Singer-Songwriter-Producer Eric Roberson—born in Rahway 51 years ago—is putting on his “Mask” to continue a vow to release a new song at least every other month. He co-produced and co-wrote this song that he says, “was probably my hardest song to write and record this year. Even though I didn’t feel it was my story, I dove deep into the character. I cried throughout the entire process. I hope it connects with someone who needs it.”

Eighteen New Jersey greats will be inducted into the 10,000 square-foot new home of the New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream on Route 3 in East Rutherford. It’s the 16th annual such celebration and it will take place on a pre-taped November 13 televised broadcast on Fox 5 and My9 as well as social media. The 18 in their categories are…

Fans who got there early when Orville Peck played The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park recently got to see country-pop singer Abbey Cone—a Texan now residing in Tennessee—sing her new single, “I Hate Springsteen.”

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra—under the direction of Xian Zhang—will interpret Stanley Clarke’s soundtrack to John Singleton’s Oscar-nominated 1991 crime thriller ‘Boyz N’The Hood’ on November 22 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark as the movie is shown (not in its entirety) on the big screen behind them.

There’s been a lot of talk back and forth about ‘The Jersey Sound’ documentary. Now people can see it for themselves. Watch this space for further announcements in the near future about where else you will be able to watch this love letter to the music and musicians of our great state. But now, for the time being, enjoy.

The free “Heart Of The City” festival returns to Rahway in Union County for the fourth time on August 3 at noon for six hours right on the corner of Irving and East Cherry Streets. Venders and artists will showcase their wares. There will be local music talent, a live DJ, and an interactive art installation that allows festival-goers a photo-shoot moment.

We’ve thrilled to West Orange guitarist-composer-educator Dave Stryker before…but not like this. His opening sets for Steely Dan last year proved his funky versatility. His set at Sculler’s in Boston blew the roof off the joint. His ‘Prime’ album was a deeeep groove. Now, though, he’s in a subservient role, yet his artistry is still in full flower, blossoming when called upon to add subtle layers of sophistication to ‘Brian Landrus Plays Ellington & Strayhorn’ on Palmetto Records.

Wednesday to Sunday, the 24th to the 28th of July. The Hoboken Historical Museum will present a 16-photo pictorial of the event called “On The Steps of St. Ann’s: A Collection of Photographs from The Feast 2001-2022 by Bob Delavante” that will run from Sunday of this weekend to August 25.

Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records label is re-releasing the 2013 12-track ‘You Are What You Absorb’ debut of “Trash Pop Maven” Palmyra Delran on “Turtle Green” vinyl. ‘Guitar World’ magazine called it “an intoxicating blend of punk-girl grit combined with hook-laden melodies and deep lyrics. The single, ‘You’re My Brian Jones,’ is a psychedelic romp back to the ‘60s with an infectious groove and smooth vocals.” Van Zandt picked it as “The Coolest Song of 2012.”

The Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel will present their annual slate of free shows starting September. The series is presented by The Garden State Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1984.

Circle the date. Montclair has proclaimed September 14 as the FREE 2024 Downtown Jamboree wherein eight solid hours of great music from noon to 8:00 p.m. will be performed in the street on Bloomfield Avenue between Grove Street and Midland Avenue (the area will be roped off to cars). Retailers and restaurant storefronts will remain open.

Back in April, we told you about a New York City producer-composer-musician-filmmaker named Kramer who moved to the sleepy hamlet of Demerest in Bergen County. Next month he will release his ambient ‘The Walk’ album with noted Japanese rebel Kato Hideki, largely responsible for the ‘90s “Noise” scene in Tokyo.

On Saturday, August 24, at 1:00 p.m., the FREE annual Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival will start making noise for eight hours. It’s on The Great Lawn Promenade—Boardwalk at 10 Ocean Blvd.—and is presented by The Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation. Food trucks, vendors, activities for the kids, crafters.

Haledon (Passaic County) trio Speed The Plough (STP) have teamed up with Anna Clemente—a professor of harpsichord at a music conservatory in Florence, Italy—for ‘A Saint, Restored,’ an album to be released tomorrow through Bandcamp and streaming platforms. STP—who have performed and recorded with The Feelies, also of Haledon—are decidedly in an Art-Folk bag. The story on how this Jersey band found this professor from Florence is one for the ages.

She struts her considerable stuff fronting Montclair’s Vakili Band but singer-songwriter Lily Vakili is stepping away from the nest to do a solo tour opening for another lead singer going solo: Scotland’s John Douglas of Trashcan Sinatras.

She mixed her metaphors on painfully honest material that almost hurt to listen to. From her 1970 debut—when she was 45—to 1976 (when her final album, ‘We’re Children Of Coincidence and Harpo Marx,’ was released to little or no fanfare), Dory Previn was right up there with fellow confessional songstresses like Carol King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. So why don’t people remember her?

Queen Latifah was still Dana Elaine Owens when we first saw her dancing on an early Naughty By Nature video. Now an internationally known superstar at 54, the Newark product, raised in East Orange, after being an actress, film producer, talk show host and singer-songwriter, has returned to the roots she once layed down with her pioneering ‘All Hail The Queen’ debut in 1989 when she was still a teenager. It’s called “King King.”

The Stevie Van Zant documentary, ‘Disciple,’ debuted on MAX June 22 after having its world premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Eddie Vedder, Bono, Maureen Van Zant and Darlene Love are all in it as are clips from ‘The Sopranos’ where Van Zandt plays Silvio Dante.

Zakk Wylde is a busy man. Besides being in Pantera, he’s part of the annual trip called “Experience Hendrix” with fellow guitarists Hunter Hayes. Kingfish Ingram, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Samantha Fish, Taj Mahal, Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, Mato Nanji, Calvin Cooke/Chuck Campbell of the Slide Brothers, Ally Venable, Ayron Jones, Artur Menezes, Mathias Lattin and Stanley Jordan. After adding October 11 in Texas and October 12 in Oklahoma to his Jimi duties, fans will now thrill to his Guitar Hero antics on 22 of the 24 Hendrix shows.

Pairing with their Slumberland Records label-mates Jeanines in certain cities, Asbury Park band Lightheaded has hit the open road for what they’re calling the “Slumbertour.”