The Year End of Traditions

The Snow is Falling---the Wind is Howling and if I were Cole Porter I would write a song and make a fortune.  I am not he so I will just add a few thoughts to the wonderful show that my co-host Ron Olesko put together after I called him and told him of my storm dilemma.  I thank him (who lives closer) to trekking in and doing our joint annual program (and ---as on the other posting---no joints were involved===hey---repeat a joke if you think of it--they all do.

Ron has been doing this program for some  30 years now---I would have said 30 odd years but some were not really odd--and for the past 17 years we have always done a year end show together---we missed this one but Ron tried to cover for us both.  My thanks===may I say--Mille Grazie (just love saying that) to him and also to the great 3 hours he created for us all.  I was, like you, and entranced audience member.

The one thing that was not covered and we would have done that was a remembrance of people we lost this year---and may I add at this point we lost Phil Ochs years back but on Dec. 19 would have  been is 70th Birthday---John Lennon was a tragic loss--Kate Wolf was a tragic loss---Harry Chapin was a tragic loss---all at young ages and, surely, we commemorate the past and the present losses.  It is the nature of things---of, perhaps, the cycle of life,  It can sometimes be tragic and sometimes full and fruitful.  It always ends.

So to memorialize--in this new era of electronic possibilities a few videos of  people I would like to remember (Kate McGarrigle can be seen on the Playlist page and in wonderful remembrance in the NY Times Magazine of 12/26/10):








Susan Reed passed away this past year and while this video shows her in a younger day I knew her as a charming person of talent in Nyack, NY who ran a wonderful crafts shop and appeared in local concerts with such luminaries as Pete Seeger. Her history is quite interesting and worthy of investigation

The next piece is about the late Irwin Silber---the founder of Sing Out magazine (publication) and a wonderful piece of documentary and history---he passed on this year and his achievements and history should be remembered---



Let us now go back to the one person that you may all well recall and who is also posted on the Playlist page---Kate McGarrigle---

THURSDAY ---Another Edition of...............

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

    

1)     I was so glad to see so many happy people---young and old—at the Buskin & Batteau (w/ Marshall Rosenberg) concert at Orangeburg a few days ago.  The lads are fairly talented you will all agree---I am sure.

2)     Don’t you just love the fact that you can have the opportunity for a “free dinner” from Chase Bank if you have the lucky number but you cannot get them to modify a loan---or, worse, after they are bailed out they now buy tax liens with that money and dun (and increase the interest and fees) on home owners?   Ebenezer does live and was the most realistic character in Dickens novel.  By the way---Bank of America is the worst offender---and the all use screen names---not the corporate ones for those internet auctions. 

3)     The phone booth for this blog got so crowded (and some of you did not shower) last week we actually moved it into a larger area----a triple Porta Potty

4)     My cholesterol levels must have hit a new high the other day after viewing Breakfast At Tiffanys ---all that “schmaltz” to go along with the blood sugar levels from all the sweetness.  Truly a dated and “nothing special” pic.   That said---S O B is still good and truly funny---Blake Edwards in full stride.

5)     How many people feel that the next generation and those following will not know what a true Bway experience is after seeing and believing that things like Lion King, Spiderman (if it ever sees the light of day—and hopefully the injured will), or Phantom of The Opera?   Seems that a Bway experience should not be an enhanced imitation of a film but, rather, an experience to be had as true “theater” where the actors transport you and not some special effects.   It’s not film.

6)     Traditions on WFDU this Sunday will be a real---how shall I say it---“heimische” afternoon(should have used that for Sunday Simcha).  Ron Olesko and I will be together for a live year end program---no Auld Lang Syne (at least from me) but some 10 recordings of things that we really liked this year---and having to fore-go other good ones they will be posted later.   A remembrance of some of the people that left us this year and a few other items---hope you will be joining us. 

7)     If you were a Barney Miller fan you will mourn the death of Steve Landsberg---Sgt. Dietrich at age 69.

8)     A great definition of theater on NPR earlier today by a drama critic”...if you want to see a circus go to the circus but if you want an experience that will have you thinking and feeling about what you saw afterwards----that is a theater production”.

                                  

THURSDAY--Another Edition of.........

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

    

1)        The Charlie Brown “I want a dog for Christmas” episode was on the other day and it was a delight---and I am glad to see that Snoopy has evolved and matured and developed into Brian (on Family Guy).

2)        The show for Solstice at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is spectacular and I am sorry that we do not have tickets to offer our loyal listeners of Traditions on WFDU this year. 

3)        You have to wonder how this nation got to where it is given all the self interest when you hear the NPR report on the banks (under assumed—screen—names) buy up real estate tax liens with their bail out money and then dun the homeowners while adding fees and interest.   Henry F. Potter would have been proud---you fans of “holiday schmaltz” will know what I mean.

4)        Speaking of NPR, one has to admire Richard Holbrooke’s last words---and then all the spinning by the pundits.  When were words just words with no other meaning than the ones spoken?

5)        New Years celebrations are coming up and I have to wonder why so many people feel they need this forced gayety and artificial moment of memory which, as Shakespeare said on a different topic---signifies nothing.   Sometimes the comfort of a warm home can be enough---and one’s thoughts.

6)        Lots of commemorations for the untimely death of John Lennon recently.  It would have been his 70^th Birthday around this time---well, here is someone we should also recall and remember since he would have been 70 on December 19 and left us way too soon=-=-==PHIL OCHS.

7)        There are always some words that remain in your head like those a prof. at college years ago—“...invest your earnings in real estate in these 1960 dollars because they will be worth a lot more in the 1990s”.   So—how did he know that and I thought that nothing ever changes-----THEN—I see the front page RE ads in the NY Times magazine for condos---1 bedroom starting at 1.5 million.  That is why he was a prof.

8)        Here are some words to live by that appealed to me more---from a long departed aunt who also had some published medical monographs---“...reach outside your own circle to find an answer you are not sure of...”

9)        Have any of you sharing this virtual phone booth not showered today?

10)  I find that most people call the radio program(s) to mention errors---that is good.  Lets me know they are out there and the choir being preached to is alert----great comment from my guest Si Kahn===”.. My father was a Rabbi and he never preached to a Lutheran Choir but he did preach to his choir and if many people do that in an inclusive way we are all home free.”

                                                

THURSDAY and Another Edition of...............

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

    

1)        I was truly saddened by the news of Elizabeth Edwards (nee Anania---probably a better way of recalling her) who survived a long battle with cancer and a marriage with class until the end of both.

2)        It’s just wonderful that there are people who can honestly say when being told of some bad acts by others----“.. it’s over and move on now since they are not going away and neither are we.  Tolerance is a word that comes to mind---with great effort.

3)        I am always delighted, honored---and truly surprised at my good fortune---to have met and engaged in conversation and friendship (with many) with so many people because of TRADITIONS & SUNDAY SIMCHA.

4)        Facebook was a stroke of genius to its creator and a truly misleading thing to those who think they really made “friends”.   “Sounding Boards”, “Customers”, and “Targets for Ads” would be a better term.

5)        Advertising has changed from the days of “Mad Men”---a whole new and abbreviated way of communicating.  Some truly technically and electronically creative and yet not literarily creative.   The  question is would the real BBDOs(Batten Barton Durstine Osborne), Y&Ms(Young & Rubicam), O&M (Ogilvy and Mather), DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach) haver rolled with it or just their initials since they are long gone and we now live with a world of initials.  As Shakespeare said –“...full of sound and fury signifying---NOTHING”.

6)        If TV is a “ wasteland” as Newton Minnow once, so famously said, it has truly changed----into  a “barren desert”.  That applies to the “networks”—Cable is getting more creative---and, ecologically important given all their re-cycling---of older material that had some merit when the networks were still a “wasteland”.

7)    The seat countdown for the Buskin & Batteau (with Marshall Rosenberg) is shrinking rapidly---only 20 left at this writing---and they are FREE.  Best to call 845 359-2244 so see if you can still find a place to park your fanny for this event.

8)   NYC is really cracking down on unpaid parking tickets so a helpful  hint and I am not Heloise----plead not guilty via mail and you will either be fined 50% less that billed or--if you can back up your story--have it dismissed.

                                                   

WE DIGRESS---

When Interview (late night TV) did have something to say---intelligently----



Take your choice---whatever you like---they are all good. Just like today's are note---by the way---The Cavett interview is interesting because he puts Johnny Carson into perspective vis a vis his popularity and his own audience. So true.

THURSDAY---Another Edition Of........

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

    

1)  It does make one wonder if this might better be posted on the Playlist page---after all nothing is secret anymore when it comes to “views” in this internet age and that is where the views are..

2)    The Playlist page has some interesting new entries and some videos of some truly wonderful artists that it has been my honor and privilege to either play or interview.

3)    Does the season give you same feeling it does me?

4)    Since we have Christmas, Hannukah (or any way you want to spell it) and, lately, Kwanzaa has anyone ever thought this is the religious and PC way of inclusion for all?  Religion has nothing to do with it---just another way of showing tolerance when, in fact, religions divides people. 

5)    Stan Freburg had it right----his comment in the comedy album about the U S A (you could have heard it on Traditions/WFDU) about the Thanksgiving feast and “...tolerating an Indian today”.

6)    It is time to stop with reality since this is the “feel good time of year” and negativity makes it the “feel bad time of year” for retailers who truly feel some holy spirit moving them---I think it is called Mammon.

7)    December 19 would have been Phil Ochs 70 Birthday---we all remember and mourn John Lennon on what would have been his 70^th---try to recall a talented rebel who cared about our society and was as much a musical royal as anyone.  If there is a Phil Ochs song night in your area don’t miss it---they happen many times and in many places and I am happy to say I was there when they began when his sister, Sonny, created it all.

8)    In thinking of Hannukah I think of the Macabees and their other name---Hasmoneans—frankly, a great sound for a song.  Beats Macabees by a Hasmonean mile.

9)    My daughter makes great “latkes”---and she does the most amazing dishes for most holidays.  I do like her latkes because they have just the right amount of oil to last me for 8 days.

10)                      Either I have overstayed my welcome in “life” or I damage retail businesses. A partial list of stores I really liked or, at least, patronized---Lafayette Electronics,  Circuit City, Alexanders (ok—I did not like it), Gimbels, The Automat, and I won’t even mention Jack & Dora’s Candy Store (who’s lamppost I and friends helped stay upright by leaning on them many evenings).  All gone!