Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

Many music fans are looking forward to the return of   Record Store   Day   on the 18th of April. That includes the folks at  Rhino , offering their most eclectic collection yet. One option is  Van Halen Live in New Haven, CT 1986 . It features  Sammy Hagar  and will be the first time the concert is available on vinyl.  Also previously unreleased are outtakes of  The Doors '  When the   Music's Over . This is part of a transparent turquoise disc called  Strange Days 1967: A Work in Progress, Part 2  (the first portion came out last year). Other  Rhino  offerings include greatest and acoustic hits from  The   Cure ;  John Prine 's  BBC  radio performances; and rarities from  The   Stranglers --not to mention releases from  Madonna, Foreigner, Motorhead, Paramore, Steely Dan, Stone Temple Pilots, Joni Mitchell , and  Third Eye Blind . Visit ...

Cities like New York are full of pedestrians and vehicles. But there are areas of tranquility, too, according to   Nicole Kelner .  Her new guide, featuring paintings and hand-drawn maps, includes rooftop farms and waterfall parks. It is called  Quietest   Places   in New York City: Finding Calm & Peace   in Urban Chaos , and will be discussed tomorrow evening at  the  Rizzoli Bookstore  in Manhattan.  Nicole, who will be signing copies of her book, says the greenest spaces often tend to be the quietest.  The publisher is  Rizzoli , which is coming out with more Big Apple recommendations in September.  New York Curious: An Illustrated   Guide to the City  is written by  Elisabetta Cirillo . The artist is  Monica  Lovati .  Among the subjects are street art, flea markets, comedy clubs, and offbeat theaters.

A new art book features works with titles like Mona Latte and Full of Beans . It's called the Coffee Table Art Book , and some pieces are actually made with coffee. One fellow celebrates the brew and Cape Cod: Nicholas Heaney,  with his  Coffee By The Sea . Another, Steve Munro 's Red Classic Pro , salutes the espresso machine. Debbie Mueller , meanwhile, pays homage to two of her great loves. Coffee With Hopper depicts a steaming cup next to Gas , one of her favorite Edward Hopper paintings.  Each contributor (65 were selected from hundreds of submissions) shares the inspiration behind their piece, along with a brief biography and their go-to coffee order.  Click on  https://www. coffeetableartbook.com/ portfolio-2 to meet the artists. 

The 2026 list of   Rock and Roll Hall of Fame   nominees has been unveiled. There are seventeen, and some have previously been considered. They are  Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Oasis, Sade, Mariah Carey, Joy   Division/New Order , and the  Black Crowes . Phil Collins  is among the first-time contenders. That's as a solo artist since he was inducted in 2010 as a member of  Genesis . The others who have been cited for the first time are  Wu-Tang Clan ,  Lauryn Hill, Luther Vandross, Shakira, Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge, Pink, New Edition , and  INXS . To vote, fans are invited to visit  https://rockhall.com .

Neil Sedaka   died yesterday after a brief hospital stay. His high school girlfriend,  Carole King , was inspired by him, as was  Boy George. Micky Dolenz  said he was that rare songwriter ''who could do it all,'' while  Darlene Love  and  Pat Boone  wrote that their colleague's music would last forever.  In addition to his own material, Sedaka composed hits for other entertainers such as  Connie Francis  ( Stupid Cupid ) and  Captain  &  Tennille  ( Love Will Keep Us Together ).  Dave Davies , who was shocked to learn about the piano player, offered condolences to the family. This includes Neil's wife  Leba . They were married in 1962. Just three days before his passing, Sedaka teased the upcoming streaming debut (in April) of his 1976 album,  Steppin' Out .  Visit  https://neilsedaka.com  for more about the singer.

Adam Hook   has been producing paintings and illustrations of the natural world for a long time. He told the  Art and Music Guide : ''I have a passion for and desire that these beautiful creatures and their environment should be better protected.'' One of his recent projects is called  Whale: The Illustrated Biography .  ''Although I have never seen a whale, I would clearly like to, and hope I captured their character.'' The well-known blue, killer, sperm, and humpback are in the book, as are their smaller and more elusive cousins. Here's a sample: https://press.princeton.edu/ books/hardcover/9780691273211/ whale?srsltid=AfmBOorZnnIHF- A1nLXK6_mHpzRFLiQQ7u6e5g0Bbp- f9THyHuuwVYOF . Wyland  is another artist who is fascinated by sea life. That includes turtles and sharks. He recently made a lucite sculpture of a humpback whale, aiming to showcase the animal's power and grace. He also has a line of apparel, and much of his work is sold for a good ca...