song type of blues. The great misfortune of his national tours will be the time they usurp from his appearances in Boston. If you want good blues this weekend, the drive to Boston College is worth the trouble.

TREVOR VEITCH AND ANDY KULBERG. I've yet to hear this promising duet whose musical experience alone should earn them a receptive audience. Veitch played sideman to Tom Rush for five years, and Kulberg is a veteran of both the Blues Project and Seatrain. They played to good crowds at Passim over the summer, and a return invitation so soon augers well for the future.

BRIEFLY...Irish folk enthusiasts can hear The Battering Ram, a trio of traditional folk artists playing at the First Congregational Church Fri. Oct. 12 at 8 p.m...Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop are serving up an all-star lineup this week and next: this week, Bobby Blue Bland and Freddy Hubbard, respectively; starting Tues. Oct. 16, Miles Davis at the Mall and Willie Dixon at the Workshop...Steve Goodman, a fine folksinger and songwriter, is playing Tufts on Wed. Oct. 17. Call 492-7679 for details. P.M.S.

JAMES MONTGOMERY BAND. At Roberts Center, Boston College on Fri. Oct. 12 at 8 p.m., $2.50.

TREVOR VEITCH AND ANDY KULBERG. At Passim through Sun. Oct. 14, Call 492-7679 for information.