rosh ha shana

9/26

It’s Rosh Ha Shana, the Jewish new year. I’ve been invited to the East Side synagogue where the brother and sister Rabbis  Perry and Leah Berkowitz do their progressive Jewish with gospel choir service and my friend Jim Forbes brings the last homily.

 A group of young Japanese have come to see the art show. Pat O takes them up to Mc Alpin.

Our friend Ann F and Colleen from the Landmarks Conservancy have come for a site visit and to see what we have lined up for our reconstruction project. Ann has been with us all along and has found some money streams that could be helpful. She’s excited that we could be just about ready to begin. And by the end of the day, Pat O tells us that the stop work order has been lifted. We’re ready to go.

Pat O and I meet to review where we are on the congregational redevelopment plan.  I feel very frustrated. Part of it is my own sense of feeling lost in the underbrush sometimes. And trying to have an overview of what needs to happen when and seeing a whole big strategy working itself out. The daily demands obscure that.

Deacon James drops by for a brief visit.

I do take time to go visit Rachel before Open Mic.

As always, I’m happy when time for Open Mic rolls by again. And it’s another one of those nights. An intriguing and diverse crowd.

Steve B

Rabbi Steve, fresh from his Rosh ha Shana services, which he does at a jazz club, has a good strong set.

Gigi does another set of old time liberal spoken word.

Gigi

Alex has a guitar set before adding his fiddle to lots  of other performers, including me.

Alex on guitar

Kosi,  newcomer, brings us something g reminiscent of Tracy Chapman but with her own unique persona including her version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.(kosi-sings.com)

Joel and Steve

Joel and rabbi Steve team up for what is becoming a regular collaborating with Steve’s accompaniment seemingly encouraging Joel to go to new places…a real old school Greenwich Village jazz vibe coming to Joel’s spoken word. Joel is becoming one of our tour guides in the exploration of encroaching mortality.

David L continues to get more comfortable in his growing willingness to put himself out there, a good example of  what RL nurtures through the way he runs the open mic.

Nick L our resident banjo player continues to expand his original work, as he crosses boundaries to find what his instrument is capable of.

Nick

David S

David S

takes a break from the soundboard to recreate ‘80’s pop in his own resonant voice and electric guitar and drum machine.

Pat O has also brought elector equipment to back his originals on his Nick Drake song and his old soldier song.

Pat O

And here from Paris, again is Victoire

Victoire

who was here a year ago and now back to where she feels at home. She has an earnest sincerity and openness in her music that wraps around you like welcoming arms. (http://www.victoire-oberkampf.fr/)

Joe as usual has a combination  of declamatory acapella and mandolin accompanied timeless song.

Mandola Joe

It’s almost midnight by the time my set comes up. Though tired, I want to try some new things. I bring Alex up for all three. Hank Loughlin’s Send me the pillow that you dream on. My own Queen of the factory town. And a shot at Seeger’s Where have all the flowers gone..Good first time, both need work.

A rapper named the View (where’s Oprah?) calls Nick up an raps over top of the  banjo…

Nick and the View

And then RL, who began the night with the Tom Jones version of Green green grass of home asks us once again to stay awhile…

Kosi

Kosi agrees to accompany the boys to the gate.

I can't believe that I've got to leave for a presbytery meeting at 8 AM.