Welcome to the website today.

SOMETHING REALLY COOL IS GONNA HAPPEN SATURDAY NIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK CITY. Nothing that's gonna change the world. But, something beautiful that you just might wanna be a a real part of. And at the same time, you'll be there at the very beginning of a new concert series in New York City.... hopefully something that will become on of those New York thangs.

I know I haven't had the time to actually get behind the microphone and do a new podcast in quite a while. (That's coming from a guy who cranked a new show every day last year!) But, it really is a matter of minutes, hours and focus.

My focus these days is all about a couple of things. Sure, I'm thinking about the upcoming season in Central Park.

But it's so much more than that these days.

Right now, my focus and energy is going into this BRAND NEW CONCERT SERIES IN THIS BRAND NEW VENUE on the upper west side of Manhattan.

(Oh... HA! Wait! BREAKING NEWS!!! - If you've been listening to my music, you've been coming to my concerts, or you know me at all, you also know I can be a little scattered sometimes. I just wanna tell you quickly.... you people here in NYC who live downtown... y'know, you below-14th-street-people... I just negotiated another year of Friday night Sunset Concerts on Pier 54 in Hudson River Park down in The Village. More about that in a few weeks)

But, let me get back to the gig this coming Saturday night! (In a couple of days.) And at this show, we're all gonna do just a little something that is gonna say "thank you" to a man who changed American music and the world for the better in so many ways... Mr. Sid Bernstein.

The music cranks up at 7:30. The doors open at 7:00 'casue it's general admission. The new music hall is on Amsterdam Ave @ 103street. (Conveniently right near both the 1 train and the B & C subway lines.)

H.I. NEW YORK PERFORMANCE HALL

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Besides our usual good time, I'm gonna be introducing a new artist to you guys every single show... but in addition, this weekend a folk-legend has told me she wants to show up and help launch this series.

CHRISTINE LAVIN'S GONNA SIT IN! .

And, my first guest is a new, young singer/songwriter I think you're gonna love.... Galia Arad.

Click on her photo

The tickets just started selling a little faster. I guess many people wait until the last minute to make sure they're free. Either that, or it's because I was the guest speaker at The Songwriter's Guild of America last night and another crop of passionate artists have gotten their curiosity up.

Now... I still think you are gonna be able to just show up the night of the concert and pay cash at the door to get in. But, if you wanna reserve a seat right now.... just click on this button and make sure.

We're gonna have a blast, the audience is gonna be filled with other artists, music people, music lovers... well, if you've ever been to one of my gigs, you know what the feeling is like. This is gonna be a typically special night. AND, we're all gonna be able to make this new venue into our musical home of sorts. Y'know, a place you can check out often to see what's going on there. this concert is just the beginning. Janet Kirker and David Marcus are gonna be on stage with me again. It's gonna be a blast.

Like I said earlier this week, you come on Saturday you get FREE tickets for the show the following Friday night as well!!! (2-shows-for1) "What's Behind the Song" is gonna be a 90 minute, interview/music/open-discussion show with questions from the audience all about the mysterious and wonderful Creative process of songwriting.... with various songwriters. (Who, as you know, are generally a crazy bunch of people.) This oughta be really cool. We're gonna shoot these things, edit them down and put them all on DVD.

You're invited to attend the very first one the following Friday, April 4th at H.I.N.Y.

My first guest is a great guy and a wonderful songwriter with a really interesting career.... Jake Holmes.

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NOW! ABOUT SID BERNSTEIN!

I have a good friend.

His name is Sid.

Now, Sid doesn't ever check the internet... so, I'm safe putting this on here.

Okay, if you've been coming to this site you know that I'm gonna be in concert with some very special guests this Saturday night, right? (More details further down the page.)

Well, Sid is living an amazing life. Seriously. He's done so much to make this world a better place it's just amazing and he keeps dreaming new dreams. (That's one reason he wanted to put his name on this new concert series at H.I. New York Performance Hall.)

But, for the few of you who don't know... Sid changed American music history forever when he introduced The Beatles to America.

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Besides that, he brought The Rolling Stones here... ABBA... countless others. He also played such a huge and underrated role in breaking the racial barriers down in this country by being the first promoter to book white and black acts on the same rock 'n roll bill. (He also made James Brown the very first rock n soul act in Madison Square Garden.) He discovered and managed The Rascals. He's also been humbly on the front lines of political activism from the rise of the Nazis, to the current corruption of the American government, from the civil rights movement to the recent assault on The Constitution... he speaks with presidential candidates and people who have no voice. And he has always spoken out where and when there's been a need. Over his lifetime, he's been some amazing places with some amazing people. (Anyway... you just hafta read his book.)

So, Sid has been a promoter, a producer, a manager, an activist for Truth and Reason... he's been immersed in the music business his whole, long life. But he's never played one note and... he's never written a song.

Until now.

Do you wanna be a part of something beautiful? This is where I get to your part.

Listen... at this concert on Saturday night, I will tell you the story about how Sid left a message on my voice mail that became the inspiration and hook-lyric for a brand new song. But, here's the thing...

Sid's gonna be in the audience that night. And, I would LOVE it if the entire audience sang this song... I mean, filled the music hall with this song. The credits on this song will read as follows.

Music: David Ippolito
Lyrics: Sid Bernstein and David Ippolito

So, this is what I did! I recorded a rough demo... a scratch track of this song for you to listen to right now so that you can get your mind and your heart around the song. IT'S NOT FINISHED!!! Some of the lyrics still need work. But you can get the idea. THEN, when you show up at the gig on Saturday, we'll really be able to let it rip with everyone else!

Cool?

Here... click on this logo to learn the song.

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Okay... call a few friends and make plans! Reserve seats or just show up. We'll find a way to get you in!!!

See you Saturday.

Thanks for everything.