We’ve been documenting the recent jams of The Royal Arctic Institute—from Weehawken in Hudson County—in this space of late. Their combo of fried sizzle gumbo, fusion funk, soundtrack-style weirdness and instrumental alt-pop has tickled our fancy since their inception. But, the question remains, can they do it live?

The 19th annual Hub City jazz Festival is scheduled for September 28 to October 1 in New Brunswick. Gerald Albright, Lindsey Webster with Special Guest Lin Rountree, New Urban Jazz Party, Oli Silk and Ashley Keiko will perform on the main stage.

On August 26, The National R&B Music Society, in conjunction with the town of Atlantic City, will present FOR FREE After 7, Ray Goodman and Brown, Keith Washington, Black Ivory, Dennis Taylor and The Legendary Blue Notes featuring Sugar Bear.

Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary is a partnership between Van Zandt and Wakaya Perfection to achieve what he likes to call Wicked Cool Wellness, a holistic approach to staying healthy. From small farms in Fiji, Australia, Vermont and Nicaragua, these coffees, teas, soy candles and lollipops—grown with natural ingredients minus machines or pesticides—are now sold in Hard Rock Hotels across America.

“Captain Of The Ceiling” and “Crack The Code” are the two new funky singles from Mother Hubbard via Gold’n Retriever Entertainment. The band met while attending William Paterson University in Wayne. The sound? Hard to describe, but suffice it to say that if the Red Hot Chili Peppers impregnated Steely Dan, the baby might sound like this.

Yep Rock Records will release ‘Part Time Job’ by Full Time Men on October 27, the classic 1980s side project from Fleshtones Keith Streng, Gordon Spaeth, Robert Warren and Bill Milhizer. Members of The Lower East Side Rockers (Rich Thomas), The Smithereens (Pat DiNizio), Hoodoo Gurus (Dave Faulkner), Andy York (John Mellencamp), The Dead Boys (Stiv Bators) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.) make guest appearances.

New Brunswick band The Gaslight Anthem hasn’t had an album out since 2014. That’s one reason ‘History Lesson’ has been so hotly anticipated. Although not due until October, frontman Brian Fallon has released the title track, a duet with his buddy Bruce Springsteen.

Soulful Femme is Stevee Wellons and Cheryl Rinovato. Their Attitude was recorded at Fat Rabbit Studios in Montclair and produced by blues great Albert Castiglia. Another blues great, Tommy Castro, contributes to their scintillating cover of James Brown’s “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing.”

Prof. Roddy Bogawa, who has taught at Jersey City University for the last 31 years, has directed a new documentary, ‘Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd.’ It is the first film to delve into the tragic story of Pink Floyd’s original leader, Syd Barrett, who became an acid casualty. Did LSD hamper his vision? Or was he always mentally ill?

The 15th class of inductees to the New Jersey Hall of Fame were announced last week. Among the honorees are singer Tony Orlando (Union City) and singer-songwriter-guitarist Patti Scialfa (Deal) of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. The ceremony will take place in Newark at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on October 29.

The new Steve Conte single, “Fourth Of July,” co-written by Andy Partridge of British rock band XTC, might be a little late for Independence Day but it sure rocks.

Here’s another chapter in the story that just won’t die. DiWulf Publishing House/Total Gavone Publishing is re-releasing Danny Marianino’s 2012 book, ‘Don’t Ever Punch A Rock Star: A Collection of Hate Mail and Other Crazy Rumors,’ with 100 new pages.

On July 28 and August 5, Acute Inflections, the jazzy, bluesy, soulful New York City duo, will perform two free outdoor concerts. With a set list that includes Erykah Badu and Billie Holiday, amidst their own compositions, they pepper their performances with comedy and style.

A new musical based on the life and music of Hoboken’s Frank Sinatra will open at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in Great Britain on September 23 with 20 actors and 17 musicians performing 26 Sinatra classics. Matt Doyle will star.

Morristown swings! Outdoors! For Free! On September 22 and 23, in the downtown Morristown Green, and across the street at Pioneer’s Plaza, Louis Prima, Jr. & The Witnesses will cover such classic songs by his father, the legendary Louie Prima [1910-1978] as “Sing Sing Sing,” “Jump Jive & Wail,” “Just A Gigolo” and “Angelina The Waitress At The Pizzeria.”

Singer-Songwriter-Arranger-Guitarist Marc Ribler, besides being the Musical Director of Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, and co-producer of the legendary Darlene Love, has a new trio, Story Road, and their first single, “Armageddon,” landed yesterday.

The Mayo Performing Arts Center, has announced the remainder of its 2023 concert season.

New York Times best-selling author Alan Paul will return to his Maplewood home town in Essex County on July 20 at the Words Bookstore—179 Maplewood Avenue—to talk about and sign his latest book, Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Define the ‘70s.

In case you haven’t heard, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band is on tour. Now iconic guitarist-composer-producer-vocalist-arranger-actor-author-label head-disc jockey Stevie Van Zandt is making a limited number of his own private stash of damn good seats for the rest of the tour up for sale and proceeds from all the different package configurations support TeachRock.org.

Jersey City’s Fit For An Autopsy will perform at this year’s annual New England Metal & Hardcore Fest in Worcester Massachusetts on September 16 in a balls-to-the-wall three-stage spectacular headlined by Lamb Of God, Hatebreed and Shadows Fall. The Palladium Outdoors will undergo seismic eruptions what with bands like Parkway Drive, The Black Dahlia Murder and Dying Fetus also on the bill.