Recently, actually a number of times in the past few weeks I have heard or read people bemoaning the supposed fact that there is nothing good to hear on the radio. I have to wonder just what it is that they are listening to that would spark such a comment. Every year around this time beginning with SXSW in Austin, Texas and running through the end of the festival season around late September, a group of friends, myself included go on what seems almost to be a feeding frenzy hunting for new music, ah yes the hunt is on.  Just in the last few weeks I have gotten new music from Glass Hammer, The Como Brothers Band, Salem Hill, Richie Furay and a number of others. I am still waiting for projects to come in the mail from Rayvon Pettis, SHEL and Rachel Taylor, waiting rather eagerly I might add. Road trips are planned in the next few weeks to see Glass Hammer, Burlap To Cashmere and Melanie Penn. Spring has finally come to the New York metropolitan area after a bitter winter that just seemed like it did not want to let go. Road trips are a necessity that at 65 plus years old I still look forward to especially if there is good music, good food and good friends to be involved. Might I also suggest a few books that are on my Spring reading list, check out the following titles:
"Bigger On The Inside, Christianity & Doctor Who" on Square Halo books by Ned Bustard & Glen Thornbury.
"The Gifted" by Matthew Dickerson is the first volume in a new fantasy trilogy.
"Dark Bride" by Jonathan Ryan is the second in his horror series, the first book was great.
"Rumours Of Glory" a spiritual memoir by Canadian artist Bruce Cockburn, one of my favorite songwriters.
You might also want to subscribe to "Image Journal" an arts quarterly out of Seattle, always a thought provoking read.

Just last week I read the announcements that NY radio DJ's Vin Scelsa of WFUV and Pat St. John od WCBS fm were retiring from radio. I am sorry to see both of these excellent broadcasters leave but it has instilled in me a desire to make my show "Rock N Soul Gospel" a better show than ever before. It is a challenge that I fully accept!!! Included in this entry are 2 videos for you to check out!!!

Last night was the last concert in the Stoop Concert Series a series which I helped co-found seven years ago. I have been thinking about the magic of music quite a bit the last week or so, I mean I always think about music, it's part of who I am. This last week though has been different. A number of players from my youth passed away this week, guys like Andy Fraser from the band Free, Kenny Gorka of The Critters & Michael Brown of The Left Banke. These men helped define the sound of the '60's and though I only met Kenny through his ownership of The Bitter End in New York City I loved and respected them one and all. This week Eric Clapton also announced that he would celebrate hos 70th birthday with a concert at Madison Square Garden, in all honestly I would rather see one of my local indie artists play in the Rockwood Music Hall with an audience of friends than sit with an audience of tens of thousands of strangers. When I sit up at the radio station I don't want to just sit there and string together a show of the latest and greatest cool hit tunes. I have no interest in that whatsoever, What I do want to paint a sonic tapestry that will touch people in the depths of  their souls each time I slip a CD into the player. If I am not touching my listeners in deep places then I am just wasting my time and theirs. The same goes true as far as I'm concerned with concerts, we have all seen bands and artists who you can just tell are going through the motions, I want to see artists that have a hunger to produce great art and still have that fire in their bellies. That's where it's at!!! A friend of mine Susan Enan said it best a few years ago when she penned at tune called "Bring On The Wonder". I want to bring people into a world of wonder with each radio show, if I can do that I'll be a happy camper The two videos connected to this blog bring me to a place of wonder, I hope you feel the same.

This past Saturday evening my radio show "Rock N Soul Gospel" celebrated 33&1/3 years on the air at WCWP radio, the station connected with LIU Post. We held a free concert featuring the music of Jesse Tomsko at the facilities of Beacon Church in East Williston on Long Island. Much thanks needs to go out to Chris Coats, the pastor of creative arts, for his invaluable assistance in putting this gig together. As I look back on the 33 plus years that I have done this particular show it has been a long sometimes frustrating road. I chose not to concentrate on playing what was at the time and is now the typical contemporary Christian artists otherwise the show would have sounded like every other Christian rock show out there. I chose rather to feature only what I considered the best music being played by artists who held to a biblical worldview, at least in my opinion. Over the years I have been rewarded by coming in contact with some of the best music that has ever been recorded, again in my opinion. Artists and bands such as Mark Heard, Jeff Johnson, Terry Scott Taylor, Iona, Glass Hammer, Jim Trick, Rachel Taylor, Courtney Reid and oh so many more have provided me and my listeners with some absolutely amazing music over the years. Starting about fifteen years ago I was introduced to a number of New York City based artists thanks to the members of two bands, Stickman Jones & Mother Kirk and the trickle down effect continues on to this day. Dusty Brown, The Gregory Brothers, Monica Allison, Phoebe Lyng, Melanie Penn, Jesse Tomsko and others are putting out some of the best music I have ever heard. I recently turned 65 years old and I find the older I get the more of an artistic and media snob I am becoming. I have this apparently strange idea that artists, whether they be in the field of music, film, literature, poetry, painting or whatever, who claim to be in a unique relationship with the Master Creator should be providing the world with the most impressive art imaginable. Yet I find far too many Christians are more than willing to accept subpar art simply because someone connects the name Jesus to it. It my firm commitment as long as I am doing this radio show to only play top quality music for my listeners to enjoy. The videos accompanying this blog are but two examples of the amazing music that is out there. By the way "Rock N Soul Gospel" can be heard every Friday at 9pm and Sunday at 5pm NY time at 88.1fm & WCWP.org, check it out!!!

The Fretful Porcupine is a duo comprised of Kevin Gosa and Jake Armerding some improvisational music at its best

For a little over 33 years I have been hosting a radio program on 88.1fm & WCWP.org called "Rock N Soul Gospel". The show started off as, for lack of a better term, your typical Christian rock radio show. Over the years though I have mostly lost interest in what most people would consider "CCM", I find it for the most part boring and lacking in creativity. I guess you could say that I don't believe in Christian music. I am on the other hand a major fan of art, whether that be music, literature, poetry, film or dance created by artists who hold to a traditional Christian worldview. I find it to be some of the most inventive and stimulating art being created today. Since I am involved in the radio end of the spectrum most of the comments although not all will be focused on music. I will share some somewhat cynical thoughts on the subject of music and art created by folks who claim to be in a unique relationship with the Master Creator. I will share videos by some of the artists who I have a great deal of respect for as well as recommendations for books, films and tunes that have spiked my attention. Just remember that these are the thoughts and ramblings of an over 65 years old media geek. All of that being said, other than the church, I firmly believe that art in its various forms is one of the primary ways to understand the truth and beauty of God and His creation. Check out this video by the band Iona for an example of great art in the form of music.