A Blast From The Past---and a Concert Update.

Prior to his most untimely death Harry Chapin was working on a musical (1981).   The Gospel set in Atlanta, GA with the terrific title---Cotton Patch Gospel.   The book and story were the creation of Tom Key (who also starred in it) and Russell Treyz and the music was all by Harry Chapin.

The very brief synopsis is that is is the Gospels  of Matthew and John set in the rural South of Georgia---hence, Cotton Patch Gospel.   Leaving the story aside for the moment---and as a critic noted---an under appreciated gem that ranks with Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell---let us focus on the music that Harry Chapin created for this.   The music is memorable and brilliant and a far cry from his more well known works---which, I add, should be better known (aside from the 2 or 3 "hits").

In truth I first heard the song back in 1984 when I was producing some benefit concerts for a local library in Rockland County, New York and Tom Chapin was our headlined.  He invited Scott Ainslie (an original cast member and the lead singer then) to join him on the stage to perform the piece---and tell the story of the musical. Besides myself  I have to admit that it blew the entire audience away. 

It is too long to go into here but suffice it to say that the music in that production ---in addition to Jubilation---is a brilliant piece of work.  It is revived in many local productions, it can be performed with a small or a large cast,  and the music and story lend themselves to some great interpretations .  An example;  I will be featuring Scott Ainslie (from the original cast album)  on my SUNDAY SIMCHA program on WFDU on August 8 and also on TRADITIONS that same day.   It is amazingly non-sectarian and yet makes some wonderful points.

This all leads me up to a mention of an event that will be happening on August 9 and I am happy to say that Judith Zweiman has accepted my suggestion to perform JUBILATION as her piece for the 6th Annual "Wild About Harry" program at Eisenhower Park in Hempstead, NY.   It promises to be a great evening of great Harry Chapin music with some truly impressive artists.  Price of admission---some food for the LI food pantries.   Get there early because it is justifiably well attended event and my sincere plaudits to Stuart Marcus for organizing and keeping this event going year after year.

While all the music will be of major moment let say that Judith Zweiman covers a wide gamut of genres and I have played her Jewish material on SUNDAY SIMCHA, her Sea Shanties on TRADITIONS, but she does some amazing Gospel music as was witnessed last year by the attendees at the Wild About Harry Program---Harry Chapin's take on Gospel.   You will not want to miss her take on JUBILATION

While the original cast is not available on video Tom Chapin and an original cast member--the amazing and talented Michael Mark---are. 

JUBILATION

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

 The weekly tip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon :

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)      Why would news outlets make a point of talking about how certain individuals (BP Exec) are not getting golden parachutes since a pension of over one million a year and a payout of the rest of his contract ( another few million) when the average reader/listener makes less than $75,000/per annum and has to pay exorbitant medical insurance costs (among other things)?  Hard to believe that empathy or even comprehension of this outrage is expected.

2)      The line between Madoff machinations and the legal corporate compensation for failure is a really thin one. 

3)        I always wanted to be a “Mad Man” back in that time and now I doubt I would have handled the changes very well.  Though I did have a great idea for the premiums for the radio offers for the kid’s programs between 5-6 PM.

4)      Does anyone recall when you tested tubes and did not have the instant gratification the internet world and solid state world gives us?  Patience is a virtue; it is said.

5)      Amazingly a sandwich at The Meadowlands race-track costs over $15.00, hot dogs not much less---Yankee Stadium and Shea (CitiPark) ditto, pretzels $7.00 .  For a bargain and some good food for reasonable prices try the Cyclones Ball Park in Bklyn.  Better yet---eat before you go---if you must go.

6)      Allan Sherman had it right when speaking (singing) of high price Kosher sandwiches---“...you better be able to see the pastrami coming through the rye”.

7)       It is amazing to realize that some films that are my favorites are anywhere from 10-50 years old now---and one that I had never seen but recently saw the DVD version of the 1934 film---Here Comes Tomorrow.  Just brilliant.

8)      If you love Harry Chapin’s work and you also want to help the food pantries in Long Island you might want to go to the free concert on Aug. 9 at Eisenhower Park (Hempstead NY).  Put together by Stuart Marcus the price of admission is some canned food for the pantries---the name of the concert---Just Wild About Harry.

THURSDAY --Annother Edition of....

A flip of the fedora, as always, to Jimmy Cannon :

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)            First it’s drought then its huge drenching and windy storms.  Whatever happened to moderation in the moderate climate?

2)            The NY Times reported that many children of high-powered friends of Mayor Bloomberg have gotten summer internships in the NYC Government.  Why am I not surprised?   Why am I not surprised that most people in public (and non-public) office would do the same---as did Mr. Giuliani.

3)            It seems to me that the last truly idealistic mayor in NYC was the much demeaned John Lindsay.

4)            Eric Bogle had it right in his “ Silly Slang Song”===”...do you remember when gay meant happy---oh what we have done to the mother tongue”.

5)            It is pretty rare these days to find doctors that still have real people answering a phone, have a positive personal relationship with you.  I am blessed with two of them.  Even more so since they are so good at what they do.

6)            I recall the halcyon days when people looked up and ahead of themselves and not down at their hands while they “twittered” or some such activity.  But, I suppose, back in the days of Socrates some bemoaned the invention of scrolls because it might prevent us from oral discourse.

7)            Some questions arise regarding the new play about Bernie Madoff (Imagining Madoff):

a.    Why a moral tale about a scoundrel?

b.    Why involve Elie Weisel in this fiasco? (He threatened to sue---and that ends his part in it)

c.   If Elie Weisel truly lost everything in the Madoff fiasco how does he still make ends meet and also retain attorneys?

d.   Shakespeare wrote plays dealing with morality and this seems to be nothing more than a tabloid sensational about a plain old criminal.  (I have not seen the play—and will not).

e.   Don’t plan on seeing it since it is “postponed”---read---cancelled.  If only Bernie were cancelled prior to his shenanigans---and the participation of the get rich quickers that he conned.

8)            TV is biblical in many ways.  Think of this ---Leave It To Beaver begat All In The Family which begat Married With Children which begat The Simpsons and that begat the brilliant envelope pushing outrageous (and funny) Family Guy.

9)            You have to love the car commercials and all the great things they can do---from driving up to mountain tops and fording great waters and traversing deserts.  How come they never show how they can handle traffic jams on The Cross Bronx Expressway or the various bridges and tunnels?   Better they should promote the CD players that can relax you in your overpowered portable palace.

10)      Sarah Palin is now an author, TV personality, Speaker, and one who never mentions that her idealism is for sale for very large bucks.  Amazing how she has become so “knowledgeable” and “informed”  so quickly.  Chris Smither’s song about Harry Truman was right on---

11)      So many people have tattoos these days it got me to thinking that if you have a DNR order in place and an emergency strikes with no next of kin around (with the documentation) what about a tattoo of it on your butt (or as the Brits say—Bottom)?

12)      TV in the summer is only good if you want to see the trash that was on the networks previously---BUT---Cable has some great  new alternatives one of the best starts its 4^th season this Sunday.  Mad Men

     

13)            Here is a good riposte for someone you find irritating when he says----
”What is your opinion—I value it?”    “No you don’t—you just want to tell me yours and I care not a whit about it”.  OK-- true story. Everything I learned from Dale Carnegie was a gem.

An Event Update and A Few Musical Comments

Starting with a few musical comments.   Harry Chapin is known for a number of songs ---just as Tom Paxton is known for some songs that no person realizes he wrote.  Harry Chapin is known, of course, for Taxi, Cats In The Cradle and for the real believers a few others.  For the true aficionados there are more.  So many more.   Yet there is one song which seems to have eluded many since it was written for a musical he composed and was not on any of his recordings---only on the original cast album  In fact, if memory serves, it was on his trip into the city to work on the show that the fatal crash occurred.   Cotton Patch Gospel was the show and it is still being performed by various school and amateur groups around the country.

Jesus in Atlanta and the Gospel told in those terms---musical terms is the basis of the show.   Some great music in it and one song  in particular has always grabbed me and it is, of course, on the original cast recording (you might find it on the Harry Chapin website).  I speak of "Jubilation" which was performed by Scott Ainslie in the original cast and who came many moons ago to our local library benefit program and at Tom Chapin's request joined him in doing the song---here is Tom Chapin doing it with the brilliant Michael Mark (I have not video of Scot Ainslie)



There are many other great songs in that show and if you can find the recording it is truly something to cherish---Harry Chapin as a Bway Musical Creator with a terrific show.

Which brings me to the events update---AUGUST 9. The annual Harry Chapin night at Eisenhower Park in Long Island (around 7:30). It is a very well attended Free concert (just bring some food for the local food banks---the price of admission---you know of Harry Chapin's cause about Hunger) and of the many performers there that evening Judith Zweiman has taken me up on the suggestion of doing "Jubilation"-=--she can do many things but Gospel is something she excels at and last year she blew the house (well, there is no house there) away. Hope to see you there.

One last item---and you will hear more of it on TRADITIONS this coming Sunday. Pete Seeger and a new CD produced by David Bernz and Danny Einbender called "Tomorrow's Children" (Appleseed Recordings). There is a great story behind this and how it came to be---you will hear it on TRADITIONS this coming Sunday along with some of the tracks from this most meaningful and important piece of work.

SInce we cannot give the store away---here is the cover of the CD which contains some wonderful liner notes by David Bernz---carrying on the tradition of Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and so many more. He is, as you probably know, one of the founders of Work O The Weavers----for that alone I add---bless that man.

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)      A simple rule for electronic work on your audio items---it is like sex.  For every “in” there is and “out”.   Thanks to a Cablevision rep for that bit of knowledge.

2)      The P A announcer of the NY Yankees died at age 99 and I am still wondering why all the fuss---a long, full life and he was a P A announcer---not a commentator of note.  Coincidently Geo. Steinbrenner passed on too.  This will allow him to keep hearing the announcements at whatever locale they will be residing in. 

            The NY Times had it right---while the tabloids focused on the sensational they editorialized—correctly---he was not the owner we wanted but perhaps the owner that was deserved.

3)      The new CD that Appleseed recordings has released featuring Pete Seeger (and many others of note) with children of the Beacon Schools area (note I did not say district---read the liner notes to find out why----or listen to my next broadcast) is just a marvel---plaudits to David Bernz and Dan Einbender for their production.

4)      Since we were speaking of children one has to wonder why people in NYC have to go into “hock” to move into areas where they feel their is a good public school (and the zones are not guaranteed) when there was a time when ALL the schools were first rate.

5)      Perhaps there is a trade-off---suburban living and good schools (in general) or NYC living and children with more self sufficiency and a few very prestigious high schools.

6)      The best things in life are free but I bet you cannot make people who buy $150.00 (or 10x that) seats to a stadium concert believe that---they are sure that is the best thing in life.   Live Nation agrees.

7)      Tennis is not really an elitist sport anymore.  You realize that when you attend a major league baseball game and want a drink or food---after the ticket price.

8)      The more I re-visit older recordings by topical singers (Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Malvina Reynolds, Ernie Marrs, etc;) the more I see how prescient they were and are.

9)      I can really empathize with Woody Allen’s Danny Rose and his relationship to former clients.  

10)                    Tuli Kupferberg died and a lot less note was made of it than of “The Boss” and “The Announcer”---surely there is a happy medium known as moderation in things.  At least Kupferberg will be memorialized (briefly) on WFDU’s TRADITIONS---not so the others.

11)                     Does “big” mean better?   Perhaps it was a bubble but smaller homes in the 1950s and 1960’s and reasonably affordable apartments combined with an easier life style until McMansions came along and forget about keeping up the “Jones”—they have to be surpassed---at all costs.   The builders are smart---and they are not named Jones.

12)                    Having read about the tragic events in Gaza and a human interest sidelight I have to ask—given the sidelight---why a woman, 28 years of age, (and, of course, dear unemployed hubby) have 8 children.  Hubby needs work---he is much too busy at home.  Sympathy not needed.

THURSDAY and Another Edition Of.....

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)         I have not seen the Shakespeare in The Park version of Merchant of Venice but the film with Al Pacino as Shylock was, to me, brilliant.   This must be awesome---a nuanced and tortured Shylock rather than the cartoon figure of Anti-Semitic lore from previous incarnations.

2)         Lebron James has not yet made a decision where he will make his fortune---should we really care?

3)         Gout is supposed to be the disease of the rich and the very expensive foods they eat. So how come I have the disease and not the positive parts?

4)         Does anyone remember when a presidential candidate lost credibility if he (there no ‘she’s then) was divorced? Now we take seriously sleazy folks like the Palins and her upstanding family.

5)         Little Italy in the Bronx is slowly becoming Little Mexico and it just shows us all the evolution of NYC.  It is all to the good as time moves on and life changes---I will, however, still miss Calavolpe Brothers Bakery---well, I have missed it for some 15 years now.  You had to love the Pastachiotti and the espresso.

6)         Has anyone here ever wondered why you can find out the most interesting artifacts about people, places, and things in the NY Times and find nothing but **** in the last remaining alleged newspapers in NY?

7)         Since everyone seems to be “texting” these days it would seem appropriate for people at a dinner table to “text” each other rather than converse.  After all, they text others so why not the dinner companions since conversation seems to be a lost art.

8)         I would not ban smoking on public beaches since the price in NYC is now some $11.00 a pack it is a good place to kick the habit after finishing last of the smokes and walking into the waves ala A Star Is Born.

9)         Andrew Cuomo just announced that he found people “gaming” the pension system with overtime in the last year or so of employment to receive pensions---some over $100,000.  Gee—there is a surprise---try looking at the suburban police forces who retire from a fairly risk free environment by gaming their systems with even more---paid for by the home owners who can ill afford the tax burden.

10)   Do you remember when people had 7” B/W TV sets with 7 channels?   Then came hundreds of High Def channels on super size flat screens.  So, I have to wonder what the intrigue is in watching TV on a 3” (or less) cell phone screen?  Considering the nothingness that is offered on TV NPR might well be a better choice.  You do not need a screen.   As to “Nothingness”—The Fugs have a very good definition of it in one of their songs  “Nothing”

11)   The World Cup is almost over and while I cannot truly understand it being called “the world’s game” it surely is closer than the U S constant barrage of terms like---World Series, World Championship, etc—for things that are only germane to the U S.   Just last evening I heard a commentator on a TV Special about Baseball claim that “it” was the only real and pure game in the world.   Bottom line---all honest games are pure and meaningful and Xenophobia is not a very positive thing 

       to witness.