(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Heart is Jason Didner's love letter to a city that refused to quit — and to the musicians, misfits, and believers who kept the beat going. Drawing on the sounds, stories, and personalities that transformed Asbury Park from a place of decay into an unlikely worldwide music destination, the album spans punk, soul, reggae, and heartland rock in the spirit of the Jersey Shore scene itself: eclectic, unguarded, and alive.
From the act of breaching a railroad crossing that had divided the town's musical culture, to the turbulent inner world behind Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, to the basement punk bands who blew up the Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Heart finds the human stories inside the legend. It also looks outward — to a beloved offbeat radio station in nearby Eatontown, to the pure joy of still rocking when real life piles up, to a reggae-soaked afternoon on the beach that inspired a new take on a Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes classic.
For the first time, Jason Didner stepped fully out from behind the solo recording mode and into a true band collaboration — with drummer Leah Fox anchoring nearly every track, and a cast of duet partners including Jon Caspi, ROSTAFA, Diego Allessandro, Carol Lester, and Kevin McGowan turning songs into conversations. Asbury Heart is the sound of community — the same force that built the scene it celebrates.
The release concert is set for Porta in Asbury Park on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 6:30pm. The show is open to all ages. Tickets are $10 and available for purchase online. Porta is located at 911 Kingsley Street in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Several of Jason's album collaborators will perform their duets with Jason at the event. The location is historically significant, since it’s where Clarence Clemons first sat in with Bruce Springsteen when it was called the Student Prince.
Jason Didner is a Montclair, New Jersey-based rock singer/songwriter and bandleader, best known for his comical original song “You Can’t Get There from Here in Jersey,” which enjoyed airplay on NPR’s “Car Talk” program. A more recent recording of it was included in Asbury Park Press’ 10 best songs of 2022. The following year, Jason opened for Willie Nile at Montclair’s Outpost in the Burbs concert series. Jason plays in and around Asbury Park as often as he plays near his north Jersey hometown.
