SOME COMMENTS AND UPDATES

I have to start with TRADITIONS this past Sunday. My thanks to the truly complimentary and interested callers to the program. Perhaps it seems to be a rushed conversation at times due to not having a "producer" (inside joke) and having two hands and only one brain. That being the fact I have to say that I appreciate the input and the requests---some of which will be addressed in January. Except for the video which is presented here since I was asked for more guitar music by Junior Brown:


The woman playing guitar ---or is it guit--is his wife. Some time back I saw him open for John Prine in a show that proved to be, well, "over the top".

Aside from the nice input I have to say I am looking forward to December 27 when Ron and I will both be present to present to you---I don't share a damned thing being a real Capitalist--our favorite recordings of the past year. Not "The Best". Music is subjective and even our picks as to our favorites may not always coincide. Surely, even some will be left out that we both had hoped to include. Are they Grammy nominees--probably not. Some--maybe. It matters not since, as far as I am concerned, Grammy matter not a whit when it comes to true talent in a meaningful musical vein.

This could of course lead me into a comment I made this past Sunday regarding venues. You can pay big bucks for name performers---mainstream performers--but you can have an evening (or day) finding performers you never heard of that will grab you even more and for a fraction of the cost-----hell, as I said, you might even win a backstage pass. That was the joke----they are open to the audience.

Now, to get to SUNDAY SIMCHA . This coming Sunday I will give you a quick preview of one item and then tell you of something that touched me quite a bit. As to the preview---on Traditions I thought about this piece and felt it was appropriate for Sunday Simcha---as well as Traditions. So it was played there as well. The Capitol Steps, you all know, are a group I believe has some brilliant satirical material and I am happy that WFDU has the exclusive airings of their quarterly presentations since I arranged that. The other Public (or "community" stations) do not present them. The piece you will hear on Sunday Simcha (in Comedy Corner) will be one you also heard on Traditions----Deck The Halls With Bows To Allah. Topical, satirical, and gentle as opposed to other outlets for wit. Satire was gentler in the Tom Lehrer days but this is a true successor to that---have a peek:

The Capitol Steps and their unique brand of comedic talent that it is a delight to be able to present quarterly on WFDU.

Getting back to Sunday Simcha again. I received some requests this week and also one note I must tell you of because it was truly a delight to receive. The young---and I say "young" because she made that point---lady was delighted that she discovered The Weavers while listening to the Hannukah program. Given her age she had never heard of them. She made me realize that I do believe I have hit on the proper mix---old and new, traditional and non-traditional. My belief is that we have to open ourselves up to listening, accepting, and enjoying music from different generations. I admit to not wanting to hear or play the work of Matisyahoo and that is my fault and narrowness. Admittedly. Just as I won't play "rap" on Traditions and, yet, Woody Guthrie was the original rapper.

Playing newer versions and older versions of songs that might be considered "traditional", playing Jewish themed music, and playing newer music created by Jewish composers/ artists seems to open people up to an acceptance of things that have evolved with time. Be it music, literature, and, as always, Comedy Corner.

There is always a place to enjoy---and"kvell" ---with the Sholom Secundas but we also can enjoy the newer things---I won't say "shticks" because that is not what this is about---say something like this:



An insightful discussion into the metamorphosis of "Shtick" to comedy into a newer world---and someday I would love to give you some insights into Richard Belzer into the other participants.

The last comment on that subject is Lenny Bruce---like Richard Pryor---a person before his time ( or perhaps of his time) and not fully appreciated then.

OK---we close with a few comments:

Oral Roberts died a brief time ago---sadly at his University they were never able to play any recordings because he was so effective that when anyone touche a record the hole healed.

Hannukah is the festival of lights and as Jon Stewart, so aptly, showed on his program of 12/14 it seems the Christmas Lights beat a few small candles in that realm. Yet---I am still hoping for the Miracle Of The Oil so that my gas tank will last for eight weeks and not one.