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2026 Summer Arts Guides
14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this summer
It finally happened to me. A family member played a fun and catchy summer anthem by an artist that was new to me. The tune had gone viral on TikTok and climbed up the charts. I checked the artist’s social media profile and saw a photo that looked like a real human. But when I tried to find out a bit more about the act, I encountered the grim truth: I had been jamming out to AI-created music.
AI-generated music and content isn’t going anywhere, and it’s up to each listener to determine how they want to handle it. Happily, there remains no shortage of human-created content by local musicians who aren’t going anywhere. I can guarantee that every artist on this list is a real human creating real music (although, disturbingly, at least one of the acts on this list is promoting a live show with what looks like an AI-generated flyer). So whether you’re looking for the heartfelt country of Charlie Marie, the Afrocentric jazz of Temidayo Balogun, or a group like Biribá Union that manages to draw on everything from classical to hip-hop, here’s a look at what our local human musicians have been creating.
Charlie Marie, 'Signs'
June 5
Real country music that’s full of pure, soulful singing and vivid storytelling might be hard to come by in Nashville these days, but it’s thriving in Rhode Island thanks to Charlie Marie. While her 2021 debut “Ramble On” earned her acclaim, it was followed by a series of major life disruptions that led her to hit the open road and search for America as well as herself. “Signs,” which was produced by Boston band These Wild Plains along with Ben Klise, is a musical travelogue full of honesty and grit. Some more good news for local Americana fans is that Charlie Marie has a busy summer of area appearances,, including an Aug.. 27 show at the Marshfield Fair.
Stop Calling Me Frank, 'Miles To Go'
June 12
Last fall, longtime Boston punk/R&B band Stop Calling Me Frank made headlines with “MB Anthem (The Market Basket Song).” Their ode to the beloved local supermarket chain couldn’t save the job of now-former Market Basket CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, but it did shine the spotlight on a purposefully low-profile band that has been purveying no-frills, rag-tag rock and soul on and off since the early 1980s heyday of The Rat. With Boston rock hero Ed Valauskas producing, this Rum Bar Records album opens with “Good Enough,” a celebration of the small wins in life like free breadsticks, and even ventures into Irish rock with the traditional “Whiskey In The Jar.” It’s all played loose and loud by a band that hasn’t forgotten the days when the saxophone was just as essential to rock as the guitar.
Stop Calling Me Frank performs June 17 as part of WERS’ 617 Day Festival at the Boston Common and on both June 20 and July 18 at the Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain.
OK Goodnight, 'stop/go'
June 12
It’s no wonder that Boston art rock outfit OK Goodnight has enjoyed millions of streams and an international touring career that finds the band members back in Europe this month. The powerful vocals of Casey Lee Williams combined with the multi-instrumental talents of Martín de Lima and Augusto Bussio and the powerhouse bass of Peter de Reyna create a mighty sound full of both tension and catharsis. Their new LP is an examination of the complexity of the modern human condition and the often conflicting emotions it can produce. These are very well-crafted songs that somehow manage to be inquisitive and funky at the same time.
Girl with a Hawk, 'Regenesis'
June 19
This might be the debut LP by Girl with a Hawk, but leader Linda S. Viens is no stranger to the Boston music scene. The New England Music Hall of Fame inductee took a hiatus to raise her daughter but is now back on local stages with this project, an adroit unit that can both rock out on the small scene chronicles “Way With Words” and “I Love My Friends” while also delivering pure beauty on heartfelt tracks like “Beautiful Today.” “The Fighter” is a vivid portrait of Viens’ own father as well as a meditation on how violence leaves an impact on personal and universal histories. From start to finish, this Rum Bar Records release is a triumph with both range and depth.
Girl with a Hawk celebrates the release June 20 at the Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain.
Greg Piccolo, 'Who Knows What the Future Holds?'
June 19
For decades, saxophonist Greg Piccolo has been a key part of the Boston blues scene, first with Roomful of Blues and then, for the past 30 years, with his own band Heavy Juice. Most of his many releases have leaned toward the classic 1950s R&B and soul-jazz sound of the tenor saxophone and organ, but over the years Piccolo also kept a private stash of more songwriter-oriented material. He finally collected them into this album, which shows him to be a witty and observant tunesmith as well as one of the stronger singers on the current blues circuit. The record was made in Texas with a combo that included longtime Heavy Juice keyboardist Shinichi Otsu. It was produced by Terry Manning, whose credits include Shania Twain and ZZ Top, but Manning passed away right after sending Piccolo the first mix. The album is finally coming out just a few months after Piccolo’s 75th birthday. One of the highlights is “People Are Hot,” a cautionary reggae tune about the challenges of personal interactions in a time of climate change.
Greg Piccolo and Heavy Juice celebrate the release at Chan’s in Woonsocket, Rhode Island on June 26, the Fallout Shelter in Norwood July 30, and Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in Portsmouth, New Hampshire Nov. 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0Ug4u-WPxs
Mick Goodrick and Fred Hersch, 'Feebles, Fables and Ferns' & Mick Goodrick, 'In Pas(s)ing'
June 19 & July 10
Boston guitarist Mick Goodrick’s death in 2022 went undernoticed, in no small part because of Goodrick’s own decision to mostly eschew the grind of touring and recording so he could focus on teaching. His legacy still remains a strong one thanks to the generations of students and other musicians who were inspired by his beautiful and adventurous approach to improvisation. Now the storied ECM label is reissuing two of his recordings. “Feebles, Fables and Ferns” is a duet with another highly influential figure, pianist Fred Hersch, made in 1988 at a time when both were active members of the Boston jazz scene. The title track of the duo record first appeared on Goodrick’s 1979 release, which found him leading a quartet with two jazz legends, bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Jack DeJohnette, as well as a musician who might be even more underappreciated than Goodrick, John Surman, who plays soprano and baritone saxophones and bass clarinet on the session. The album was first reissued several years ago and is now resurfacing as part of the label Luminessence Vinyl series. Both of these intimate dates are required listening for jazz guitar fans and offer a precious window into how special Goodrick was as both a player and a composer.
Fai Laci, 'Elephant In The Room'
June 26
Fai Laci started as a home recording project in frontman Luke Faillaci’s Northeastern University dorm room. The band still keeps that homegrown creative spark alive as all five members live in the same Medford house. They recently scored a major break when they were signed by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach to his Easy Eye Sound label. Auerbach is producing the band’s debut, putting them in the company of the likes of Yola, the Pretenders and CeeLo Green. The result is an unapologetically assertive blast of up-to-date rock ‘n’ roll that will nicely complement the Black Keys when Fai Laci go on tour with them this summer.
Fai Laci appear at NICE, a fest in Somerville on July 26.
Pixies, 'Complete B Sides: 1988-97 (Remaster)'
June 26
Forty years into their existence as a band, Boston college rock pioneers Pixies are having yet another moment thanks to a recent viral TikTok cover and a spot on the soundtrack of the “Stranger Things” finale. This compilation of some of their lesser-known gems was originally released 25 years ago during the CD era when the band was on hiatus. It’s now reaching vinyl with the addition of a side of rare live tracks.
Haasan Barclay, 'Four Leaf Clover'
June
Just two months ago, Haasan Barclay released a new jack swing-themed EP with rapper ET. In typical Barclay fashion, his follow-up finds one of Boston’s most multifaceted artists going in a completely different direction on this EveryDejaVu label release. Originated in a period where Barclay was working at Boston’s The Record Company and also performing with a live band, these four tracks fuse the melodic side of indie rock with the guitar crunch of classic funk. The results manage to sound both thoughtful and spontaneous.
Haasan Barclay celebrates the release of "Four Leaf Clover" on June 30 at Zone 3 in Allston.
Temidayo Balogun, 'Afrolution'
July 3
Nigeria-born, Boston-based saxophonist and percussionist Temidayo Balogun’s upcoming album, recorded with his sextet AKÉDE, is a profound statement that brings together contemporary jazz and African musical traditions with a deep social consciousness through eight original compositions. The record begins with a two-part piece, “Ori,” which refers to a Yoruba concept of "Ori” which Balogun explains in the liner notes is a term for an individual’s inner essence or destiny. The first part, “Concept of Democracy,” explores how the concept can be applied to a larger community, while the second, “Inner Guide,” examines personal development. The meditative “ttowgfuth - Jan 17th 1961” references the date that Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was assassinated. The pan-African anthem “Struggle Continues” features some pointed and timely spoken word contributions from Boston hip-hop artist MO the Great. The other members of AKÉDE are pianist Digba Ogunbiyi, bassist Ian Quinton Banno, guitarist Amaury Cabral Jorge, drummer Lumanyano Mzi and vocalist Anuoluwapo Balogun. They all help make “Afrolution” both an urgent call for change and a significant piece of African jazz.
Biribá Union, 'Passing Go'
July 10
Twenty-five years ago Yo-Yo Ma started Silkroad, a Cambridge-based nonprofit that works to foster musical collaborations by artists from different musical traditions and cultures. One of the organization’s signature programs is the Global Musician Workshop, which takes place each summer at New England Conservatory and is led by Boston cellist Mike Block. The 2022 edition included two artists who Block immediately formed a creative bond with: Washington, D.C. beatboxer, rapper and guitarist Christylez Bacon and Uruguayan bassist and vocalist Patricia Ligia (who travels the world as a member of reggaeton queen Karol G’s band). The three have now formed a one-of-a-kind band, Biribá Union, which draws in influences from classical music to old-school hip-hop to Brazilian choro and samba. For the video to their delightful track “Ice Cream City,” the three commandeered a Boston Common ice cream truck and handed out frozen delights.
Yoron Israel, 'Inspiration'
Aug. 7
Long one of Boston’s finest and most in-demand jazz drummers, Yoron Israel is also the pastor of music and art at Destiny Life Center International Church in Brockton. He’s now combining those two paths while continuing his legacy as a visionary bandleader with this spiritually informed recording, which draws heavily on the Black gospel tradition as well as blues and other music from the African diaspora.
Much of that church sound comes from organist Dennis Montgomery III, who — when not teaching at Berklee (where Israel chairs the percussion department) — serves as the minister of music at Boston’s Concord Baptist Church, and the versatile vocalist Leah Hinton. They’re joined by an all-star cast of local jazz greats: saxophonist Ian Buss, guitarist Rick Peckham, pianist Laszlo Gardony and bassist Avery Sharpe. “Black Scholars,” one of two compositions by the late pianist James Williams, displays the many ways Israel can swing, while “The Island” is a dreamy song written by Brazilian pioneers Vítor Martins and Ivan Lins with English words by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Israel also makes his own imprint on the standard “There Is No Greater Love” and successfully combines Chick Corea’s “Mirror, Mirror” with the Michael Jackson hit “Man in the Mirror.” Three of Israel’s own compositions end this distinctive and heartfelt recording.
Yoron Israel performs with his ensemble at Berklee's David Friend Recital Hall in celebration of the upcoming release of "Inspiration" on June 12.
The Dresden Dolls, 'Yes, Virginia…(Tailor's Version)'
Aug. 7
Remember how Taylor Swift re-recorded her back catalog? The Dresden Dolls — the Boston punk/cabaret duo of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione — are now doing the same thing to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their LP “Yes, Virginia…” And like with Swift, who gets a cheeky nod in the title of the rerecorded disc, the original album was part of a label deal that turned acrimonious. (Although Palmer announced her split with Roadrunner many years ago, a press release says the duo has just gotten the legal right to rerecord the songs.) The Dresden Dolls are also returning to the road for their first extended tour since Palmer’s former nanny named her in a series of lawsuits that accused Palmer’s ex-husband Neil Gaiman of sexual assault at their home in New Zealand. (Three lawsuits filed in the U.S. were dismissed earlier this year, and Palmer has denied the accusations that are specific to her.)
The Dresden Dolls appear at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston Dec. 4 and 5.
Qudrat Wasefi, 'Connection'
Aug. 15
Rolling Stone recently profiled the master composer and trumpeter Qudrat Wasefi, who — with music now banned in his native Afghanistan — is now creating his art in exile. One of the only Afghan trumpeters in the world, Wasefi will be using his debut EP to explore what he calls “themes of exile, resilience, identity and cultural preservation.” The five original pieces are for trumpet, piano, electronics, tabla and rubab (the national instrument of Afghanistan). The project, which is funded in part by an Iguana Fund grant from Club Passim, will also include a series of live Afghan music events in the Boston area.
