Better grab that can of Red Bull or at least a second cup of coffee. The extra energy will be needed over the next week or two with all the great events happening in our community. Come to think of it, I am the one who needs the energy boost!!

When I took over the booking for the Hurdy Gurdy, one of the first performers that I booked was Guy Davis. Guy will be appearing at the Hurdy Gurdy this Saturday October 7th at 8pm. The Hurdy Gurdy is located in the Central Unitarian Church at 156 Forrest Avenue in Paramus, NJ – easy to reach from Route 4, Route 17, the Garden State Parkway and the NJ Turnpike. Check out the Hurdy Gurdy website (www.hurdygurdyfolk.org ) for more detailed directions.

I first met Guy back in the early 80’s when he appeared at one of our WFDU fund raising concerts. Guy was just starting out in the music business at the time, but he was also establishing himself as an actor. Over the years, he has also become a writer and director, but it is his music that has become the focus of his career – particularly the blues.

Guy, the son of actress/writer Ruby Dee and the late Ossie Davis, grew up in a home filled with music and stories. While he was raised in the NYC area, he heard the stories of the rural south through his grandparents. Guy has adapted many of these stories into his own performance. I caught up with Guy at the Old Songs Festival in 2005 and was overwhelmed by the way he captivates audiences. This Saturday night promises to be a memorable evening at the Hurdy Gurdy – be sure to get there early!!

Then on Sunday at 3pm, make sure your radio dial is set to 89.1FM for TRADITIONS when my very special guest will be Tom Chapin. If you are not in the NYC area, you can listen to our live streaming feed through oure website – www.wfdu.fm .

Tom is another artist that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing since the early 1980’s. We met shortly after the death of his brother Harry Chapin. Bill Hahn asked me to MC a concert that he was producing for the Orangeburg Public Library that featured Tom Chapin. Tom came on the show to help promote that concert, and he has been a guest many times over the years.

One of my fondest memories was a day that Tom Chapin and Cathie Ryan were visiting the show on the same day. Even though they just met, I asked them both to do a song together, and they joined to gether for a lovely version of the Water is Wide. Ah, the joys of radio!

Tom has a terrific new CD called “The Turning of the Tide” that features a number of songs about Tom’s family – his mother, father and brothers, plus – Tom’s grandchild! Yes, Tom is a grandpa!! The CD also features Tom performing a superb rendition of Tom Gibson and Bob Gibson’s “And Loving You“.

Tom will also be performing at FDU’s Wilson Auditorium on Friday October 13 with John Dull and Friends. You can find out more the show by going to the WFDU website – www.wfdu.fm .

Be sure to tune in to WFDU this Sunday for a visit from Tom Chapin!

This Friday on THE SESSION (noon ET on WFDU-FM), I will preview the Echoes of Erin concert tour that will hit our area next week. The tour will stop at the Mineola Irish Center in Mineola, NY on Tuesday October 10 before coming to Pearl River High School in Pearl River, NY on Wednesday October 11. This exciting tour features some of the finest traditional music, song and dance being made in Ireland today.

The annual Echoes of Erin tour is sponsored by Comhaltas Ceoltori Eireann (CCE). Founded in 1951 as a cultural movement to promote Irish music, song, dance and language, CCE has expanded to over 400 branches around the world. Each year, over 2 million people attend CCE events.

This years tour will feature Siobhán Ní Chonaráin (Limerick) – Bean a’Tí / Flute, Vincent Jordan (Birmingham) – Accordion , Seána Agnew (Antrim) – Flute , Damien Mullane (London) – Accordion , Pádraig King (Limerick) – Accordion , Geraldine O’Callaghan (Cork) – Fiddle , Sabina McCague (Monaghan) – Harp , Ronan Greene (Galway) – Fiddle , Nora Butler (Tipperary) – Singer , Donie Lyons (Limerick) – Singer , Eimear Buckley (Cork) – Concertina , Pádraig McGovern (Leitrim) – Uilleann Pipes , Daire McGeown (Armagh) – Banjo , Katy and Sarah Flannery (London) – Dancers , Patricia Ward (London) – Dancer , Carly Adams (London) – Dancer , Brendan Reilly (Laois) – Set Dancer , and John Barrett (Laois) – Singer.

I have seen the tour in the past, and it is always an exciting evening music that features a very talented ensemble. Don’t miss the chance to see the 2006 tour right in our backyard!