WCWP radio studio's have been on lock down since mid-March due to the  pandemic, luckily though thanks to the help of Dan Cox I have been able to keep the radio show alive recording from a home studio. Without trying to sound to cocky I believe the show has never sounded better and my enthusiasm for it is at an all time high. Lately I have been reading a number of books on creativity as well as listening to various podcasts such as Amon Sul and True Tunes. Also the you tube visits with Malcolm Guite to his library are veritable life savers.

These have helped give me the shot in the arm that I need when a certain amount of cabin fever begins to creep in. When I was doing the show out of the station I would usually bring along maybe sixty or seventy albums with me to have a good choice so that the show would not sound stale or repetitive. Now that I am recording in my home studio that choice is greatly expanded, so the show sounds better and better each time I open up the microphone. Now don't get me wrong I really miss the interaction with the other DJ's each week, I also miss wandering around the lower east side of NYC and going to the various clubs like the Rockwood Music Hall or the Mercury Lounge and seeing the kids that I play on the radio doing their thing live. Over all though I am one happy camper and although online concerts are not the same as a real live gig they will have to suffice for now. By the way for those of you who have an artistic bent be sure to check out the Hutchmoot Homebound conference coming up in October. In just a tad under two more months "Rock N Soul Gospel will be entering its 40th year on 88.1fm WCWP. The show can be heard every Friday from 9 till 11pm NY time and Sundays from 8pm until 10pm on WCWP.org, those are NY time by the way. As always it is my firm commitment to whoever listens that I will play the very best rock n roll on the radio.

Back in mid-March Long Island University closed its campus due to the covid 19 virus. It also closed down the studios of 88.1fm & WCWP.org, Luckily I had enough back logged programs to tide me over until I was, with major help from my station manager and long time friend Dan Cox, able to set up a home studio to continue to produce new shows. Now I am able to record programs with material from a vast music library at hand. I would usually bring up about 100 CD's to the station, now I have much more of a song choice to work with. Since the home studio has been in effect I feel like I have been given a new thrust of creativity and the shows are better then they ever were before. In just a little over three months the show will enter its 40th year on the air at WCWP and it is my intention now more than ever to play and to share with my listeners the absolute best rock n roll on the radio. How could I possibly do otherwise, actually why in the world would I want to do otherwise. With music from artists like Glass Hammer, Dave Bainbridge, Phil Madeira, Phil Keaggy, Dave Brons and others I can do just that and that is just what I intend to do. I find at my age, I'm in my seventies by the way, I have little to no tolerance for artists who claim to be Christians and yet put out 2nd and 3rd rate material and expect people to put up with it simply because the connect they name Jesus with it. Unfortunately the Western Church seems to have fallen into this mindset which is a true shame. I don't mean everyone in the Western Church has fallen into this habit but many have and it is a shame. I am also seeing that the Eastern Church is producing art not only music but literature and other forms of media of a magnificent nature. Check out Rock N Soul Gospel every Friday at 9pm & Sunday at 8pm, those are NY times by the way at 88.1fm & WCWP.org

Since for the time being Rock N Soul Gospel is playing automated shows due to the Covid-19 situation. I wanted to share some recent amazing music with you via video. Enjoy this music and we will be back live as soon as possible!!! God be with you my friends!!!

Today is the second day of March 2020, next month will be the 52nd anniversary of my very first radio show. It happened aboard the USS Long Beach CGN9 cruising around on the way to the Tonkin Gulf off the coast of Viet-Nam back in 1968. The very first song that I played was "The Supernatural" by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Peter Green on lead guitar. It was and is an amazing song which still gives me the chills every time that I hear it even today. It became the opening song for the two years that I did that program on KCGN radio, part of the armed forces radio network in Viet-Nam. Fast forward 52 years and my present radio show "Rock N Soul Gospel" is well into its 39th year on the air at 88.1fm & WCWP.org, the station of Long Island University Public Radio. My opening theme is a tune called "Check It Out" by After The Fire, a British band that was on fire back in the '80's. 39 years later I still get pumped up whenever I hear this song. "RNSG" started out as, for lack of a better term, the atypical Christian Rock show and has developed into a program of music by artists who happen to hold to a Christian world view. To be very honest I have very little interest in what passes for Christian music these days. I tend to find it contrived and boring. The worst offense I could hand my listeners would be is to play boring music, why should I waste their time and mine for that matter. Fortunately the music that I get to play every week is some of the absolute best rock n roll the I have ever heard and I am now 70 years old. Artists like Phil Madeira, Frank van Essen, Mark Lettieri, Tony Gerber & Phil Keaggy and others just continue to kick my butt every time I hear them.. For some of the best music around check out "RNSG" every Friday at 9pm and Sunday at 8pm on 88.1fm & WCWP.org

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!!!