Solomon Hicks: Last News

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter two years of pandemic-induced shutdown and Omicron-postponed reopenings in December and January, Iridium, the downstairs music club in New York’s Times Square known as the “home of Les Paul,” is finishing the second week of its grand reopening, which launched on March 1 with a performance by the Harlem Blues Project, followed by four shows with a fiery jazz-rock band led by guitarist Mike Stern (featuring the great Randy Brecker on cornet), blues guitarist King Solomon Hicks, veteran folksinger Tom Rush and tonight and Saturday, guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, and jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, including sets focused on his extensively 1970s work with Steely Dan.The unusually intimate (for New York, anyway) 170-capacity downstairs club, which has updated its cleaning procedures and air-filtration system, returned with a full menu (including entrees like “The Les Paul” burger and the plant-based “Jerry Garcia”) a robust wine list and many (potent) specialty cocktails. The club is also launching Iridium Underground, a new series focused on emerging artists, next week with Brooklyn-based guitarist-producer Mario and the Mood.

With more and more music released each year, it's a near-impossible task to keep track of everything that's coming. From pop to hip-hop to alternative to K-pop to country, the choices made available feel endless -- not to mention vinyl, re-releases and collectible editions.Below, check out Billboard's running calendar of upcoming releases to make sure you're in the know; check back often for updates to our schedule of albums to look forward to each week.March 13Big Freedia, Louder EPCirca Waves, Sad HappyCircles Around The Sun, Circles Around The SunCocoRosie, Put The Shine OnThe Districts, You Know I'm Not Going AnywhereGrouplove, HealerJordan Mackampa, ForeignerKing Solomon Hicks, HarlemL.A.