Baltimore singer-songwriter-guitarist Cris Jacobs used to play strictly bluegrass yet his 2018 Neville-Jacobs album with a member of the First Family of New Orleans funk, Ivan Neville, is a keeper. Now, his ‘One Of These Days’ fourth solo album is due April 26 and to support it, he’ll be touring with a stop May 11 at The Newton Theatre in Sussex County. His sound encompasses folk, blues, gospel and country with that ever-present pop-grass at the root.

Lifelong Wayne resident Nick Stefanacci is an accomplished saxophonist, composer, producer, educator and philanthropist with 20 years of experience recording and touring internationally. On May 10, his ‘Secrets’ EP comes out and he will celebrate its release with a show the following day at the Williams Center in Rutherford.

It’s been 20 years since ‘…Is A Real Boy’ by Say Anything came out. The new album, ‘…Is Committed,’ is due May 24. In celebration of both, the Los Angeles band headed by singer-songwriter-guitarist-keyboardist Max Bemis will release the single “I, Vibrator” plus embark on a national tour that will have them in Montclair at the Wellmont May 10.

It’s being called “The Great Metal Circus.” With openers Oxymorons and Conquer Divide providing the introductory mayhem, Sweden’s Avatar—playing selections from its ‘Dance Devil Dance’ album—should shock and stun the Starland Ballroom patrons in Sayreville on May 12. Vocalist Johannes Eckerstrom, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby/Tim Ohrstrom, bassist Henrik Sandelin and drummer John Alfredsson provide theatrics as well as bombast.

The last night of any tour is always a party both on and off the stage. On May 11, at Sayreville’s Starland Ballroom, Australian band Thy Art Is Murder will conclude its 25-city North American tour. Expect bombast. Their art is metal of the extreme variety. They specialize in doom and death as heard on their sixth album ‘Godlike.’

It’s been eight years since the last Yarn album. On July 26, the North Carolina roots-rockers will release ‘Born Blessed Grateful & Alive’ which features “I Want You,” a song singer Blake Christiana co-wrote after watching Willie Nelson’s ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ movie. Then there’s the gospel-tinged Hammond B3 sound of “These Words Alone” and the Byrds-like “Down At The Dancehall.” And just so you know, he wrote his “Cocaine Bear” song years before the movie after he heard the true story of that bear. Yarn will play Roy’s Hall in Blairstown May 10.

Boston’s Dead Poet Society—vocalist-guitarist Jack Underkofler, guitarist Jack Collins, drummer Will Goodroad and bassist Dylan Brenner—has been described as “heavy indie-rock” with down-tuned riffs contrasting with softer pop choruses. Their second album, ‘Fission,’ was just released with “My Condition” the first single.

People simply walking down Bloomfield Avenue as far west as Verona should hear remnants of this epic “Metal Crushes All” tour wafting through the air as Frozen Soul opens for Amon Amarth, Cannibal Corpse and Obituary at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair May 9.

In support of the Youth Foundation of Jersey City, N’Kenge will host a benefit gala at The Barrow Mansion on Wayne Street starting at 6:00 p.m., performing alongside some of Jersey City’s most talented youth. The $150 ticket includes dinner, drinks and entertainment. Songs from ‘The Lion King’ and other top musicals will be brought to life.

Deep in the Madison Community Arts Center is a room where jazz flourishes. It’s called Rose Hall, and on May 5 at 3:00 in the afternoon, uber-talented trombonist-educator Mariel Bildsten will bring her ‘bone to town playing tracks off the follow-up to her 2020 Backbone debut, ‘Steppin’ Out.’

There’s just something special about a group of guys who started out as high schoolers and continued jamming for decades. In support of their new ‘Speak Low’ album, due May 3, FOF will rock out in Garwood at Crossroads on May 4. These alt-rockers, raised on indie-rock, blues, prog-rock, pop, art-rock and ‘80s new-wave, have been influenced by The Killers, Tears For Fears, Peter Gabriel, The Tragically Hip and Simple Minds.

The show is called “The Soul Time Machine: A Tribute To Soul R’n’B Music” and it’s coming to Somerset County at the Brook Arts Center on Hamilton Street in Bound Brook at 8:00. The Men Of Soul, as they’re called, will perform sterling renditions of artists like Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Jackson, Babyface, Brian McKnight, Hall & Oates, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Prince, Earth Wind & Fire and more. Opening is The Bells 2.0.

If you’re headed to Newton to see The Wood Brothers, get there early for opener Lindsay Lou. Rolling Stone magazine described her music as indie-soul folk Americana progressive bluegrass. Based in Tennessee, and suffering from the pangs of divorce, pandemic and the death of her grandmother, she poured her feelings out into her ‘Queen Of Time’ debut on the Kill Rock Stars label, produced by Sheryl Crow producer Dave O’Donnell, and populated by a bevy of A-List Nashville musicians.

It’s been 65 years and counting for the New Jersey Ballet under the direction of Maria Kowroski. On May 3 (and May 4), at Newark’s NJ PAC, Lauren Lovette’s ‘Jewel Box’ will make its international debut.

Washington DC duo Brian K. Pagels and Stephen Russ—known collectively as Brian K & The Parkway—will be making a stop at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park on May 3 playing songs from their ‘Killing The Bear’ debut, a guitar-based nine-song collection combining roots-rock and Americana with soulful folksy flair. They call it “Coastal Heartland Rock.” (Pagels is from Freehold.)

I’ve been told Des Rocs does a killer “Born To Run.” He’ll have to have some balls to do it in this town! With Jigsaw Youth opening, Des doesn’t demur when delineating his dire in-your-face stage show. In supporting his ‘Dream Machine’ album, the dude is not exactly the bashful type. In fact, Des sez “…full speed ahead! We’re comin’ in hot with the wildest rock’n’roll show you’ve ever experienced. You don’t wanna miss this.”

Not one but three Jersey appearances for this singer-songwriter-producer-guitarist. He’ll be supporting his just-out ‘Nowhere To Land,’ the follow-up to his 2021 ‘Invisible Lines’ debut. He owns his own recording studio in Austin. His music fits perfectly somewhere in-between Bruce, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, John Cafferty and Tom Petty in an Americana Roots-Rock blender.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared April 30 International Jazz Day. Seven-time Grammy Award winning trumpeter Randy Brecker and his quintet will headline a fundraiser at the Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, One Bridge Road, at 6:30, to benefit The Jazz Arts Project’s various education programs.

Pianist-Composer Noah Haidu will celebrate the release of his ‘Standards II’ album (Sunnyside Records) at BRVSH CUL7UR3 in Teaneck on April 27 with bassist Paul Sikvie and drummer Charles Goold with sets at 7:00, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

If you’re heading to Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair at the Wellmont to see The Driver Era, get there early as Columbian Latin-Pop chanteuse Vale will be opening the show in support of her new single, “Chill Like That,” due April 19 (from her EP due late summer).

Southern California’s post-hardcore Dayseeker will support the release of their sixth album in 12 years—the all-acoustic Replica—with an American tour stopping in Newark at the Prudential Center on April 25 as part of the WDHA “Rock The Rock Fest.”

Singer-Rhythm Guitarist Aaron Lewis, Lead Guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli—known collectively as Staind—will let it all hang out at downtown Newark’s Prudential Center on April 25 with Seether opening.

She was discovered at age 16 by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. Her electric lead guitar is, in a word, stunning. Just ask Stevie Wonder or Joe Bonamassa who have sung her praises. From the moment her 2009 ‘White Sugar’ debut landed, then on to two #1 Billboard Blues chart albums and her 2022 ‘Nobody’s Fool,’ she’s a Bad-Ass British Blues-Rock Bitch and the bitch is back! The Vogel in Red Bank will rock April 23 when she previews tracks off her new ‘Heavy Soul’ album due June 7.

Before the May 3 release of their self-titled Americana album, the husband-wife team of Pete Damore and Crys Hariu-Damore—known collectively as Ordinary Elephant—will perform in Hunterdon County at the Frenchtown Bookshop.

Alt-Ska rock band Sublime With Rome hits A.C. April 20 at Hard Rock Live on “The Farewell Tour” in support of its last single, “Love Is Dangerous,” due April 5. (Expect an album later this year.) Band founder/ singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Rome Ramirez will have with him this time around drummer Joe Tomino, bassist Brian Allen who previously provided the bottom for Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown, and trombonist/keyboardist Gabriel McNair of No Doubt and Green Day.

Trion uses no chords. Drummer Johnathan Blake, sax man Chris Potter and bassist Linda May Han Oh have to be experienced live to be believed. This incredible trio will no doubt raise the room off this hip unpronounceable Teaneck room.

Eleven years on, upbeat alt-pop Los Angeles trio Smallpools will support the April 5 release of ‘Ghost Town Road East’ and its first single, “Fake A Happy Face” (about separating social media from real life), with a tour co-headlining with Philadelphia’s Grayscale that lands them down the shore at The Stone Pony on April 14.

This concert series in Summit is called “Afternoon Music at Beacon” and on Sunday, April 14, at 3:00, singer-songwriter-actress Rosena M. Hill Jackson will perform with a hot quintet of piano, bass, drums, guitar and trombone (by her husband Jason Jackson). Rosena swings in multiple genres, be it Broadway, gospel, jazz, classical, R’n’B and pop.

Folk-Blues champ Chris Smither, 79, will be finger-picking his way throughout the USA, supporting the May 3 release of his 20th album, ‘All About The Bones’ (Signature Sounds) with a March-to-July tour that will land him in Blairstown on April 13 at Roy’s Hall.

Guitarist Lou Franco has his Jeff Beck chops down cold. The Pennsylvanian says, “I’ve waited all my life to play this music. It is both challenging and a total blast to perform.”