Deep in the bowels of Passaic County, Frog March has set an ambitious plan in motion. Recording in their home studios for about a decade, the alt-rock band from Pompton Lakes has morphed into dance-pop territory with plans to release a series of upbeat singles. 

The lineup has been announced for The Garden State Arts Foundation’s FREE concert series at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. It all starts on May 8 at 1:30 in the afternoon with The Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Duke’s son, Mercer Ellington.

It's already been in movie theaters but starting April 29, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence will be available on streaming services. In the film, directed by a British filmmaker Varda Bar-Kar, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, Joan Baez and others sing her praises. Packed with film clips of the various eras in which she rose to become an icon, it’s a testament to her bravery in the face of unbelievable hatred and ignorance.

He calls it “modern progressive metal.” When guitarist Steve Dadaian graduated from Cresskill High School in Bergen County, he was immersed in classical music. His new album, Revenant City, drops May 9, but one track, “Garden Of Stars,” with Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, can be digested here.

The 15^th annual “Rock, Ribs and Ridges Festival” is set for June 27, 28 and 29 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta. Orleans and the Atlanta Rhythm Section perform on Friday. The Matt Coffy Band, Six Gun Sally, the Artimus Pyle Band, Black Stone Cherry and Grand Funk Railroad are scheduled for Saturday.