Cornmeal

The Chicago ensemble Cornmeal, which headlines an 8 p.m. show at the Miramar Theatre tonight, labels itself "progressive bluegrass," but that tag may give the wrong impression. While the group isn't immune to occasional jammy digressions into jazz and rock territory, they largely stick within the realm of traditional bluegrass, mercifully resisting goofy, banjo-driven covers of Snoop Dogg hits. What sets them apart most from their authentic, mountain-band forefathers is their playing: It tends to be much flashier and faster than their predecessors'.