Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-04-15
There are nights where everything lines up—artists, purpose, and community—and this Sunday in Asbury Park feels like one of those moments. Indie-rock artist and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Ana Dobken steps into a central role as both performer and music director for an All-Star Super Jam bringing together a wide-ranging cast of musicians for a cause-driven evening on the Jersey Shore.
The show takes place Sunday, April 19 at 7:00 pm at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and will benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation’s JBJ Soul Kitchen, a nonprofit community restaurant dedicated to addressing food insecurity.
The night will be hosted by legendary music photographer and musician Danny Clinch, with Dobken leading the Super Jam as music director. The lineup reflects the spirit of collaboration the event is built on, featuring Neal Francis, members of the Preservation Hall Horns (Ben Jaffe, Clint Maedgen, and Revon Andrews), Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon, Karina Rykman, and a slate of special guests set to rotate throughout the night.
This Super Jam lands just one day after the 2026 American Music Honors at the nearby Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University—an event featuring Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Dionne Warwick, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre, The Doors, and a posthumous tribute to The Band—making for a weekend that highlights both the legacy and living pulse of American music in the region.
For Dobken, the event arrives on the heels of her latest album Acceptance, a deeply personal release that showcases her range across drums, guitar, vocals, and keys. The record was co-produced by Erik Romero of The Front Bottoms and Paul Ritchie of The Parlor Mob, and features guest appearances from Rogers Stevens and Preservation Hall Jazz Band saxophonist Clint Maedgen.
Drawing from indie rock, psych, and soul influences—echoing artists like Angel Olsen, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, Beach House, boygenius, and Rayland Baxter—Acceptance traces a path of self-discovery and emotional honesty.
“Acceptance is a culmination of frustration, struggle, yearning and beauty that led me to the understanding that—whatever we are searching for, whomever’s love and approval we desire, whatever we seek on our journey—all answers come from within. From accepting and loving ourselves wholly for who we are, darkness and all.”
With Dobken steering the musical direction, Clinch guiding the evening as host, and a lineup built on chemistry and spontaneity, Sunday’s All-Star Super Jam promises more than just a night of music—it’s a gathering with purpose.
Tickets and show information are available here. ( https://www.axs.com/events/1369250/sweet-relief-benefit-tickets )
