Mike Greenblatt:

It’s a good time in this country to completely lose one’s self within music. There are things I’m learning as I go on this Jersey-centric trip  that still astounds me: the “History” section keys in on jazzer Barry Miles, born in Newark and who invented jazz-rock fusion. Who knew? I’ve lived my whole life thinking it was Miles Davis. This issue you’ll also meet Renee Rosnes, a pianist-composer from West Orange whose Crossing Paths album reinvigorates Brazilian samba. Then there’s “Jersey Bookshelf” where my literary hero, Philip Roth, also from Newark, in 1966, wrote a family dramady where nobody is likable and the so-called “American Dream” is actually a nightmare. Prophetic?

“Visual Sound” has a clip of Connie Francis that squeezed a tear from my eye. Her shocking tragic story as told in our 3/23/23 “History” section holds the record for most responses to anything on this site ever: 40! Bettye LaVette duets with the late Joe Tex. Unicorn151’s flow is so enticing, funky, soulful and riveting, he started his own music genre called “Jersey Club,” an offshoot of rap. And Overkill slays from the gutter in a classic piece of thrash.     

The “Up Close” this month is an interview that three members of our Jersey Sound team—Exec Producer Randy Dominguez, singer-songwriter Mark Mulch and Rock Star Steve Brown—did with Mad Dog DiSipio on his “What’s The Buzz” podcast.

Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” stays atop our Hot 100. (He lived in New Jersey at the tail end of his life.)  And don’t forget to check out our Calendar of 60 shows in 60 days with special emphasis on the “Event” section. Soon we’ll have another reason to be happy in America. Baseball is right around the corner. In the meantime, RESIST!!