A FEW COMMENTS AND UPDATES

My thanks for all the calls today with answers to Traditions Trivia questions (and glad you will receive some great CDs) and also for the nice comments---and 3 callers did ask an interesting question---was the show live and if so how come I was not at the N E R F A shindig. An answer in a moment.
First an answer to the Traditions Trivia queries--

1) The Steel Drum piece was Shake Shake Sonora ---which a listener got. Big hit for Belafonte years back. This was by Bob Lyons in Florida and just on the Pan. Check the Playlist

2) El Shadai---It is another Hebrew name for God as promulgated by certain groups. For more information you can search the web, call St. Thomas Aquinas college (in Rockland County) or listen to some great Pan music from an Evangelical group called El Shadai.

3) Mickey Katz---yes, to those who called and did not believe it, he is the father of Joel Gray.

My apologies for the short times on the phone---2 hands, one brain, and lots to do---OY I need a producer so badly. That is an inside joke.

For more information on today's program do check the playlist by clicking above.

Finally, to answer, as best I can the queries---well, 3, in fact, about N E R F A and me. Sounds like a song title===NERFA and Me. Would be a sad one, I suppose. So let me give you an honest and still a general answer.

I had attended for many years and---this is the honest part--each year they asked for volunteers for judging (among other things). Each year they told me that they had people from this area. This is the "being frank" part---they took offense to some blog comments and created a bit of a "to-do" to put it mildly. Given that and also given the economics of it---an expensive few days where the talent pays (who can ill afford it) and some of the attendees in media and presenting don't (who can afford it) I found that I can be just as effective with the submissions via mail, internet, and other media for talent as I could be there. My playlists will attest to that. Further honesty---aside from the philosophical differences I find it a little rich for my blood to pay the freight to attend something that I feel I can accomplish without attending. That said, I will admit to missing the camaraderie of old acquaintances and to not being the in the financial position to shell out the dollars for this weekend---when I know others do not.

Best now to check the playlist. Some great new material there and some great old material as well---and, also, do not forget to see, if you are in the NYC area, Theodore Bikel in his one man show. If you are in NJ don't forget 12/6 The Capitol Steps in Morristown at the Mayo Center.