Some Upcoming Appearances and A Few Other Bits of Minutae

Here is hoping that you will be joining me on November 18 a day full of programming on our favorite radio station---you know the Right Place on The Left Side of The Dial--way on the left---89.1 On the web as well --so that you world wide listeners can tune in.

TRADITIONS will be commemorating Thanksgiving in some surprising ways as we always do. Some brilliant new recordings have arrived in the weeks that I have not been with you and will present them and in addition my guest will be the fellow on the far left---SPOOK HANDY. He has a great new CD out there and is a wonderful artist with what so many lack today---a purpose. A purpose to make this world of ours a better place through his music and his work. Still---his music is enjoyable and involving. Stick around for him. You will love this guy. Oh---the fellow on the right---a mentor of Spook's--some kid by the name of Seeger. Hope he makes a go of it.

It is hoped that you tuned in earlier to TABLETALK. A wonderful chat with the authors of RADIO AND THE JEWS. Scroll down for more info on that.

Not to neglect SUNDAY SIMCHA if you tuned in you heard some Thanksgiving material since it is the universal holiday causing no problems for our multi ethnic and religious nation. Lets hear it for the Pilgrims. They were bigoted iin their own way---that is another topic. Thanks to blinding our eyes to that we can all enjoy it. The Turkeys are the only ones that should--had they a thinking process on our level--to abhor and try to escape this holiday. By the way, a Turkey is always presented to the President of the U S. Do you think the Turkey thinks it an honor (if he could think) or is the bird in the majority in regard to this Pres.?

You also heard a brilliant artist who I met a week ago thanks to Christine Lavin. See below for more info on Ray Jessel.

I hope you click over to THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER. Some interesting videos await and some thoughts having nothing to do with folk music---I don't even know if this had to do with that. For that best go to the fellow who wants to sit on the front porch and insists that we listen to it in its original form. After that feel free to doze off. Time moves on, culture moves on, and music moves on. We move on.

SOME ODDS AND ENDS

Have I got your attention with this picture---that is Ray Jessel. More about him in a moment.

Some news about some additions to the blog that you may have overlooked. There are some new links up on the right that will lead you to some wonderful artists. One link in particular--Rik Palieri--will really amaze you when you visit it. Give it a shot .

The videos are always being updated to let you see some current material and what shall we call the rest---say, "some blasts from the past". All three pages have videos that are representative of what that is about. Jewish material is usually on THE PLAYLISTS page, PROGRAM NOTES has most of the folk material, and THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER has the sometimes topical material. The new one on THE PLAYLISTS page is a real "blast from the past" by an artist played much on Sunday Simcha.


Now--RAY JESSEL. This past Saturday I attended a wonderful concert ---ONE MEATBALL --THE CONCERT put together by my favorite Cheerleader and Baton Twirler--

The concert was held at the beautiful Ciccone Theater on the grounds of Bergen Community College and was to be a stage version--sort of--of the album One Meatball. Featuring Christine, The Accidentals---that truly brilliant accapella group--, and my dear dear acquaintance---dare I say friend---Julie Gold. Prior to the concert I was introduced to that charming fellow pictured at the top. He was the surprise that Christine--who seems to know most people in the near universe---got to join the program as a surprise guest. The surprise guest brought down the house with his comedy songs. A former writer for variety programs such as The Smothers Bros. and more. He now is a cabaret and concert performer in the mode of Tom Lehrer, Anna Russell, Flanders and Swan, and that brilliant ilk. For the month of November he will be appearing in NYC at Don't Tell Mama. Truly a performer not to be missed.

He will, if we can work out the schedule, be my guest on TABLETALK in December. Then he returns to his roost in L A to regale those lucky laugh seekers in that happy home of the weather report that runs from Sunny Today to Sunny Today (with a breather for the forest fires---but that is a whole other topic of building homes in those areas and why do they do it).

Finally, the tale of the article in the New York Times--that eminent Gray Lady must be told.

On November 4th an article by Peter Applebome appeared commenting on the return of Don Imus. Best you read the article for yourselves.

Suffice it to say he thought it the best thing to come back to radio--AM (amplitude modulation---not mornings---though---who knows) and cited the only other thing worthwhile in this world of radio today to be (whisper this now) wfuv for its sterling presentation of music. WNYC was put in the position of being ---my words---"esoteric". WFDU---well---therein is the rub. In all honesty this station presents what can be, truly, called an eclectic and free-form mix that is missing on radio. SO---below you will see what I have sent to Mr. Applebome. To his credit he replied to my e mail and will be doing --at some time---a piece on what is, hopefully, the station you "love".

For a tower as high as the historic Armstrong tower, from which WFDU transmits, WFDU truly stays under the NY Times radar.

Whether I agree with your endorsement of Don Imus or not I have to say that there is a lot more quality radio out there than the --basically--two things you mentioned. You talked of Imus and WFUV. You seemed to negate the WNYC offerings.

Apparently you have never heard the eclectic free form radio you find on WFDU. All brought to you by experts in whatever genre they are presenting. It is a great variety.

I would be happy to sit down for an interview or have you publish this note in the paper of record since it does not see fit to even list our radio listings.

It might be noted that besides the mix of Country, Bluegrass, Folk, Blues, Jazz, and Pop the writers and artists that have been here for interviews have been myriad. Personally, I have had authors from Michael Oren (who writes for your Op Ed page) to Elizabeth Swados and Christine Lavin to Daniel Silva and Larry Hochman (Spamalot).

Thank you.

Bill Hahn

Producer/HostTraditions & Tabletalk & Sunday Simcha

WFDU 89.1 FM

Teaneck, NJ