On my honor, I will do my best ...

Those opening words to the Boy Scout Oath, from my days in Lansdale's Troop 610, popped into my head as I prepare to write a story commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. I have my own standout Cub and Boy Scout memories, but I'm more interested in hearing yours, either as a scout, leader or involved parent. E-mail me at bbingaman@thereporteronline.com or call me at (215) 412-8905.

As the Scout Motto says: Be prepared.

Meanwhile, check out the alumni link at http://www.scouting.org/.

Hooterville

The Hooters in a recent performance.

One of the intriguing concert dates of the new year at Sellersville Theater will be Jan. 23. There will be solo performances by members of The Hooters, namely Eric Bazilian and John Lilley.
Among Bazilian's career activities have been writing the Grammy-nominated "One of Us" by Joan Osbourne, "Kiss the Rain" by Billie Myers and "Private Emotion" by Ricky Martin (haven't heard those last two in ages!), and playing guitar on Clay Aiken's debut album.
Lilley, meanwhile, has recently discovered within him "a sleepin' cowboy who has a lot to say and won't shut up." The result is the album "Lucky Kinda Guy."
And I would imagine there will be some old-school Hooters tunes in the mix somewhere ;)
Anybody remember when The Hooters played at North Penn? They were playing in about every high school in the Delaware Valley at that time. I want to say that was 1982 or 1983.
Show time is 8 p.m. on Saturday the 23rd with tickets from $21.50-$33. Call (215) 257-5808 or go to www.st94.com.

More links: www.myspace.com/ericbazilian, www.johnlilley.com.

Taking the post-holiday letdown personally

After being saturated by Christmas for more than a month, and then for a week by New Year's, there's going to be a whole lot of nothing going on. It's a classic example of binge and purge.
As the chief content provider for The Reporter's weekend section for close to 10 years, this is the time of year I dread the most -- the winter doldrums. The New Year really is like starting from zero -- waiting for things to start happening again.
Well I'm doing something about it.
My acoustic duo, Raspberry Tea, will be the first act of 2010 for the Indian Valley Public Library's Second Fridays series. I get a kick out of how the library makes sure to mention my name (even though they spelled it wrong on their Web site) in promoting Raspberry Tea ... as if I was a rock star or something.
Ken Kennedy and I will be celebrating the release of a five-song mini-album, "Just Like That!" which showcases our singer-songwriter skills, plus a Bo Diddley beat arrangement of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
This being a library, we'll have some other songs among our originals that were inspired by literature.
Admission is free and Raspberry Tea is on at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8.
February's entertainment (Feb. 12) is Lazy Sundays, featuring Elena Eschbach and Dawn Hunsdorffer, who I know from Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopal. They performed during the Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts open house fundraiser earlier this month.
Now and Then is featured March 12.
On April 9, cigar box guitar/diddley bow specialists One-String Willie and Gerry Thompson will show that sometimes a store bought guitar just won't do.
Keep checking http://www.ivpl.org/ for updates to the Second Fridays series.

http://www.myspace.com/theraspberrytea offers you a sneak listen to track 1 of the CD, "Curly Howard's Blues."

Support this open mic night

Ken Kennedy, a North Penn alum and the other half of my acoustic duo, Raspberry Tea, is introducing an open mic night at the Peppercorn Pub on Route 309 south in Coopersburg from 9 to midnight Jan. 14. IT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE JAN. 7, BUT ILLNESS HAS POSTPONED IT.
Musicians, singers, spoken word artists, etc. are welcome to showcase their talents (and bring some friends) to the "Cousins Grimm Open Mic."
If you have an original song to try out on an audience, the time is now. If you've learned a song, please share it. The sound equipment and microphones should all be there, and all you need is your instrument.
And don't be surprised if Ken and his cousin, Rick, join in. Ken is fun to jam with!
Here's a link to Ken's MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/gypsytunes

Befriending an unsung icon

Earlier this month, my son and I caught one of the jazz cabarets at Allentown Symphony Hall. Bob Dorough has been making records since 1956, and he's the only vocalist that Miles Davis ever recorded with!

Dorough, who is now 82 years young, has a distinguished career, yet he is best known as the musical supervisor for ABC-TV's "Schoolhouse Rock."
If you grew up with "Schoolhouse Rock" like I did, you'd recognize the guy's voice right away.

I had the chance to talk to him before they opened the doors of the third floor Rodale Room (and served lasagna along with a cash bar). What a super nice guy he is!
Besides performing "Schoolhouse Rock" classics that he wrote, like "Three is a Magic Number," "Conjunction Junction" and "Figure Eight" with his trio, he also did a memorable version of the Gershwin Brothers-penned song "But Not for Me" and a terrific anti-Christmas song he wrote and recorded with Miles Davis (who Dorough referred to affectionately as "The Prince of Darkness") in 1962 called "Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)."
Perhaps the highlight of the evening was during the intermission when kiddo and I were talking with Dorough's guitarist. Steve was playing this cutsom built, electrified, acoustic guitar that was made by a friend of his in Philly who died from leukemia at age 44. When Jr. was talking to Steve about his ongoing jazz saxophone instruction, Dorough walked up, gestured toward Jr., and said, "This guy's a musician." Dorough and his guitar player raved about the Celebration Of The Arts (COTA) that's held annually in Delaware Water Gap, Pa., and were telling us we ought to move there because of what great music education they have in that community!
Also, if you're getting tired of the same old Christmas music on the radio, 88.5-FM WXPN has a breath of fresh air coming Christmas Day. Their syndicated "World Cafe" program will feature an interview with Sting from noon to 2, featuring tracks from his new holiday album "If on a Winter’s Night..." Sting will talk about where he drew inspiration for the album, what the holidays were like for him as a child and today, and why he feels the season is a mix of light and darkness emotionally. Sting will be coming to the area in January to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Later on Christmas Day, "World Cafe" will air a special Christmas show featuring Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Aqua Teen Hunger Force (!) from 2 to 4 p.m.
The radio station's impeccable Year in Review is on tap for next week. The listener-selected best-of will feature the top 10 favorite CDs and top 100 songs of 2009, with the albums airing 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 28-31, and the songs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 1 and 4.

Christy Christmas!

Since the subject of the first official post to Talk about the Passion was Christy Jefferson, there's a risk that I'm coming across as a stalker...

Last Christmas, Christy Jefferson was at a standstill making her soon-to-be released album "Agree to Disagree." And money was tight. Since nothing counteracts the winter blues like endorphins from nostalgic holiday tunes (ha ha), she recorded a few Christmas songs in her home studio in Doylestown to give as a gift to family and friends.
The five-song CD, "Merry Christmas with Love," grew to 11 songs -- 10 traditional numbers and an original about her family, "Memories We Build On, Year to Year."
C.J. opted for an eco-friendly sleeve made of recycled cardboard and skipped the shrink wrap.
In order to cover costs, Christy quietly sold the CD last November and December in markets far from family and friends, and pulled off what she described as 'a complete surprise' on Christmas morning.
“Making this CD was the perfect way to turn an unhappy situation around. I hope other people hear this story and are inspired to use their creativity and innovation to get through tough spots this holiday season and throughout the year ahead. The worst of times can be turned into the best of times with a little imagination and teamwork!,” she said.
Oh yeah, and she did get around to finishing the album that she had been working on in the first place. A CD release party for "Agree to Disagree" starts at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 26 at Puck on Printers Alley in downtown Doylestown. Cover is $5.

Rhymes with stink-stank-stunk

Regional punk rockers Clashing Plaid have re-issued their single "All I Got for Christmas was Drunk" along with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Run Run Rudolph" and the new tune "Penny Collection." Hear these live during a show Friday night Dec. 11 at Traxx, 102 Bethlehem Pike, Colmar.
Holiday music tends to get on my nerves because it's so invasive for about a month and then disappears for 11 months. But ever since Clashing Plaid put out "Drunk" a few years ago, I must say, it's a keeper. I still have their one CD that has "Drunk" and the well-done originals "Emotional Wreck" and "Ghosts on Main Street."
"Drunk" is available as a free download from www.clashingplaid.com and "Penny Collection" is on iTunes and CDBaby.