Today is December 30th, 2019 and I just back from seeing the newest Star Wars film, it's a good popcorn movie. 2019 has at least in my opinion been a fantastic year for the arts. In the area of music, film, literature and media in general it has indeed been a very good year. With new music from Phil Madeira, Inhaler, multiple releases from Phil Keaggy, Bruce Cockburn, Ricky Berger, Glass Hammer, Dave Brons and others I have been thrilled with the music that I have been able to share with those who choose to listen to the radio show. There have been a number of conferences sponsored by the Eastern Orthodox Church on writings falling within the realm of fantasy and science fiction. It seems that while art created within the Western Church is catering to the lowest common taste, the Eastern Church is under going a resurgence in the arts, not only in the liturgical vein but also art in general. I am so very much looking forward to sharing great music and being exposed to great art over the course of the next decade with all of you. The radio show as always can be heard on Friday night at 9 and Sunday night at 8, NY time 88.1fm & WCWP.org. Happy new decade to one and all!!!

Coming up on October 14th, that's Columbus Day evening, Rock N Soul Gospel will be emceeing our 38th anniversary rock n roll spectacular at My Father's Place in Roslyn, Long Island. There will be two band playing that night: IZZ and Kinetic Element. Both bands have new albums out which they will be playing cuts from that evening. Tickets are available through MyFathersPlace.com, be sure to get yours while they are still available. Recently I was listening to a podcast and the host stated that the only songs that you will hear on the radio are the hits. I don't know what he has been listening to but I have to wholeheartedly disagree. Having worked for the past 38 years on a public radio station I find that my main concern is far from playing the hits, I want to play the absolute best music that I can find. When I first started the show, being a Christian, I made a vow to God that I would honor Him through the excellence of what I played on the show if He would give the show some longevity. In my mind I was thinking of maybe if I was lucky it might go for five years. Well, here we are thirty eight years later and still going strong. I still strive every program that I do to keep the commitment that I made all those years ago. There are times when I am absolutely overwhelmed by the excellence of the music that I get to share twice a week with whoever chooses to listen. We can be heard world wide every Friday at 9pm and Sunday at 8pm, those are NY times, at 88.1fm & WCWP.org. Be sure to check it out and on Columbus day be there or be L7!!!

We are approaching the middle of July and it has been one hot Summer. The only thing hotter than the temperature outside is the music that I have had the privilege of playing on "Rock N Soul Gospel" on 88.1fm & WCWP.org. The Summer always holds the chance to see some great live shows and this season is no different. This September holds out the hope to see some shows from Kerosene Halo as well as "Paul & Dave's Excellent Adventure" hitting the states featuring music from Paul Bielatowicz and Dave Bainbridge. I have also been playing some new tunes from artists such as Charlie Peacock, Sam Ashworth, Inhaler, Luxury and Delta Spirit. Although I won't be making the trek up to Soulfest this Summer, they will have music featuring Jim Trick, Maeve, The Violet Burning and my old friend Phil Keaggy. A few months ago I got a chance to see Phil along with Tony Levin & Jerry Marotta at a club in upstate New York. To say that they tore the place down is a complete understatement, they rocked that joint. "Rock N Soul Gospel" is getting ready to enter its 39th year on WCWP radio and I am more than ever committed to playing the absolute best rock n roll on the radio. You guys, generically speaking of course, deserve nothing less. Be sure to check us out every Friday night from 9 till 11 and Sunday night from 8 until midnight. You'll be glad you did!!!

It is the third day of June and I am thinking back on some of the new music that I have gotten for the radio show these past months and am continually amazed at the quality and excellence of the product I have received. Such albums as "Crickets" by Phil Madeira, "Sanctum" by Frank VanEssen, "All A Shimmer" by Cindertalk, "The Bucketlist" by Phil Keaggy, Tony Levin & Jerry Marotta, "Fire" by Gregorian Rock are just a few of the examples of music that I have the privilege of sharing with the listeners of "Rock N Soul Gospel" every week on 88.1fm & WCWP.org. It is so very important to me to only share the absolute very best music that I can find to turn you guys, generically speaking of course, on to. And without sounding too cocky, I believe that I am doing just that and I promise to keep on doing just that. The older that I get the more I am convinced that I just don't have the time or desire to indulge in second rate art of any kind and unfortunately so many people are willing to settle for inferior art whether it be music, film, literature or other forms of artistic expression. I just don't get it as to why people, especially those who claim to be Christians, are so very more than willing to accept inferior art or in so many cases just outright bad propaganda. Each and every week I look forward to getting back into Studio 2 at WCWP to crank out the best rock n roll on the radio and I will continue to do so as long as I am physically able or as long as my boss will put up with this cranky old fart. Check out some of the amazing music in the clips below.

Today is Thursday March 21st the first official full day of Spring and as usual on Long Island it is overcast and rainy. Oh well, at least for this year Winter is a thing of the past. I spent a part of last week in Pennsylvania visiting my favorite bookstore "Hearts And Minds" in Dallastown, Pa. This is so much more than a mere bookstore, it is a sacred space and a place of magic and wondrous beauty. I picked up a copy of the new album from Over The Rhine as well as a book entitled "Every Moment Holy" from Rabbit Room Press, a book of prayers and liturgies for various moments in life with excellent drawings from my friend Ned Bustard. It has reminded me to look for the holy and sacred in the everyday things in life. And though the food in Pennsylvania is an absolute disaster for a diabetic, it is just so amazingly delicious, especially the buttered noodles found almost everywhere in Lancaster County. Also got a chance to see a concert with Mike Roe, Kerosene Halo & The Choir at a local church. Imagine, that a church that actually brings in acts that are producing great art instead of insipid propaganda, who could have imagined such a thing happening. It doesn't happen on Long Island where they think that what K-Love is doing is actually good. When the bands appeared at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, earlier that week only 20 people showed up that is just not right. Considering that NYC is the entertainment capitol of the world for that to happen is down right deplorable. At one point in time the Church was the prime instigator of all the great art in the western world, unfortunately that time has long since past and it is a true shame. When recently my friend Jae Jin appeared on the tv show "The Voice, not one judge turned to see who this amazing artist was. It just goes to show once again what an absolute joke that the shows of this type truly are. The judges wouldn't know great talent if it came up and bit them in the ass. Oh well, enough venting SXSW has come and gone so the festival season is upon us. There are good shows to be seen and heard, coming up in NYC next month are gigs from Over The Rhine, The Last Bison  and Leigh Nash. Indeed I am going to be a happy camper soon enough.

There is a sense of magic in the air, a sense of wonder and beauty. A feeling of the greatness of art and the satisfaction of being in a world where such beauty and wonder exists. It is still the beginning of February and the midst of winter but my mind is filled with the joy that comes from being exposed to great and wondrous music. So far this year I have gotten a number of new albums from artists that I love and have the privilege of sharing with the listeners of "Rock N Soul Gospel". Albums like "Cappadocia" by Jeff Johnson & Phil Keaggy, "The Bucket List" by Phil Keaggy, Tony Levin & Jerry Marotta, "Catch The Boom" by TNT Duo, "Sanctum" by Frank Van Essen. Others include, "Custodians Of Beauty" by Christian Frederickson, " Restless" by Steve Lawson & Pete Fraser and "The Waking Hours" by Matthew Perryman Jones. Every time I sit down behind the console in studio 2 of 88.1fm & WCWP.org. I get not just to do a good rock n roll radio show but I get to create a sonic tapestry that I hope will touch the hearts , minds and souls of listeners across the world. With new albums coming up in the near future from The Red Dirt Boys, Phil Madeira, Over The Rhine and others, 2019 looks toward being a spectacular year for good music all around.