Pianist-Composer Bill Evans [1929-1980] left Miles Davis after recording Kind Of Blue—the best-selling and most influential jazz album of all-time—in ‘59. Zev “The Jazz Detective” Feldman has resurrected both sets for Bill Evans Live At The BBC (Elemental Music). It’s his 15^th collaboration of long-lost jazz with the Evans estate, thus keeping the flame burning bright for the man who many consider one of the greatest piano players ever.

Bob Bert was the drummer of Sonic Youth and Pussy Galore. On June 12, Bar/None Records will be releasing his solo effort, Beach Bongo Bloodbath, recorded in Hoboken at Deep Sea Studio. The six originals and eight covers includes Mountain’s iconic 1970 “Mississippi Queen” and 1977’s “Love Comes In Spurts” by Richard Hell & The Voidoids. But there’s a catch.

In celebration of indigenous music in America, The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music will team up with Hard Rock International (which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida) to present a free concert called “The Native American Music Experience” on June 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pollak Theatre of Monmouth University at 400 Cedar Avenue in West Long Branch. The show kicks off a week of festivities surrounding the new digs of the Center.

Southside Johnny Lyon’s voice always contained the kind of soul and grit that The Jersey Sound is all about. Unfortunately, in 2024, the 77-year old legend retired from live performances, citing health reasons. Yet on May 6, at The Elbow Room in Bradley Beach, he quietly stepped up to the microphone to sing with his old friend—and bandmate in the Asbury Jukes from 1986 to 2000—Bobby Bandiera.

Princeton’s Blues Traveler has been teaming up with Arizona’s Gin Blossoms on tour and on television. They recently performed together on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (see below) and will also appear tonight on the three-hour season finale of American Idol.

For the 22^nd year, Maplewoodstock will provide free music—rain or shine—July 11 and 12 in Essex County at Memorial Park, Maplewood, at 580 Valley Street.

Registration for the 15^th Annual Sarah Vaughan International  Jazz Vocal Competition—otherwise known as The Sassy Awards—is now accepting entries. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark is encouraging vocalists from around the world to submit performances.

The New Jersey Jazz Society continues “The Jazz Series” at Our Lady of Consolation Church on 1799 Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne, in partnership with the Wayne Public Library, on a Sunday afternoon, May 17, at 4:00, with The Ted Chubb Quintet—Ted Chubb, trumpet; Bruce Williams, alto sax; Oscar Perez, piano; Tom DiCarlo, bass, Jerome Jennings, drums.

Burlington County’s David Osterhout—who records as Bike Routes—drops the F-Bomb multiple times during his angry “Shadows” single from his upcoming full-length Prairie, due June 26.

40 years on in Skid Row, bassist Rachel Bolan has released his first solo video, “At War With Myself,” from his upcoming June 12 solo album, Gargoyle of the Garden State, by Bolan (as he’s calling himself these days). Produced by multi‑Grammy winner Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Skid Row, Rush, Evanescence, Alice In Chains), the album, according to Bolan, “is not a project, it is every bit of my soul. Like me, it knows when to be serious and also knows where the party is."

Bumblefoot—born Ron Thal 56 years ago—might have been only six years old when Rainbow launched in 1975 but recalls, “I heard the Rainbow Rising album as a kid and became a lifelong Rainbow fan! It’s a great honor to play on this song and to pay tribute to this historic band.” The song in question is “Long Live Rock’n’Roll,” Rainbow’s longtime battle cry (and can be heard here).

The Camden County Board of Commissioners has announced the return of free “Summer Parks Concert Series 2026” on 2,700 acres of parklands.

It’s called Jersey Town and it’s a doozy. Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist-Producer-bigtime blues man Peter Karp, born in Bergen County 66 years ago, has carved out one epic career for himself.

Just days prior to the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music moving into its new home on June 7, it will celebrate America’s 250^th birthday with an all-star assemblage of talent on one stage June 4 and 5. “Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us,” at the OceanFirst Bank Center on the Monmouth University campus, will feature Jon Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Chesny, Gary Clark Jr., Dion, Dropkick Murphys, Shemekia Copeland, Valerie June, Keb Mo, Nils Lofgren, Darlene Love, David Sancious, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Trischka & Sister Sadie, Mavis Staples, Trombone Shorty and the New Breed Brass Band, Stevie Van Zandt, Public Enemy and Jimmy Vaughan with The Disciples of Soul as the House Band.

New Jersey Hall of Famer Celia Cruz (Class of 2023) will be inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame Class as a 2026 “Musical Influence” this November. As it says on the Rock Hall’s website, “One of the best-selling Latin artists of all-time, Celia Cruz’s powerful music was the sound of freedom…shaping and popularizing the Afro-Cuban genre.” She directly influenced artists like Sheila E, Gloria Estefan and Jennifer Lopez.

Princeton Professor Joyce Carol Oates will discuss her new book, Double Trouble, in The Guild Room within First Congregational Church in Montclair on May 2 at 1:45 p.m. as part of the Montclair Literary Festival going on from May 2 to May 11.

The NJ HOF has announced its 60 nominees for the public to vote on in the following six categories:  Arts & Letters, Education, Research, Engineering & Science, Enterprise, Performing Arts & Entertainment, Public Service and Sports.

Dana Owens was born in Newark 56 years ago. Now, as Queen Latifah, she will be inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in the “Musical Influence” category. Her career has been epic. She’s a producer, record label president, author, singer, rapper, actor, poet, drummer, guitarist and the recipient of more awards (including Grammys and Golden Globes) than she can possibly display on her walls.

Guitarist-Composer Stephane Wrembel is readying his “Django a Go Go” Music Festival and Guitar Camp for May 12-16 with two New Jersey shows and two New York City shows in celebration of his Django New Orleans II: Hors Serie vinyl release and the United States debut of Gypsy Guitars II, the follow-up, 26 years later, of 1989’s Gypsy Guitars, by The Gypsy Guitar Trio (Angelo DeBarre, Serge Camps, Frank Anastasio).

Hoboken diva Lisa Fischer always steals the show. She’s been the go-to back-up singer on tours by Sting, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, Nine Inch Nails and the Rolling Stones. (She stayed with the Stones from 1989 to 2015.) Now she steals it right out from under the sax man Javon Jackson on his new Jackson Plays Dylan album when she sings “Gotta Serve Somebody” like nobody has ever sung it before (hint:  she’s got a little Mavis Staples in her for this one!)