March 9, 2008 A Few of My Favorite Things
Every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 on WCOM radio, out of Carrboro, NC, I feature the sounds of NC jazz musicians. I love playing their music but even more, I love having the current players in the studio with me playing live on my show. You can call into the show to talk about jazz or make a request at 919 929-9601. WCOM is webstreamed thanks to Paul Jones and ibiblio. Thanks, Paul, for helping to give WCOM's 100 watts of wonder a worldwide voice.

We had a tremendous sadness in Chapel Hill over the violent death of the UNC Student Body President, Eve Carson. On my show, I talked about her short but promising and giving life and the tragedy of her murder. I am feeling so sad, along with the whole community, over her senseless murder, and now the added tragedy of the two young men who were arrested and if convicted can expect to spend the rest of their lives behind bars, at best. Eve's father delivered an inspiring and amazingly hopeful message at Eve's burial. Surely we can all hope that the young minds and hearts of youth leaders, like Eve, will find solutions to the probing challenges of our country and world. The message is a beautiful love message in honor and memory from father to child/daughter. May she not be forgotten and may people find joy and inspiration in remembering her life.

Playlist -

• Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
• Jamuna (lived Chatham Co., NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
• Harry Pickens (Hillsborough, NC Artist in Residency); I'll be Seeing You CD; We'll be Together Again
• Andrzy Jagodzinski's Trio from Poland; Prelude in E Minor
• Harry Pickens; Passionate Ballads CD; The Nearness of You
• Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; Two of a Mind
• Robert Trowers (lives and works in Durham, NC), Al Grey, Slide Hampton, & Fred Wesley; Point of View CD; The End of a Love Affair, featuring the four trombone players!
• Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; All The Things You Are
• Baron Tymas (works in Durham, NC); Blues for the Tribe CD; Stone Flower
• Nina Simone; Love Songs CD; Suzanne by Leonard Cohen
• Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Once I Loved
• UNC Jazz Band; From One to Another CD; Softly as a Morning Sunrise
• Spyro Gyra; Modern Jazz & Songs of the Beatles CD: In My Life
• Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
• Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Why? The King of Love is Dead
• Gabriel Pelli (lives Chapel Hill, NC area); Europa Jazz CD; Black Orpheus
• Madeleine Peyroux; Careless Love CD; Dance Me to the End of Love
• John Brown (works in Durham, NC); Terms of Art CD: Children of the Night
• Brother Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Plays Yusuf CD; A Hymn for Us All
• Charlie Haden/Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Wade in the Water
• Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC) Trio; Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
  

My son, Will, continues to blog for the NY Times about teaching on the Westside of Chicago and the conditions in the lives of his students, their school, and in the community. He posted a recent blog about how hard it is to teach and yet what keeps him, and other teachers, going is the piece of joy found in his students - each day. The blog consists of a beautiful series of collages of pictures taken by Will of his students. Will is blogging at the invitation of Nicholas Kristof, columnist for the NY Times.

Please share my blog and the blog of my son with people you believe would be interested in the topics we are writing about.

March 2, 2008 From Funk to Classical
Having recently gone to the Maceo Parker concert at Duke, I was inspired to share his music on my show. I ended up dividing my two-hour show into two parts - Funky on the front side and toward the classical side of jazz in the second half. Maceo Parker is from Kinston, NC and is one of NC's finest. See the YouTube video of Maceo and his band performing - What's Going On.

Playlist -
Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Maceo Parker (b. Kinston, NC); Roots & Grooves CD; Georgia on My Mind
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Everyday I Have the Blues
Maceo Parker; Roots & Grooves; To Be Or Not to Be & Hit the Road Jack
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Waiting at the Station & Cha Dooky-Do
Ray Charles; You Don't Know Me
Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis; Genius Loves Company CD; Over the Rainbow
Maceo Parker; Southern Exposure CD; Keep on Marching
Lou Donaldson (b. Badin, NC); Alligator Bogaloo CD & song
Robert Trowers (lives Durham, NC) & Al Grey; Point of View CD; Spleep Bop
Andrezij Jagodzinski Trio; Prelude in E Minor
Sarah Bolen (from Chapel Hill, NC); Naked on the Inside CD; Tangarines
Charles Lloyd; Lift Every Voice CD; Lift Every Voice & What's Going On
Keith Jarrett; The Melody At Night CD; Blame it on my Youth
Paulo Lopez (lives Chapel Hill, NC); Brazilian Soul CD; So Queroum Xodo

I was joined in the studio this evening by my good friends Ann and Carl Evans, in town from Bethel, Alaska, and their daughter Deanna. Ann and Carl shared stories on the air of some of their health work in the smallest villages in N Alaska and the flights in and out of such remote sites.

At dinner at my home, earlier in the evening, the Chapel Hill-raised peformer, Sarah Bolin joined us and shared some of her music played live in my home. Sarah is a talented singer, song-writer, and guitar player. I played a song from her CD on my show.

February 24, 2008 3rd Anniversary Show
I was thrilled to celebrate my 3rd Anniversary Show of being a WCOM dj by having friends join me in the studio for a great fun party - where we danced and enjoyed the music provided by the Latin dance group, Saludos Compay. The band is made up of the following members - Pablo Valencia on vocals and guitar; Erich Lieth on keyboard and vocals; Chuck Nolan on percussion; and Jay Miller on sax. They are working on a CD and played music live in the studio and then I played some of their songs already recorded for the CD. They are a great Chapel Hill-based group, who play in clubs and at parties across the Triangle Area. Stay tuned for their new CD.

Playlist for show -
El Manicero
Moliendo Café
Pintate Los Labios
Bello Amor*
Chan Chan
Cielito Lindo
Saludos Compay
La Herida*
Entumido*
Lagrimas Negras
Donde Pongo El Sombrero*
Que Bueno Baila Usted
*original songs

I thank Saludos Compay for making my party such a fun time. I'm looking forward to another great year. I thank Erin for helping to take pictures; Heather for making the cake; Julie for the pink piggie cupcakes; Molly for the cookies; and Meg for helping to host the party.

February 10, 2008 When Cousins Marry
I took a stretch from my normal focus on jazz, to include friends in the studio to promote their newly released CD, Shotgun Wedding. The group, When Cousins Marry, are talented musicians with a wacky sense of humor - and their songs, all written by members of the band, reflect their humor and unusual viewpoint. So if you're looking for a fun, funny, and entertaining evening of music, be sure to check them out. They played their music live in the studio while I also played songs from their new CD.

The group is based out of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area and have played together for over 25 years. They all reminded me of the really funny guys from middle school - and that is definitely a compliment, not an insult. The group consists of Tom Cole on trombone, percussion, harmonica and vocals; Charles Blackburn on guitar and vocals; Jimmy Dickerson on bass, guitar, and vocals; Steve Esthimer on guitar, cornet and vocals; and Spence Foscue on drums, vocals, and congas.

Playlist -

• Shotgun Wedding
• Just Like NY City
• SOS - Same Ole Stuff
• One More Night
• Quiero Mas Dinero
• Another LEvel
• Night to Remember

After the band left, I played -

• Maceo Parker (b. Kinston, NC); Roots & Goove CD; You Don't Know Me
• Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; That's All
• Maceo Parker; Roots and Groove CD; Georgia On My Mind
• Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong; Ella & Louie CD; Moonlight in Vermont
• Coleman Hawkins; The Best of Coleman Hawkins CD; Since I Fell For You
• Billie Holiday: Greatest Hits CD; Them There Eyes
• Maceo Parker: Roots & Groove CD; Uptown Up
• Bill Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Fell to be Free

My son, Will, continues to post in the New York Times about teaching on the Westside of Chicago in the Austin Community. His latest blog posting, "They School", pulls on the themes raised in the song, They School, by Dead Prez.