News + Reviews
The most exciting and important music news in New Jersey
Heavy Metal Hero Glenn Danzig is Back on the Road
He swore he wouldn’t but Bergen County heavy metal hero Glenn Danzig, 67, is back out on the road and this time he’s got Behemoth, Twin Temple & Midnight with him.
Albert Castiglia Teams Up With Mike Zito for the Powerful ‘Blood Brothers’
Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Albert Castiglia is on tour with St. Louis Guitar Hero Mike Zito on Zito’s Gulf Coast Records supporting their Blood Brothers album, a bona-fide classic of hard rockin’ blues.
Trey Anastasio Announces Tour
From Phish and Oysterhead to Ghosts Of The Forest and The Trey Anastasio Band, this renaissance man has performed, recorded and written in rock, classical and theatrical circles. He’s collaborated with Dave Matthews, Herbie Hancock, Grateful Dead, Santana and BB King. His compositions have been performed by symphony orchestras. Now he’s on tour.
Morris Museum Presents Outdoor Summer Concerts on its Back Deck
The beautiful sounds of jazz and classical will be presented once again this summer outside the Morris Museum on Normandy Heights Road in Morristown—the state’s second largest museum—in the back deck parking area.
Camden County Will Rock This Summer For Free!
The Camden County FREE 2023 Summer Parks Concert Series will inhabit 2,700+ acres of total greenery at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden, the McLaughlin Norcross Memorial Dell at Haddon Lake Park in Haddon Heights and Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, all with nationally known acts.
Tammy Faye Starlite’s ‘Nico Underground’ Show Returns To Joe’s Pub July 24
Hoboken’s Tammy Faye Starlite will return to Joe’s Pub in New York City July 24 as the legendary ‘60s chanteuse Nico [1938-1988] with songs by Lou Reed, The Doors, Jackson Browne, David Bowie, Rogers & Hart, Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Dylan.
The Mississippi Delta Meets The Jersey Shore on June 2
The New Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation has announced a partnership with the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and “Visit Clarksdale.”
The Wentworth Gallery in Short Hills To Host Longtime Grateful Dead Drummer Mickey Hart June 23
As drummer Mickey Hart prepares for his summer tour with Dead & Company, he will have an exhibit of his paintings shown at The Wentworth Gallery at the Mall of Short Hills on June 23.
[CD Review] ‘Stage & Screen’ by John Pizzarelli
When we reported last month upon the direction of Paterson product John Pizzarelli’s new ‘Stage & Screen’ project, we obviously knew it was comprised of classic songs from Hollywood and Broadway. What we didn’t know was the profound scope, the jam-happy aesthetic, and the absolute transformation of these songs into something new, vital and incredibly swoon-worthy.
Jessie Wagner, Back-Up Singer in Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, Steps Out Front
Singer Jessie Wagner remembers the moment she first saw the late actor Patrick Swayze in the 1987 ‘Dirty Dancing’ film. “Ever since I saw him gently sway Jennifer Grey in his beautifully sculpted arms to Soloman Burke’s ‘Cry To Me,’ I was immediately obsessed with this sensual song. It continues to be one of my favorites, and I am ecstatic to release my take on this sexy classic.”
Maplewood Will Turn Into Maplewoodstock July 8 & 9
The 18th annual FREE Maplewoodstock Music & Art Festival takes place this year July 8 and 9 in Memorial Park, across from the Maplewood train station. With 20 bands, 50 art venders, a beer garden and a kid zone.
The Gaslight Anthem Hits The Road
The Gaslight Anthem is back on the road. After numerous starts and stops, the New Brunswick band is writing their sixth album and will be performing May 19 in Atlantic City.
NEWARK’S GIANT RAPPER, SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, IS BACK WITH “KING TALK”
Newark rapper—and NBA Hall of Famer—Shaquille O’Neal is back with his first new rap song in years. “King Talk” is playful, funky, boastful and tinged with a hardcore non-stop beat produced by Chilean actor/director/singer/songwriter Koko and shared with Ghanaian rapper Blackway who starts it, then gives Shaq the mic before returning.
Zakk Wylde Adds New Punch To Pantera’s First Stateside Concert in 22 Years
Bayonne’s own Zakk Wylde—after adding immeasurably to Ozzy Osbourne and his own sterling solo stuff—has become the go-to guy in the newly reformed Pantera with former Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante keeping the beat, bassist Rex Brown holding down the bottom and vocalist Phil Anselmo spitting out his lyrics.
Newark’s Raheem DeVaughn Releases “All Night” From Upcoming ‘Summer Of Love’ EP
They call Newark-born Raheem DeVaughn “The Love King of Soul & R’n’B.” His new EP, ‘Summer Of Love,’ on New Era Soul/DMG, isn’t due until June 21, but DeVaughn has teased us with “All Night.” And although the 47-year old wasn’t even born yet in 1967’s real Summer Of Love, his addition to the canon is a worthy one.
Bettye LaVette & Steve Jordan In Rare Discussion/Concert
The Americana Music Foundation and Grammy Museum are teaming up to present a rare one-night-only sit-down at The Greene Space in Manhattan with the iconic soul singer Bettye LaVette, of Essex County, and producer/composer/drummer Steve Jordan, on May 31, as part of their “A New York Evening With…” series.
Frankie Valli Honored With His Own Newark Street
Frankie Valli grew up in Newark’s North Ward, a lower-middle class Italian neighborhood, in a public housing project. He came back April 27 to get a street named after him, Frankie Valli Way.
Celebrating Rascals Drummer Dino Danelli
By all accounts it was a night to remember. On April 27, in Manhattan’s Cutting Room, friends, family and fans of legendary Rascals drummer Dino Danelli [1944-2022] came together to celebrate the life and music of the first great rock-star Drum Hero. Billed as “An All-Star Tribute To Dino Danelli,” the documentary film ‘Dino Danelli: Second To None’ was screened.
The Dollyrots Are ‘Still Holding On’
Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records have released “Still Holding On” by The Dollyrots. Bassist/Vocalist Kelly Ogden says the song “is a stand-alone single pulled from our new album [due this fall] about counting on the people you love to get you through the strangeness of modern life. The lyric video features an AI-generated version of me, a digital reminder of how off-kilter the future is becoming.”
BAMBOOZLE CANCELLED
Whether it was the complaints from fans or the demand for refunds, New Jersey’s most celebrated music festival has pulled the plug just days before it was to begin.