No time to relax, it’s time for Funky Friday, Jazz Saturday and Blues Sunday

No time to relax, Central New Yorkers. This weekend’s downtown Syracuse opens up Clinton Square for the Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival. Funky Friday and Jazz Saturday have a new baby for all admire: Blues Sunday. Funky Friday will be dedicated to the honor of Syracuse guitarist Jeff Huston, who performed at last year’s fest.…

A sunny day slinks into the perfect night for the Syracuse blues

You sure can have a wicked case of the blues with the sun shining, temperatures in the 70s and bands doing their best on the big stage non-stop in front of you. Food trucks at few steps away, too. Friday at the 23rd edition of the New York State Blues festival in downtown Syracuse’s Clinton…

Getting better with age on stage

I was on the phone last night interviewing two guys in the Syracuse music scene I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen play many times. Guitarist Terry Mulhauser and harp-blower and singer Pete McMahon are veterans who’ve played with different bands and a wide array of other musicians. But the cream always rises to the…

OK, I do know you

Rain, rain go away All the Polish people need to come out and eat their kielbasa pierogi golabki with sauerkraut please and thank you. After catching the matinée showing of Inside Out on Father’s Day, my daughter Elisabeth, her boyfriend George Three, and my dear wife Karen and I headed to downtown Syracuse and Clinton…

There’s still plenty to taste, I’m sure

By noon Friday, thousands roamed Syracuse’s Clinton Square and the blocks surrounding. The two days of the annual Taste of Syracuse is the most popular downtown festival. It’s about people. Click any photo in a gallery for a description. Click the bottom right photo for an enlarged slide show. There are decisions to be made,…

Blue skies, red shells fill downtown for first fest of season

Life was good for thousands of reasons Saturday afternoon as the crowds spilled into Syracuse’s Clinton Square. The sun was shining, and the temperature one the AXA/Equitable Tower peeking through the nearer buildings read an oh-so-pleasant 64º F. Crawfish Festival pulsed with people of all sizes and ages and colors, this first of a series…

Talking about the New York State Blues Fest and its music

The 23rd edition of the New York State Blues Festival is two months-plus in the future, but time does fly. Besides, there’s new direction at the top of the event that will bring its 23rd edition to downtown Syracuse’s Clinton Square on July 10 and 11, so I invited first-year executive director Eric McElveen and…

In Syracuse, this parade marches me toward spring

It was in the 40s Saturday in Syracuse for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. There was still plenty of snow hanging around. But that didn’t deter thousands of partying people. The 33rd edition of the event was the setting for my weekly community blog for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org. You can read my…

Photo 101: Putting big in a new daily scale

The big daily was a constant in my life for 29 years, five months. Yes, my nickname for my former place of employment and the paper that got tossed on the steps of the Little Bitty shared by my dear wife Karen and I here in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood crossed my mind…

Happy New Year’s Eve from Syracuse, N.Y.

Are you ready for the ball to drop for 2015? Do you feel you dropped the ball in 2014 or handled life pretty well? Today’s the day to tie up any loose ends for this year. Better hurry. And tonight’s the night to welcome in the new year with great hopes, big plans, newfound inspiration,…