Pianist/singer Ben Folds [ tickets ], who plans to offer up his sophomore solo album this summer, first sets out on a spring tour of college campuses.

Folds, who will perform solo on piano during the outing, kicks off the run on April 2, and dates so far run into early May. More shows will be added to the itinerary, according to Epic Records.

During the run, Folds will preview material from his yet-untitled, upcoming album; he has not yet announced a release date for the set.

Though Folds hasn't issued a new, full-length studio set since 2001's "Rockin' the Suburbs," he offered up two new EPs last year: "Speed Graphic" and "Sunny 16." He also turns up on "The Bens"--a self-titled EP featuring Folds, Ben Lee and Ben Kweller--which surfaced in January. Detailed information about all three EPs is posted at Folds' website.

In 2002, Folds released "Ben Folds Live," an album that he recorded during his inaugural, 2002 solo tour. The set's 17 tracks were culled from a number of different stops on the run.

"The shows felt pretty special from the onset--I had never done a solo piano tour before--so we quickly mobilized eight tracks of portable recording equipment and recorded nearly every show," Folds said in a statement.

Folds is the former leader of Ben Folds Five; the pop group released five albums before breaking up in the fall of 2000.