Mike Griot of the band known as Blues People (a must-see) put in his time playing soul, jazz gospel and hip-hop, but he always returned to his first love, the blues. He’s the go-to bassist for numerous national acts but it’s with Blues People where he really shines. You can also catch them May 2 in Madison at Shanghai Jazz and May 4 at the South Orange Performing Arts Center.

April 30 is International Jazz Day. The Chris DeVito Trio—pianist DeVito, bassist John Lenis and drummer Gavin Davies—will headline the Watchung Arts Center on Stirling Road. Mayuko Abe, the young Japanese trumpeter going for her Masters in Jazz Performance at William Paterson College in Wayne, will also perform.

It’s been 66 years and counting for the Florham Park-based New Jersey Ballet under the direction of Maria Kowroski.  On April 24 (and April 25) choreographer Harrison Ball’s World Premiere of his second ballet, New Ancient Strings, will use 19 dancers to meld dance, fashion, costuming and stage design. It should be, without a doubt, a sight to behold. 

In support of their Fasten Up (Mack Avenue Records) 27^th album, the award-winning jazzed-up Yellowjackets will hit South Jersey at the Bell Theater on April 24. Their combo of progressive electro/acoustic funky jazz crossed with instrumental soul music action has made ‘jackets fans passionate about the band for four decades. These Grammy Award-winners never fail to satisfy. 

Supporting their current Duck album, The Aristocrats—guitarist Guthrie Govan (ex-Asia), bassist Bryan Beller (ex-Steve Vai) and drummer Marco Minnemann (ex-Joe Satriani)—will blast out their all-instrumental jazz-rock fusion at The Vogel in Red Bank on April 22. Their 2011 self-titled debut was the first of five studio CDs. Four world tours and three live albums later, they’re at the peak of their powers.

Live Yarn Volume #1 is due May 2 but you can see them live in Blairstown at Roy’s Hall April 18. These veteran Brooklyn roots-rockers—now based in North Carolina—have always been high-energy. From their 2006 inception to their 2024 Born Blessed Grateful & Alive album, they’ve maintained a standard of excellence. The new live album was recorded in Nashville at Americana-Fest as well as their own event, Yarnival, and the Rooster Walk Festival in Virginia. 

On the heels of their “Where Did She Go” ballad from the just-released Heartache In Room 14, the “Club Heartache Tour” hits Asbury at Wonder Bar March 22. The luxurious harmony of this Los Angeles alt-country act—who, reportedly, are psyched to play at this year’s Bonnaroo—is just the tip of a deep iceberg of talent.

Canadian country singer Cory Marks is supporting the release of his second album, Sorry For Nothing (Better Noise Music) by opening shows across the country for L.A. rock band Dorothy. The trek will land him in Asbury Park at the Pony on April 18.  Marks makes music that reminds many of the legendary Merle Haggard crossed with bluegrass smarts and Power Ballad stadium anthems. He can also go metal.

Rhonette Smith will be the featured musician at “Collective Creativity,” an open-mic event at the Sun Moon Art Studio on West Front Street in Keyport from 6:45 to 9:00. Hosted by Matawan singer-songwriter Ed Hussey, the evening promises to deliver some pleasant surprises. Bing your guitar and strut your stuff! 

There are those who call Gene Loves Jezebel goth pioneers. Others call ‘em post-punk. They’re out on what they call their “Hit & Run Tour.” Their 1980s MTV hits “Jealous.” “The Motion Of Love,” “Heartache,” “Josephina” and “Desire (Come and Get It)” established this British band.

Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist Patrick Michael DiNizio was  born in Plainfield in 1955  and died in Summit in 2017 at the age of 62. He was also an actor, film producer and politician. He started The Smithereens in 1980. He was also fond of playing solo. In 2000, he toured in the living rooms of his fans for five months, inviting many of them to his own backyard in an effort, as he said, “to break down the walls and barriers that traditionally have separated artists and audience.”  There will never be anyone like him again and we wish he would have won his New Jersey Senate seat but he only garnered 19,312 votes. 

Touring with Wednesday 13, Stitched Up Heart and I Ya Toyah in support of its Redefined debut (Judge & Jury Records), the staunch metalcore of Dead Rabbitts should fill Starland Ballroom in Sayreville on April 10. Singer Craig Mabbitt says, “this album is about rebirth, rediscovery and  reclaiming the fire in your belly for what matters most in life.” Multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Seether, Skillet, Of Mice & Men) was behind the board, heading his own production company/label.

Foreign Leisure Records will release Oh Smokey, by Americana-indie rock band Clem Snide, on vinyl, May 2. The band—featuring singer-songwriter Eef Barzelay—will be previewing tracks April 6 in Neptune City at Cats Luck.  Eef recently fired his manager, divorced his wife and moved away from his Tennessee home after 20 years in Nashville. The resulting angst has found itself in his music.

“Michael Patrick’s Ring of Fire Band: A Johnny Cash Tribute featuring Jenni Bee as June Carter Cash” will strut their stuff April 6 at 3:00 in the afternoon at The Concert Hall of Drew University in Madison. Their versions of such endearing and enduring classics as “Walk The Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Jackson” and “Wildwood Flower” will bring out the twang in your soul.

Chuck Redd has toured Europe 25 times as a member of Charlie Byrd’s trio and the Great Guitars band of Byrd, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis, be it on vibraphone or drums. He’s toured Japan with the Benny Goodman Tribute Orchestra and served as Artist-In-Residence at the Smithsonian Jazz Café in DC from ’04 to ’08. Here he’ll be on vibes with John DiMartino on piano. The special 3:00 p.m. start time includes The Ming-Yang Qin Quintet opening.

Metalcore heroes Imminence will raise the roof of the Starland Ballroom on April 6 with Landmvrks and Jiluka opening. It’s the last night of the tour so anything may happen. Supporting the release of an extended edition of The Black, renamed The Return of the Black, complete with new song “God Fearing Man,” the Swedish quintet recently completed European, Australian and Scandinavian headline tours. Bring earplugs.

Author-TV Producer Harlen Coben—born in Newark, raised in Livingston, currently living in Bergen County—will return to the NJHOF for the first time since his 2017 induction to talk about his new Nobody’s Fool novel. The discussion will be moderated by popular radio personality Danielle Monaro after which Coben will take questions and partake in a meet’n’greet. The 6:00 p.m. event will take place  in Court G, Level 3 of the NJHOF, 1 American Dream Way in East Rutherford.

Rowan University student Derek Fitzgerald of Slim Dogis helped put together this night of South Jersey bands at Landmark Americana in Glassboro on April 4. The Jettys, Turtles in Plaid, Strange Velvet and Slim Dogis will all perform in a celebration of South Jersey’s vibrant music scene. 

British pianist Wilfie Williams will be bringing his quartet to Teaneck at Brvsh Cul7ur3 on April 4. He's got vocalist Tyreek McDole with him, the winner of the 2018 “Essentially Ellington” competition at Lincoln Center. In 2023, he became only the second male to win the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition at NJPAC in Newark. 

This has to be in the conversation of best tours of the year. This material is just too damn good not to be experienced live and in-your-face. Just to get to hear Bayonne’s Zakk Wylde play some Jimi is worth the price of admission. But when you consider the glittering array of artistry from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Kingfish Ingram, Eric Johnson, Samantha Fish, Devon Allman and others all doing songs we know and love, “it’s a beautiful and powerful phenomenon,” according to Jimi’s sister, Janie Hendrix, who co-founded the concept.

Main Street in Madison will swing when Daryl Sherman brings her trio to Shanghai Jazz on Sunday, March 30, for two sets starting at 6:00. We can’t say it any better than what appeared in The New Yorker magazine:  "No veteran singer inhabits the full range of the American popular song repertoire quite like the irreplaceable Daryl Sherman and precious few possess her abundant versatility, style and charm. A gently swinging pianist as well, she gets kindred support from guitarist James Chirillo and bassist Boots Maleson. (Together they play as if they're completing each other's sentences.)"

This 3:00 p.m. show in The Concert Hall of Drew U in Madison celebrates John, Paul, George and Ringo via multi-media presentations. They’ve been at it for over a decade, providing audiences a look-see into what made The Beatles so culturally important. The costume changes, The Ed Sullivan Show, Shea Stadium, Sgt. Pepper and more get a stunning visual and aural treatment.

This is an opportunity to catch “The Bishop of Jazz,” pianist Rio Clemente, for free in Randolph at The Music Den’s Performing Arts Center on Route 10 West at 3:00 in the afternoon, and you just might win a Roland FP-30 Digital Piano! Rio has performed at the White House, United Nations, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He’s a Julliard-trained Morristown resident.

They swing! They jump! They rumble, ramble, jive and wail. Time to see them again. What? You’ve never seen them? Where the hell have you been? Boy, have you got a treat coming! Their energy is infectious. Their shows are celebrations of the human spirit itself. Where else would you possibly want to be on this night except on Spring Street in Newton at the Newton?

Pete McCann has enlivened the music of Manhattan Transfer, Patti Austin and The Mahavishnu Project. When not leading his own band, the versatile guitarist currently works in seven different bands and four orchestras besides adding to projects for CNN, the BBC, Sesame Street and IBM.

Pete McCann has enlivened the music of Manhattan Transfer, Patti Austin and The Mahavishnu Project. When not leading his own band, the versatile guitarist currently works in seven different bands and four orchestras besides adding to projects for CNN, the BBC, Sesame Street and IBM.

Adorable Cyrille Aimee is the French chanteuse who won the 2012 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in Newark. She had previously won the Montreux Jazz Festival Competition in 2007. She’ll have piano player Mathis Picard  backing her up, and a wealth of material to choose from. Aimee has 15 albums out, the last one, a Fleur de Peau, was released last year. She veers from swing and post-bop to salsa, samba and folkloric Parisian “chanson” songs that date back to the 1800s.

Music Director-Pianist-Saxophonist-Singer-Songwriter-Arranger-Bandleader Joe Elefante has performed on four continents over three decades. A Jazz Ambassador for the U.S. State Department (performing in Eastern Europe and the Middle East), he has also conducted shows at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn and the national tour of Jersey Boys. A graduate of New Jersey City University, he now fronts his Wheel of Dharma with trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, saxophonist Erena Terakubo, bassist Sameer Shankar and drummer David Heilman. They will be performing tracks from their self-titled debut March 23 in Madison at the Community Arts Center and, April 13, in New Providence, Union County, for a special 3:00 show, at the Elefante Music School for the Performing Arts.

Deep within Princeton University, as part of Alexander Hall, for two March 23 shows at 3:00 and 6:00, the Richardson Auditorium will host a solo Thomas Dunford performance. Known as a “rock star of historical performance” on the solo lute, his program will include J.S. Bach, Erik Satie and four other composers. As part of the “Performances Up Close” series, the audience is seated onstage right alongside the musician for an hour. 

Rutgers professor Abe Burton, 54, will blow some sax and lead his quartet this Sunday for free at 2:00 p.m. in Metuchen at the library. His 1994 Closest To The Sun debut and 1996 The Magician follow-up preceded his 2000 Cause and Effect where he switched from alto to tenor. His style has been described as a cross between Jackie McLean (his mentor) and John Coltrane.