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Serenade to a Cuckoo with Jerry Gordon

Jun 26, 2026 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Music

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!

6.26.26 Steven Bernstein + Phila. Inquirer All time Philly Music Picks

2 hours of the music of trumpeter and composer Steven Bernstein, 1 hours of most iconic songs of Philadelphia as chosen by the Inquirer

12:00 PM		Steinski I Like It Like That What Does It All Mean? - 1983-2006 Retrospective
12:13 PM		Roland Kirk Quartet & Rahsaan Roland Kirk Quartet Serenade to a Cuckoo I Talk with the Spirits Verve 1963
12:13 PM		Steven Bernstein Sitting on Top of the World ResoNation Trio Royal Potato Family 2026
12:16 PM		Steven Bernstein Two Shakes ResoNation Trio Royal Potato Family 2026
12:28 PM		Steven Bernstein & Scotty Hard Chromium Ultra Resonance Royal Potato Family 2026
12:28 PM		Steven Bernstein & Scotty Hard Argon Ultra Resonance Royal Potato Family 2026
12:36 PM		Steven Bernstein Chusen Kalah Mazel Tov Diaspora Soul Tzadik 1999
12:42 PM		Steven Bernstein Dybbuk Dub Diaspora Soul Tzadik 1999
12:44 PM		Steven Bernstein Misratze B'rachamim Diaspora Blues
1:35 PM		Sex Mob Martin Denny Sexotica Thirsty Ear Recordings 2006
1:35 PM		Steven Bernstein Issachar Diaspora Suite Tzadik 2008
1:35 PM		Henry Butler, Steven Bernstein & the Hot 9 Buddy Bolden's Bllues Viper's Drag
1:35 PM		Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra Planet B Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1) Royal Potato Family 2021
1:35 PM		Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra Show Me Your Myth Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1) Royal Potato Family 2021
1:35 PM		Steven Bernstein You've Been a Good Old Wagon Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2) Royal Potato Family 2022
1:41 PM		Steven Bernstein Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2) Royal Potato Family 2022
1:47 PM		Steven Bernstein & the Hot 9 w/John Medeski & Arturo O'Farrill (My Girl) Josephine Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music Vol. 3)
1:56 PM		Steven Bernstein Little Dipper / Dippermouth Blues Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3) Royal Potato Family 2022
2:01 PM		Cliff Nobles & Co. The Horse Beg, Scream & Shout
2:05 PM		Bill Doggett Honky Tonk (Part 1) 28 Big Ones (Original King Records Recordings) King Records 2014
2:10 PM		Lee Andrews & the Hearts Long Lonely Nights The Chess Story
2:19 PM		Evelyn "Champagne" King Shame (12" Version) Evelyn "Champagne" King Greatest Hits RCA Records Label 2001
2:19 PM		Bobby Rydell Wildwood Days Cameo Parkway: The Best of Bobby Rydell, 1959-1964 ABKCO Music and Records, Inc. 2005
2:23 PM		The Dovells Bristol Stomp Cameo Parkway: The Best of The Dovells, 1961-1965 ABKCO Music and Records, Inc. 2005
2:26 PM		Blue Magic Sideshow Blue Magic Rhino Atlantic 1974
2:30 PM		Jim Croce You Don't Mess Around with Jim Greatest R2M 1995
2:34 PM		The American Dream Frankford El The American Dream Start Entertainments Limited 1969
2:38 PM		Lady B To the Beat Y'all 12" TEC Records 1979
2:45 PM		The Intruders Cowboys to Girls The Best of the Intruders: Cowboys to Girls Legacy/Epic Associated 1995
2:50 PM		Lee Morgan The Sidewinder The Sidewinder (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition Remastered) Blue Note Records 1963

Chat is archived.

Welcome to Serenade to a Cuckoo!

Haha, what happened? Or is that a general state of mind?

Happy Friday, Rick. We'll see your state of mind after today's show.

Hi Christine! Being the deep thinker that you are, I think you will like today's show.

Wut? You don't see Christine or Rick? Is there a slider you can move over?

I don't....going to go back out then in....so weird

Hi Mike!

Fixed now ✅️

Now I see everybody. Hey Christine and Mike!

Hi all!

Greetings and good day to Commander Gordon and his Lost Airmen and Lost Airwomen

Hey Patrick!

Hi Rick!

Christine, you are a genius. Sorry everybody. Christine, thanks!

Shoutout to Steve Bernstein for his Charlie Parker jazz festival appearances including last year in Harlems bucolic Marcus Garvey Park .

I think Jerry tried to delete my lunatic spinitron ramblings but accidentally deleted everyone.

Hey Patrick! Did you and Rick watch the Phillies 9th inning last night?

Patrick, I thought I was in a new Twilight Zone episode.

I don't know if you did Christine, but the Phillies have won the last three games in a row with home runs in the ninth.

What the Phils accomplished these last 3 nights will never be witnessed again!

Sorry to spook out everybody's messages.

Hi Patrick 🎭

I hope everyone enjoys this Phillies season. Looks like no baseball in 2027 due to labor/ management issues.

Greetings Christine.

Can everybody see everybody's comments?

Patrick, I agree. It sure doesn't look good.for 2027.

Jerry I sent the Nationals video of 13 year old me pitching a complete game 3 hitter. They called and asked when I can start pitching for them .

They could definitely use you, Rick, Mike, and especially Christine.

Hahaha!

Shout out to Cuckoo listeners and El Jefe Gordon for tolerating my ramblings. I got booted off an another spillitron for not talking about music. Humorless prigs

No way!

I've really enjoyed baseball these last three nights, not turnning the game on until the ninth inning

How's this for dub music?

Bari sax time!

Yep, klezmer time!

It just don't get any better than this!

I agree, Rick, this is really great.

Who would win a fight between a Dybuk and a Golem?

@Patrick, really?! That seems narrow-minded. It is called a "chat" after all.

That is a freaking fantastic question, Patrick. You are such a well informed man about town for a part time comedian.

You calling me a Golem?

Shout out to my World Cup MVP. The gentleman who dresses up like Patrice Lumumba and stands still like a statue the entire match. How can you not root for the Democratic Republic of CONGO

Phillies facing NY Mets tonight with their brand new Manager…… Mr. MET

The Mets will either come out with a vengeance tonight or continue their rapid descent into the abyss. There will be no middle ground IMHO.

Solar Myth ☀️ 🌌 Nice.

Thanks for Steven B promo! See ya Tuesday.

Martin Denny's music always was interesting to me when I was a kid.

Martin Denny music great Rick but I was always more of a Frankie Trumbauer kid

I'm diggin' this vibe.

Rick, you like all the good stuff.

Good Afternoon Sir Are you interested in a subscription to the Philadelphia Inquirer??

Haha. Maybe digitally.

How about an Evening Bulletin subscription? 🗞

That would be better

My father got 3 papers delivered, the Inquirer, the Bulletin, and the Daily Times (Delco)

In the comic section of the Bulletin was a column called Ask Andy where kis could ask science questions and if selected, receive a book. Bastard never answered any of my questions.

I think I remember. What a jerk! Disappointing!

I was not pleased.

Get ready~there's a bluegrass and "Buddy Bolten's Blues" connection. Yep! Earl Scruggs, who perfected and popularized the North Carolina style of syncopated 5-string banjo picking, loved early New Orleans jazz. In his tour-de-force instrumental "Flint Hill Special" in first banjo variation after the fiddle break, Earl musically quotes the melody that's under "Funky butt, stinky butt, take it away!" in the original. He's playing it about 5X faster but it's definitely there as an in-joke & homage

@Mike, I'm angered on your behalf.

Right? 60 some years later and I still don't have answers!

How fun and brilliant! When is your book coming out, Richard? That is some way deep knowledge!

But remember, Mike, you kept asking questions about the birds and the bees

Mike you would have been better off writing to Mr. Fix It in the Inquirer. That guy was awesome

I still am!

The person who drew my attention to this was none other than the late, great Bill Keith, a Scruggs admirer who did the same for fiddle-style, straight melody line banjo picking as Earl did for the one-melody note with 2 or 3 accompanying rhythm notes pattern we now call "Scruggs picking."

GReenwood 7-5312?

Oh....that was Call For Action

Beechwood 4-5789

She just said "Leave a sable on the table"

ACTION LINE WAS NY Daily News. Ask Asa was WNYC radio

@ Serenade to a Cuckoo w/Jerry Gordon (host) Thanks for the kind words, Jerry. One final bit of little-known bluegrass banjo history that you & other early jazz aficionados will appreciate: Most people assume that such popular Earl Scruggs banjo tunes as "Bugle Call Rag" and "Farewell Blues" were Earl compositions. As you may recognize, they're New Orleans early jazz & Dixieland band classics.

Phil Sheridan used to help people on 560 WFIL AM

Hahahahahaha

Thanks for all the info Richard but now you have me missing John Weingarts program

I may or may not remember that Phil Sheridan

Uncle Phil

that Phil Sheridan did that.

Poor guy had to do the weather after John Facenda. Tough act to follow

We were a Gunner Back house

Your humor is getting out of control

Didn't Gunner Back have a weird white wave in his hair or was that John Facenda?

Don't forget Wally Kinan the weatherman.

@ Patrick White Haha! Sorry!! I totally miss John's show, too. BUT ... he deserves his summer vacations and will return with the outstanding folk/Americana mélange for which he's celebrated ... and meantime, the subbing hosts are doing superb jobs.

That was Gunnar Back

Hahahahahahaha

There was nothing ever weird about John Facenda!

I had. If not for you, I may have not heard that name again in this lifetime

John Facenda's voice on NFL Films was epic.

Dr Francis Davis doing weather

Facenda and Gunnar Back scared me.

Laurie Anderson: Republic of Love with Sexmob tonight in Central Park. Free! https://cityparksfoundation.org/events/laurie-anderson/

A Laurie Anderson concert was one of the few times I was front row center

Steven Bernstein ResoNation Trio at Solar Myth on Tuesday: https://www.arsnovaworkshop.org/programs/resonation-trio/?mc_cid=744dc7cbcd&mc_eid=0353c1c79e

Did Laurie Anderson ever receive a Purple Heart for being married to Lou Reed?

She should have received something....

Good choice!

WFIL would use this as a runup to the news

Jerry, you should have been Hy Lit's co-host on his show on Channel 48!

Greenwood 75312 ☎️

Call For Action!

Call for action 🎶

😊

I haven’t heard from Laurie Anderson since 2015 when Asbury Park’s Showroom Cinema screened her documentary “Heart of a Dog” (unrelated to the Mikhail Bulgakov novella about a stray cur subject to a Moreau-like experiment that makes him humanoid).

And of course LOVE-222

When you set words to fun jingle, your brain never forgets it. Especially if it's repeated.

Uh Oh Dennis Hopper just strutted in!

The last time I saw her before that was in 2003 on “Charlie Rose” with husband-to-be Lou Reed—and her dog!

https://charlierose.com/videos/13104

Laurie & Lou: that was an avant-garde power couple. 💕

A pairing I never saw coming

Can you imagine the bookshelves in their apartment?! And their combined record collection?

Would have been a good feature in the New Yorker

That would have been a fascinating feature. Inquiring minds want to know.

Bobby Rydell - he was Philly all the way!

drummer for Pat Martino in high school!

Try sleeping on the Wildwood beach now....

Always hated this song. Especially the Wildwood part.

His movie acting career seemed to begin and end with "Bye Bye Birdie".

Frankford El. The greatest!

Nick Jameson here had a great career playing in Foghat and movie and TV credits

Shout out to the late Taconyite Nick Indelicato the greatest Rock n Roll USPS window clerk. A true gentleman and a scholar

Also Todd Rundgrens first produce job

Right on, guys!

Oh man...he passed?....shame

The Frankford Els official anthem today is I Walked With A Zombie

Patrick, where did you stand on Jim Croce?

Oh yes!

I saw Jim Croce when he was the opening act for Randy Newman at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr. Shortly before Don't Mess Around with Jim was released. I thought he had potential.

Jim Croces pilot had a heart condition and yet he jogged several mile the day the plane crashed

I preferred Lady B

I read one book about him claimed he was a wife beating jack wagon . Could have been a personal grudge revenge? Liked his music. He was ubiquitous on early 1970 s radio

Him and Ingrid were a duo before fame

Back in my business travel days, I came upon Jim Croce's wife's blues bar in the gaslamp district of San Diego. Good place!

Pretty cool Rick

This song is truly Philly!!!

This song is so Philly

whoa

Brothers from different mothers!

Indeed

I used to put this song on my turntable and practice my choreography.

A.J. Croce Presents CROCE PLAYS CROCE at Longwood Gardens on August 6: https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/aj-croce-presents-croce-plays-croce

Thanks to DVR and mute button I don’t believe I’ve seen or listened to a commercial in 15 years.

This is a great song to enjoy a Martini to...cheers

Lee Morgan the pride of Mastbaum High along with Richie Kamuca.

Hey Mike I don’t do bars anymore but there is a bar right outside my house. My friend told me their number one selling drink is Chocolate Martini

I do enjoy a dirty Martini and usually mix some up for Jerry's Room

Shaken or stirred???

Stirred....don't want to bruise the vodka!

Everyone enjoy the weekend and thank you Jerry. Blistering heatwave on the way next week

102 next week?.....oy vey

Yes ... but if we can stay even nearly as cool as Jerry's plays today of Steven Bernstein and of the Inky's Philly song picks, we won't sweat a drop! :-))

These last three hours flew...like a Cuckoo! Thanks, Jerry. 💯 Have a good weekend, everybody

Jerry, you took me to school today. I'm now familiar with the most-talented Steven Bernstein. This was not only a mind-expanding show, but also an enlightening one! And the iconic songs of Philly were killer! Everybody enjoy your weekend!

Till next time

Thanks, Jerry!

Thanks, everybod! Great comments!

Awesome show Jer! I have this 45,..really enjoyed your earlier tunes by Steve Bernstein too. Looking forward to nxt week, Have a Great Weekend !!