WPRB Princeton 103.3 FM

New Jersey's Only Radio Station

WPRB is a community-supported, freeform radio station. Our FM signal (103.3) serves central New Jersey, Philadelphia, eastern PA and the northern tip of Delaware. We reach a global audience at wprb.com.

Serenade to a Cuckoo with Jerry Gordon

Oct 31, 2025 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Music

With Jerry Gordon

Serenade to a Cuckoo & Jerry's Room: first a two hour jazz show featuring new, modern jazz releases or special jazz features, followed by a one hour show of various themes that are non-jazz, including pop, r&b, rock, and blues from the forties thru the seventies! You will love it!

Halloween 10.31!

Today on Halloween, we will do a 2 hour all jazz halloween show. In Jerry's Room, great musical artists with October birthdays Part II.

12:00 PM		Bitchin Bajas A Call for All Demons Switched on Ra Drag City Records 2021
12:08 PM		John Zorn The Devil The Hierophant Tzadik 2019
12:13 PM		Jelena Jovovic Witch Hunt Heartbeat Jelena Jovović 2019
12:22 PM		Eddie Jefferson Bitches Brew Vocal Ease Savoy 1999
12:30 PM		Animation Bitches Brew (DJ Logic and Grant Phabao Remix) Agemo RareNoiseRecords 2011
12:40 PM		John Zorn Death The Hierophant Tzadik 2019
12:46 PM		Andrew Hill Dance With Death Dance With Death Blue Note Records 1968
12:55 PM		Roland Kirk Serenade to a Cuckoo Haunted Melodies - The Songs of Rahsaad Roland Kirk Metropolitan Records 1999
1:01 PM		David Sanborn Spooky Songs from the Night Before Elektra Records 1996
1:06 PM		Samantha Fish I Put A Spell On You I Put A Spell On You - Single Rounder 2024
1:12 PM		Philly Joe Jones Sextet Blues for Dracula Blues for Dracula Original Jazz Classics 1958
1:21 PM		Peter Ivers' Band Cat Scratch Fever (with Yolande Bavan) Knight of the Blue Communion (with Yolande Bavan) Epic/Legacy 1969
1:29 PM		Miles Davis The Sorcerer (feat. Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Tony Williams) Sorcerer Columbia/Legacy 1967
1:42 PM		Dave Liebman Ugly Beauty Monk's Mood Double-Time Records 1999
1:48 PM		Wayne Shorter Witch Hunt Speak No Evil (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) Blue Note Records 1966
2:06 PM		Albert Collins Cold, Cold Feeling Ice Pickin' Alligator Records 1978
2:08 PM		The Impressions People Get Ready People Get Ready Geffen 1965
2:09 PM		John Lennon Working Class Hero John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band EMI Catalogue 1970
2:25 PM		Tammy Wynette Stand By Your Man Stand By Your Man Epic/Legacy 1969
2:25 PM		Ramones I Don't Want to Grow Up Adios Amigos Parlophone UK 1995
2:26 PM		10cc I'm Not In Love The Original Soundtrack EMI 1975
2:27 PM		Grateful Dead Truckin' American Beauty (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Grateful Dead/Rhino 1970
2:32 PM		The Who Won't Get Fooled Again Who's Next Geffen 1971
2:49 PM		Fleetwood Mac Black Magic Woman (2018 Master) The Pious Bird of Good Omen Blue Horizon Records 1969
2:50 PM		Bootsy Collins What's a Telephone Bill? Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby! Warner Records 1977
2:51 PM		Radiohead Nude In Rainbows XL Recordings 2007
3:08 PM		Fela Kuti Upside Down Upside Down Knitting Factory Records 1975

Chat is archived.

Happy Halloween, you Devils, Ghosts, and Monsters!

Today is our first week of the fund drive. Pledge.wprb.com

Thank you in advance for any pledges you may make.

Yo yo

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween to Jerry and everybody!

Hey Mike!

Hi Rick

Jerry, I sent a few bucks in the mail to WPRB in your honor so you can keep the lights on and the turntable turning.

Happy Halloween, guys. I am trying to play some different Halloween stuff today. I hope you guys like.

Bitchin Bajas, nice!!

We made it to another serenade

Hi Christine!

Loving it 💯

Hey Christine!

Happy friday everyone

hey Adam!

Haha, Adam, I'm limping my way here

Hi Jerry! Happy Halloween to you all 🎃

So nice to see everyone!

Greetings to Jerry and all his listeners.Shoutout to those Crazy Celts for inventing this Samhain festival

This band is pretty dang good.

The Bitchin Bajas will be playing Solar Myth in Philly on Friday 12/12, by the way.

Hi Patrick! Yes, you know the REAL story behind Halloween!

Christine, thanks for that! I thought you were Russ for a second

RIP to local radio giants Pierre Robert and Harry Donahue

BAM! A

Nice, Patrick! You are a student of Radio and Life

Hey Chef! 🍳 What's cookin'?

Sounds like the villagers are up to something.

Hi, Chef! Nice to see you!

Hey, Roffle!

Yes, their pissed! They have pitchforks

Happy Halloween

I got something that will take that limp away jerry

Hi Roffle, Chef, Mike, Rick, Adamgoget & Patrick 🎃

Good morning, Jerome. Let us have some great Jazz.

Life is good Gordski.Blue Jays rolling.And I just listened to a 1999 cassette of a Will Constantine show

I bet, Adam!

Very sad news indeed, @Pat. Rest in Peace, Pierre Robert.

Hi, Richard, welcome!

Hey Patrick, it is good to know that someone else misses Will.

Only problem is it will make your other leg limp

Hey Jerry Loudon Wainwright coming this weekend but I can’t afford the 96 $ tickets.Was always hoping he would get the 1970 s dead animal songs confused and sing Dead Shannon in The middle of the road

Patrick, Shannon joke of interest to a select crowd.

That's a lot of dough!

I'm diggin' this vocal interpretation.

I'm glad, Rick. Yeah, great song and this woman is a terrific artist, does a great job

50 years ago local entertainment options included Chuck Mangione.Janice Ian.The Temptations with Kool and the Gang.Gladys Knight and Pips .Frankie Valli and 4 seasons.Nils Lofgren.Melissa Manchester.Benny Goodman and at Third Street Jazz store owner Jerry Gordon wresting VictorThe Bear

@Christine, I resemble that remark! Thanks for picking up my slack. BB at SM on 12/10: https://www.arsnovaworkshop.org/programs/bitchin-bajas-2/

Hi Russ! I did a double take that it was Christine. You are a model for many!

Hope I didn't cramp your style, @Russ

12/12, not 12/10

Remember when Melissa Manchester and Victor the Bear were stars?

Remember when I sold cutouts for $1.99?

Barely

The price was right!

Haha. You were still a baby

But I remember the cutouts!

Acquiring and selling them were a joy!

I bet

North Jersey

Sounds shaky

You didn't ask any questions.

Or else Morris Levy would break your leg

You should have pulled an Andy Kauffman and wrestled Melissa Manchester instead

Did the cutouts fall off the back of a truck?

That was known to happen!

No, they didn't fall off the back of a truck,, but they may have fallen out a back door or ramp.

HI,

Morris Levy was like the Blinky Palermo of the record industry.Truly offers you couldn’t refuse

Just in time to talk about Jerry's Cut outs - My favorite band - and I own a ton of their records - is a band called - Not For ReSale

Indeed

HappyHalloween everyone

You don't mess around with Moishe!

Hi Benj, welcome

Thank you - I am in my 60's and still get excited for Halloween. You know, mostly for the candy :)

Hey Vilda I have take a stoked 9 year old out trick or treating any my doctor won’t refill my amphetamines

For the last three years I've been giving out containers of Gefilte Fish or salty lox. I don't know, I just don't get alot of kids like I used to

If you include horseradish, I'd be at your door

Hahahahahahahahaha

So knowledgeable, so culturally adaptable, Mike!

It will be time to dig up the horseradish in a few weeks

Yum! I used to go to a Japanese Restaurant now closed, where the owner's mother would send him horseradish, and he would make wasabi with it for only his best customers in very limited portions.

The best potato chips on this planet are the Cheddar Horseradish by Herr's.

I'm going trick or treating at AdamGoGetter's house later, I hear he is giving away good stuff.

I grind up a few jars every Fall

Rick, I am noting that.

Where are you, Mike, acquiring the horseradish, and what are you using it on?

I planted it early 90's and if you leave a piece of root in the ground it comes back next year

Nice, how strong is it?

This is like a Constantine family trait

It depends upon you add the vinegar. Add right after grinding and it's mild. Wait 3 minutes and it's quite hot

Who needs mild?

The vinegar stops the chemical reaction

Right....I make it sinus clearing hot

Cuckcoo

Shoutout to the late Gordon Lightfoot,he really had the travel scene covered.Carefree Highway.Canadian Railroad Trilogy.Airline in Early Morning Rain.surprised he never covered Nillssons Space Man

At least he didn't sing about dead animals

There’s that theme song!

Russ was a big supporter of Dead Skunk in the middle of the road at its inception

🕊️🐧😱

Many thanks to Jerry for dozens of cutouts back in the day. And Evidence Records, of course.

Thank you, Marcus, very nice of you!

Nice to see you!

Very nice groove to this version of "Spooky".

Missed that theme song. 🎶 🐦

This is a very groovy version of Spooky.

Thank you, @Russell for doing the honors.

Rick, Christine, everybody, the one hit wonder Spooky, so good. Many versions now

Just made my pledge of $103.30 in your honor, Jerry

Richard, you are awful kind, generous. You have been doing that for many years. WPRB appreciates you!

Me too!

Coming up next, a Will Constantine special.

Nice. 📻 🎶

Cool

How great is Samantha Fish?

very great in my eyes!

Pretty damn great

Tremendous. That Samantha Fish! 🔥

Notice the organ? Notice the flames?

Very big in Hell!

Richard Mitnick, your guy Will played this every Halloween without fail

Thanks Jerry a. Will C. Perennial

A student of radio

I miss Taylor Grant.Joe Niagara.Grady and Hurst.

You were doing this in kindergarten

This rockin' bird will fly!

Will's show was always my 2nd favorite show on WPRB. JG with the GM always has 1st place locked up.

Thank you, Rick! So kind! But Will was the Champ!

How did you like the trumpet solo on this track?

So good!

I think Jerry’s program has morphed from a show to a 3 hour variety event

Thank you, Parick. I really like that

When do we get to see the spinning plates?

🐈‍⬛️ 💅🩸🩹

That never seemed to get old, did it Mike?

Sure entertained me

Topio Gigio in the house

Damn, I'm old. I remember WIBG with Jerry Stevens, Bill Wright Sr., Joe Niagara, and Hy Lit.

Christine's got the vibe, displayed in icons. She would be perfect to add graffitti to the pyramids.

No Jerry Stevens, no WMMR

Marcus, nice to hear you go back that far to my favorite djs in history!

Marcus you’re not old remember ….. something’s the new something. I forgot what.

Mike, favorite djs are based on the occurrence of your bar mitzvah

That would be 1967

How hip were Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter

I always loved this tune. This version seriously cooks!

Rick of impeccable taste

Who remembers when Hy Lit moved to WDAS fm and played Hyski's Underground, playing Jimi and Cream?

I do....When in 9th grade, a teacher turned us on to DAS

I do, Marcus!

I came home rom school and appropriated my parents AM/FM

You should return it after the show Mike.

Ha!.....so long gone

Just discovered this station and i love it. And love these tunes.

It's New Jersey's only radio station

WMMR had Michael Coscuna, who did amazing work releasing tons of great music.

I think he ended up at WRTI

And I misspelled his name. Sorry.

Love that Richardson Auditorium. What a beautiful, intimate venue with great acoustics.

Hi @A C (AOLEnby)! Welcome.

Mike still has the radio, Roffle, his go to appliance for low fi radio

Really loving the variety on this station. Gonna have to add this to the radio preset.

Surprising that I don't!

A C, glad you're hear. Welcome! Glad you're likin' it!

A C, where are you from?

From Philly

We're good!

Rick, had to play it

I'm sitting here and totally digging it!

The Downbeat obit of Michael Cuscuna is worth reading.

Thank you for bringing him up< marcus!

From A and Champlost perhaps or Amber and Cumberland

Michael Cuscuna, a great man!

Bonnie Rait's producer as well as all his other activities

No better music obit than the one our own John Weingart wrote for John Harrold

John Harrold?

Marcus, Hyski's tenure at WDAS was ruthlessly satirized by Meatball Fulton on WUHY. Fulton calledLit "Toy Lit" and said that his motto was "The Underground is reality" followed by the sound of a cash register.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2405914406308020/posts/3743536902545757/

Haha, Russ, I look forward to checking it out.

Happy Birthday all you cuckoo listeners

Meatball Fulton of ZBS Broadcasting? They of The Adventures of Ruby, Galactic Gumshoe?

Or something like that. Happy Halloween at any rate

Hey Rob, you are scaring me!

Ruby!....what an entertaining series

HBD 😄 and Happy Halloween to you also, @Rob 🦀 from Scary Maryland

Yes, indeedy, Christine. You are one hip lady!

Thank you for tuning in, Rob

I'm a fan of The Adventures of Ruby, as well as some of their other fine series. And our own Number 6 plays snippets of Ruby every week on his show

https://www.zbsmedia.com/programs/rubygumshoe/

FREE4ALL (Wednesdays noon til 3 pm) 🎧

uh oh

No I di'int!

Mike

I had to be quick with the volume knob when playing

In the olden days

Love it

Couldn't have Mother hearing that!

That's Mike Constantine of WMMR?

Some fine editing right here

Sorry John herald

RW, thanks for the link. I've been reading your work for 40 years?

Patrick, your kind of music, part of your great wide musical knowledge

John Herald was a fixture at John & Peters

We got country!! And we got Western!!

Thanks, Marcus.

Brilliant song....10CC were so talented

Mike, you need your own show with the history of songs

Heh....indeed

It would be perfect

Oddly rubber bullets are back in the news. Thanks, ICE.

Russ belongs on the radio also, but he refuses

The backup vocals were layed like 90 some times

layered

Rubber Bullets was 10cc's first hit in UK.

First song o theirs I heard

BAM 👨‍🍳♥️💀

Thank you, Chef, for your service!

HELL YEAH I just saw the Who for the first (and last???) time earlier this year. Sounded incredible

Nice! historic, Chef!

They signed my muffaletta

A keeper!

Moonie pounding the shizzzz outa those drums

LOL @Chef 🥖🖋

A perfect Mike C recording

Is this an alternate mix?

Up the Revolution!

I think so

It could be. Chef, I really can't tell you for sure. Remastered, at least

Roffle gets excited by revolutions of any type

Power to the people!

In fact the whole crew here does!

Drums!

It sounds mostly the same as what my ears are used to, but with some tiny changes (slightly different lead guitar take sometimes?) - unless it's my costume causing the sound waves to rattle differently into my SKULL

Yeah, this planet keeps my head spinning Jerry.

Truth Rof

Supported by the math for sure Mike.

Oh yeah

Side reel time is a trip in itself.

Poor Peter Greene

Scary afternoon Jerry

Tom Waits wrote I Don't Want to Grow Up .

Roffle is on the Philadelphia Council of Revolutionaries. Keeping it straight

Marcus, I couldn't remember his name, I don't know if you noticed. KEY point!

Happy Halloween Everyone! Great show Jer!

Peter Greene worked in a cemetery which is sorta a cool Halloween gig...

Thank you, Ossy. Backatcha!

Hi Sheila, thank you very much!

It works, Rof

Jerry, you won't get scared again! to paraphrase The Who

Haha!

This is (Bootsy) one of the funkiest tracks ever

Radioheaddddd!

Jerry, what's a telephone?

Men of jazz, are not easily scared.

Rob was once a member of the Mods

Rob was out scaring his bird friends in a hawk costume earlier.

Hahahahaha!!! Our kind of guy!

Jerry, I'm not that old, to paraphrase 10cc :-P

And happy birthday to Thom Yorke!

Roffle, be careful or I'll come scare you in a Pteranodon costume

Now that's going old school!

Jerry, this was a most enjoyable show! 3 hours of goooooooood music. Nicely done! Everybody enjoy your weekend!

This track is Roffle-approved. Also approved by the Revolutionary Council.

Now I have to play the whole Fela song...

Thanks, Rick!

No Fela, no Talking Heads Remain in Light

Thanks Jerry! Beware of them Tricksy Treaters out and about on the way home.

I've got tricks for them!

Thanks Jerry!

Thank YOU, Rob and all Cuckoo and WPRB listeners