Thanks for stopping by today.

Did you stay in town this weekend?

Lazy, hazy summer day today here in New York City. I'll be out in Central Park for another afternoon of music starting around 12:30. (Then, y'know, we'll just do what we do on a summer afternoon... share music and laughs until 5:30... 6:00.. or, the first thunderstorm. I know there are people reading this across the country and around the world... but, here in New York, I have a feeling today is gonna be one of those days that, late in the day or early in the evening, we might get one or two spectacular lightening and thunder storms. I hope so. Love thunderstorms! (But, I hope they pop well after we leave the park.)

Gonna play some of the new songs I wrote over the winter.

I Was You
Reality TV
I Love the Company
You Don't Know

Gonna play a few new cover tunes... songs I really love...

Veronica, Elvis Costello
Unwell, Matchbox Twenty

Maybe...

6th Avenue Heartache, The Wallflowers

We'll see... gonna have a good day today.

I played the first night of the Hudson River "Sunset Concert Series" on the Pier down in the Village last night. Thanks to everyone who showed up. Not much of a sunset, but it felt good to get out there with all of you who showed up. And, it's always a kick to play music with Dodger. (Roger Bartlett)

Okay... um... listen, this is important.

You guys all know that I've been vehemently opposed to the United States invasion of Iraq since it's inception. But, we've got a real mess over there, now. (A predictable, unecessary... but, very real mess.) And, the people who are taking the worst hits are the ordinary people in that country... the innocent civilian men women and children... babies... of that country.

Now, I'm a very lucky man. My friends and colleagues are some of the brightest, most talented, funniest, well-informed, well-intentioned and aware people anyone could ever be lucky enough to meet. (Really. I don't know why the hell they hang out with me!)

But, we're all getting together... Dennis, Mimi, James, Sue, David, Dodger... soooo many others... to put together a concert to raise awareness, yeah, awareness... but, mostly money and direct aid to help these people who's lives are being destroyed over there in a land racked my fear and violence. I mean, they are almost completely on their own. Nearly all of the humanitarian organizations have pulled out of Iraq because the situation we've created is just soooo dangerous. And, here's a frightening fact: Over one third of Iraq's own doctors and surgeons have already left the country... well, because they can, and because they don't want to be killed, either.

In so many ways, it has become Viet Nam.

So, we want to help. We want to do some Good... even as the television news media, this administration in Washington, and most of the American people are ignoring the heartache or denying the situation. (Listen, these poor, innocent people are the responsibility of every American citizen, every feeling, thinking human being. But, if you supported this war... if you voted to re-elect Geeorge W. Bush... then, this is epecially yours. And, you should be first in line to help these people. Politics aside. I'm reaching out to you as well. We'll see if you show up.)

So in the coming weeks, I'll be writing about this quite a bit, okay?

We really want to do this in conjunction with a group started by a remarkable woman named Marla Ruzicka. (I'm sure she's had the same kinds of friends as I'm lucky enough to have.) The group is called CIVIC. But, right now, we're reaching out all over the place to see what can be done to help over there and how we can do the most good. I'll let you know more as the idea evolves.

But, here... right now, go to this link:

EVERYTHING YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT THE CONCERT...

...so far.

AND, MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ONN THE PART ABOUT MARLA, OKAY?

(She deserves your attention.)

Okay... maybe I'll see you in the park. Maybe I'll see you in the streets of Manahattan.

Thanks for everything.