Beaujolais and Beyond

Please join WAER on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, from 4:30-8:30 PM at Lemon Grass for a night of decadence, extravagance, and exceptional food!

Chef Max, owner of Lemon Grass, will be preparing an extraordinary eight-course meal paired with complementary wines from the Beaujolais province of Burgundy, France.

Beaujolais Nouveau Menu
 
Roasted Young Chicken
Marinated in our famous yellow curry, cream of coconut, slow roasted.
Served with sweet chili and herb vinaigrette.
(Vegetarian will replace with fried white tofu)
 
Wanton Vermicelli with Forest Mushrooms Salad
This dish became famous very quickly, field greens, wild mushrooms,
wanton vermicelli, crisp garlic, fresh herbs and nuts.
 
  Roasted Baby Rack of Lamb
Served with our famous Lemon Grass's Peanut Sauce and greens of
the day.  Additional Full rack of Lamb $10.00
(Vegetarian will replace with gluten)
 
Tamarind Duck (Best of the Best)
The most successful entrée since our restaurant has been open.
Served with an Orange-Tamarind sauce.
 
Filet Mignon
Sautéed sliced filet mignon with fresh garlic, high proof whisky,
hot pepper, and cinnamon basil.
Served with a bunch of crisp cinnamon basil on the top.
(Vegetarian will replace with shredded brown tofu)
 
Fish of the Day
Served with chili tamarind, greens, and sprig of cilantro.
 
Shrimp in Green Curry
Served with cinnamon basil and chili peppers.
 
Coffee and Dessert

This eight-course meal with wine throughout costs $65.00 per person, and
ALL OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS EVENT SUPPORT WAER.

Come be a part of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau wine harvest and kick off the holiday season with great friends, fine wine and irresistible dishes. Come with a hearty appetite, and leave with a renewed appreciation for culinary and vineyard delights, and the sincere appreciation of WAER for your charitable generosity.

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Rebecca Slye by email at raslye@syr.edu, or by telephone at 315-443-4834.

Eric Cohen's Featured CD's of the Week

If you missed Eric Cohen's featured CD releases this week, here is a recap of what we played; consider it your "Best of New Music" cheat sheet!

1. Pianist and Vocalist Ray Brown Jr.

Born in New York City and raised in a family of musical royalty (the son of singer Ella Fitzgerald and legendary jazz bass player Ray Brown), Ray Brown, Jr. learned early to appreciate the beauty and artistry of music.

Although the primary emphasis was jazz, Ray's heart was in rock and roll and rhythm and blues. The family migrated to California where Ray studied piano at the age of 10. At 14, drums became an extended musical passion, so dad arranged for young Ray to study with Bill Douglas and later with Chuck Flores in Los Angeles.

"Because of my roots," says Ray, "people always assume I sing jazz or play jazz. That's what they ask when they meet me for the first time. People are surprised when I sing country or rock and roll.

To hear some of Ray's music, especially the tracks from his new album, Friends and Family, check out: His Web Site.

2. Saxophonist David Sanborn

David recorded his first album in 1975 ( Taking Off ) and since then he's rarely gone more then two years between releases. So far, David has released an amazing 22 solo albums.

The latest of his works, Here and Gone, came out on August 12.
Produced by the legendary Phil Ramone, the nine-track CD features a number of special guests, including Eric Clapton, Sam Moore and Joss Stone. For more information on the new album, please visit the official website of Decca Records.

For more information about David Sanborn, visit his Web site by clicking Here.

3. Guitarist Greg Chako

In 2003, after finishing a successful, steady jazz gig in China with singer Dee Dee McNeil, pianist Jack Holland, and bassist Donald Jackson, American guitarist Greg Chako moved to Japan with his Japanese wife (of 3 years) to start a new life. However, shortly after arriving in Japan, he discovered his beloved wife had terminal cancer. The shocking, all-consuming experience that followed caused a 2-3 year playing and recording hiatus. However, after the death of his wife in 2004 at age 37, he began slowly to get back into his music.

In 2005/2006 he released 2 new CDs, the first double CD containing all-original compositions called "Where We Find Ourselves", dedicated to his late wife. Played by a tight, swinging horn ensemble, the fresh, varied arrangements are mostly mainstream, with splashes of Latin and World music, and even a couple vocal tracks showing off Chakos` own lyrics, which are as thoughtful and supremely lyrical as his improvising. Shortly thereafter, he released his 7th CD, "Two`s Company, Three`s a Crowd", a series of swinging duets of guitar/piano and guitar/vocal covers, some live. Seeming content to stay and develop his performance contacts in and around the Tokyo area, Chako is now focused on promoting and extending his prolific composing and recording career.

His newest album, Everybody's Got a Name, is not only available in a traditional CD format, but also in a downloadable MP3 version which you can buy Here. For more info. on Greg Chako, please Click Here.

Words and Music Songwriter Showcase

WAER is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Words & Music Songwriter Showcase with host Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers.

The Words and Music Songwriter Showcase is a concert series featuring top musicians from Central New York sharing their original songs in an intimate acoustic setting.

Series host Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers is a grand prize winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. His song "Fly," won the grand prize in the country category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Judged by music industry veterans and recording artists such as Bob Weir, John Legend, and Natasha Bedingfield, the Lennon contest is one of today's most prestigious international songwriting competitions. The song can be heard on the John Lennon Songwriting Contest website at: http://www.jlsc.com (click on Winners)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, at the Auburn Public Theater,
WAER and Words and Music will be hosting Dusty Pas'cal with Loren Barrigar plus Dick Ward, Jeff Connor, and Rory O'Bannion (See flyer below).

Dusty Pas'cal is a singer-songwriter. He's a poet, he's a picker, he's a prophet and he's a pusher, he's a pilgrim and a preacher and a problem when he's stoned, he's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction, taken every wrong direction on his lonely way back home. For this show, Dusty will be joined by guitarist extraordinaire Loren Barrigar.

Then, on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, at Jazz Central in Syracuse, the Words and Music Songwriter Showcase will feature Donna Colton and the Troublemakers with Mike Gibson, Len Widdekind, and Laura Courtwright.

To view other upcoming shows, or to get more info. about the Words and Music Songwriter Showcase, Please Click Here.

Buy Back the Campaign!

We at WAER invite you to "Jump on the Buyback Bandwagon" this fall. This past spring, WAER supporters were able to cut the pledge drive in half by renewing early. Cutting the drive in half means that we get to provide you twice the music and shows that you love to listen to, and half of the on-air pledge time!

All renewals received between now and October 20, will count towards the Buy-Back Campaign. We need to raise $20,000 in renewals in order to keep our pledge drive to a 4-day drive. You can make it happen!

In addition to shortening the fall pledge drive, your renewal donation will automatically enter you into a drawing for a new HD radio!

And remember that at the $75 level, you qualify for the WAER MemberCard, good for 2-for-1 admission at local cultural events and recreational attractions as well as 2-for-1 entrees at over 25 local restaurants. CLICK HERE for a list of all the WAER Membership Incentives.


As you consider your level of giving, please remember that your annual support allows us to keep our community informed, inspired, and enriched by the news and information that WAER and NPR provide to Central New York 24 hours every day!

Please CLICK HERE to pledge, or CLICK HERE to learn more about Buy Back the Campaign.

WAER couldn't exist without your donations. Your donations fuel the intellectual and musical fire not only here at WAER, but also for NPR as a whole. Please help us keep you informed and entertained! Thank you!

Reminder: Wescott Street Cultural Fair is Approaching!

As mentioned in the last edition of WAER's Blue Notes, the Westcott Street Cultural Fair is quickly approaching. Taking place on Sunday, September 21, from 12:00-6:30 PM, the fair is sure to be a blast!

Because WAER is committed to the Central New York community, we are not only sponsors of this fair, but also active participants.

WAER's Eric Cohen will host the Main Stage, where the band Sophistafunk, led by WAER Funk Show host Adam Gold, will be rockin' from 4:00-5:00 P.M.

On the Multicultural Stage, WAER's "Top of the World" hosts Mark Bostic and Connie Wailer will emcee a number of performances including Son Boricua.



And on the Common Threads 11th Anniversary Stage, Larry Hoyt will host WAER Program Director Ron Ockert and his band The Econoline Cowboys.

Common Threads Anniversary Concert was a Success!

Thank you to all who came out to the Common Threads 11th Anniversary Show at Kellish Farm this past Saturday, September 6. The event had a tremendous turnout, with over 80 people in attendance.

Fans of the Common Threads program, hosted by Larry Hoyt on Sundays from 12:00 noon - 3 P.M., enjoyed performances by the Black Eyed Susies, Off the Wall, and Larry Hoyt and the Good Acoustics.


↑ The Black Eyed Susies Live at the Event ↑


To view more pictures from the event, visit WAER at Flickr!
Please CLICK HERE

For more information on Common Threads, please CLICK HERE

High Definition Back in Action

After a couple of weeks of "down-time," WAER's HD and supplemental HD (HD2) channels are back on the air. If you have a High Definition multi-channel receiver (or if you get one for free through your generous donation to WAER) you can now listen to the Album Adult Alternative music including Xponential radio and the World Cafe on WAER HD2. As is always the case with public radio, it's 100% commerical free. The play lists include Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, John Mellencamp, Pat Metheny, Yael Naim, and The Ting Tings.

HD Radio is the most significant advancement in radio broadcasting since the introduction of FM stereo more than 50 years ago. HD Radio technology enables AM and FM radio stations to add new channels to play more of what you like to hear. There are at least 8 stations in the Syracuse market broadcasting HD signals. All you need is a new radio to join the revolution! Visit www.hdradio.com to learn more.

Westcott Street Cultural Fair

2008 Westcott Street Cultural Fair

Sunday, September 21, 12:00 - 6:30 PM

A little over two weeks from now, the 16th annual Westcott Street Cultural Fair will kick off at noon on...you guessed it, Westcott Street in Syracuse.

WAER is a proud sponsor of this fair, which brings more than 8,000 people annually to the Westcott Business District, providing value to the community culture of not only Syracuse, but also to all of Central New York.

The Westcott Street Cultural Fair is an annual, one-day celebration of the diversity and uniqueness of the Westcott neighborhood through its culture, visual and performing arts, food, service organizations, and activities geared to families and university students returning to the neighborhood.

The Westcott Street Cultural Fair includes a wide variety of activities, live performances, arts and crafts, delicious food, and even a parade which will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Westcott Community Center and march at Noon.

↑ Pictures from 2007 Fair Above ↑

WAER will be adding to the flavor of the fair all day. We will be hosting a panoply of live music performances on several different stages, bringing you a well-rounded, eclectic mix of music genres and concerts.

On the Main Stage, Eric Cohen, WAER's music director, will be hosting a number of live performances at Dorians. He will be hosting the following live performances at the following times (click on the links to find out more about selected bands):
1:00-2:00 Ronnie Leigh
2:30-3:30 Marcia Hagan and Fluid Drive
4:00-5:00 Sophistafunk
5:30-6:30 John Rossbach

On the MultiCultural Stage, located at the intersection of Westcott and Dell, Mark Bostick and Connie Wailer, hosts of "Top of the World" on WAER, will be presenting the following performances:
12:00-12:30 Opening Ceremony featuring the Signature Syracuse Jazz Ensemble
12:45-1:30 Cheon Ji In
2:00-2:45 Son Boricua
3:15-4:00 Klezmercuse
4:30-5:15 Causeway Giants
5:45-6:30 The Action

Also, on the Common Threads 11th Anniversary Stage at Taps, Larry Hoyt, host of WAER's Common Threads, will be presenting these performances:
12:30-1:00 Signature Syracuse Jazz Ensemble
1:00-1:15 Raging Grannies
1:30-2:00 Loren Barrigar
2:15-3:00 Econoline Cowboys
3:00-3:15 Raging Grannies
3:30-4:15 Colleen Kattau & Some Guys
4:30-5:15 Closer Still
5:45-6:30 3

Come join WAER, and the 8,000 other Central New York residents who believe that the culture of our great region is worth celebrating, at the Westcott Street Culture Fair on Sunday, September 21, from 12:00 - 6:30 PM.

For more information about the fair, including directions, a list of additional performances and activities, and contact information for fair representatives, CLICK HERE.

Voting for the Future

Be sure to tune in on Wednesday, September 17th at 8 pm for the next installment of our "Voting for the Future", special election reports. This series, hosted by Chris Bolt, WAER's News Director, touches on social and political topics relevant to the U.S. as a whole, and then discusses them in relation to their impact on Central New York. It is national news put in a regional context.

On the 17th, Chris will host a panel of local experts to discuss the economic proposals and ideas that might affect Central New York. Are the Presidential and Congressional candidates pushing reforms that will help keep jobs here? Will people and businesses find a way out of the recession after the election, based on how Washington reacts? We plan to invite in a business owner, a development expert, a labor representative, and listener phone calls during the hour-long program. We encourage you to listen and take part with your comments and questions.

The final "Voting for the Future" program in October will focus on the war in Iraq.

Tune in Wednesday, September 17th at 8 pm for "Voting for the Future, of the Economy" on your home for Music, News and NPR, WAER 88.3 FM.