The #1 purveyor in the world today of the sound of Quintette du Hot Club de France—the groundbreaking band that Belgian-born guitar pioneer Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli started in 1934—is Stephane Wrembel from Maplewood. It’s called Gypsy Jazz and it is, indeed, its own special genre.

She was 22 at Woodstock in ’69 when she walked out on that stage in a soft drizzle, a complete unknown armed with only an acoustic guitar, and proceeded to make half a million people fall in love with her, myself included. Throughout the years, that love has deepened, her quirky albums became beloved, and her gigs legendary (like the time the electricity went off at a Rutgers gig and she sang her heart out with no mic, or her incendiary set at The Capitol Theater in Passaic on her birthday. “Anyone else celebrating a birthday tonight,” she impishly asked and I raised my hand.  Her death last year at 76 came as a shock.

After a seven-year lay-off, the Asbury Park Music Foundation (APMF) has announced the return of the Asbury Park Music Awards. (It originally ran from 1993 through 2018.) According to the foundation, “the event celebrates the artists who keep Asbury’s legendary music scene alive while also raising funds to provide life-changing music education to under-served youth in our community.” February 20, 2026, at The Stone Pony, will be the next chapter of this prestigious award ceremony.

The Annual Light Of Day shows have been scheduled for January benefitting efforts to eradicate Parkinson’s Disease and related illnesses. Over the last 25 years, the Light Of Day Foundation has raised upwards of seven million dollars.

Asbury Park icon—by way of Mississippi—Steve Forbert You’d See The Things That I See (The Day John Met Paul).” He announced the song by saying, “While touring England in November of 2010 I was able to (along with Diane) make a visit to John Lennon’s childhood home in Liverpool. All Beatles fans have heard of Mendips.

It was 2023 when we introduced you to Nikki & The Skyrockets out of Jersey City. Now the band has released the eponymous follow-up to its impressive Late Last Night debut. Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist Nicole Bozzuto is a force to be reckoned with.

The almost-famous Wayne B. Olivieri, from Union County, just finished recording what he’s calling “a New Year’s lullaby” (Bongo Boy Records) at Sky Lab Studios in Monmouth County with his band, The New Bardots—keyboardist John Croot, drummer Johnnie Rago, bassist Dan Skye, guitarist Gar Francis.

He came out of West Orange but made his mark in San Francisco. MoMojo Records/MVD Distribution has released Arrival, the sixth album from The Lucky Losers, Phil Berkowitz and Cathy Lemons. They both sing and write the kind of songs that stick to the mind like a tattoo on the brain.

He came out of West Orange but made his mark in San Francisco. MoMojo Records/MVD Distribution has released Arrival, the sixth album from The Lucky Losers, Phil Berkowitz and Cathy Lemons. They both sing and write the kind of songs that stick to the mind like a tattoo on the brain.

The Director of Music & Worship at the APC Church in Monmouth County has recorded and self-released his sixth album, The Book of Enoch Volume #1, his first in eight years. Pianist Enoch Smith, Jr, bassist Kai Gibson and drummer David Hardy convened at Teaneck Sound in Bergen County. The result is a glorious seven-track master class in how to make traditional and modern hymns swing like crazy.

The Director of Music & Worship at the APC Church in Monmouth County has recorded and self-released his sixth album, The Book of Enoch Volume #1, his first in eight years. Pianist Enoch Smith, Jr, bassist Kai Gibson and drummer David Hardy convened at Teaneck Sound in Bergen County. The result is a glorious seven-track master class in how to make traditional and modern hymns swing like crazy.

Actor-Comedian-Short Guy Danny DeVito (Class of 2010) hosted the 17^th Annual New Jersey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony November 21. Twenty New Jerseyans, from all walks of life, were honored.

By the time iconic folksinger Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie [1912-1967] came to New Jersey in 1956 to live for six years within the walls of the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris County, he had cemented his reputation. In fact, the opening scene of A Complete Unknown has Dylan visiting him and playing for him a song from his 1962 debut album called “Song To Woody.” Now comes news that 22 of the private 1951 recordings from a stash of 300 songs on 32 tapes will be released by Shamus Records as Woody at Home Volume #1 and #2.

Weird New Jersey magazine once cited New Milford in Bergen County as one strange place. Maybe its vibe nurtured Dream Pop enthusiasts Lips Of Strangers to pursue its highly stylized and synthesized shoegaze nostalgia. Their pop smarts has manifested itself into a second EP, Too Long For Lovers.

There are those who say that Jersey City maestro Al Di Meola is the greatest living guitarist in the world today and who are we to argue? He changed the course of jazz-rock fusion in the 1970s with Chick Corea in Return To Forever. Now comes news that Al will kick off the new year by returning to the stage with his acoustic band in a program called “The Guitarchitect.”

Originally recorded at a plethora of New Jersey, Maryland and Alabama locations, including a vacant office building, Daly’s Paterson abode, Nu Bleu Studio in Garfield, guitarist Scott Van Sickle’s attic, the producer’s basement, pianist Ray Nissen’s home studio, string arranger Chris Opperman’s home studio, with cover art by Alicia Daly, Early Miscellaneous, by Mike Daly’s Lost N’ Found, is an 11-song treasure with Daly on vocals, bass and guitar, the producer on keyboards, bass and conga, Reynolds on lead guitar, drummers Dave Enyart/Rich Stout, Jim Smith on tympani and guitarist Chuck Daly.

Who wants to buy one of Joe Walsh’s guitars? Or some of his stage clothing? On December 16 and 17, the biggest rock star to ever come out of Montclair in Essex County, the man who gave the Eagles some balls, will auction off about two dozen rare items at The Troubadour in West Hollywood (and online). Before that, fans can see the items through Dec. 3 at The Hard Rock Café in New York City.

Last year, Princeton grad and Passaic County resident Pete Muller just wanted “More Time.” This year, on his fourth album, he’s asking for One Last Dance. The singer-songwriter-pianist-producer-philanthropist’s new effort is a gorgeous montage of emotion, reeking with a yearning propensity for true wordsmith smarts.

Our favorite NBA Hall of Famer/Rapper/DJ/entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal—born in Newark 53 years ago—will host his “Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival” in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas at Panther Island Pavilion with 15 acts on two stages March 21.

New Year’s Eve down the shore in Keansburg sounds good to us! The ProgStock folk will be celebrating the new year for the third year in a row at a new venue, Fish & Sips, with a “Concert Extravaganza” starting at 7:00 p.m. (live music at 8:00) and going for the rest of the year on Beachway Avenue where you’ll eat, drink and be merry right on the waterfront until 1:00 a.m.