The Outcrops - The Outcrops have dug their roots deep into the music of rock’n’roll, blues, jazz, funk, folk and soul legends. Within their show, they may pay homage to bands such as the Grateful Dead & the Band, or artists such as Bill Withers & Aretha Franklin. Their original music stems from that same soulful soil, ranging from the gritty blues to upbeat Americana. The Outcrops were named “NJ Band of the Year” (‘The Aquarian’, 2020) & won first place in the North Jersey Blues Challenge in 2025, sending them to the IBC in 2026. They have opened for artists such as Three Dog Night, The Outlaws, King Solomon Hicks & Alexis P. Suter.

John Lee - From 1984 thru 1993, John Lee was Dizzy Gillespie’s bassist. Performing and recording in the trumpet master’s various bands including the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, and Dizzy’s Grammy Award winning United Nation Orchestra. After Dizzy’s passing, his family asked John to create an ongoing tribute to the great man and his music—and the concept for the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars was born. John is the bassist and director of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience. John has worked in the bands of Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Gregory Hines, Miriam Makeba, James Moody, Claudio Roditi, Sonny Rollins, and McCoy Tyner. John is also a Grammy Award winning record producer and audio engineer. He has produced over 100 recordings and is the co-founder of the record label JLP, Jazz Legacy Productions. The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Band’s have performed in major concert halls and jazz festivals throughout the world including; Angola, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Curaçao, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, and Wales.

Opener: Walt Bibinger - The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors describes jazz guitarist Walt Bibinger’s playing as, “Rooted in the traditions of Tal Farlow, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, and Joe Pass, but with a sound and style all his own”. His main musical influence was Grammy Award winning guitarist Harry Leahey. Walt studied under Leahey for 15 years. Walt also attended The Berklee College of Music. He began playing at age 4, started performing professionally at age 12, and began teaching at age 16. In addition to solo, duo, and trio performances as a leader, Walt is also in demand as a sideman. He has performed with Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Bob Dorough, Jimmy McGriff, and Phil Woods, among many others. He has been a featured performer at The New York and Philly Guitar Shows, Woodstock Luthier’s Showcase, The Artisan Guitar Show, and Les Paul Monday Nights @ The Iridium in NYC.

The HawtThorns - The HawtThorns are a Nashville based duo that are reimagining their universe in their latest recording adventures. The sun-kissed songwriting, deft guitar work and lush vocal harmonies that have been at the core of their sound are exponentially magnified through the lens of their upcoming record, Zero Gravity. This duo creates an interstellar superhighway through the constellations of Americana, Alt-Country and Rock’n’Roll.

Opener: Mike Herz - Mike Herz writes songs that feel both sharply observed and deeply personal — full of crooked humor, emotional grit, and lines that linger long after the music stops. Raised in northwest New Jersey, he has spent years carrying those songs across the country, playing everywhere from respected folk festivals to dimly lit bars where nobody asked for originals. His songwriting has been recognized by the New Jersey Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Alongside his solo work, Herz fronts the indie rock band Part-Time Custodian, performing throughout the tri-state area and beyond. His latest EP Fine Stories explores modern disconnection, uncertain love, and the search for meaning and human connection in an increasingly distracted world.

Billy Hector - In what has become a long standing tradition, Billy Hector and his band are returning to the Sparta Summer Concert Series. Whether Billy Hector is teasing you with his sultry slidework, picking through delta blues or flat-out cranking it up and crunching out the electric blues/rock on his beloved vintage Fender Stratocaster, his music reflects the true soul and origins of the blues; always passionate, engaging and dedicated to making the audience move and sweat. Having honed his chops and style through three decades of performances, Hector is critically recognized as one of the hottest and most interesting guitarist/songwriters on the original circuit and has even been called “A New Jersey state treasure” by music writers.

Opener: Johnny Charles - Johnny Charles has taken his blues guitar on the road from Syracuse to Memphis, and all points in between. Johnny has shared the bill with blues greats such as B.B. King, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Vaughn, Anson Funderburgh, Ronnie Earl and many more. For his recording projects, Johnny has worked with Danny Gatton, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and more. He is an exceptions blues artist that takes his own sound and unique style into new and exciting blues horizons.