Dad's Car Radio

Flying to Vegas

It's a long flight but it sure beats the Conestoga Wagon.

Dad's Car Radio Keeps Rolling

Here at Dad's Car Radio, we like to Rock and we like to Roll. In order to keep rolling while we are rocking, we avoid Traffic Jams any way we can and the Best way is to use traffic.com either via the web or via alerts sent directly to your mobile phone.  Here's a look at Baltimore Traffic right now. Go ahead, click on it and check it out.  Have I mentioned that I now work for Traffic.com?

Showtime in the Sahara - Update

Back in June I posted an article called "African Adventure" about a tremendous Adventure Travel article that appeared in the Africa issue of Vanity Fair - you can jump down and read that post if you like it's Here ,but at the time, the article was not up on the VF website, (or I couldn't find it) but it's there now.

Seriously, it's such a cool story - you have to go read it.  I bought the music collection "Tracks in the Sand" which was compiled by Youssou N'Dour as an introduction to West African music for those of us who are not West African, and am listening to it tonight as I composed this post.  It's like an expert mix tape - and ALL revenue not some bogus "net proceeds"  - goes to the Global Fund.

This song, "Senegal Fast Food" by Amadou and Mariam (featuring Manu Chao) is from the collection. I can't stop listening to it. Just click on the link below to listen or download - then go buy your own copy of the entire "Tracks in the Sand" Collection via itunes and support the Global Fund. Amadou and Mariam are a blind couple from Mali and Manu Chao produced their most recent album and wrote and sings this song.

Download amadou-mariam-senegal-fast-food.mp3

African Adventure

There is an amazing story in the current issue of Vanity Fair, the July 2007 Africa issue which was guest edited by Bono and features 20 different covers shot by Annie Liebowitz.  This particular article is NOT online so   IS NOW ON THE WEB! READ IT!  I will quickly summarize and strongly encourage you to go buy a copy - or at least borrow  one or even stop in to your local library and read their copy. It is that cool a story.

"Showtime in the Sahara" by Tom Freston is the story of a group of music loving friends who travel, literally, beyond Timbuktu, to attend what's billed as the world's most remote music festival.  "The Festival in the Desert" is held at an Oasis in the Sahara desert. Many attendees arrive after a long trip by Camel. 

The group of friends includes Tom Freston, former CEO of MTV Networks, Jimmy Buffet, Chris Blackwell, legendary founder of Island Records (Bob Marley U@, Cat Stevens, dozens of African artists), veteran music journalist Bill Flanagan, Kino Bachelior, who has toured with Buffet for 30 years, and Jonathon Brandstein a manger of comedians who is also a world music nut and has been to Mali before.

The tale of the trip from Dakar, Senegal, to Timbuktu, Mali and then on into the desert is fascinating, exhilarating and inspiring.  There is a sidebar article where internationally renowned Senagalese singer Youssou N'Dour - who you have heard sing with Peter Gabriel on "In Your Eyes" offers up a list of 15 songs that give a nice overview and introduction to West African Music.  You can buy them all via iTunes and the proceeds - 100% of the proceeds go to The Global Fund.

Here's the itunes link

Here's Youssou performing with Peter Gabriel.

And here's a link to a video of Annie and Bono working on the cover shoot.

Hershey Park - A new podcast

Chelsea and I made a few recordings over the past month and finally we're getting them uploaded. Here is the first of a couple new podcast posts.  This one features a bit of discussion about a trip that day to Hershey Park and by Chelsea's request, the Dead Milkmen and their classic "Instant Club Hit"  - Better known as "You'll Dance to Anything".

It's a short one - only 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Download HersheyPark.mp3  A little longer than a roller coaster ride...

Live from El Patio Reposted from 2007

We recently vacationed in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  I was the guest of my wife Gail, who, along with the entire advertising sales team at The Daily Record,had earned this fantastic reward by exceeding the goals set for them.  We all had a great time. Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic place and it was full of charming surprises. 

I had hoped to hear some authentic Mexican music while in PV and I was surprised by where and when it happened. We were dining at a restaurant called "El Patio" up a rocky narrow road in the village of Mismaloya, the town made internationally famous in the 1964 John Huston film "The Night of the Iguana". 

We arrived at El Patio on the recommendation of Miguel, the charming doorman/porter at our hotel.  There was no one there.  Saturday night 6PM, 80 seats on several levels of outdoor patio covered by thatched roofs - and there was no one else there.  Except for Jorge, our waiter and one guy behind the bar, aho was also the cook. They had bottles of Damiana Liquor behind the bar so I felt better right away.

Guacamole - Excellent, or as Jorge told us "Best in the World"

Margaritas - Fishbowl sized and outstanding, also billed by Jorge as "Best in the World"

Fresh Seafood platter for two - amazing. Dorado (aka Mahi-mahi), Snapper, Shrimp, Frog's legs, lobster tail, crab and rice.

Then Jorge produced a guitar and began to sing. I had been carrying my portable digital recorder all day, recording various sounds of the city and the surf - I quickly fired it up and started recording. 

To listen to any of these songs - right click on the link and save the file to your computer - then play with any music program, Windows Media Player, itunes, winamp... There is also a Zip File with all 7 songs in one folder Download jorge_live_at_el_patio.zip (15 Megs)

Download Jorge_sat_song1.mp3

Download Jorge_Sat_song2.mp3

Download Mas_Romantica2.mp3

Well, we were stunned. Literally moved to tears by the power of these old Mexican love songs. It is just some very simple guitar strumming and one man singing in the night - if you listen very closely you may be able to hear the Rio Mismaloya cascading down the hill in the background, and perhaps the rustling of an Iguana in the jungle...

We brought the entire group back to El Patio on Monday night. A party of 14 people, we tried to call in advance but the phone was not working. AS we came up the hill in a caravan of four taxis past a small village carnival whioch had not been there 2 nights ago, I prayed that they were open... and the lights were on! This time there were some others in the restaurant and we heard a few more songs.

By my interpretation, this is a song of regional pride. Jalisco is the state we were in at Puerto Vallarta. The town of Tequila is in Jalisco and the Blue Agave cactus from which fine tequila is made is grown here. According to this song "Las Mujeres de Jalisco esta Primero" The women of Jalisco are the best.

Download Jalisco_Jorge.mp3

Not sure what these two songs are, but they were nice too.

Download Jorge_Monday_2.mp3

Download jorge_monday_3.mp3

Finally, the last song is the most famous farewell song in Mexico, "Vaya Con Dios"

Download Vaya_Con_Dios.mp3

Then Jorge climbed into his red Cadillac convertible and drove off into the Mexican night.

Click to enlage Pictures.