"I Pity The Fool" by Bobby "Blue" Bland. Serenade to a Cuckoo with Jerry Gordon Fri Sep 18 with Jerry Gordon on WPRB Princeton 103.3 FM

Welcome to Serenade to a Cuckoo!

Salutations

Happy Friday to Jerry and Mike and everybody!

Hi Rick

Greetings to El Gordon’o and all his mucho loyalist Gordonistas

Hey Mike! You were up early once again this morning! Hi Rick, Happy Friday. Thank you to both of you guys! you two and Pat provide the structure to this show.

Hey Patrick!

This Wednesday 6 pm a free Coltrane 100 performance at Love Park in Center City.

Another lousy night of sleep!

Today's show is going to be a little dense, my chat MAY be more limited than usual, maybe not.

The sleep part is becoming permanent for me! I get it

The last 32 years it's been awful.

50 years ago local entertainment options included Pharaoh Sanders,David Amram , the Band, Donna Fargo,Jackie McLean, Keith Carradine,The mills Brothers,Tom Rush, The Meters.

Theme song at the top of the show, Jerry’s got big plans for us today

Perhaps I could run today’s chat. Many describe me as dense.

Hey Zach!

thanks for being here, Bukowski says it's lunch time. One shot one beer for evryone.

I'm in

Hey Da Bang!

Mike if you are having sleep issues i would recommend XPN Live from the World Cafe . Any volume.

Ha!....indeed Patrick!

haha, you're right, Zach!

Jerry sez acolytes are here. That means we can light the incense.

DBG, when you are in the house, it means we're gonna get deep. Thanks for the beverages et al

Pat, you. scored with that last one!

I'm so glad you guys appreciate this music!

WHYY news site top 10 Jazz Philadelphia artists all time. Ignored Pat Martino. Oy oy oy!

That's a big OY! A disgrace, in fact.

Those Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang markers are there for a reason. They weren’t mentioned either.

Whazzup Cuckoos? 🎷🎷🎷

Hey Jimbooooo, how ya doin'?!

Happy Halloween!

finally threw the laptop out the window into the creek, dried it off with the electric chair drier, re-started and logged back in- and here I am. Its your misfortune and none of my own.

speaking of Halloween.

Tom Rush.

ET, you old blueblood.You have enough money to house a hundred computers

Mike- I wouldn't recommend Quaaludes or Tequila, but they have always worked for me.

The old disco biscuit

Have you read about them, Mike?

I'm a bit more of a Bloodhound Jerry. I was researching Evidence records- and came upon the 'other' Jerry Gordon.

Then there's the one who was a jazz guitarist from DC. He once wrote to me: "You're Jerry Gordon, I"m Jerry Gordon, let's do a record deal

I don't often tell people this- but my given name is Gordon Jerry. Weird- right?

Yep....read....nothing more!

'that' Jerry Gordon was a DJ on the west coast. Crazy.

Nice melodic J.J. Johnson-like bone solo!

I'm with you, Rick! Smooth!

Steve Davis, he's a killer!

I don't know why- may be time to throw the laptop out the window again- but the current track does not 'update' But I think I recognize that piano player.

Hey friends. Listening on our last day of family beach vacation down the shore. I would credit Coltrane’s Favorite Things for turning me on to Jazz. I borrowed it from our local library.

Well he's playing like McCoy Tyner but he is the illustrious Harold Mabern.

Hey Vildach.

VC, I hope you and family are having a great. My Favorite Things. Legent! How did you know to take it out of the library?

thanks Jerry. The fifths are circling overhead.

What turned me on to Jazz was Groove Holmes "Misty" on AM radio of all places.

I dipped my toe in withthe Fusion of the early 70's

You were a schwinger even when you were a little boy! Like Pat who used to hang out in jazz clubs in Camden when he was 6 and then to Trenton to meet up with Mike

I liked that song from the movie. I didn’t know the ‘standards’ from the 40s but I knew that song and I knew jazz was cool. John’s face on the cover also seemed cool. I wa probably 11 or 12. The White Oak Library in Silver Spring Maryland. I also took out Bitches Brew mostly cause it had bitch in the title. It was harder to wrap my ears around bitches brew but I listened anyway.

Someone probably donated those records to the library. I owe them thanks

Mike, let's not forget the great influence on you by Keith Emerson.

Elias, are you drinking fifths with Charles Bukowski and DBG?

Shoutout to The Wooten Brothers Family for great free show on Camden Riverfront past Monday.

Yep....Keith is up there

A supervisor once claimed I was the worst USPS employee since Charles Bukowski.

Patrick Blanco is a master of all music, from polka to klezmer. He also speaks the language.

The Harold Maybern is available on Amazon.

He just didn't "get" you or Chuck!

Mabern Plays Coltrane

Patrick the guitarist brother of Vic is kind of magical in his playing, right? When I saw them I couldn’t figure how his hands and various rubber band things on his guitar were leading to the sound he was making

Bukowski- I never wanted to work for the post office. He was like Henry Miller in that way.

I always viewed myself as more of a John Prine USPS employee. Without the talent, lyrics,looks Guitar or money . But our last names both had 5 letters.

Mike- this explains everything. the paper dust strolling through your nostrums. you should have been shopping saxophone reeds.

Bought my reeds at the Hatboro Music store....I can still taste them

#2 (inside joke for reed players. )

the rest of you can go to a Love Supreme.

Let’s face it radio was much better when Babs Gonzalez music was in regular rotation.

the circular motion!

Headed up to bucolic Flushing Queens Saturday to root on our Phillies.

I've not been there since the 165 Worlds Fair

1965

Oop-Pop-A-Da Atmosphere Park. Its a Small World after all.

Ooof....that song...

Mike the huge obelisk is still there

As it should be

Miracle on the Long Island Expressway.

I'm in the Joe Pass lane.

Diggin' the B-3. Thanks, Dr. Jerry!

This is a goodun', isn't it Rick?

Hat Trick for Patrick

Jerry, yes, indeedy!

Yes , indeedy!

I miss BP with his GM . And WCJR with his BBB

Patrick, when you get to CitiField, I'm sure that you'll give a salute to Utley's Corner!

I’m planning to reenact the slide on Mr Met

Nice!

Hahahaha

Shout out to their long time announcer Howie Rose retiring on Sunday . Great play by play guy and great at interspersing Seinfeld bits into the booth

Not that there's anything wrong with that

Patrick- British Petroleum will be fine. General Motors has a new EV coming out now too. BP with GM. The real question- I just play what i feel You call me a fool You say it's a crazy scheme This one's for real I already bought the dream So useless to ask me why Throw a kiss and say goodbye I'll make it this time I'm ready to cross that fine line

JG with GM.

Elias, I second that motion!

Kenny banya actually visited the booth once . When he left Howie spit out Banya!!!!

That's gold

This tune is classic!

hurting that bass Pulling strings.

Fun comment

Jerry doing a deep dive up on a mountaintop.

...before I wind up in the "Upper Room"

We're getting educated about the history of soul - at no extra charge. Kudos to Jerry!

Re ‘Upper Room’ better than the basement

Thank you, Rick

Haha VC

'runnin' in the streets. thats why you liked her come on back home

My wife has been listening to the Coltrane and is glad now you’re singing her songs

Glad to be of service!

QED.

Hi Jerry & everyone! Been listening for the past 20 minutes but I gotta run

rob

But @Jerry, I saw a Yellow-billed Cuckoo fly over my street yesterday morning!

elias

you are one of the lucky ones Rob

how so, elias? that I saw a cuckoo on my street?

That was my cousin David, Rob

One of the best songs ever by a great singer!

I haven't seen too many things lately. But I did have a groundhog dream last night. Me and my cat were on vacation, we also had out groundhog with us. we took a minute at a rest stop for the groundhog- he found a hole in the ground. It was quite tense for a minute- but then I had to make room in the car for three groundhogs. Mostly I was trying to avoind tolls on the new york state freeway- I 87 North.

Jerry, he did look like you ;-)

Yeah, you don't want to get a ticket

Elias, that is a memorable dream!

It was the REM disablement. 4AM? I am in a renaissance painting mode.

This is middle 50's Jerry? Its as much about recording tech as talent- but the talent was always there. the tech was new.

we just got to 1959

to my original point- the talent was always there- but it was amplified- and recorded and distributed over new broadcasting networks. (great track)

Yup, we stopped at the Chittenango Travel Plaza. Just outside Utica upstate NY Thruway. It was 1957 or '59. I had to stop to tinkle.

And let the groundhog out.

I was quite worried. I knew he had to let free.

Everytime we were ready to exit my grandmother's house, my father would ask me if I had to tinkle

be

A wise man

Nothing better than the Raelettes!

And a good tinkle

I recommend Brazil Nuts. Its the Selenium.

hahahahaha Mike. Rick, I agree with you, but Mike hares some wisdom with the old guys out there

Love a Brazil nut

I’m interrupting the nuts conversation to say this show is fun!

Rhythm section draggin' around.

You're not nuts

nuts for scrat

So many musical and lyrical tidbits that became hits.

Like ‘I pity the fool’

Bobby Z grabbed a piece of that one!

'Stand By Me' Ok I Will Stand By You. Deal?

I was thinking Mr. T

Please leave Nancy Reagan out of this chat.

Just say yo

Ex wifes are such a joy.

Make up sex could be good Jerry.

The gospel according to ET

woah is this what John Fogerty exactly copied with his vocal stylings?

Sitting bayside with my baby listening to Jerry”s show. It’s a beautiful beautiful thing. Thank you Jerry

Great show. Thanks for your service.

Jerry, you gave us a truly wonderful tribute to Trane the composer - terrific programming by you! I hope that you and your family have a blessed Yom Kippur. Everybody have a good weekend!

G'mar tov

Thank you, everybody! Thank you Cantor Rick and Rabbi Mike. Love all you guys!

Benj, have an easy fast!

6:47 AM		Bobby "Blue" Bland I Pity The Fool Two Steps from the Blues Geffen* 1960
12:00 PM		Roland Kirk Quartet & Rahsaan Roland Kirk Quartet Serenade to a Cuckoo I Talk with the Spirits Verve 1963
12:13 PM		Pat Martino Africa Think Tank Blue Note Records 2003
12:27 PM		Pharoah Sanders After the Rain Crescent With Love
12:31 PM		Archie Shepp Cousin Mary Four for Trane GRP 1964
12:42 PM		Harold Mabern Dahomey Dance Mabern Plays Coltrane Smoke Sessions 2021
12:50 PM		Khan Jamal Trio Equinox The Traveller
12:59 PM		Rez Abbasi Lonnie's Lament Sound Remains Whirlwind Recordings 2025
1:14 PM		Alice Coltrane A Love Supreme World Galaxy Impulse! 1971
1:31 PM		Akiko Tsuruga Moment's Notice Equal Time Capri Records 2019
1:32 PM		Dave Liebman Selflessness Selflessness Dot Time Records 2021
1:43 PM		Art Taylor Syeeda's Song Flute A.T.'s Delight (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition Remastered) Blue Note Records 1960
1:54 PM		Ryan Porter Impressions The Optimist Alpha Pup 2018
2:07 PM		The Southern Tones It Must Be Jesus Southern Gospel - Ultimate Inspirational Songs of Our Brothers & Sisters Vintage Masters Inc. 2012
2:11 PM		Ray Charles I've Got a Woman (Single Version) The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings 1952-1959 Rhino Atlantic 1991
2:15 PM		Little Willie John Need Your Love so Bad Fever King Records 1955
2:15 PM		James Brown Please, Please, Please Blowing the Fuse - 30 R&B Classics that Rocked the Jukebox in 1956 Bear Family Records GmbH 2011

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

9.18.26