I enjoy sleep like a good steak

Those words were uttered by Bill Cosby, both on album and in an episode of "The Cosby Show." It sets up a funny story that ends in the Coz getting robbed of sleep.
I always found it amusing that there's a sleep research center on Cowpath Road in Hatfield Township. So if you fall asleep there, you're not slacking on the job?
Grand View Hospital invites you to check out a free lecture by national sleep expert (how does one achieve that distinction?) Dr. James B. Maas at Franconia Heritage Restaurant on Route 113 at 5:30 p.m. June 3. Maas is a psychology professor at Cornell University, the author of “Power of Sleep” and has been featured on "The Today Show," "20/20," "Regis & Kelly" and "Oprah."
“To be a peak performer you need to be fully alert, dynamic, energetic, in a good mood, and cognitively sharp,” says Maas. “You must be able to concentrate, remember, make critical and creative decisions, communicate persuasively, and be productive all day long. None of this is possible without quality sleep. Furthermore, healthy sleep has been proven to be the single most important determinant in predicting longevity.”
Strange as this sounds, the doc has strategies to get a good night’s sleep. Among the topics he will discuss are:

• Why are 100 million Americans sleep deprived?
• What are the different stages of nocturnal sleep and how important are they to daytime functioning?
• How much sleep do you need to function well?
• Can you decrease your need for sleep and remain efficient?
• Do you need less sleep as you get older?
• Is napping healthy?
• What causes insomnia?
• What are the four golden rules that will assure you a great night's sleep?

There will be appetizers and beverages...y'know, so you don't fall asleep.

Registration is required by calling the Grand View Information Line at (215) 453-4300. Also, visit http://www.gvh.org/.

FYI, Grand View also has a sleep center. The recently opened Stoneridge Sleep Center, 870 Lawn Ave., West Rockhill, provides testing, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and more.

Nighty-night!

Folk @ Fire

Every Tuesday in May, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, will be taken over by the Philly Folk Parade, "a sounding bell of human musical freedom." Organized by local 'folk stars' The Spinning Leaves and Hezekiah Jones, the Folk Parade’s residency will provide a rotating cast of seven bands each night, sharing the stage starting at 9 p.m.

Hosting this week is Chris Kasper, and Hezekiah Jones gets the last one on May 25. My boy, Jesse Lundy, will be jamming with The Doublewides the 18th.

Cover is $7.

Click on the link in this post to The Fire or call (267) 671-9298.

Stones return to Exile

At 10 p.m. May 17, 93.3 WMMR's Pierre Robert will host a live radio special, with The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, to celebrate the re-release of their oft ballyhooed album "Exile on Main Street." It will air on WMMR-FM, and dozens of stations across the country, and stream simultaneously at www.wmmr.com.
The interview marks the first time since Exile's release in 1972 that the three Stones that were around when Exile was made (Mick Taylor's still going it alone, Ron Wood wasn't yet in the band, Bill Wyman was a party pooper and retired) will talk about the creation of one of the most defining albums of The Rolling Stones' cataloge.
Here's the important part - the re-release includes 10 never-before-heard tracks and hits stores May 18. Get a taste at Amazon here.
Now here's where I'm going to get some hate mail. IMO "Exile on Main Street" has some important and essential songs, but as an album (a two-record set in its original incarnation), it draaaaaags in places. Seriously, I can live without "Ventilator Blues" or "Turd on the Run."
I read some place that Mick Jagger said that he wasn't satisfied with the production on some of the songs. Totally agree with that. "I Just Want to See His Face" comes immediately to mind.
Back to Pierre Robert ... the Rolling Stones special comes on the heels of a trip to Seattle where, at Stone Gosssard's request, he interviewed Pearl Jam for a documentary on the Seattle grunge scene. Pretty good timing to analyze that era considering Soundgarden, for some reason, is back together.
Work that almighty all-access pass, Pierre!!

What the heck are they thinking?

Some movies that come out of Hollywood truly baffle me. Couldn't the producers of "The Losers" have come up with A BETTER TITLE than that?
"Uh, yeah ... I'd like one ticket to see 'The Losers,' please."
Hmmm, dude must be a loser. He ain't got no date.
That's like deliberately setting the movie up to fail!

Now "Kick-Ass," on the other hand, is amusing. But it sounds like Beavis & Butthead came up with the name.
"Huh-huh, huh-huh. Hey Beavis, y'know when people go to the movies, they'll have to say 'ass.'"
"Ooooh yeah! Heh-heh-heh-heh - COOL!"

Play harmonica, start your own music group!

This reminds me of how much Ken Kennedy's harmonica adds to our sound when we play together as Raspberry Tea.
A four-session harmonica workshop with Sharon Hunsberger, a member of The Harmonaires, is being offered at the Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Road, Franconia Township. This workshop is scheduled for Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 4, 11, 18, and 25. No previous experience is needed.
A press release from the center points out that "harmonicas are a relatively easy musical instrument to play and are used in many types of music, including folk, country, blues and rock and roll."
The group will go through the musical scale, learn notes, and progress to playing simple tunes. Registration is required and cost is $30 ($25 members), which includes a basic, diatonic harmonica with brass reeds. E-mail info@mhep.org, call (215) 256-3020 or visit www.mhep.org.

Blessing of the balls

This is one of a series of video vignettes at www.thereporteronline.com that compliments a story I've written for Tuesday April 27th's paper on a day in the life of a rabbi.
I'm very proud of the way the whole package turned out.
Your comments are appreciated.

Universal language

May 2, Congregation Tiferet Bet Israel on Skippack Pike in Whitpain hosts the musical duo Noa & Mira. One is Israeli and one is Palestinian. And whaddaya know, they not only coexist, but they make music together, spreading a message of hope and reconciliation to the Holy Land and beyond.

Bernie Allmayer at TBI, who has been ringing my phone non-stop about this concert, tells me their song "There Must Be Another Way" represented Israel in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Moscow. He also says this is their only area stop on their tour of the U.S.

I'm working on getting an interview with these fascinating ladies. Meanwhile, for ticket information, call (610) 275-8797, ext. 144 or go to http://www.tbibluebell.org/.

And who knew?! Burning Bridget Cleary, a high-energy Celtic folk band from Harleysville, just won accolades from http://www.celticradio.net/. Their awards include Album of the Year, and song awards in the Jigs and Reels and Contemporary categories.

They will be performing May 15 at DCP Theater, 795 Ridge Road, Salford Township. Tickets are $15. The concert is a very rare music event at the Dutch Country Playhouse, which is a benefit for the community theater.