WILLIE NILE
A roundup of arts events taking place around the state, through Jan. 15:
MUSIC
• This year’s Light of Day festival begins Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair, with an “in the round” set of acoustic music by Willie Nile, Jill Hennessy, James Maddock, Weeklings members Glen Burtnik and Bob Burger, and Joe D’Urso, after an opening set by Williams Honor, Danielia Cotton, Emily Grove and Rick Winowski.
There will also be Light of Day shows this weekend in Philadelphia and Stony Point, N.Y., and one more Jersey concert: “Cover Me,” six hours of cover music, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 12, at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, featuring Almost U2, Moroccan Sheepherders, Bob Burger & Friends (performing the music of Elvis Costello), Experience Janis with CC Coletti, JoBonanno’s Spirit of Asbury Revue, the Carl Gentry Band, Kyle Ward and Aaron Ward, and Stella Mrowicki.
More than 30 other Light of Day events are scheduled for Jan. 15-19, mostly in Asbury Park. Click here for a complete list of shows.
• BIG RoaD’S Winter Bash, a celebration of Clarence Clemons Day to benefit Monmouth County SPCA, takes place at The Headliner in Neptune, Jan. 10 at 6:45 p.m. Performers will include Jake Clemons and his band, Eddie Testa, The Bob Polding Band, Jarod Clemons & the Late Nights, and Mike Rocket. There will also be a second Winter Bash show, benefiting the same cause, Jan. 11 from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Bar Anticipation in Lake Como, featuring The BIG RoaD All Star Band (featuring Eddie Testa, JoBonanno, Lisa Sherman, Jillian Rhys McCoy, JaQuita May, Bob Polding, Killer Joe Ferraro and others), The B Street Band, Whiskey Fueled, Colossal Street Jam, Moroccan Sheepherders, Sandy Mack & Friends, Guilty Pleasure, Rich Meyer, Jake Thistle, Tommy Byrne and Ryan Maher.
JAY UNGAR AND MOLLY MASON
• Husband-and-wife roots music duo Jay Ungar and Molly Mason perform at the Hopewell Theater at 8 p.m. Jan. 10. The two — who hail from New York City and Washington State, respectively — specialize in 19th and 20th century American folk songs and dance music, with an emphasis on fiddle styles and music of the Civil War; their music was featured in Ken Burns’ 1990 PBS documentary, “The Civil War.”
• The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra‘s Winter Festival continues with concerts at Prudential Hall at NJPAC in Newark, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m., and the State Theatre in New Brunswick, Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. NJSO music director Xian Zhang will conduct, NJSO concertmaster Eric Wyrick will be featured on violin and singers from the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program will join the orchestra in an all-Mozart program that will include his Exsultate, jubilate; Violin Concerto No. 4; and Scenes from Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro.
• The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey presents a concert titled “A Surprise Wassail,” Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. at Grace Church, Madison, featuring music by friends and colleagues Mozart and Haydn, as well as Handel. Michael McAvoy, winner of the 2019 New York Classical Music Society International Vocal Competition, will sing Handel arias, and pianist Nicolas Gritz will be the soloist on Haydn’s Piano Concerto #11 in D Major. Other works to be performed include Haydn’s Symphony No. 94, The Surprise Symphony; and Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp.
• Trumpeter Rodney Marsalis — who began taking lessons, at the age of 6, from his cousin, Wynton Marsalis — brings his group, Philadelphia Big Brass, which plays both classical music and jazz, to the Sitnik Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center in Hackettstown, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m., as part of the Centenary Stage Company’s THAW Music Festival.
• Progressive-rock band Nektar was most active in the ’70s, but has continued to reunite, with varying lineups, since then. Its latest incarnation — featuring three original members, two former members and one new member — has recorded a new album, The Other Side, and will perform at Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse in Dunellen, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m., as well as Iridium in New York, Jan. 14-15 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 16 at 8 and 10 p.m.
GLORIA GAYNOR
• Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center in Newark will present its first “Grammy Month Celebration” this month. (This year’s Grammy Awards show takes place Jan. 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.) The series begins Jan. 13 at 11:30 a.m., with an appearance by children’s entertainers Lucy Kalantar & the Jazz Cats. Jazz bassist Christian McBride will participate in a conversation and question-and-answer session (moderated by his wife, singer and Jazz House Kids founder Melissa Walker) and also give a performance, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m., “I Will Survive” singer Gaynor will participate in a conversation and question-and-answer session, and also perform. And Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Grammy Museum Experience will host a 40th anniversary celebration for the reggae label, VP Records, featuring a conversation and question-and-answer session and a performance by VP artists Busy Signal, Christopher Martin, Jah 9 and Red Fox.
• Colombia-born, New York-based singer, songwriter and accordionist Gregory Uribe, whose music blends traditional Colombian rhythms with elements of big band jazz, performs at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. The show is part of the venue’s PAC the House Series series, whose 2019-2020 season concludes with James Maddock, March 28, and Bria Skonberg, April 18.
• Skanatra, which specializes in ska version of Frank Sinatra songs, is one of three bands performing at the Rent Party concert at The Woodland in Maplewood, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Inter City 125 and Rudie Crew will also perform. Like all Rent Party concerts, this one will raise money to fight hunger in the community.
ARTIE LANGE
COMEDY
• In his first major home state appearance since pronouncing himself “clean and sober” last year, former “Howard Stern Show” cast member, best-selling author and popular podcaster Artie Lange — who has struggled with drug addiction and an assortment of legal problems over the years — will perform stand-up at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m.
THEATER
• The Two River Theater in Red Bank begins previews of Shakespeare’s comedy “Twelfth Night” on Jan. 11, with the official opening night on Jan. 17 and the last show on Feb. 2. The production will feature original music composed by the band/theater collective The Lobbyists, with New Kids on the Block member Joey McIntyre playing the role of Orsino.
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