THHURSDAY---Another Edition of....

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)      I know now why a network does not carry a NY Gubernatorial debate.  They spend more well spent time covering mental hospitals.

2)      The debate in NY by the Gubernatorial candidates had not much more substance than viewing Family Guy or some such program.  Viewing or listening to a repartee between Groucho and Chico is more rewarding.

3)      Fyvush Finkel is “Shepping Naches”  on this opening evening with his sons at the Baruch PAC in NYC for Folksbiene in a Revue.   His sons are brilliant musicians and Ian played Rumania on the xylophone---you have never heard Rumania until you hear him do it.   The supporting cast of 2 seemed like 20---the runs only until 11/7---DO NOT MISS!

4)      Looking at some old You Tube videos  of old programs one has to wonder what happened to intelligent conversation on TV that Steve Allen, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar and others gave us.  Now we have hype and “shtick” from the likes of Leno (a disaster) , Letterman (all about him) and 2d rate wannabes

5)      What a delight to find that there are candidates that stand above a crowd of, basically, morons.  It makes one wonder when they opened the asylum doors or gave GEDs to nincompoops---you know the ones to whom I refer.  NY1 put them all on display---15 minutes of fame and all that---15 minutes too long.

6)      Discovery Channel has a program called  Cash/Cabs (something like that)---does that mean that Discovery has discovered simpletons and village idiots?

7)      It’s a strange world when people are out of work and have a hard time paying a mortgage but the real hardships are defined by the financially hard pressed FOX network and Cablevision.

8)      Fyvush Finkel had too many jokes to remember but one does stand out---he is the waiter in the sketch (At Cafe Crown) .  Female Diner:   Waiter this napkin is filthy. 

   Waiter:   You are picky---the last 5 people didn’t complain

   Husband---just give us a check

            (receives check and leaves tip—10 cents)

   Waiter:  What a tip----do you come into an inheritance?

                                               

                              

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)         Some more time is getting to be needed to keep Traditions able to keep adding features like Comedy Corner, Story Songs, The Thrills of The Hills—The Best in The West---The Tops in Pops (well, nostalgia), and keep those wonderful guests coming.  But, given the financial situation of your host in this type of employment best we leave it where it is.  Volunteerism is great so why don’t those great believers in causes that are on radio/tv volunteer?  Or when they make speeches at their own rallies?  

2)         Didn’t you hate that mini-essay and diatribe?  Truth will out though.

3)         I am always wondering why people post things on Facebook that are either too personal, too nonsensical (gee, the trees in my back yard have changed color) or their personal health issues (tough bowel movement and dental appointments that are painful).  Perhaps people should only join virtual communities like this where they have something in common professionally and discuss it----of course people with troubling bowel movements and dental issues should find each other.

4)         Great article on Yahoo News about a couple who paid down and 88,000 dollar credit card debt---think if this---the interest was probably 50% of that figure---and let us never forget the banks urge people to pay off their mortgages (no matter what) while they walk away from debt, receive bail-outs, and now stop foreclosures because they screwed the mortgagees.  So---know what--- do to the credit card companies what they do to you.   That’s the golden rule, folks.

5)         Has anyone figured out yet why the Credit Card Companies (Citi—was the first) are incorporated where they are?   There is a great book on the subject and it explains how they then got to charge rates that define the word “usury”.

6)         It’s always a treat when you rummage through an old photo album and see friends and relatives in earlier days.  Too bad the coming generations are not going to be able to do that on a whim since everything seems to be on some hard drive or disc somewhere in cyberspace.

7)          John Lennon’s 90^th and it is a delight to see 91 year old Pete Seeger involved in a commemoration---BUT---Give Peace A Chance is a great anthem and I suppose this shows us that music does not change basic human nature since there are more wars and more hatred than ever.  At least Adolf was only one hater that everyone agreed upon.

8)         I surely hope those in this NY NJ area will be at The Acoustic Cafe (Park Ridge, NJ) on Sat. evening to see some great talents---Buskin & Batteau  and great opening performer for this festive and insightful evening---Chris Brown.   As to “insightful”  ---I am certain that the politically influential Mr. Buskin will regale us with his new song about Don’t Ask Don’t  Tell---and he never does and Mr. Batteau will not be far behind in such goings on---and Chris Brown is a late discovery for me and it is my loss I knew not earlier of him---but his introduction will be appropriate for the great talent I recently discovered.  My fault for not “discovering” it sooner----hope to see you there and let us share a piece of cake---I cannot afford to buy the whole slice but I am germ free. It will be OK---I spoke to the ghost of Dr. Lister.

9)          If you ever wonder where so many great clichés come from just read Polonius’ farewell speech to his son in Hamlet as he leaves for England.  Remember---to thine own self be true, neither borrower or a lender be, brevity is the soul of wit---Henny Youngman sure got that right.  

10)    Why do people say—“...you have to count your blessings”?   Just enjoy them. Counting the amount never works out and then you are also assuming some great being bestowed them on you and then find others got bestowed more and you are once again pissed off.

                                

Some Program Updates & A Few Random Thoughts

As to program updates I have to tell you that we are getting kind of overwhelmed with features and hope that I can still squeeze them all in along with the "well deserved to be listened to" new material.  You know we have the "Story Songs", "The Thrills of The Hills, The Best in The West, and The Tops in Pops", and now some requests have come in to do a "Comedy Corner" in the same style that is done on SUNDAY SIMCHA; albeit with a different focus----and, as the biblical saying goes---yea and verily and other such commentaries from the sages and Midrash---It Shall Be Done.    Thanks to the likes of people like Roy Zimmerman (video will be seen below), Modern Man, David Buskin, John Forster and many more they will join the pantheon of wit for TRADITIONS.

To remind you of October 17 ---and wit and talent---Rob Carlson will be joining me in the studio for a live bit of his wit and wisdom and, of course, his music.

To remind you of October 10---FYVUSH FINKEL joins me on Sunday Simcha as he shows me why he is a star and I am not---his wit and timing prove it as you will hear that day---a delightful man who will be appearing at age 88 in a new production (Revue) with his sons at the Baruch PAC in NYC.  An honor and a delight to have him join us.

To remind you of October--any day----brush your teeth and call your mother. She misses you.  Your father---Ver Vaist (Who Knows).

A few random thoughts now---

     1) Can you think of any radio station besides WFDU that has an eclectic mix and allows the hosts to present whatever they will---AND--are knowledgeable in their formats?
     2) How many roads must a man walk down before he realizes that Phil Ochs was every bit the talent and writer that Dylan is?
    3)  Why do so many great talents leave us so early---Kate Wolf, Eva Cassidy, Nancy Lamott (not folk), Fred Neil, and many more?   Is it a re affirmation of--The good die young---fill in the rest.
   4)  Terrible tragedy of those nincompoop firemen in Tennessee allowing a house to burn down for lack of a $75 fee (which was offered--times much more).  First off---I hope the family had their insurance paid up because the insurance company will surely &*&&^ them if not./  Secondly---what were the firemen thinking---they are late to go and try to marry some cousin?   The word Yahoo comes to mind---or one that starts with A and ends with E----this should be a question on Jeopordy.

Now the wit and wisdom you will soon find on TRADITIONS:

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)      Liberal and Right Wing zealots’ spokespeople are all so very firm in their views and yet none of them ever espouse them without getting a high fee.   Seems like they  are in agreement in that one thing and you have to wonder how serious they are about what they, allegedly, espouse.

2)      We are so much more attuned---perhaps too much---to children’s supposed psychological needs that, sometimes, just some ordinary development might be all that is needed.  Best not to overdiagnose but be observant.

3)      The new book about George Washington certainly makes one realize that people and issues are not that much different these days.  The only think one has to wonder about is how, with all the dissension, we got to the powerful position we are in.

4)      But now I wonder why I believed “TRUE” comics in the WW2 years---people eating bananas to bulk up to get into the Service and other patriotic legends that never mentioned---as through history---those who avoided and profited.  Best to see All My Sons—Arthur Miller got it right.

5)      Why are many Psychologists and Social Workers so opinionated when one would think they would be listening and suggesting?

6)      Carl Paladino brings new meaning to the word diplomat.  I believe it is “heavy handed gutter rat”. Hey, whatever one needs to survive Buffalo winters.

7)      I am still amazed how many people do not know of Gertrude Berg---even the Biography channel has an upcoming program on the start of Sit-Coms---I Love Lucy---guess what preceded her and was the start---yep---you got it if you listened to Sunday Simcha a while back and checked this blog.

8)      Our next meeting will be in larger quarters since that phone booth is getting crowded now with the newer viewers. Do you think Zuckerberg had these problems?   Perhaps the local bus stop.

9)      Roy Zimmerman , satirist, performer, and founder of The Foremen has a wonderful new piece that comments on today’s great and burning issue---

    10)  Everything goes full circle.  In the early days of radio people wanted to know how far the signal reached and now in the days of the world wide web (www. Whatever you like) on interactive sites you, many times, ask the other person where they are located.   Smoke signals of an earlier day  were easier to ascertain---you could not see further than the horizon and a lot depended on the wind.

                                                 

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)         Since Israel voluntarily pulled out of Gaza some time back and Egypt , at that time, sealed its borders with Gaza and then rockets from there rained down on Israel I have to wonder how Israel became “the heavy” in this situation.

2)         Netanyahu should take a page out of Nixon’s book.  A “hard liner” can make the compromising and needed agreements just as Nixon was able to recognize China.

3)         How do you “recognize” a nation?  Probably some telltale markings such as birthmarks or scars.  Pete Seeger has it right---English is a crazy language.

4)         I am looking forward to October 16 and seeing (and MCing) Buskin and Batteau at the Acoustic Cafe in Park Ridge, NJ

5)         Fyvush Finkel is appearing in NYC at the Baruch PAC from October 17-Mid November and will be my guest on SUNDAY SIMCHA October 10^th.

6)         I am glad to see that the creator of “Homicide—Life On The Street” (among other things) got a MacArthur award----reinforces how I felt about that program.

7)         If the world is really shrinking due to all the new technologies such as Facebook, Air travel, instant communication and such---will it finally shrink and totally disappear?

8)         How is it that some artists always recall where they got their first exposure and others just comment on the places that are more influential but neglected them until they had a following from the aforementioned?  

            ( Adding a personal note---Mary Gauthier is now a “star” and is on a major tour with Nanci Griffith and still mentions her exposure on WFDU and on TRADITIONS with me in 1999.  Kate Campbell, Pat Wictor, Buskin & Batteau among others also come to mind.   You have to appreciate that kindness and loyalty).

9)         The NERFA get together will soon be upon us in November and I have to honestly say that I will miss seeing old friends and acquaintances there but I no longer attend for myriad reasons---some personal and some financial (honest note here).  I do believe the personal does outweigh the financial---unfortunately.  I wish all (well, most of you—save 2) a wonderful event and am glad I will be seeing and hearing you all at various times.

10)   Sadly we lost many great talents at a young age---Kate Wolf, Phil Ochs, Steve Goodman, and ever so many more come to mind.  If you ever want an hour dedicated to them on TRADITIONS just let me know---not morbid fascination just a thought to memorialize great talent that could have given us so much more---and you may also make your requests for other artists---say, Fred Neil, and others.

                                 

A FEW MUSICAL MOMENTS AND COMMENTS

Let us start with a brilliant---and I do mean brilliant---new CD from Ken Whiteley who is ably abetted by some great artists in this wonderful work.  Artists   such as Kim & Reggie Harris, Maria Muldaur, Guy Davis, and a lot more---you know ---the famous many others.   The CD's title is "ANOTHER DAY'S JOURNEY" which means that Ken Whiteley has some damned interesting journeys.  

As I said on TRADITIONS last week---this is an album (I hope that term does not become archaic) you want to hear from beginning to end  since each track just grabs you and you want more.  Since it was so hard to select the few pieces to air I went with Another Day's Journey, Butterfly, and I Want To Live So God Can Use Me.  Trust me---I would have played the rest since this CD is so good and the artists on it are truly ones you do not want to stop hearing.   Meaningful Music and Meaningful People.  Probably the best description.   Ken Whiteley comes to us from Canada and is on Borealis Records.   Here is a brief bit of his work---nothing similar to what you will hear on this CD:




Not really what this CD is about---but, perhaps, in a way it is when you hear the Kim/Reggie Harris tracks; but it does show the talent and charisma of Ken Whiteley.

Moving on to another artist that I have been featuring and who's performances / recordings I have long admired. Let me start by saying that his guitar playing is truly almost amateurish but give his voice and his stage presence one has to take notice. I did. TED HAWKINS

There is a lot to say about Ted Hawkins but, briefly,he sang on the boardwalk at Venice Beach in California, he did move to France and England for a time and did some recording there. In fact he was a well received performer with a large following in those places. For whatever reasons he had he came back to California and went back to , basically, busking on the beach. Even there a few recordings were made of his unique voice and song interpretations---and he did compose some of his own (which can be found on a few recordings including More Songs From Venice Beach). His UK recordings are quite rare and there is a wonderful VH tape of a documentary about him that is hard to come by.

As to his unique talent. As I mentioned previously; his guitar playing left a lot to be desired----BUT then came that voice and that rhythm. Amazing. You will find it on the albums----Happy Hour, The Next Hundred Years, The British Recordings, and a few others. I would avoid Love You Most Of All---More Songs from Venice Beach ( he does cover songs of people like Dylan and Paul Simon---not his forte). That said I have to add that on that album he is accompanied by his wife on two tracks which does make it a rarity---and those tracks are quite good.

In any case here---to me---is a sample of the Ted Hawkins I have come to love---forget the guitar work: