Some Upcoming Appearances and A Few Other Bits of Minutae

Some items for the various programs:

SUNDAY SIMCHA: As you all know Purim is just around the corner and we shall meet you with our "gregers" in hand and with some festive music. The big news is what is planned for PASSOVER .

The cover of a CD you see on the left is a must have in your collection and is put out by, to me, the record company that, in my opinion, is one of the rare entities that still releases meaningful material and not just the "pop" and commercial material.

On Sunday Simcha I am happy to say that I will be joined by three of the main artists that have put this together---Kim and Reggie Harris along with Rabbi Jonathon Kligler. We will devote the entire hour to this greatly anticipated and timely visit. It will be recorded at Rabbi Kligler's Congregation in Woodstock, NY and will cover music (from the CD) as well as a discussion of the common bonds all people have in this world. Be they Jewish, African-American, or of any ethnicity or religion. Passover seems a most appropriate time to present this program and we are honored to have these sincere, talented, and insightful people join the program for this program.

TRADITIONS: Some great programs in the offing now that Ron and I have gotten past the much needed fund raising efforts at WFDU to keep this eclectic programming on the air. Eclectic programming you will find nowhere else on the radio dial. That is not a mere BS statement---think about it. Dial around.

We plan to air our Traditions Showcase from NERFA and more material recorded there in March. In April Deborah Holland will be joining me in the studio. She is touring in this area at the time and we will recall her last visit to

the program
We will also play and talk about her newest CD and reminisce about some of her wonderful past works---The Panic is On, The Book of Survival, and her newest CD " Bad Girl Once---Good Girl Now".

Also---some live music in the studio from this greatly talented person.

AND NOW THE MINUTAE FOR SOME HUMOR --OR AS MONTY PYTHON SAYS---Something completely different:

Nice old Jewish Grandmother takes the little boychick to the beach and a huge wave washes him away. She looks to the heavens and pleads that she has been a pious and devout woman all her life---Why oh Why should this happen---please send him back to me.

Another huge wave delivers him safe and sound to the beach. After much hugging and kissing Jewish Grandmother looks to the heavens again--"...he had a hat".

Moving on: Man walks into a bar and says that he can identify any wine served to him while blindfolded and let us make wagers. The patrons and barkeep agree---1st one: Chateau Rothschild 1925---perfect. Next: Coppola 1992--excellent. This goes on until one of the inebriated pees into a glass and the hand it to Mr. Expert---he sips and says ---Ech! Urine. Yes---but by who and when?

If you have any jokes (PG rated) to share please use the e mail addresses for either program or post them as comments here.

And let us never forget the 3 musical notes that go into a bar---G flat, B flat, and A flat. They are thrown out because this bar does not serve minors.

Some Random Non-Musical to Musical Thoughts

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This is a "blog" as we all know. For those who wonder what does "blog" mean---it came from the expression------web log. Say it fast and you get the idea.

Which brings me to the whole idea of "blogging" and reality. There are ones such as this that serve a purpose of informing a community of kindred spirits about items of interest to them and also giving the group ---and we are a community--information that is something they want. Playlists for the various radio programs I do, updates on events pertaining to them, and such.

Then there are the "blogs" that purport to be "news". While it is true that reportage via newspapers, magazines, and "air" media can be suspect one has also to say that there is a hierarchy there that has to be answered to. For the most part things are checked and double-checked. "Blogs" are a different animal. Everyone has his or her own news outlet now. Each "blogger" reports the news---their version of it. Double checking---confirmations---hey, why bother it is my "blog" and I know what I am talking about. Sexual proclivities. Sure, post your thoughts. Movie Critics. Sure, post your expert opinion (and state it as fact).

My point to all this is that this "magic lantern" known as the Internet has opened something---like Pandora's Box--that cannot be closed. While it has created "community" it has also put us into the position of not knowing what is true or what is just rumor or gossip--or just "virtual".

It is true that all things evolve. From the early days of radio to TV to Internet. Going further back---letters, cards, and then telegrams.

My point to all this is that all these innovations--call it progress---has also created less "reality". We no longer can tell what is fact and what is fiction. When a photo is "adjusted", when it is not. What happened to "...the camera never lies". It does thanks to digitization. In all honesty--it did with "air brushing"---but that was fairly noticeable.

A "blog" giving information to a unique community is one thing.
Bloggers" who present themselves as reporters are a whole different issue. While we cannot stop or censor we can, at least, be skeptical and questioning. Or we can just creat a "blog" for a community we are involved in---music, literature, arts, etc; and comment, discuss, and present events.

As to the picture on top. That is me not giving news just presenting some music and some honest comments about the artists.

I did say there were some musical thoughts to this as well. That has to do with some material that has been arriving and I felt that might be something of interest---

There is a wonderful CD presenting Hank Williams At The Grand Ole Opry. Where, by the way, he was not a welcome presence rather rapidly. It is put out on the Mercury label http://www.mercurynashville.com/ Some great tracks with intros by Red Foley and routines (that have not aged well) by Minnie Pearl.

One last thought about one of the longest running programs anywhere--Grand Ole Opry (though TV has changed it, certainly). A film from the 1940s--Mrs. Wiggs of The Cabbage Patch---it starred Fay Bainter (if you wanted a tear jerker you hired her). I was quite young and never forgot it---farm family, poor, big night out---Grand Ole Opry--farm burns down while there---tragic. That's the film. The basis of so many country songs and there emblazoned in celluloid. Not tape.