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.

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.

No better way to dig the blues than in such an intimate venue as the Lizzie Rose Music Room on East Main in Tuckerton. The venue, in a historic Victorian mansion, holds but 70. Bees Deluxe plays the music of Billie Holiday, Etta James, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Tinsley Ellis, Freddie King and Roomful Of Blues. The band boasts British guitarist Conrad  Warre who has toured with Joe Jackson and The English Beat, besides enjoying a CBGB residence. Opening is Twisted Livin’, an emerging South Jersey Blues Band.

In a special matinee show, longtime Americana punk-folk singer-songwriter fly-fisher Chuck Ragan will perform songs off his nine-years-in-the-making Love And Lore album (Rise Records) before opening for Cory Branan that same night in Philly.  “I’m extremely pleased to share this new music with the world," says Chuck. "This collection of songs to me dives deep into reflection, solitude and companionship through the highs and lows of day-to-day simple living.”

Houston’s Kate Kortum, 23, may be a young singer but she takes inspiration from dead horn players like Sonny Stutt, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge. In other words, she’s got an old soul. Graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Jazz Voice, she’s currently working for her Master’s at Julliard in New York City.

In support of his first studio album in 15 years, Lucky, South Carolina singer-songwriter Edwin McCain will perform Lucky tunes plus selections from his first 10 albums as well. “The ‘90s are back in full force, and so am I,” he says, as he spent his time away to concentrate on family, DJing and television production. Testing the waters opening for Hootie & The Blowfish, Collective Soul and Lee Brice (who co-produced Lucky), he’s now headlining.   

Beware The Ides Of March! Beloved singer-songwriter Dean Friedman, from Paramus in Bergen County, will play the legendary Stanhope House, built in 1794, in Sussex County. Touring in support of his new More Words & Music compilation, a two-disc 30-track compendium that’s a companion volume to his previously-released Words & Music best-of. No band this time around as he will alternate between piano and guitar on his songs (which have been covered by Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five, Ariel Pink, The Tone Rangers and The Blenders). And, yeah, he’s almost forced to do “Ariel,” his timeless 1977 classic about a high Jewish girl he met at the mall.  And, yes, he’s so much more.

There are those who put Mary Gauthier’s lyrics up there with Kristofferson, Prine and Dylan. She’s even been known to move a room to tears. She’ll be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of her brilliant Drag Queens In Limousines album by performing certain key dates, one of which is in Morristown March 15.

Songs off her new Still + Bright album (Rounder Records)—as produced by Taylor Swift/Green Day/Weezer producer Butch Walker in Tennessee—should sound even better in-concert at the Coffee Company in Boonton on March 8.

Hoboken Hero James Mastro will play  songs from his debut Dawn Of A New Error  solo album and  more with Patti Smith bassist  Tony Shanahan, Smithereen drummer Dennis Diken, guitarists Chris Robertson and Megan Reilly at 7:00  with Renee  Maskin opening. Mastro is the beloved Bongo who also was in the Health & Happiness Show and Ian Hunter’s band. A  go-to  sideman for the  likes  of John Cale, Judy Collins, Alexandro Escovedo, Garland Jeffries, The Jayhawks and Southside Johnny,  he’s also  a studio whiz who has brightened up albums by Phoebe Snow  and Marti Jones.

New York City Singer-Songwriter-Pianist Lauren Lee came out of Missouri fully formed, having first sang in the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. She calls her specific brand of scat-singing “Vocal Instrumentalism.” Influenced by the rather avant-garde keyboardist-composer Carla Bley [1936-2023], her sound has been described as “equal parts hip jazz, avant adventure and something completely different.”

March is “Women In Her-story” month. Pianist-Vocalist Champian Fulton, 40, Oklahoma-born, has released 18 albums, performed in 26 countries and is a constant on critic polls. Playing since the age of 10, she moved to New York City in 2003, and has been a Birdland regular ever since. Her Meet Me At Birdland album was one of the best examples of 2023 jazz vocalese. On March 2, the Madison Community Arts Center will be awash with her trio of bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Aleksi Heinola supporting her scat. Opening is The Karen Xie Quartet.

Currently touring with her organ trio, Pittsburgh guitar teacher Sheryl Bailey traverses many a musical mile. In 2000, she was chosen as a U.S. Jazz Ambassador by the State Department having toured South America, China and Europe. Her 10 CDs run the gamut from smooth to bop, blues to swing. She’s now a Professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston but still finds time to tour and record. Teaneck’s Brvsh Cul7ur3 will be alive Feb. 28 with the sound of her improvising.

The 35^th Anniversary Tour of moe. lands on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair at the refurbished old movie house of the Wellmont Feb. 27. Their 14^th album—Circle Of Giants—features “Ups And Downs” as its first single. Despite a stroke suffered by guitarist Chuck Garvey, and the cancer of bassist Rob Derhak, the Buffalo jamband marches on!

Eclectic New York City pianist-educator Steve Sandberg will lead his band through a journey of jazz, classical and salsa, complete with his virtuosic improvisations. As lead composer for Nickelodeon’s acclaimed kids’ show Dora The Explorer, he’s been nominated for three Emmy Awards.  He studied music and African Art History at Yale, and was mentored by a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s band, Mario Rivera. He toured as part of David Byrne’s band and was Musical Director for Lincoln Center’s Brazil Fest.

Heard on over 200 albums as a go-to sideman, he’s played piano for Latin Legend Ray Barretto and was a member of the Ravi Coltrane quartet for over a decade. He also co-founded the Miguel Zenon Quartet where each of their three albums were nominated for Grammy Awards. This is a rare opportunity to see this master pianist in such intimate surroundings at Brvsh Cul7ur3 on Cedar Lane in Teaneck February 22.

All you singers out there headed to the Wellmont for Emo karaoke, get there also to see RODERIK, a Long Island alt-rock band that moved to Jersey a few years ago and has been honing its craft ever since. Two years into its new lineup and the release of its 2024 debut EP, they’re busting at the seams to play the great Wellmont stage.

This FREE “Faculty Recital” at Princeton’s Woolworth Center by Arnie Tanimoto will take place on-campus in the McAlpin Rehearsal Room of the University’s Woolworth Center from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00. Professor Tanimoto will perform a selection of works for Viola and Baroque Cello.

1950s doo-wop singers The Duprees will grace the Drew U concert Hall stage Sunday Feb. 16 at 3:00 in the afternoon. Sixty years on, they still sound good. Such songs as “You Belong To Me,” “My Own True Love,” “Have You Heard” and “Why Don’t You Believe Me” are such timeless classics that they deserve to be heard in a live setting; and Tommy Petillo (46 years in), Jimmy Spinelli (since 1989) and Shawn Stevens (the new guy) are just the voices to do it.

Wanna hear some Billy Joel? They’re called We May Be Right and they’ll be belting out the Billy Joel on the Drew U Concert Hall stage Feb. 15 in Madison at 8:00 p.m. Piano Man vocalist Karl Dietal leads this crew featuring saxophonist Perry Andrews (a Rutgers grad), Berklee College of Music grad Derek Davodowich, funky bassist Luke Kessel and drummer-engineer-arranger Andy Janowiak.

Pianist Chris DeVito, sax man Greg Grispart, singer Audra Mariel, drummer Gavin Davies and bassist John Lenis will brighten up Stirling Road in Watchung at the Arts Center at 8:00 p.m. when these great jazz musicians coalesce in honor of something the world needs now.  

Keyboardist-Singer-Songwriter Felix Cavaliere and Lead Guitarist Gene Cornish are keeping the Rascals flame burning bright 60 years on since their 1965 start in Garwood (Union County). (That’s Felix pictured on the left and Gene next to him.) The Newton Theatre on Spring Street, with its good acoustics, is a fine place to go and hear music.

The heart and soul of ZZ Top since the ‘60s, the legendary Texas Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer bluesman Billy F Gibbons is always a crowd pleaser. His solo band traverses blues, hard rock, funk, soul, old-school pop, rockabilly, gospel, Western Swing and African motifs all spearheaded by the kind of guitar he plays that puts him with the elites. From his wicked sense of humor, to his larger-than-life onstage persona, Billy F Gibbons is an American Treasure.

As part of the Northvale album release show in Teaneck Feb. 8 at the Debonair Music Hall with 5ever, and Jam Poetry, All Systems Go, after playing 140 gigs in eight states and building up a healthy following, will perform in celebration of its own new EP, Finding Closure, due Feb. 19. The delicious pop-punk single—“Everything Going Well Is A Bad Thing, Right?”—is already out.

It's always a whole lotta New Orleans in New Jersey whenever The Gumbo Gumbas get down with their earthy combo of Pops, Prima and the plethora of pulsating percussion that permeates Crescent City culture. They will also be performing at a fundraiser for Downtown Freehold on Feb. 28 at The Hotel Mardi Gras, as well as March 1 in Lebanon at a pre-Mardi Gras Party at the Sunken Silo with food from the Metropolitan Seafood Gourmet.

New York City sax man Tim Armacost will lead his quartet in Teaneck on Cedar Lane at Brvsh Cul7ur3 at 7:00. His 40-year career has been highlighted by collaborations with Wynton Marsalis and Randy Brecker. He’s toured throughout Europe, Japan, India, Australia and China. Is Teaneck ready for him?

February will be a really jazzy month at the Rustica Lounge in Cliffside Park on Gorge Road. Alan Chaubert is a multi-instrumentalist (Piano/Trumpet) and oftentimes plays both simultaneously. Influenced by Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, and, of course, Miles, he’s played all over the world. He’ll be entertaining—with drummer Tony Jefferson and bassist Cameron Brown—as patrons fine-dine on locally sourced Italian cuisine. Shows are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon to 3:00.