Catherine Michaels' Night Rhythms Blog

Love and gratitude...

2010-12-14T13:08:00.009-05:00

Thank you, Westchester & the Hudson Valley (and our friends to the
north, south east & west : ) for an amazing four years! To every musician who entertained us with music, thanks for sharing your gift of song. Friend me on Facebook to stay in touch-->

Please take a moment to send some love to our troops this holiday season...

My gratitude to Steve Petrone, Tom Furci & the WHUD staff for the opportunity to be part of a station that truly serves the community. I've found a new radio home, but I will never forget the experience of getting to know you and singing along to the Night Rhythms.

May your life be filled with sunshine, may your every wish come true,

may you find the sweet fulfillment in everything you do...
Catherine

Circles...

2010-09-12T23:26:00.032-04:00

You've probably used or heard someone utter the expression, "we've come full circle." If you looked up the meaning, it would say something like: to complete a cycle of transition, returning to the point of origin. That really resonates with me right now, perhaps as much as walking up on this drumming circle a few weeks ago. The location is Wagner Park, not far from the World Trade Center site, we've referred to for nine years as 'Ground Zero.' This circle symbolic, almost a decade later, of a city and nation's resilience and suggesting that in the wake of our tragedies and differing points of view, we can gather together peacefully...with music. To all who lost a loved one on 9/11/01, a loving embrace for strength to carry on. To every brave person and dog who served at the site in the aftermath, a loving embrace of gratitude. To our uniformed Americans whose duty has been to face war as a result of the terrorist attacks, a loving embrace for your safety.

A boat may not travel in a circle, but it often returns to points we call ports. Friday night in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, we enjoyed the return of The YaYas to our studio.

Catherine Miles, Jay Mafale and Paul Silverman are as comically engaging as they are talented and we heard three tunes from their new album, Paper Boats.
I forgot my camera, but Paul (who has a way of capturing the inner beauty of people he photographs) was kind enough to bring his. : )

We heard the moving song, You Should Go, that includes the lyric that inspired the album title: 'folding up his dreams in tiny paper boats.' The Ya Yas are as accommodating as they are fun, and we heard their spin on the familiar tune We Danced Anyway...equally uplifting, and dare I say more brilliantly arranged than the original, that I love. If you heard The Ya Yas perform Third Girl from the Left, then you must be still singing it, because it's got a hopeful hook that echoes Petula Clark's Downtown.

The heart of Peekskill is where you'll find The Ya Yas this Friday, September 17th @ 8pm at the Bean Runner Cafe. (great food, warm atmosphere and the sound will be delicious!) You can also catch The Ya Yas at the Howling Wolf Family Folk Festival @ Lewisboro Park in South Salem, on Sunday, 9/19 @ 1pm or be at their CD release party, where admission includes a copy of Paper Boats, at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling on Sunday, October 24th @ 7:30pm. Find their full calendar and more music at their web home.

Two more Night Rhythms sails together...

See you on the water,
Catherine

"...wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings..."

2010-09-04T10:08:00.024-04:00

Helen in Mahopac sent the Facebook note that asks you for fifteen songs you've heard that will always stick with you. : ) Helen had a great list and it's always a challenge for me to narrow things down when it comes to music. One of the songs I left off my list is, My Favorite Things. It's a sentimental kind of song for me because we played it when I was in my high school marching band. I guess this time of year always takes me back there in my mind, and I can't believe I forgot to add the song to my list. You may agree that the list of songs that stick with you really depends on the day and your mood. : ) If you had to add to the Maria von Trapp tune, what would you include? "... music & backyards & hand-knitted things..."(hat made with wool from Flying Fingers Yarn Shop in Tarrytown)

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Curtis Schmidt, and his gathering of players known as Curtis and The Dilettantes. We listened to the song, Farewell Old Friend, from the album Tales of a Traveler.
Curtis also mentioned that he plays bass in a band called Big Pedro and you can hear their sounds @ Wicked Willy's in NYC on Wednesday, 9/22 @ 9pm. Sail over to his site for upcoming local shows and to learn more about Curtis and his recording. Be sure to browse through the gallery of photos at the site--where you can witness the beautiful collaboration of local musicians, who are an inspiration in how they support one another in music.

One of the songs on my list of fifteen is this amazing Stevie Wonder creation where he sings:

"As today I know I'm living but tomorrow
could make me the past but that I mustn't fear
For I'll know deep in my mind
The love of me I've left behind
Cause I'll be loving you always."

Always,

Catherine

"If you want a happy ending..."

2010-08-29T19:01:00.024-04:00

"...that depends, of course, on where you stop your story."

~Orson Welles

Hope the story of your summer has been like a book you don't want to end, and that you find what you need in its final chapters. Where'd the time go? It went by faster than a bunny eating a dandelion. >:-}

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, had a chat with Alexander Craig about his band Ten Feet Deep. Their self-titled album is a lyrical and musical blast.

We listened to the song Cardinal Rule from the album, and here is the new video Alexander mentioned for the song Hands Down.

If you missed Ten Feet Deep's Danbury show this weekend, they're in the line up at M.E.A.N.Y. Fest 2010 with a 9/24 set at The Delancey in NYC @ 9pm. Visit their site or space for more about the band.

This summer seems to have gone by faster than this Vivaldi movement...
Create with music,
Catherine

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines...

2010-08-22T23:02:00.026-04:00

Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes, is a British film from the 60's that begins with a history of flight. A vacation highlight and flight history lesson for me was visiting the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome recently. It's the kind of experience that takes you back in time with an entertaining air show and museum. If you're inclined to go for a biplane ride, it's a stunning view soaring over the Hudson Valley in one of these...

You can be part of the show and go for a ride in vintage wheels and check out the collection of barnstorming beauties!
Friday night in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, Susan Kane shared her songs and the inspiration for writing them.

We heard The Tale of Missus, from her amazing album Highway Bouquet.

Susan played a new song, Meryem Ana, that she wrote about her recent visit to Turkey and a place she felt moved by. We also heard my favorite song from Highway Bouquet, an uplifting celebration in Ring the Bells. Susan has an upcoming show at Urban H2O in Yonkers on Saturday, 10/16 @ 7pm with KJ Denhert and Lara Herscovitch sharing the stage. Keep an eye on Susan's site for dates and an ear there to hear more music from both of her albums.

Everybody's talking about the departure of summer...this will be a hard one to say farewell to...

Change, sing, soar...

Catherine

How far would you run?

2010-08-05T01:48:00.023-04:00

Thanks to WHUD news anchor, Sue Guzman, for bringing this inspiring story to us. Have you heard about Guy Fessenden? He's a remarkable father from Hartsdale who is training to run 100 marathons in 140 days, beginning this September 19th in Savannah, GA and crossing his finish line in Los Angeles, CA on February 6, 2011. Let's wish him good health and success on his unimaginable and ambitious journey. We believe in you, Guy!

“The miracle isn't that I finished.

The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” ~John Bingham

We moved our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight to Wednesday this week and caught up with Professor Louie who's been performing shows in Italy this summer. He sent this neat photo of a floating stage in Venice...how cool is that?

We enjoyed the song Whispering Pines, from the album of the same title, recorded with his band Professor Louie & The Crowmatix. This weekend will be hoppin' with the highly anticipated summer event: Peekskill Celebration 2010 and you can dance to the tunes of Professor Louie & The Crowmatix Friday night, 8/6 at the riverfront in Peekskill from 6-9pm. Tom Furci will be your host. : ) Special thanks to Professor Louie for calling in for the interview before departing Italy and you can find his music and local shows at his web home. Quell'estate felice!

Summer's not a marathon, but it's sure zooming by like one...

Run with music,

Catherine

"Have a popsicle!"

2010-08-02T23:59:00.000-04:00

...says the legendary Wolfman Jack to Curt in American Graffiti. Caught the end of the movie over the weekend--glad to be reminded of this sweet scene:
Guess you could say we were 'making up for lost time' from last week...tonight we met Rebecca Loebe in our spotlight. We heard her song, Mystery Prize, from the album of the same title.

Rebecca is performing at 12 Grapes Music & Wine Bar in Peekskill with Fred Gillen, Jr. this Wednesday evening, 8/4 @ 7pm. She also mentioned an October 12th show @ The Living Room in Manhattan and you can check out her calendar and hear more of Rebecca's music at her site or space. We talked about how Rebecca includes an origami fortune teller (also known as a cootie catcher) in the CD, so if you want to make your own, here's a fun modern 'how to.'

Hope you loved hearing the Don Henley version of this tune from the musical Guys & Dolls as much as I loved playing it tonight...

Sail with sound,

Catherine

Merrily we go 'round...

2010-07-24T03:00:00.038-04:00

Have you visited Bear Mountain recently?

Enjoyed a picnic this week with my parents who were visiting.

You're never too old to

hop aboard a merry-go-round and enjoy spinning like a record. : )

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we heard a song from Grammy winning singer-songwriter, humanitarian, storyteller and proud grandfather, Tom Chapin . Maybe you have one of his 20 recordings? Tom's most recent CD for adults is titled, Let The Bad Times Roll and he mentioned that he's just about ready to release a new album called Broadsides. The fun tune we heard was Puppy At The Pound, found on his collection called Some Assembly Required.

I'm pretty sure he plans to play it this Saturday, 7/24 at a benefit for the Putnam Humane Society that begins @ 1pm @ Mayors Park in Cold Spring. Kathleen Pemble and Cold Spring theBand, Hope Machine & Hailey Knox are in the 'Dog Day Afternoon' line up. Tom also mentioned an upcoming free family show @ The Levitt Pavilion in Westport, CT this Wednesday, July 28th @ 7pm or have a night of his music for adults @ The Turning Point in Piermont on Sunday, 8/1 @ 7pm. Swing by Tom's web abode to find more shows, great songs and info. about how he and his family carry on his brother Harry Chapin's legacy of addressing hunger and poverty in our world through Why Hunger. One of Tom's beautiful songs is not only familiar to children and their families, but it has also been the 'wake up' song for John Glenn and other space shuttle astronauts--music in space! Check out this sweet live version...

Gently with music,

Catherine

Time in a bottle...

2010-07-17T01:40:00.026-04:00

...is Jim Croce's beautiful idea and poignant melody. A nostalgic and heavy hearted week for Yankees fans with the passing of George Steinbrenner, who in another career lifetime, I often heard referred to by a few folks who worked for him as "the man upstairs." Imagine what it must have been like to serve the Yankees in the way Bob Sheppard did? Fifty-seven years of announcing players who have created the American legacy that is the New York Yankees...and making fans feel welcome. : )

Have you been noticing more of the new blue and gold style NY license plates around? Finding this one the other day made me wish New York was a state where only one plate was required.

My friend Karen, who I've known since we were four-year-olds, visited this week...made me think about the timelessness of friendship--and classic television!

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with Matt Turk and heard his gorgeous a capella spin on the Pink Floyd tune On The Turning Away. Matt's new album is titled American Preservation and includes traditional Amercian tunes and stellar interpretations of classics from artists like T. Rex, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Jim Croce.

An American treasure from start to finish. Check out Matt's original music too, and find out where he's performing at his site or space. He mentioned two shows this Saturday, 7/17: Wave Hill in the Bronx with Fred Gillen Jr. and Jim Keyes from 1-3pm and a solo show @ Le Pain Quotidien in Rye from 4-6pm. Matt has a CD release show @ The Living Room in Manhattan this Wednesday, 7/21 @ 8pm.

The fictional Ricardo's and Mertz' lived in a brownstone on 68th St., Jim Croce and his wife Ingrid lived and played for a while in NYC and Frank Sinatra knocked one out of the park singing this game winning ditty...

It's up to you...
Catherine

Fuerza Bruta!

2010-07-10T14:09:00.052-04:00

You could say mother nature exacted her heat force on our portion of the globe this week. Fuerza Bruta is one of the most unique theatrical experiences I've had recently and it's an ideal summer show because the audience does get sprinkled with water at times. : ) It's not a sit down night, so if you go, be prepared to dance and have a blast! I caught a few brief moments on video--probably the most "how do they do that?" part is the overhead sort of water ballet that moves downward to just inches above your head...incredible!

In our Night Rhythms Livebeat this month, Connecticut State Troubadour, Lara Herscovitch adorned the WHUD airwaves with beautiful songs in our Friday night. We heard Mirrors and Smoke

from her album, Through a Frozen Midnight Sky.

Lara performed Like I Do and my favorite from the album,

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. We also heard Lara's tongue-in-cheek tune, Blah Blah Blah (a love song) found on her album Juror Number 13. The John Street Jam in Saugerties is where you'll find Lara this Saturday night, 7/10 @ 7:30pm. Check her busy touring schedule, including a stop @ The Connecticut Folk Festival on Saturday, 9/11 @ 5pm.Lara mentioned she's working on new songs, and you can hear more from Through a Frozen Midnight Sky at her web home.

Hope you're keeping cool as our hot sun experiences a total solar eclipse on Sunday. : ) Not sure if he's been noticed by Oprah, Simon or Ellen yet, but Sungha Jung is definitely a star...

Shine,
Catherine

America the beautiful...another year older and still growing...

2010-07-02T13:03:00.038-04:00

Hope you have a memorable and delicious July 4th weekend! Love to our troops at home and abroad who courageously represent our star spangled banner. One of my favorite writers and bloggers is Paulo Coelho--who posted this today:

An Indian legend tells of a man who carried water to his village every day, in two large jars tied to the ends of a wooden pole, which he balanced on his back. One of the jars was older than the other, and had some small cracks; every time the man covered the distance to his house, half of the water was lost.

For two years, the man made the same journey. The younger jar was always very proud of its performance, safe in the knowledge that it was up to the mission it had been made for, while the other jar was mortified with shame at only fulfilling half of its allotted task, even though it knew that those cracks were the result of many years of hard work.

It was so ashamed that one day, while the man got ready to fetch water from the well, it decided to speak to him:

"I want to apologize, but because of the many years of service, you are only able to deliver half of my load, and quench half of the thirst which awaits you at your home." The man smiled, and said:
"When we return, observe carefully the path."

And so it did. And the jar noticed that, on its side, many flowers and plants grew.

"See how nature is more lovely on your side?" commented the man. "I always knew you were cracked, and decided to make use of this fact. I planted flowers and vegetables, and you have always watered them. I have picked many roses to decorate my house with, I have fed my children with lettuce, cabbage and onions. If you were not as you are, how could I have done that?"

I loved reading that story as we celebrate our country this weekend...there's a song in there somewhere...

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with storyteller and singer/songwriter, Marc Black. Can't remember the last time I laughed so hard in an interview. : ) We listened to his beautiful song, The Moon Whispered, from his new album titled Pictures of the Highway, that he dedicates to his father.

Undoubtedly, what Marc shares between songs will be as entertaining as his music, and you can catch him live @ the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling on Saturday, July 24th @ 9pm. Be sure to check out the videos at Marc's web abode--especially the Junkyard Jam! Brilliant, and it might change your perspective about the hot weather this weekend. ; ) Find the Mets tribute he mentioned, and if you are someone who is loyal to the beans of life, you'll dig Ooh I Love My Coffee here.

Watching this Ben Harper video kind of reminds me of the spirit that defines our country...

Be like the eagle,

Catherine

Bravo! Congratulations to the Class of 2010!

2010-06-26T13:54:00.025-04:00

It was kind of an emotional week we've had with song dedications...hearing the pride & love in the voices of parents celebrating their graduates...excitement from our young friends who took their last bus ride of the school year and arrived at summer vacation... LI friends rallying around Joan in Sunnyside whose son was deployed to Afghanistan--Godpseed in your mission, Matt & THANK YOU for bravely serving our country! Every generation is handed the wheel of the ship of the future and expected to sail it carefully past familiar and uncharted territory. Does this time of year take you back to when you first set out on the water?
Happy sailing to the Class of 2010, may you arrive at every port o' call you dream of. : )
This photo is from one of my favorite spots in the world--South Cove in Battery Park City--where public art is in abundance. So is the sunshine.

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight James and Alan of the band Solar Punch fascinated us with how they power their live shows with the help of our Sun! We heard the song Let The Sun Shine On Us from their album titled Surya.

When you open the CD, you find the words: The journey is in the music. The solution is in the action. Surya is a collection of songs dedicated to a Climate Solutions Road Tour they were part of in India in 2009. Solar Punch's songs are rockin' to listen to, and remind us to be conscious of how we consume and view the resources of our planet. They celebrate the many benefits of the big star in the center of our solar system and you can check out a solar powered Solar Punch show @ the White Plains Clean & Green on Saturday, July 17th from 11-3. Hear music, learn about their environmental work and find out where you can experience one of their solar powered shows at their web home.

We also caught up with Anna Nyakana who is part of an Idol-like singing competition that airs this weekend for our CT friends. Please visit her site, tune in for her performance and cast your vote to help her win.

What's sweeter than Cream's spin on the sun?

Happy Summer!

Catherine

Pioneers of kindness

2010-06-19T02:11:00.043-04:00

Do you ever wake with a phrase in your mind unable to recall where it came from or what it's related to in your thoughts? Pioneers of kindness...maybe it's the story of many people we know.

My father grew up in a small southern Italian town called Pomarico. As a child, stories of how he lived, worked and played were magical to me. I can remember being in our backyard in the summer time, which was always teeming with homegrown vegetables, fig and peach trees, even a few grape vines-- and being regaled with tales of experiences like finding shelter under a donkey in a rain storm. My father's father passed when he was just seven years old, so he began working on farms in Italy at a young age. He often talked about coming to America aboard a ship as a teenager, clearly full of pride for his heritage, but ready to experience the promise of American life. An appreciation for being outdoors, the satisfaction of do-it-yourself, and the motivation to work toward goals are all things I've learned from him. There have been many times when we didn't see eye-to-eye, but I hope my father has some idea of the magnitude of my admiration and gratitude for the person he is and the life he has created and shared. I'm hoping to visit Pomarico this year and I await the awakening of the gardening gene in me. Tomato sauce 'from a jar' in my family was the result of my father cultivating, planting and picking and my mother laboring over Mason jars. My father is retired now and spends his days planting golf balls and zooming around in this hot rod. : ) And he'll always be a gardener...Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we heard a song from Fred Gillen Jr.'s new album, Match Against A New Moon. Come And See Me is part of this recording, for which the phrase, "flows like an insightful river around rocks of mystery," came to mind. Fred avidly supports, records and produces many local artists at his Croton studio, Woody's House and is a member of the harmonious community of Tribes Hill artists. It was my honor and pleasure to recently become a member and experience the spirit of collaboration and love of gathering together in song.

You can be part of the circle of song with Fred and his band Hope Machine this weekend @ Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, at Croton Point Park, where pioneering Hudson River visionary and American music treasure, Pete Seeger, will also be onstage. Fred mentioned that it's a solar powered event (neato!) and you can sing along with Hope Machine on Sunday @ 4pm. Catch Fred performing songs from his new album at The Peekskill Coffee House this Friday, June 25th @ 8pm or swing by The Bean Runner Cafe in Peekskill on Saturday, July 3rd @ 7:30pm for his CD release party. Learn more about his music, writing and projects at his web home. As we approach the solstice on Monday, something tells me this summer is going to sail by...hope you enjoy every minute of it!

There was a time when my father sported a beard and was frequently told he looked like Pavarotti. He would jokingly sing "O Sole Mio..." but I'm partial to this Italian gem...

Happy Father's Day!

Con un bacio sul vento,

Catherine

"We are the points of light...

2010-06-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

...separate and finite, yet traveling together along this infinite circle of life. Anonymously we illuminate one another, mutually casting our shadows for one fleeting moment before passing on." ~Tom Wilson, Ziggy cartoonist

Thanks to my friend Mike, who generously gave me the book Zig Zagging, a memoir by Tom Wilson, the source of the above quote. It's written by the son of the creator of the Ziggy character, who has carried on the comic strip legacy, and it's simply a great read. It's arrival was timely--after experiencing the Long Island 2Day Breast Cancer Walk last weekend. My feelings and observations too lengthy to share, but that Tom Wilson thought sums it up perfectly. Heather, Kim, Jackie, Apryle, Karen, Colleen & Karen: I can't wait for next year! And WOO HOO to Patti the mobile motivating jukebox!

Derek Jeter was somewhere in the first 20 miles...ok, it was cardboard but he's workin' that pink feather boa! : )

This stellar performer was singing Hold My Hand, by Hootie and the Blowfish at the pivotal 20-mile end of day one. We LOVED him!

After finishing our 35-mile walk, we crossed the bridge into Smith Point Park to the sound of bagpipes & drums, and in awe of the pink-shirted Breast Cancer survivors who made the journey with us. Truly inspiring! There are moments in life that have a way of shifting your thinking about everything...it was one of those moments. : )

It really is a gift, the abundance of stellar local musicians we're surrounded by. Friday night in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, The Trapps brought their dynamic, beautifully jamming sound to the WHUD studio. Sean, Jason, Warren and Seth give props to their New Paltz hometown with their band name, a reference to rock climbing in 'the Gunks'.

We heard the song Feelin' the Light, from their album Cheap Seats.

We also had a preview of the album they've just started working on, with the song Grab It & Run. Check out their new video for the song Hope...

We enjoyed the song Lullaby, found on the Cheap Seats CD. If you missed their Howland Center gig on Saturday, find lots of upcoming performance dates and hear more music from The Trapps @ their web home or space. Find them at home in New Paltz @ Bacchus on Friday, June 25th @ 10pm or if you're in Manhattan on 6/26, The Trapps are onstage @ Rockwood Music Hall @ 9pm. Thanks to Jason for not only the upright bass sounds, but his engineering expertise. : ) Details about his Split Rock Studio here.

If you missed the performance, listen to the podcast and get to know The Trapps!

Any long walk is bound to give you blisters, but this sound at about mile 26, was all it took to work through it...

Triumphantly with music,

Catherine

As I type this...

2010-06-04T12:04:00.000-04:00

...Carole King is singing "...only love is real." I think that applies to this weekend. To everyone who supported the journey, my gratitude and love for you are bigger than Bear Mountain and deeper than the Hudson River. : )

Last night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with E'lissa Jones whose new album, Sweet as the Sun features not only her stunning vocals, but mesmerizing instrumental pieces she crafted for her violin and other strings.

The song we listened to is called How I Need You Now. Swing by Warwick Valley Winery this Saturday @ 2pm to hear E'lissa and her band live or visit her web home for upcoming performances.

There's nothing we can't accomplish as a team...

See you on the other side of 35 miles : )

Catherine

A Moment of Silence...

2010-05-31T13:59:00.000-04:00

...or one holiday seems hardly enough to acknowledge all who have bravely served our country and perished at their dutiful posts. Love to every person who chooses to put on a uniform in service to our democracy. This image is from the Arlington National Cemetery website. The ground is both a final resting place, and the life-sustaining foundation of the beautiful, blooming tree.

"All American," is how Rob Cannillo's fans have described his music. Friday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, Rob shared his thoughts about songwriting, how he believes you should go after your passion, regardless of where you are in life and we listened to his song Move Yourself to Love. You can find it on his album The Long Road Home.

Rob was among the performers at the Mighty High Mountain Festival in Tuxedo over the weekend and you can check out his summer performance dates, hear more music or contact him about house concerts at his web home.

"...who more than self their country loved," we proudly sing.

Remember the fallen,

Catherine

Ever have the kind of week...

2010-05-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

...that seems to be 3 steps ahead of you and you're just trying to keep up? That's kind of been the last 3 weeks for me, but I'm looking forward to a much slower Memorial Day weekend. I'm a few weeks behind in watching 24, and I guess I'm in a bit of denial about the show's finale, but excited to read that Kiefer Sutherland will be one of the voices in the upcoming film Marmaduke. ; )

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our WHUD booth @ Mamapalooza 2010 on Saturday. Hope you had a great time and enjoyed the sound of The Hastings Blues Mothers when they took the stage. It was a fabulous day of music and fun and maybe you found goodies too...like the colorful collection of local wool and friendly knitters representing Flying Fingers Yarn Shop in Tarrytown--did you see their bus? Love it!

The Hastings Blues Mothers were in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight on Friday night, and we listened to the song, Can't Cancel a Subscription to the Blues. They're working on an album and are the house band at Dory's Diner in White Plains, with a show there Saturday, June 5th @ 7pm. Check out more Blues Mothers music and keep an eye on their calendar here. About four years ago in a record store near Wilkes-Barre, PA I had about 3 seconds of Kiefer's attention at an in-store performance that led to my discovery of Rocco Deluca and the Burden. That was a memorable day. : )

Be colorful,

Catherine

2010-05-21T12:05:00.000-04:00

If you're on Long Island this Sunday, swing by the Selden Fire Dept. HQ from 9am-3:30pm to get your car washed and support the Long Island 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer. : )

View Larger Map
Could there be a more obvious song choice?

Keep those fans & machines humming,

Catherine

What's a pirate's favorite letter?

2010-05-16T20:31:00.001-04:00

R! : ) My 5-year-old pal, Anthony, shared that joke yesterday.
I'll be cracking up about it for days. Jokes new and old are welcome this Wednesday night, 5/19 at the Bean Runner Cafe in Peekskill, where I'm hosting a fundraising night of music for my 35-mile journey at the Long Island 2 Day Walk to Fight Breast Cancer .
My thanks to Ted & Drew for providing a beautiful, warm venue and to the musicians who are donating their time to the event that begins @ 6pm, with music until 9pm:
HeadSoup
The Ya Yas
Kathleen Pemble & Cold Spring theBand
Fred Gillen, Jr. and Eric Puente

R.S.V.P. on Facebook here or reserve a table by contacting the Bean Runner Cafe @ (914) 737-1701.

This week in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, The Melillo Brothers were beyond dynamite! If you missed their performance, please check out the podcast. Joe, Nick and Anthony are siblings who seem to have as much fun simply being in eachother's company, as they do playing their catchy tunes.

The Melillo Brothers are working on a new album and we heard the song Fall For Me. They mentioned that they have a YouTube channel where you can hear the tunes @ Melillo TV.
They also shared their infectious harmonies and rhythm in the songs Where's My Juliet and Your Favorite Song. Find out how you can be part of a Melillo Brothers video shoot at The Emergenza Festival @ Crash Mansion in NYC on 5/23 and see the rest of their calendar, including a show @ The Bayou in Mt. Vernon this Friday, 5/21 @ 11pm at their web home.

This song's been playing in my head all weekend...have you heard this version?

Sing with your friends,

Catherine

"Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music. "

2010-05-08T01:27:00.000-04:00

American poet laureate, William Stafford, wrote that. Happy Mother's Day to my mom in Florida, and to every mom--you are the melody in the music of the world. : )

Many moms made it possible to enjoy our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight last night as we heard the beautiful voices of: Caleb (whose mom, Diane coordinated this performance), Maddie, Gracie (whose sister, Isabella joined us), Dave, Maya, Ava, Adam, Scott & Simon (whose mom, Rebecca took these photos! : )

Together, this magnanimous group of talented 11 & 12-year-olds from Farragut Middle School in Hastings-on-Hudson, are known as We ARE The Children 2010. They performed the song We Are The World, for which they've created a video to support the work of UNICEF.

You'll be moved when you watch...

You can support the efforts of We ARE The Children 2010 at their UNICEF page. They're planning more recordings--can't wait!

Last Saturday was a sunshine-beautiful day at FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights as our furry friends and the humans who love them, stepped out to support the SPCA of Westchester at the annual Wags & Whiskers Walkathon & Pet Fair. This year, I had the pleasure of introducing the Port Chester Obedience Training Club Agility Dogs...WOW, were they awesome! There was also an impressive show from a variety of dogs whose temporary home is at the SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor, who are looking for a loving, permanent home. Maybe yours? I didn't get a lot of photos because it was a busy day, but there are a bunch posted here. I did manage to take a few...

Bocker the Labradoodle and his fab smile!

Tom, Johnathen & their pal Sampson from Yorktown. : )

Apollo helps teach cat & dog first aid with the American Red Cross! They have classes scheduled for 5/22 and 6/19, details at their site.

Gotta love this t-shirt that reads, "You had me at Woof!"
Also met a gorgeous horse named Patches, and his friends from Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue in Milbrook. Their Spring Fling is next Saturday, 5/15 from 11-3.

Peekskill was transformed into a movie set last week for the upcoming film Mildred Pierce. Here's a short (very amateurish and too windy) clip of the action on Brown Street...

Love & music to moms,

Catherine

Planet Earth sounds good : )

2010-04-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

Did you celebrate our Earth this week? Thanks to the worldwide-wherever-you-want-to-go we call the internet, you can find images of just about anywhere, but sometimes a place you dream of visiting sort of comes to you. My friend Spencer arrived from Sydney yesterday and I finally tried the Australian genius that is Tim Tams! (it's a chocolate lover's nirvana) In spite of 20+ hours of travelling, he whipped up the most amazing curried deliciousness and introduced me to the music of Koomurri. There's just something about the sound of the didgeridoo that awakens a part of the brain. Of course, you could say that about all music, right?

This time in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, we enjoyed the 'soulbucket' sounds of Jay Wright and KK in the studio. The podcast will be posted here Monday--check it out if you missed it!

We heard Yesterday's Blues from The Low Down Dirty Love CD.

Jay mentioned that he's working on a new album and we had a preview of it with two great songs.

Bring Me Down, and he's sharing that one with a free download.

We also listend to the song, Stand Up.

Can't wait to hear the rest!Find Jay's calendar and hear more of his music at his site or space.

If you were tuned in Thursday night, Carla from Via Vanti in Mt. Kisco shared that she's kicking off the next search for Dogs in Party Hats-- a fun way to enjoy gelato and support Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Stop by today @ 3pm to meet celebradog Bocker the Labradoodle, who has inspired a banana caramel gelato called Labradoodlicious Swirl! It's a beautiful day on our planet...and I'm NUTS about this One Eskimo song. : )

Music + food=love,

Catherine

Putting It Together...

2010-04-17T00:37:00.000-04:00

...is one of my favorite songs from a musical I've never seen, called Sunday in the Park with George. Barbra Streisand recorded a fun version of it and part of the lyric, written by the great Stephen Sondheim, goes:

Bit by bit, putting it together
Piece by piece, only way to make a work of art
Every moment makes a contribution
Every little detail plays a part
Having just a vision's no solution
Everything depends on execution
Putting it together, that's what counts!

I guess it's been playing in my mind because my week ended witnessing how 'putting it together' really has an impact. Thursday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Nik Rael and listened to the song, Thank You, from the album of the same title. Head Soup is the name of Nik's band, and they've put together a collection of songs that will have you on a rockin' musical ride. Nik mentioned a series of shows @ The Gilded Otter (the otter is so cool :) in New Paltz, including this Friday night, April 23rd @ 8pm. Check out the music and calendar at Head Soup's web abode.

Friday night I had the pleasure of seeing how Rand Otten and the folks at PARC put together a memorable night of music in support of their wonderful work in the community. It was great to finally visit the legendary venue Phil Ciganer put together, The Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling. Not sure what I expected, but what I found was a warm, friendly atmosphere with some eye-catching art pieces, including this mosaic...My camera phone doesn't take pictures as well as my favorite old SLR. When you visit, check out the wall of musical masters who have graced the Towne Crier stage. Our evening began with 11-year-old Hailey Knox, who would have knocked the socks off Simon Cowell! Jay Wright performed and he'll be live in-studio this Friday night--don't miss his original genre of music called Soulbucket. Kylie Edmond regaled us with her stories and music and it was cool to hear We Must Be live, a truly unique sound. The night's headliner was Murali Coryell, who broke our hearts with the blues. I hope to have him in our spotlight soon. Today, it was a treat to meet so many of our young listeners and their families at the

15th Annual WHUD Kids Fair.

A big thanks to everyone who stopped by to say 'hi' and we hope you'll join us again next year!

It was a blast for us 'big kids' too. : ) One of my fondest memories of childhood is this frog...

Be a dreamer,

Catherine

"An idea is salvation to the imagination."

2010-04-10T01:36:00.000-04:00

Frank Lloyd Wright was the architect of that suggestion, and the iconic Guggenheim Museum. In a rare mid-week journey to the place Alicia Keys refers to as the 'concrete jungle where dreams are made of,' met up with friends in town from Hong Kong, a city I hope to visit this year for their wedding. My love and congratulations to Kenny & Yvonne! Currently, there's an exhibit at The Guggenheim called Haunted, installed through the fall and worth checking out. In one of the side galleries, are renderings from architects and designers from around the world depicting ideas for how they might fill the center or use Frank Lloyd Wright's visionary space. It seems someone else had the same idea that occured to me--rollerblade from top to bottom. : )

The exhibition required darkness, so the gallery space you would expect to be bathed in natural light courtesy of its magnificent rooftop, had a much more sombre vibe. Thought-provoking work in contrast to the summer-like weather outside the museum doors.

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, Dana Edelman shared the song Blue Roses, from his album titled by the song.

Dana mentioned that he loves playing at The Depot Theatre in Garrison, or you may catch him performing at Whistling Willie's in Cold Spring soon. Learn more about Dana and his music at his site or space. He'll be in the line up at the Cold Spring Summer Concert Series this year.

And now for something completely different and deliciously retro....
Jive & twist,

Catherine

"Open a bird saloon! No birdbath needed!"

2010-04-03T13:27:00.000-04:00

...says the subject of a message in my inbox. : ) It's an ad about organic gardening and made me laugh, hoping the same for you. What a weekend...the birds are cheerfully crooning melodies outside the open window, daffodils are smiling in the sun and eggs are being transformed to their colorful best.
Happy Easter, Buona Pasqua, Glad Påsk!
Snapped this photo in Union Square last weekend--a Gandhi statue with a beautiful Magnolia behind... that's probably blooming now! Heard Norah Jones live, what a show!

In this season of new beginnings and renewal, maybe you're contemplating a new 'do? Skip the bangs, become a RED Head.
You won't need any convincing after hearing Red Molly's new album, James. This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with Carolann Solebello, who is one third the captivating three-part harmony that is Red Molly. The song we listened to from the album is The Last Call, written by local artist, Anthony DaCosta. If you're in Manhattan this Monday night, Abbie Gardner and Anthony DaCosta are performing in the NY Songwriter's Circle @ The Bitter End @ 8pm. Carolann, Laurie and Abbie are on the road with a stop @ Sounding Board Coffeehouse in West Hartford, CT next Saturday, 4/10 @ 8pm, and return to The Turning Point in Piermont on June 6th for two shows. Keep up with their busy tour schedule and check out the album James at their web home.

Thanks for a fun week of song ideas...this 80's gem has been running around in my brain...

Peace,

Catherine

"We'll always have Paris...and Poughkeepsie..."

2010-03-27T01:37:00.000-04:00

Well, not exactly what Ilsa said to Rick in Casablanca but there may be a parallel that exists between the two cities some day. Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we listened to Bridge Music, a concept and recordings created by composer Joe Bertolozzi who shared his vision of how such a structure can be musical. Have you walked across the Mid-Hudson Bridge? It's a stellar scenic view of our historic river, so don't forget a camera when you visit. Joe shared these photos:

If you amble out to the towers, beginning this Thursday, April 1st, you can hear the music Joe composed using sounds from the bridge itself, while standing on what is clearly one of the largest percussion instruments in the world! It's an interactive installation where you can push buttons to hear the individual sounds and movements of the piece he composed. It will remain on the bridge through October, and you can hear Bridge Music broadcast on 95.3FM while visiting the parks on either the Poughkeepsie or Highland side, year round. If you can make it to the bridge this Thursday, 4/1 @ noon, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place to launch the reopening of the installation that made its debut last year, as part of the Quadricentennial Celebration of the magnificent Hudson River. Amici's Restaurant in Poughkeepsie has "composed" a menu item called the Bridge Music Parmigian Dinner, you can log into WHUD VIP Rewards for a chance to enjoy that. Learn more about Joe and his music, even get directions to the bridge at his web abode. The hope is that a live performance at the bridge will take place in the future. If you missed the interview, check back for the podcast to hear how the idea for Bridge Music was inspired by The Eiffel Tower--that may one day be the source of sound for Joe's mallets. The Paris monument is participating in Earth Hour this weekend, are you? Power down at 8:30pm local time and enjoy the night sky for an hour, as time goes by...

Moonlight & love songs,

Catherine

Mother nature is their bandleader...

2010-03-20T02:23:00.000-04:00

...and right on cue, the chorus of spring peepers is singing as I type this tonight. : ) Happy spring! Had a beautiful walk in FDR Park in Yorktown today, site of the Wags and Whiskers Walkathon & Pet Fair with the SPCA of Weschester on Saturday May 1st--hope to see you there.

Peter called tonight, to share that the Sunday film series at the historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern continues this Sunday, with Jill Footlick, producer of PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE speaking at this weekend's screening. More information at 845-353-2568 or by visiting their website.

Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Kati Mac and listened to her song, I Keep Dreaming from the album Poseidon's Son. Kati mentioned her involvement with Arts on the Lake in Carmel where she and her friends have a jazz band rehearsal open to the public this and next Sunday. Learn more about Kati and her music at her web home.

My friend Roger in Kalmar, Sweden shared this--love it!

One world, one love, one dance,

Catherine

"A silent mouth is musical,"

2010-03-17T16:37:00.000-04:00

says an Irish proverb. So many of them are amusing.
Hope you're having a wonderful day...our words tonight will be from James Joyce who wrote:

At that hour when all things have repose,
O lonely watcher of the skies,
Do you hear the night wind and the sighs
Of harps playing unto Love to unclose
The pale gates of sunrise?

When all things repose, do you alone
Awake to hear the sweet harps play
To Love before him on his way,
And the night wind answering in antiphon
Till night is overgone?

Play on, invisible harps, unto Love,
Whose way in heaven is aglow
At that hour when soft lights come and go,
Soft sweet music in the air above
And in the earth below.

Music from the early days of U2...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Catherine

"Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!"

2010-03-13T11:34:00.000-05:00

...said White Rabbit, to Alice. The idea of the magnificent writing of Lewis Carroll melding with the cinematic brilliance of Tim Burton...WOW! I'm not a see-it-opening-weekend movie goer, but look forward to the 3-D experience of 'mad' Johnny Depp & cast bringing Alice's adventure to life on film. I recently found this Alice In Wonderland Tea Party print I bought on Bleecker St. in 1997. The artist, Dougherty, created it with a Sharpie pen! The travelling tales of Henry Rollins is what I look forward to at Tarrytown Music Hall this Sunday night...after pushing the clock hands ahead an hour to avoid being late. : )Bring on the spring!

I hope you were tuned in to hear the sublime sounds of Jann Klose in our Night Rhythms Livebeat last night.

Jann played Doing Time, from his album titled Reverie.We also heard him perform Hold Me Down and listened to the first track of the album, Beautiful Dream.

Jann will be in the circle of singer-songwriter's at the John Street Jam in Saugerties, tonight @ 7:30pm. You can also find him live @ The Turning Point in Piermont, with Harmonious Wail this Thursday night @ 8pm. Jann tours extensively--here in the U.S. and he frequents the U.K., Germany and other venues in Europe. Hear more of his music and find out where he's playing, including an April 10th full-band show at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC at Jann's web home or space. Be sure to check his site for the new Doing Time video. Jann left us two autographed copies of Reverie that will be available for WHUD VIP Rewards members.

Like the 'melding' of visionaries referred to at the beginning of this post, just stumbled upon this gem...

Music is our Wonderland,

Catherine

A favorite four-letter word...

2010-03-04T23:08:00.000-05:00

...home! The snowstorm last Thursday night impacted the road home for many of us, and changed the routine for several days that followed, but the outages were electrical and the 'power' in the community persevered. : ) Thanks to the utility crews who weathered cold conditions to restore things back to the way we have come to appreciate them. Kind of feels like we've earned springtime--that may have appeared out the window today...

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

Friday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met 12-year-old Christopher McGinnis, who is as inspiring as he is talented. Already an accomplished musician, songwriter and actor-- keep an ear out for his voice in the Disney promotion for the new Harry Potter ride, airing during The Today Show! We listened to Christopher's song Dreams Are Made Of, downloadable at Amazon or iTunes. Christopher has performed twice at Madison Square Garden during Knicks games...I think he may someday be headlining there. : )

Check out where he's performing, including a show Thursday, March 11th @ Broadway Comedy Club in Manhattan and see video of his performances at his web home.

My first day of an extra long weekend (will be back with you on Monday night) included watching the film Miss Potter. A beautiful story about a prolific artist, conservationist and storyteller-- that didn't earn any Oscar nominations, but is a sweet reminder of the lasting impact of one imagination...

Weekend bliss to you,

Catherine

What's your idea of gold?

2010-02-20T12:28:00.000-05:00

While driving on 9W yesterday, somewhere between West Point and Cornwall, had a moment of what I think the word 'breathtaking' defines...awe in the view of the valley, snow coated sunlit mountain peaks...it was golden. And what a week for Team USA, 20 Olympic medals at the time of this posting! Doesn't watching make you want to hop on a snowboard and surf the halfpipe? OK, not as easy as it looks, but inviting to fly... : )If you heard our friend Max last night talking about the SOHO International Film Festival this weekend, here's the link if you need some indie film brain food.

Feed your live music appetite tonight @ The Elephant Hotel in Somers, where Scott Urgola is having his CD release party, 7-10pm. In our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight this week, Scott shared his appreciation for the history of his hometown, Somers and we listened to the song I Will Sing To You, found on his new album Now's The Time. It was written for his fiancé, Rachel.

Scott mentioned that the museum maintained by the Somers Historical Society on the third floor of the hotel, will be open to visitors at the performance. A neat local history opportunity.

You can find more of Scott's music and his calendar of dates at his web home or space.

Enjoy the golden sounds of the flashback weekend on WHUD and the scenery beneath the sun-gold sky...

Soar...

Catherine

Roaring into The Year of the Tiger

2010-02-14T19:09:00.000-05:00

This Lunar New Year is known as Geng Yin, or Metal Tiger. One bit of Feng Shui wisdom I read suggested hanging a 6-pronged metal windchime in the western area of your home for luck...why not, it's musical right? Good health, love and prosperity to you! Even better than a studio windchime is live music...

Friday in our Night Rhythms Livebeat we were groovin' to the tunes of TJay, with three songs from his album Take A Seat...
He sang Grady on the Run, written about a college pal and My Blues, a 'bumping into your ex'-inspired tune.

He also performed Goldfish, listen to the podcast for the story behind that song. : ) Catch TJay live at Lucy's Lounge in Pleasantville this Wednesday, 2/17 @ 9pm or visit his calendar for the many Hudson Valley and area venues where he plays by visiting his web home.

Team U.S.A. is already making an impressive showing at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Along with the excitement of American pride is the spirit of the world watching the games together. Don't you love the Matisyahu song that will be remembered as part of the soundtrack of Vancouver 2010?

World love,

Catherine

Just enough snow...

2010-02-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

We didn't get as much accumulation as predicted this week, but hope you enjoyed the slow down for a day. Are you a geek for snow writing too? Eventually it melts, but the intention remains.

Writing, composing and sharing songs and stages seems to be the 'fuel' that feeds the band Hope Machine. Last night we caught up with Fred Gillen, Jr. who shared that the band name comes from a Woody Guthrie observation that we are 'hoping machines.' That's a good piece of pie to ponder... We listened to the song Sundancer, from the album Big Green.

Hope Machine is in the line up at 'Open Your Heart for Haiti,' a benefit for Doctors Without Borders, providing help in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. The event is this Sunday @ 1pm at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling. Valentine's Day is a celebration of love, which is certainly found in the community spirit of sharing music.

Since the foundation of Hope Machine is cemented in Woody Guthrie songs, seems ideal to share one here...nothing to contemplate about this one, he's just having fun!

Live music tonight with T-Jay in studio @ 10pm!

Drive, sing & buzz,

Catherine

Saints...Colts...PUPPIES!!

2010-02-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

The last and biggest game of the season for football fans as Superbowl 44 brings New Orleans and Indianapolis to the field this Sunday. Local legend and coach, Vince Lombardi, namesake of the trophy that goes to the winning team said:

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious."

Before the big game, and equally exciting and infinitely cuter is the canine competition for touchdown bragging rights-- affectionately known as Puppy Bowl VI! And this year, the cheerleaders will be bunnies. : ) Go Saints, go Puppies!

If you swing by the space of Kylie Edmond you'll see her dog Snickers...not sure if she's interested in football, but you can vote for her. This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we listened to Kylie's new song Mine For the Day. You can hear more songs from her EP, Weak

at Kylie's space, where her calendar of shows is posted. She's in the line up at a benefit for Haiti Relief at Southside Inn in Mahopac tonight from 5-11pm. Kylie hosts a series called Girls Rock the Night, with stops at various NYC venues as well as The Lantern in Mahopac on March 20th @ 8pm. Check out this video of her appearance on a local TV show, The Rhythms of New York (cool name, huh? : ) where Kylie shares her native Australian treats, including 'Tim Tam Slams.' A chocoholic's dream! Maybe inspiring for your Superbowl snack table.

I think we can bet on an unforgettable half-time show tomorrow...

Enjoy the game, munchies & music!

Catherine

Moonbeams make the snow glow : )

2010-01-30T01:47:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful drive home under radiant moonlight tonight. The approaching arrival of the month of February a welcome step closer to the colors and fragrance of springtime...Support our neighbors in Haiti who see the same moon with eyes that are weary from loss and devastation, at the Help for Haiti benefit at the Paramount in Peekskill this Sunday night @ 8pm.

Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Erin and Steve from the band Erin Hobson Compact. We heard the song Holding On from the album Talk Radio. Lots of upcoming shows on their calendar including next Friday night at Skytop in Kingston @ 9pm or Hyde Park Brewing Company on February 29th @ 9pm. Learn more about Erin, the band and their music at their web home or space.

Do you have a favorite moon song?

Be warm under the moon,

Catherine

Help for Haiti with music in Peekskill...

2010-01-29T14:23:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note...if you were tuned in last night, we caught up with Art Halperin and his wife Nadeje about the Help For Haiti benefit at the Paramount Center for The Arts in Peekskill, this Sunday night @ 8pm. Nadeje is a native of Port-au-Prince, for whom the Haiti earthquake has been devastating on a personal level. The money raised at the event will go to Stand With Haiti, an initiative of Partners in Health. Details here. Andy Bale will be hosting!

The song we listened to is called Sing for Peace, and you can find it on the album Waves, by Work of Art, which is Art Halperin's band. Check out his studio here. More to share later...Erin Hobson Compact in our spotlight tonight!

Peace in music,

Catherine

Pivotal weekend for Jets fans...

2010-01-23T17:20:00.000-05:00

“Football is a team game. So is life.” ~Joe Namath

He's probably chanting J-E-T-S... Jets, Jets, Jets this weekend too. To be honest, I'm not a regular football follower, but it's always exciting when a New York team takes it to the limit, so I hope the Jets play to victory on Sunday!

You could say it was a touchdown in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight this week catching up with singer-songwriter and poet, Terence Martin. We listened to the song Used To The Dark from his album Even Trade.

Terence will be at the Hyde Park Library tonight @ 8pm, a co-bill with Arlon Bennett, in their Living Room Acoustic Series. To find out where Terence is playing next and to hear more of his music, swing by his site or space. Terence mentioned that he's working on a new album--can't wait to hear the new songs. : )

The situation in Haiti continues to be a reminder of what really matters...hope that's who you surround yourself with this weekend. Ray LaMontagne has a beautiful sounding idea:

Weekend bliss,

Catherine

The Legacy of Hope

2010-01-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

~Emily Dickinson

Visiting the Lorraine Motel in Memphis two summers ago, made real for me the images of history that for so long were a story on film. The National Civil Rights Museum is one of the most well-curated exhibitions I've ever experienced. Housed next to the Memphis site where the life of a great man was extinguished, it's a place where the light of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to shine. His words and footsteps still ring like a bell of hope...

Let dreams be realized & let freedom ring!

Catherine

L'espoir est le rêve de l'âme éveillée

2010-01-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

...says a French proverb, meaning: 'hope is the dream of the soul awake.' Somehow those words felt very present while witnessing the devastating effects of the earthquake in Haiti this week. There was one online piece I read that mentioned people singing and praying in the streets of Port-au-Prince...in our darkest moments, music is hope. Inspiring to read about the online and text rally of donations--that is love in action! We can continue to support the efforts of The American Red Cross as its admirable staff of citizens bring relief and comfort to the people of Haiti.

This week in our Night Rhythms Livebeat, we had the pleasure of meeting Elly Wininger...also known as Elly Greenberg in her CBGB's days...the legendary NYC venue considered by so many of us to be a Punk mecca, she reminded us, actually refers to its *C*ountry, *B*lue *G*rass & *B*lues origins, in its name.
Elly played Back Eddy Blues, from her album of the same title...

We also listened to the songs Next Year and Downtown Serenade.

Elly performs this evening at The Woodstock Library @ 7pm or you can find her with The Dave Kearney Trio at a new venue in Woodstock called Harmony, this Thursday, 1/21 @ 7pm. Find the complete calendar of performances, including a student-conceived Concert for the Arts @ Saugerties High School on 1/29 at her web home. Learn more about Elly, who is an award-winning music documentarian and guitar teacher also making music with The Jesse Janes. Thanks for your music, Elly!

My favorite escape into the intense world of Jack Bauer resumes this Sunday. : )

Love & hope to the people of Haiti & everyone there to help,

Catherine

A New Year...New Sounds...New Gelato Flavors...

2010-01-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

How's your 2010 going? In this month named for Janus, the Roman god of doorways who is depicted with one face looking back and the other to the future, hope you find light in both directions. : )

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Sean Schenker from The Trapps. We listened to the song Lullaby, from their latest album Cheap Seats.

Isn't that a great image on the cover of the album? Sean mentioned that it's a train car near Kingston, and if you're wondering, The Trapps do take their name from the scenic Shawangunk Mountain spot that is now on my list of places to visit near New Paltz. This Thursday night, 1/14 @ 8pm, Sean will be a featured artist in the songwriter series @ Whistling Willie's in Cold Spring or you can check out the full band show there on Saturday @ 8:30pm. The Trapps also play on the other side of the river, at Casa Del Sol in Nyack on Friday 1/15 @ 9pm. View the rest of their calendar and connect with The Trapps at their site or space.

This Sunday @ Via Vanti in Mt. Kisco, they're unveiling the Dogs in Party Hats Wall of Fame @ 4pm! Carla Gambescia, who is a gelato artist in my estimation, is supporting Yorktown Heights based Guiding Eyes for the Blind with a year-long effort. For each month, a unique flavor of gelato celebrating a doggie winner, has been created and will be served at Via Vanti with proceeds to Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In fact, the April honoree and official spokesdog and ambassador for Dogs in Party Hats is a peach-of-a-pooch I've met a few times at events with the SPCA of Westchester, his name is Bocker the Labradoodle (yes, you can friend him on Facebook!) and his flavor will be Bocker's Doodlelicious Swirl. : ) This month of January, it's O'Malley's Yum Rum Raisin...visit the site to see his fantastic pirate hat! Dogs rule...

And all this talk about gelato and listening to Bocker's song brings a dance to mind...

Tanti baci,

Catherine

In the garden of time...

2009-12-30T00:52:00.000-05:00

...we've harvested all we could from 2009. On to sowing new seeds in 2010!
Which reminds me, there are Iris bulbs in the pantry that will need to be planted indoors since they didn't make it into the ground before the start of our roaring winter. ; )

One of the highlights of the season for me was attending Christmas Eve mass at St. John the Divine. The sound of the organ turned heads and prompted smiles...the origami tree was part of the simplicity, yet grandeur of the cathedral...there are tapestries hanging that are just stunning...and a firemen's memorial is a reminder that even in one of the biggest cities in the world, a true community spirit thrives. That's Christmas!

One more holiday tune before we tuck them away until next year...

(Bobby McFerrin is at The Paramount on 2/27/10!)

Joy like a fountain in your soul in 2010 and beyond,

Catherine

Mother nature has decided...

2009-12-19T11:26:00.000-05:00

...to put this decade to bed with a blanket of snow. : ) Yeeee ha to the snow lovers!

"When snow falls, nature listens." ~Antoinette van Kleeff

"The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches."
~e.e. cummings

What a fab Friday night it was with The YaYas live in-studio! Jay Mafale, Catherine Miles & Paul Silverman brought their warm, beautiful sounds and Eric Puente for some stellar rhythm. The YaYas are working on a new album, and we had a taste of it with the songs: Third Girl From the Left, Price of Progress and All These Gifts. It was Catherine's birthday on Friday, so there were ya-cakes...(like cupcakes, but better-- with yas) At midnight it was Eric's birthday! We sure enjoyed your birthdays, Catherine & Eric--hope you did too!

The YaYas plan to release their new album this spring, and have plans to play near you...like Sunday January 3rd with Hope Machine @ the Westchester Indoor Farmer's Market @ The County Center in White Plains @ 10:30am. They're headed to The John St. Jam in Saugerties on Saturday 1/9 @ 7pm, and they're opening for Patty Larkin at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling on Saturday, January 23rd @ 8:30pm. Swing by The Ya Yas web home or space to hear more songs, check their calendar and find out about the house concerts Jay mentioned.

Mother nature is working her wintry magic this weekend, so maybe we need something both snowy and hot...

Marshmallow world goodness to you,

Catherine

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks...

2009-12-14T00:18:00.000-05:00

Is there a better place to walk this time of year?

Happy Hanukkah!
My last "real" job before working in radio, was as development director at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Mulberry/Mott Streets. So much of the neighborhood has changed, but the grand cathedral whose story is a fascinating part of New York City history, remains a spectacular presence. The Erben Organ is beautiful to see, wonderful to hear...

I love capturing the Empire State Building from different vantage points--in this case, from Mulberry Street. : )

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Sheri Miller. We listened to the song Right Here, Right Now from her EP titled Mantra.

Sheri is in the line-up at a David Bowie tribute show this Tuesday night, 12/15 at The Living Room in NYC @ 8pm. Check out more of Sheri's cool collection of songs, including the awesome title track Mantra, at her web home. Sheri plays at 12 Grapes Music & Wine Bar in Peekskill on occasion, so keep an eye on her space for show dates.

A New Yorker wrote a song that's a no-brainer for this post...

Peace in NY & peace on Earth,

Catherine

All is merry and bright...

2009-12-05T03:11:00.000-05:00

...and mother nature has responded to the let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! seasonal mantra of the airwaves with snow falling as I write this. : ) On Wednesday in our Passing Through feature, we heard the song So Beautiful So Blue from Patrick Fitzsimmons' album of the same title. Patrick performed at The Peekskill Coffee House Friday night and he'll be reuniting with his band From Good Homes for two shows @ The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ on 12/18 & 12/19. Check out more of Patrick's music and find out where he's performing at his web home or space. Expect to love every song on the album.

On Friday night, it was laughs and music with the award winning duo Buskin & Batteau. David and Robin are entertaining storytellers and their new album Red Shoes and Golden Hearts is a collection that will move you between laughs and inspiration. Robin mentioned that the outlook of his Uncle Woody was the stimulus for the song Choose Joy, one of my instant favorites from the album. We listened to the title track, Red Shoes and Golden Hearts and you can hear more at the Buskin and Batteau space or site. Next Saturday night, Buskin & Batteau are in the line up at a Phil Ochs Song Night at The People's Voice Cafe on E. 35th St. in NYC, show starts @ 8pm.

Our friends at The SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor always seem to know how to spread good canine cheer! It was a fab day @ Club Fit, where Santa took a break from the holiday hubbub to pose with a whole bunch of pals from his 'nice' list.

Buster from Hawthorne has a leash that says: BAD TO THE BONE!

Rocky from Tarrytown had on his Santa hat...

Schnitzle the Clown & Sandy stopped by with smiles...

Asia said 'hello' with Jana, who adopted her and is a volunteer at the SPCA. Merry, happy & joyful to all! If you're thinking of welcoming unconditional love into your home this holiday season or in the new year, please consider The SPCA of Westchester, where you can also provide support with a donation of dog or cat food or contact them to find out what is most needed.

Since the holiday tunes are rollin' on WHUD, a reminder that you can sing along even if you forget the words. (Even Elvis did, on occasion)

Peace, music & snow!!!

Catherine

Try the pie : )

2009-11-28T01:33:00.000-05:00

Have to be honest, I'm still pretty bummed that the show Pushing Daisies didn't survive...Ned the pie maker and Emerson the knitting detective--is there a better pairing? Are you partial to a homemade flaky crust and yarn too?

In the first night of our 8pm all holiday music hour (a feature that will continue through the holiday season, so please call with your requests : ) we heard Sloan Wainwright's song, Big, Bright, Beautiful Tree. Listen again or download it here. My thanks to Sloan and her Baker's Cafe Cookbook for the recipe that became this year's Thanksgiving indulgence of Cranberry Apple Pie! Life is meant to be sweet...

In our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight this week, we met Rob Morsberger, a singer-songwriter who also composes for television. We listened to the song, I want to be the one, from his album A Periodic Rush of Waves.

Rob shares the stage with his friend Peter Calo at the Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling this Sunday, 11/29 @ 7:30pm. Learn more about Rob and his music, even download the song we heard at his site or space.

The holiday season is officially in motion, enjoy! We heard from the Rodriguez family who welcome you to Cook Drive in Mahopac to view their seasonal display that includes over 40,000 lights. On the road last night, heard what may be the ideal tune for this holiday weekend--and I love the Tom Cochrane original, but this one features a few sweet rides!

Zoom with love & music,

Catherine

"Gratitude...

2009-11-25T15:03:00.000-05:00

"...can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Peace,

Catherine

Ginger Ale soap?

2009-11-22T11:13:00.000-05:00

Mmmhmmm... Found a locally made soap in Sugar Loaf yesterday that smells like Ginger Ale. Effervescent: ) It was not my first time strolling the lovely town, but it was an introduction to the Lycian Centre for the Performing Arts, where their annual Festival of Trees was the ideal atmosphere to get in a glowing mood for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Bravo to the Warwick Middle School choir for warming the pavilion with their caroling voices. Check out the photo section of our site to see some of the amazing kids we met, including 3-year-old Elizabeth from Warwick. With her charm, smile and pigtails, Elizabeth is destined to have her own show! The trees were fantastic, hard to pick a favorite but leaning toward the one I'll refer to as 'The Peace Tree.'

Here's a bit of the Pixie tree..."all you need is faith & trust & a little bit of pixie dust," said Peter Pan. Loved the Girl Scout tree too, with handmade magic like this...

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we checked in with Anthony DaCosta, who is at Columbia University these days and among his favorite performance haunts is Postcrypt Coffeehouse. We heard the song Matters of the Heart from Anthony's 8th album release, Ain't Afraid of Nothing.

If you missed the Common Ground Coffeehouse show last night, you can check Anthony's web home for live gigs and hear more of his music. His last album, a collaboration with Abbie Gardner titled Bad Nights/Better Days includes the song Down On My Knees, that simply knocked me out the first time I heard it.

My thanks to Ida 'the screenwriter' Carusio in Atlantic Beach, for sending over a copy of the screenplay she and her husband John mentioned to us recently, along with a dedication. It's titled: The Sneeze That Almost Blew Christmas Away, and I'm excited to read it!

While the turkey is thawing, send some love to our troops who won't be home for the feast here.

Before this week flies and catapults us into the hustle of the holiday season, I think we need a deep breath--and I'm madly in love with this new Pearl Jam tune! (Easy chords to play : )

With thanks for YOU & music,

Catherine

3-piece suits the airwaves!

2009-11-14T14:03:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's really the only way to describe the performance in our Night Rhythms Live Beat by Jonny Hirsch, who brought along his bandmates Anthony Almonte and Rich Simpson to play for us Friday night.

We heard four songs from the album Live From The Batcave:

Tonight, Of Sound Design, What Would You Do and All of That and Less.

Jonny and the full band have a performance at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan on December 4th or catch one of their frequent gigs at The Bitter End on December 16th. Hear more songs and see video of the recording of the album at Jonny's space and check out his site. (Listen to the podcast if you missed the awesome live sounds. : )

The generosity and support of our Children's Miracle Network Radiothon to Benefit Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center this week was a reminder of the powerful community spirit that surrounds us. Beautiful you, THANK YOU!!

With sweet love & devotion,

Catherine

Discovering an instrument

2009-11-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard of a Cajon drum? Until this week, I hadn't but now I'm fascinated by the idea of it. Apparently it's a box that you sit on to play, and it produces a range of sounds like a drum set. Science! : ) I found some examples, the one on the right is actually called a 'jingle Cajon.' I'm gonna be geeked out about this for a while, and can't wait to hear one live!

In our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight this week, we met Christine & T., together they are the duo We Must Be.

T. plays the Cajon drum and mentioned he has one custom made by a friend from Chile. We listened to their first single, Pop Tune. Check out We Must Be next week in Rosendale, Woodstock and @ The Ground Hog Coffee House in Wappingers Falls on Friday, 11/13 @ 6:30pm. Find We Must Be online and keep an ear out for new songs here.

Listening to a commercial this week with the tune of Jingle Bells, was a reminder that the holiday season is fast-approaching. In the quest for place settings, stuffing recipes and the ultimate dessert, it's as easy as pie to write a letter to connect with our deployed soldiers whose every day sacrifice is the comforts of home. Among the online resources is Operation Gratitude.

We celebrate the holidays based on a calendar, but the family of Noah Biorkman in Michigan has decided to make it an early Christmas for this beautiful boy. Read the story.

See you @ the backyard jam J & J...

Beat your drum,

Catherine

P.S.--If you were tuned in Friday night and heard Vicki in Orange County dedicate a song to her lost dog...I'm so happy to share that Sandy is now SAFE AT HOME!

The championship trophy is in The Bronx!

2009-11-05T02:32:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our New York Yankees! What a show this post-season was. Didn't you just feel it in your gut that this would be a year for World Series rings and a parade? Well done!

Tonight we heard from Jillian, who is a proud member of the Pine Bush Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps. They have a 5k Run/Walk this Sunday, 11/8 that gets underway @ 9am. Learn more here.

Livia Strauss from the Hudson Valley Center For Contemporary Art in Peekskill shared that this Sunday is the official opening of the Public Tile Project, exhibiting over 2,000 tiles created by local students. It's a 1 1/2 mile path that begins at the HVCCA and leads down to the Peekskill Waterfront. It's free and open to the public and the fun begins @ 1pm.

We launched a new Night Rhythms feature tonight...calling it 'Passing Through.' Occassionally on Wednesday nights in the 11pm hour, you'll hear about artists who do not live locally, but are playing around town. This week we featured the band Driftwood, and listened to the song Walking into the Sun, from the album Rally Day.

Check out Driftwood live this Friday night @ The James V. Harmon Community Center in Hastings-On-Hudson @ 8pm. Learn more about this Binghamton-based band at their web space.

You may be expecting Sinatra here, but I think we need a celebratory tune from a Yankee I miss having on the field...who is as skilled with a guitar as he is with a baseball bat...Love ya, Bernie!

How sweet it is to call New York home...

Catherine

The human race...

2009-11-03T11:19:00.000-05:00

...seems to be represented in The NYC Marathon. To say it's 'inspiring' to be there, really is an understatement. Bravo to the superhumans who participated in the 5-borough block party! No time to snap pictures, except for these from our mile 24 station as we waited for the first wheelchairs and runners to arrive!

I think I'm unofficially a Gatorade bartender : ~ )

The night before was a wet but fun group of costumed bliss at the Village Halloween Parade.

On the road in CT a few weeks ago, a possible encounter with 'The Great Pumpkin' Linus convinces Sally to wait for...don't you love Halloween?

Friday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight we welcomed back Marion LoGuidice. We listened to the song Sorry, found on her album God's House.
Marion is performing at Watercolor Cafe in Larchmont, next Thursday, 11/12 @ 7:30pm. This performance will be a benefit for children with learning differences . All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Mamaroneck-Larchmont SEPTA. Hear more of Marion's music @ her space and find out where she'll be playing next at her website. Marion shared her passion for the Clarissa Pinkola Estes book, Women Who Run With the Wolves. Amid it's wisdom is this:

"Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing."

The outcome of the World Series this week is unknown, but Capt. Jeter and friends, WE'RE READY for a victory and a parade!

Catch your wave,

Catherine

Rumination

2009-10-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

You get 12 or more Scrabble points if you can put together the word rumination, it's root the name of the 13th Century Sufi mystic, Jalalud'din Rumi. A more contemporary writer and philosopher, Paulo Coelho posted part of this on FB today:

The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere,
they're in each other all along.

(From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks)

Lovers of words admire lovers of words. : ) If you haven't read Paulo's book, The Alchemist, please add it to your rainy day reading. Some writers simply have a way of transforming your outlook--at times with a single sentence. Don't you LOVE that?

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with The Rhodes.

David and Vince shared one of their new songs with us, How Long, that's available for a listen at their space along with their cool new song All You've Got To Do. Tonight they perform @ Keegan Ales in Kingston @ 11pm, and you can find out where they're live next by checking out the calendar including Halloween fun next Friday, 10/30 @ Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan.

Thanks to Karen, who I've known since the days of making music on a swingset in the backyard, for the reminder of this delicious song...it kind of wishes away the rain today and we can dedicate it to our NY Yankees!

Know love,

Catherine

The beach...

2009-10-17T01:48:00.000-04:00

...is peace, nostalgia and one of the sweetest things about growing up on LI. The air and sound of the breaking waves become an internal gift you carry with you, wherever you go. Even when the conditions are not a sunlit blue sky and sand warm to the toes, it opens you in a unique way. Jones Beach is a landscape of shell collecting, miniature golf, and summer music memories... This Sunday, it's a venue for Making Strides against Breast Cancer and I'm so looking forward to strolling the boardwalk with The United Knockers and everyone we meet along the way. : )

Tonight in our Night Rhythms Live Beat, Joe Iadanza (a Long Island native too) regaled us with his inspiring outlook on being an independent artist and his music.

We heard the songs Traveling Salesman, and One More Lonesome Tune found on his album Traveling Salesman.
Joe is working on a new record, with an early 2010 release anticipated, and he played the song Lover Tonight as a preview of what we can expect from the new collection.

Joe will be among the performers next Sunday, October 25th @ River Songs: A Celebration of the Hudson at Beczak Environmental Education Center in Yonkers, underway @ 2pm. It's the launch of a new live performance venue on our scenic Hudson River, called Urban H2O and one of the many events celebrating the Hudson Quadricentennial. It's a day to experience the wealth of local talent we're so fortunate to have and you can find details at the Tribes Hill website. Hear more of Joe's music at his space and check out his web abode for upcoming shows. My gratitude to Joe for the '9th inning' performance accommodation!

While we were enjoying music, our NY Yankees endured a cold night in The Bronx with an ALCS Game 1 victory. Yogi Berra wisdom says: "You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six." I LOVE NEW YORK!!

Thanks for enjoying the Night Rhythms with us,

Catherine

The garden still blooms...

2009-10-11T13:08:00.000-04:00

So many wonderful things have been written regarding flowers, among them a proverb that says: Bloom where you are planted. These two lovelies opened in my garden this week...

“The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling.” ~Henry David Thoreau

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”~Thich Nhat Hanh

Congratulations to President Barack Obama for winning The Nobel Peace Prize this week. He is sowing the seeds of a peace our world has yet to witness in bloom.

Friday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we met Jim Lord and heard his song Flowers for Eleanor. You can find it on his CD Hangdog Heaven, the album and individual songs are available at Jim's website. Jim mentioned that he frequents the open mic nights at Caffe a La Mode in Warwick, and you can check his calendar for upcoming shows.

This week I learned that my volunteer assignment for the NYC Marathon on November 1st is at mile 24! Exciting and inspiring because the plan is to cross that 26.2 mile finish line myself, in 2010. Stay tuned for progress... Good luck to all of this year's runners, I'll be cheering you on near The Met Museum. : )

Snow Patrol opened for U2 @ the show I saw a few weeks ago, and I LOVE this song!

Sow with your light,

Catherine

Pinktober : )

2009-10-03T16:47:00.000-04:00

is a not-for-profit organization based in Valhalla that offers support to young Breast Cancer patients and survivors, as well as their families. Friday night we met Monique Johnson, a Breast Cancer survivor, and one of the founders of In The Pink. Check out the calendar of events and workshops Monique mentioned, even find out how you can experience the power of pink at Brighton in The Westchester Mall in White Plains. It's a month-long Breast Cancer awareness effort at Brighton, and Johanna will be performing the beautiful song we heard, You Are Not Alone, at an evening cocktail party there on Wednesday, October 14th @ 7pm.

Johanna wrote the song for In The Pink and proceeds support their efforts. The song is available at Johanna's website where you can find out where to catch one of her live shows, including tonight at The Striped Bass in Tarrytown, or next Friday night @ The Bayou in Mt. Vernon. Reach out to the resources of In The Pink by calling 914-681-9737 or visit the website where the song will also be available.

If you're Making Strides @ Jones Beach on October 18th, I'll see you on the boardwalk. ; ) Go United Knockers!!!

As mentioned on air, this week I visited the unique and wonderful public sound art installation on The Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie. Forgot my camera, so these low-res images were taken with my phone. We actually saw a rainbow, but it opted not to show up in my pictures.

Joe Bertolozzi, a Hudson Valley composer, found the musical potential in the architecture and created Bridge Music. You can walk along the pedestrian path to the middle of the bridge where you'll find speakers that play Joe's music at the touch of one of these buttons.
It's a majestic experience to stand on The Mid-Hudson Bridge, made better by its music. Joe's vision includes a live performance and you can learn more about his work at his website.

This weekend, The Walkway Over The Hudson has opened. Can't wait to visit that span too!

Which brings to mind a favorite song about a bridge further down the glorious Hudson River...

Groovy is good,

Catherine

Fragrant air...

2009-09-26T12:36:00.000-04:00

One humid night this week I drove home after midnight with the car window open, enjoying the delicious autumn air of The Hudson Valley. Just a whisper of something sweet and earthy and one of many reasons this time of year feels so abundant. As the daylight wanes, hope your experience of autumn brings a smile to your face.

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we caught up with Brian LaBlanc. He and his brother, Robbie, perform as Blanc Faces and we heard the title track, Falling From the Moon from their new album, being released in early November. They also perform at events and weddings as The LaBlanc Brothers Band and you can find them here.

Liz and Tony called to invite us to support the Katonah-Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. next weekend at their open house on Sunday, October 4th. It's at 160 Bedford Rd. in Katonah and you can visit between 11am & 2pm. Visit their website here.

Here's the scoop, maybe I'll see you there.

If you made it to Giants Stadium for U2 this week, without a doubt you had an incredible zoom through the musical cosmos with one of the world's finest bands. I saw the show recently and enjoyed the ride aboard the U2 mothership. Picked up a fun little sticker of inspiration, too. : )

Gratitude to U2 for every note, every chord they contribute to our planet...and the universe with this tour : ) and to this videographer for capturing one of my favorite moments in the show:

Love is in live music,

Catherine

"To see the summer sky..."

2009-09-20T10:31:00.000-04:00

"...Is poetry, though never in a book it lie-
True poems flee." ~Emily Dickinson

Have we really arrived at the end of summer? Emily Dickinson would probably agree that autumn is it's own sort of poetry.

If you were tuned in Friday night in the 10pm hour, you heard the mellifluous voice of E'lissa Jones, who is also a renowned violinist. Accompanying her was Marc McNutt on guitar.

The first song we heard was Amazing, from her latest album titled Anymore.

Thanks to E'lissa's Warwick music students tuned in, the next two songs were How I Need You Now, for DJ who sent a text saying E'lissa is "the best music teacher;" and it will be included on the new album E'lissa is working on, for an early 2010 release. Followed by Don't Speak, requested by Ferrell and found on E'lissa's album Anymore.

E'lissa performs live at the Warwick Apple Fest on Sunday, October 4th @ 11:30am. Check her calendar and hear more of E'lissa's music at her space or visit her website.

I hope you enjoy hearing live, local music in our Night Rhythms Livebeat as much as I do!

My friend, Efroim, sent an e-mail about something I mentioned on air Friday night which is a really cool way to think about music and time. It's a 1,000 year piece of music being played in a London lighthouse, check it out or listen here:

Enjoy the music of the falling leaves,

Catherine

Remembering and Imagining

2009-09-11T10:40:00.001-04:00

This day has come to mean so much...some pictures I've taken in the last few years that give a sort of definition to my thoughts:

Peaceful rest to the fallen, every person taken from us on that unbelievable day eight years ago, and love and strength to their families and friends. Heartfelt gratitude to all who tirelessly served at Ground Zero, and continue to do so in our communities every day. To our troops around the world, love & thanks with our ongoing prayers for your safe return home.

As if we didn't already love Derek Jeter enough, he gave new meaning to this September 11th day on the calendar...the day he set the record for all-time hits in his NY Yankees uniform. Bravo, captain!

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight we heard a new song from Lara Herscovitch, called Carry On, and it's found on her new album: through a frozen midnight sky.

Lara is currently serving as the Connecticut State Troubador, and will be among the performers at The Connecticut Folk Festival & Green Expo this Saturday in New Haven. Check out her calendar and hear more of Lara's music at her website. Be sure to check out the song Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, it's a new holiday favorite for me.

Thank you for giving us a reason to play so many incredible songs. Hope you liked hearing this one from Eric Clapton as much as I LOVED playing it for you.

Peace in music,

Catherine

What could you possibly need on 9/9/09?

2009-09-09T09:53:00.000-04:00

Love...

Catherine

School's open and Sesame Street turns 40!

2009-09-03T11:51:00.003-04:00

Not simply Grover, he's SUPER Grover! Happy back-to-school to you. Can't imagine a world without Muppets--and bravo to four decades of friendship on Sesame Street. : )

Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight we met Pete Marotta, who is the lead singer of the band Stuedabakerbrown.
The song we listened to is one of their new singles called Heartbeat, and you can check out their site or space to hear more and find out where they're playing, including next Saturday, September 12th @ Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan, or a hometown gig @ Bodles Opera House in Chester on Friday, October 9th @ 8pm.

Enjoy the Top 300 Countdown on WHUD and your weekend, and meet me Tuesday night @ 7pm for Night Rhythms. Thanks, to my online friend, Derek (who always imparts wisdom) for sharing this brilliant moment in the history of dance with the one and only,
James Brown...

Boogaloo be with you,

Catherine

Cheers to the bumblebees!

2009-08-31T13:26:00.000-04:00

Perhaps the hardest workers of summertime, have you had a moment of noticing just how marvelous bumblebees really are? Even Einstein had a theory about our inability to survive without their ongoing mission of pollination.

I'm a novice at gardening, and this summer, the Nasturtium (planted for the first time) has been abundant. Beautiful, colorful flowers that are edible and have a peppery taste, you can even make a pesto with them!

Some famous acknowledgement of bees...

"I'll be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee."
~Muhammad Ali

"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway."
~Mary Kay Ash

"Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame;
Each to his passion, what's in a name?"
~ Helen Hunt Jackson

Friday night in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we heard Laurie MacAllister sing the Leonard Cohen song, Famous Blue Raincoat. You can find it, along with a captivating collection of cover songs on her album, The Things I Choose To Do.

Hear Laurie live at The Peekskill Coffee House this Friday night, September 4th @ 8pm,
with back up from her pal Steve Kirkman. Learn more about Laurie and find out where she's performing solo, or with Red Molly here.

This weekend zipped by like a bumblebee, and I'm looking forward to playing a song for you tonight that's been buzzing in my brain for months...

Meet you for Night Rhythms at 7,

Catherine

"Tell me how many beads there are...

2009-08-22T02:06:00.000-04:00

In a silver chain,

Of evening rain,

Unravelled from the tumbling main..." ~Thomas Lovell Beddoes

A stormy weekend for us, enjoy the indoors or a blissful walk in the rain. : )

Tonight in our Night Rhythms Live Beat, Julie Corbalis (a.k.a. Jules) graced our WHUD airwaves!

We heard the song Melt Away...fitting for a hot summer night, and found on the album titled Jules and the Family

plus three songs from her latest solo release titled

Old Flames & New Names:

Johnny and June...a tribute to the late Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash, Should've Stayed Away...a relationship place we've all been, and a song beautifully dedicated to her mom, Barbara in Yorktown, called Turn Away. Julie mentioned that she's in a Battle of the Bands and you can vote here. Find out where she'll be performing live, including this Monday night at The Quays in Astoria @ 10pm, by visiting her website or space.

The thunder is rumbling as I type this and I really don't mind...

Laughin' in the rain,

Catherine

The season of the sunflower...

2009-08-16T17:49:00.000-04:00

Notice how cozy this sunflower is with the rooftop?
I believe it's the tallest one I've ever seen. It's the success of the 'green thumbs' of Heather, Michael, Jacob & Joshua.

Magnificent!
Aaaaaah, summer...like a song that you wish would keep on playing...

This week in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight we heard the song Better to You, by Joey Spallina, from his album Upside Down & Backwards. In addition to performing his own music, Joey is a 'tone farmer'-- cool title for a fascinating career of composing music for commercials, video games and other creative media. Check out his work and the album here.

An historic weekend in music as we remember one of the greatest entertainers of all time...

...and mark the anniversary of a little Hudson Valley get together that happened in Bethel 40 years ago. The spirit of Woodstock lives on in the music.
Have you got your summer dancing shoes on?

Diggin' peace, love & harmony,

Catherine

Is it really August?

2009-08-08T02:01:00.000-04:00

It seems mother nature has her foot firmly planted on the gas pedal this summer, with no sign of slowing down. Have you been enjoying the ride?

Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we checked in with Carolann Solebello, who just released a new solo album titled Glass of Desire. The song we heard is called Dance With Me, and you can hear more and check out her calendar here.

Carolann is also part of the acclaimed trio Red Molly, with numerous upcoming gigs all over the Northeast.

Tonight we also heard from Fr. John Nelson, the founder of Woodstock International Walk for Peace, that begins at the intersection of Routes 375 & 212 in Woodstock this weekend. Find the schedule of events in their blog.

Great news arrived from 11-year-old Ally Del Monte from Westchester, who is now a published author! She will be signing and selling copies of her book, Lilly's Story, at Bellizzi Restaurant in Larchmont this evening at 6pm. You can learn more about Ally and the book at her website.

We also heard the sounds of Joseph Bertolozzi, the composer of Bridge Music, created for and installed at the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie. He'll be signing copies of his book at the Newburgh Barnes & Noble on Route 300, this Tuesday, August 11th @ 7pm.

My summer vacation last week was a stellar road trip and truly a memorable time visiting Rhode Island. My thanks to James, who gave me an insider's tour of The Cliff Walk, some of the buildings of Salve Regina University, and The Breakers...for some homemade Banana Bread. (The best experiences have no dollar value) Here are a few highlights:

The best place in Newport for New England Clam Chowder!

European Weeping Beech Tree on the grounds of Newport mansions

Sunset over Narragansett Bay

The view from Jamestown

Lobster Roll from Spinnakers--YUM!

...and this is James. : )

This week was a reminder of the totally unique decade we know as "the 80s," that lives on in the films of John Hughes. The songs were almost as paramount as the characters he created, like this one from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack...

Peace in music,

Catherine

Vacation checklist...

2009-07-27T10:59:00.001-04:00

...includes: don't forget to blog! Hope your summer is sailing along just as you hoped it would. Friday night in our Night Rhythms Live Beat our WHUD airwaves were graced by the captivating harmony and synergistic guitar sounds of the duo, Open Book. Michele and Rick performed three songs for us, including a new song: Sounds Like Rain,

Indiana from their album

and Don't Try So Hard, also a recently written song. Open Book will be live at The Peekskill Coffee House this Sunday, August 2nd @ 1pm with their friends from The Veltz Family. Hear more Open Book music here.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Caramoor in Katonah, thanks to everyone who stopped by to see us. : ) If you haven't visited the enchanting gardens there, do add it to your list of things to see in Westchester. A wonderful schedule of music through the fall, in a divine setting.

What better way to kick off a vacation than with live music?

My thanks to Lisa and everyone at the SPCA of Westchester for a sensational night of music at the Rosenthal JCC in Pleasantville Saturday night. A memorable performance from Dave Bickler, and the Saw Mill Summer Theatre Group truly ROCKS! They had us singing along to a fabulous repertoire of songs arranged in a way that would make the likes of Gladys Knight, The Rolling Stones, Rush and Peter Gabriel proud. If you're considering welcoming unconditional *love* into your home or can donate to their work, click here.

Have a blissful week and I look forward to playing songs for you on 8/3!

Sail with music,

Catherine

"The perils of duck hunting are great - especially for the duck."

2009-07-18T02:21:00.000-04:00

Media icon Walter Cronkite said that. He's also noted for his coverage of the Apollo 11 arrival on the moon, 40 years ago this Monday. A broadcasting pioneer whose footsteps may not have reached the moon, but he took America there.

Tonight in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight, we heard a new song from TJay, called Goldfish, and it's on his just released CD titled Take A Seat. TJay will be at the Rosendale Street Festival this weekend, along with many other great local artists. He plays around the Hudson Valley regularly and you can check out TJay's calendar @ his space.

If you're in Pomona tomorrow, Anthony and friends of Richard Jakubowsky are having a BBQ and helping out his family, details here.

Our last song tonight was for Christine and Diane who were at Citi Field to see Paul McCartney. Christine said Billy Joel showed up for a set and if there's one word she mentioned more than once to describe the evening it was AWESOME! I guess we can now call him The Amazing Sir Paul...NY sure loves YOU!

May the Flashback Weekend force be with you,

Catherine

Like a flash...

2009-07-13T13:56:00.000-04:00

...the weekend went by! Hope yours was fantastic. : )

If you missed our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight on Friday,
we met Jonny Hirsch and listened to his song Tonight,
found on his album Live From The Batcave.

Find out more about Jonny and his music at http://www.jonnyhirsch.com
He mentioned that The Bitter End is one of his favorite places to play and Jonny has a show there on Tuesday, August 18th @ 7:30pm. That's a good reason for a summertime stroll down Bleecker Street! Although there is debate over which is the best pizza in Manhattan, the one you won't be disappointed in trying is Bleecker Street Pizza.
I think it really depends on your mood because there's amazing pizza
all over New York.

Are you a great believer in major chords?

Sunshine & songs to you,

Catherine

Support our troops at The Peekskill Coffee House this Sunday : -)

2009-07-10T02:59:00.000-04:00

We will be collecting some of the comforts of home and sending them off to our hard working troops overseas. All you have to do is pick up a few items and bring them to the coffee house. We will box them and ship them off to a soldier that has been assigned to us. Here are some ideas.

Packaged Snacks
Travel Games
Cookies
Decks of Cards
Candy/Gum/Mints
Current Magazines
Beef Jerky
CD’s and DVD’s
Beanie Babies
Q-tips
Tissues
Band-Aids
Aspirin / Tylenol / Advil / Aleve
Ben-Gay
Soap/Shower Wash
Sunscreen
Shampoo/Conditioner
Lip Balm
Moisturizer / Lotion
Nail Clippers
Deodorant
Combs/Brushes
Toothpaste/Toothbrush
Razors
100% Cotton T-shirts
Shave Cream
100% Cotton Socks
Feminine Products
Face/Hand Towels

View Larger Map

The big 233rd birthday block party...

2009-07-05T12:45:00.000-04:00

...ran from Chelsea to the Upper West Side this year, and what a spectacular show! A glorious weekend, weather-wise and ideal for skating from around 1oth St. along the West Side Highway down through Battery Park and over to the South Street Seaport. I waved to the Statue of Liberty, along the way, whose crown reopened to the public this weekend. The vantage point for this brief video is near 70th St. A balmy and gorgeous night on the waterfront, and a fabulous crowd! Hats off to 'NY's finest' for a helpful and extensive presence in blue. Macy's sure did deliver on the promise of a fantastic show.

Without a doubt, it was a great night of music with Mestengo, at the Reservoir Inn in Hurley on Saturday night. We met Dave Kearney in our Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight this week, and heard his beautiful song Home is Where the Heart Is. Dave is currently in the studio working on his album, along with his musical partner Elly Wininger. Together they are the duo, Mestengo. They play regularly at Alchemy in Woodstock. Hear more of their music and find out when & where to check out Mestengo live at Dave's space and visit Elly here. Dave shared that Mestengo's name is a word that means wild and free...

If you're a fan of Sam Rockwell and Sci-Fi, add the film Moon to your list. It's directed by David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones, and is thought provoking about our planet's future, and simply stellar Sam...you could say lunar, too. : )

Whatever you're up to this July 4th weekend, hope it's exactly what you've been needing. Love and gratitude to our troops, whose work never stops. There's a tenacity in this Kenny Rogers song that seems ideal for this weekend:

The Greatest

Freedom's in the music,

Catherine

“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.”

2009-06-27T20:42:00.002-04:00

**********************************************************************************
James Dean said that... and it's been quite a summer of iconic farewells...

Did you know Ed McMahon was a U.S. Marine and fighter pilot?
His was an unmistakable voice and proof that every comedian
needs at least one guaranteed giggle by their side and someone
willing to play along. Thank you, Ed, for serving our country, and
dishing out laughter for so many years.

I loved hearing how Farrah Fawcett was known to her close friends as
"Double F." There's a fierce sense of life & humor in that and it's probably amusing to anyone who carried a Charlie's Angels lunch box or imagined (once upon a time) they might some day work for the covert boss, Charlie. : )
In the last days of her life we learned that there really is a third "f," for fighter.
Thank you, Farrah, for reminding us of what beauty truly is.

Perhaps the most startling and devastating passing was that of the beacon of music and dance,
Michael Jackson. I regret that I never saw him perform live, but I had an unforgettable moment involving him while working as a DJ at The Virgin Megastore in Times Square, about 9 years ago.

The DJ booth in that store is above the ground level, sort of to the side of the giant video screen. Whenever we played a Michael Jackson video (and this only happened when it was a Michael Jackson video) people entering the store would stop in their tracks, mesmerized by the screen--even with the sound turned down--watching a performer who thrilled us like no other. There was a day I came close to being fired when a co-worker called up to the booth and asked me to play "any Michael Jackson song." Thrilled to accommodate them, I gave a spin to Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. What I didn't realize, was that Michael was actually shopping in the store at that moment. Within seconds, I could see below me a frenzied group of people, and the sudden intervention of security ushering someone out of the crowd and out the door. The security guard had a few unpleasant words for my fumble, and that's the closest I came to meeting The King of Pop. : )

As our Night Rhythms dedications expressed the last few nights, many of us feel like we grew up with the star presence of Michael. Thank you, to everyone who called to share their thoughts and memories--Janine in West Haverstraw mentioned recently finding her old BOP magazines and Michael Jackson pins...that's quite a trip down music-memory lane.

His talent... his artistry... his music... and other-worldly ability to dance and make us want to emulate the moves has left a colossal imprint on the world. The messages in many of his lyrics illustrate the contents of his heart.

Thank you, Michael for electrifying the music world, and for your captivating and inextinguishable fire in the solar system of our existence. Michael wrote a song for his friend that eloquently expresses the feeling of his fans: gone too soon.

Laugh, be bold & beautiful and DANCE!

Catherine

Welcome to our new web abode : ~)

2009-06-23T13:44:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite lyrics in a U2 song says:
"The heart is a bloom, shoots up through stony ground..."
Even better, here's the song:

Beautiful Day

It was a fantastic day at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds yesterday

exploring the work of many local and from-'round-the-country artists

who were exhibiting and selling their work at Crafts @ Rhinebeck.

The rain was no deterrent for happy shoppers...among the highlights

were incredible wooden canoes, fountains, pottery, glass,

sculpture,painted and wood objects...like door harps--here's the one

I purchased, made from the wood of an Olive tree:

Friday night in our Night Rhythms Live Beat,

Fred Gillen, Jr. and Matt Turk

played three stellar songs for us:

These Nameless Streets and It Really Matters, from their album:

(that's actually an image from the awesome t-shirt they gave me)

and the song Devil's Bluff, found on Fred's album:

If you missed the performance, go to whud.com for the podcast.

As I type this, Fred & Matt are performing in Croton Point Park at

Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, and you can find out about

the many places to hear more of their music live at Gillen and Turk.

In the words of one of the stickers on Fred's guitar: WAGE LOVE.

Catherine

A turtle travels with its home on its back...

2009-06-22T17:15:00.000-04:00

This amazing turtle creature showed up in my yard...some say they move slowly because turtles believe they have all the time in the world. : )

"Perseverance has the turtle
as she patiently travels along.
In her slowness she missed nothing,
for she hears Mother Earth's song
Patience, old wisdom I'll learn from you,
Deep forest secrets and Earth magick true."

Peace,

Catherine