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Upcoming Episodes of  Songs of Freedom

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Brooklyn

Every Wednesday at 11 PM
(an alternative to the evening news)

on Channels 35/68

also, streaming at BCAT
 

WEDNESDAY, January 4, 2012

"Don't Be So Polite!"
 
When it comes to saving your life and your planet, nice is nice, but it is often ineffective.

There are times when people need to take action and demand results. Closing nuclear facilities such as Indian Point and recreating our assumptions of Wall Street and a liveable economic structure are two examples of this.

The title for this episode of Songs of Freedom comes from Dr. Helen Caldicott, who passionately addressed a rally on the Hudson River arguing for shutting down the Indian Point nuclear plant, 30 miles away from New York City. She implored those watching her to stop being so nice about it, to get angry and throw themselves at the task. This kind of passion and action can change the world and save our lives.

I agree. What is the alternative?

In this video you'll also see Pete Seeger singing with kids. The song is Malvina Reynolds' "It Isn't Nice". I provide the words on the screen so you can sing along. There is also Marc Black with a witty song about hydrofracking, and video footage from the October 8th Close Indian Point rally in front of Governor Cuomo's office in NYC sponsored by Gary Null and organizations dedicated to seeing Indian Point closed immediately and forever. My contribution is a song with the poetic and not so nice title, "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!"

I hope you enjoy it.  Let's get busy. Together.

Peace and Faith, 
Joel Landy
 

WEDNESDAY, January 11, 2012

Special Guest:  artist Helen Levin
Gesture:  In Paint and Software, an intergenerational exhibition

Steve Suffet and Joel Landy, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe / Show 1
recorded may 5, 2008

Steve Suffet and I shared the stage at The Peoples' Voice Cafe a couple of years ago. I edited four shows from the evening. This is the first one and if features Steve and Gina Tlamsa.  Steve calls himself "An American Folksinger."  He is very smart and he writes interesting tunes about the history and struggle of working people. Check him out yourself on tonight's show.

WEDNESDAY, January 25, 2012

Joel Landy, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe
recorded may 5, 2008

WEDNESDAY, February 1, 2012

Steve Suffet and Joel Landy, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe / Show 3
recorded may 5, 2008

WEDNESDAY, February 8, 2012

Steve Suffet and Joel Landy, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe / Show 4
recorded may 5, 2008

This is the fourth of the four shows from May of 2008 featuring Steve Suffet and myself performing at the Peoples' Voice Cafe in New York City. This one is a rollicking hoot and a real fun show. Enjoy!

WEDNESDAY, February 15, 2012

Joel Landy, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe
recorded October 30, 2010

"Is Halloween and Election Day in the same week on purpose?"

I got to play at the Peoples' Voice Cafe the day before Halloween and a few days before Election Day last year.
It was a political and fun evening. This is the first of two shows recorded that night. Songs in this set include Sis Cunningham's "Oklahoma Home", with new verses about the state of our disappearing middle class; Pat Lamanna's "Who Are You and What Did You Do to the Man I Voted For?", a question for Barack Obama; and others about the war in Afghanistan, pulling the plug on grandma, and a remedy for our failed two party system.
A CD of the entire evening can be purchased by emailing me and asking for one.  I hope you like what you hear. 
~ joel

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The Bronx

THURSDAY at 7:30 PM on CHANNEL 70

Shows coming up include:

Thursday, December 29, 2011

"On Wisconsin!" 

Michael Moore's inspiring 3/5/2011 speech in Madison, Wisconsin. And now, onto the recall of Governor Scott Walker!

Joel Landy
 

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Take It Back!

In response to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s declaration of war on public workers in his state, the people of Wisconsin have taken action of their own, seeking to recall elected officials. Tonight’s show shines a light on what people are doing in Wisconsin and across the country in our modern day uncivil class war. Also, a spotlight on Military Math and the Eve of Depression. Finally, a look at the way Franklin Delano Roosevelt handled the haters of his day -- something our current administration can learn from.  All this and more on Songs of Freedom.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tom Neilson, Live at the Peoples's Voice Cafe  /  Show #1
Recorded October 30, 2010

One day before Halloween and a few days before Election Day last year, I shared an evening on stage performing with one of America's best topical songwriters. This is the first of two shows featuring Tom Neilson.
 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tom Neilson, Live at the Peoples' Voice Cafe   / Show #2
Recorded October 30, 2010

One day before Halloween and a few days before Election Day last year, I shared an evening on stage performing with one of America's best topical songwriters. This is the second of two shows featuring Tom Neilson.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The American Dreaming

George Carlin was right.  Those who believe in the American Dream today must be sleeping.  Did you know Eugene Debs lost his American citizenship for making a speech?  Or that one of the most decorated soldiers in American history wrote a book after his retirement declaring that war is a racket and that his career was that of a hired hit man for American corporations?  And what of the Media-opoly run by corporations that controls messages that tell you what to buy and what to think?  What part of The American Dream do they represent?  And what exactly is the difference between a pirate and an emperor?  These questions and more on tonight's Songs of Freedom.  Tune in and don't tune out!
 

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Remembering Phil Ochs, at the New England Folk Festival 2011 / Show #1
 
This is the first of two Songs of Freedom episodes edited from the April 17th "Remembering Phil Ochs" session recorded at the 2011 New England Folk Festival in Mansfield, Massachusetts. 

I have produced and performed this session at the festival many times over the years. The room fills up and for 50 minutes we have a community of progressive spirits sharing time and space brought together by the life and music of Phil Ochs. My favorite moments come between the songs when people talk about the effect Phil's music had in their lives and what they remember about it. This year, after we sang Draft Dodger Rag, one woman related that she and her husband moved to Canada during the Vietnam war and stayed there 20 years, and didn't come back until President Carter granted them amnesty. Another person talked about how everybody in the SDS sang Phil's music all the time. It is an education for me. Did I mention that I'm usually one of the youngest, if not the youngest, person in the room?

One last thing I want to mention is something you'll notice when you watch the video. You'll hear many voices singing. People participating. It is what makes this session special. I believe Phil would approve.

Joel Landy, Songs of Freedom Television
 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Remembering Phil Ochs, at the New England Folk Festival 2011 / Show #2
 
This is the second of two episodes edited from the April 17th "Remembering Phil Ochs" session recorded at the 2011
New England Folk Festival in Mansfield, Massachusetts. 

This episode includes a short biography of Phil's life, followed by songs that include Power and the Glory, I'm Not Marching Anymore, Links in the Chain, Bracero, Changes, and When I'm Gone.

The schedule for the 2012 New England Folk Festival has been published. We will be doing this session again at the Mansfield High School on Sunday, April 22 at 3pm. Mark it on you calendar and join us!

Joel Landy, Songs of Freedom Television
 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Funny Song Swap at the 2011 New England Folk Festival

Over the years I have played host to to an hour of funny songs at The New England Folk Festival. It is always fun for me to sit with clever songwriters and performers and do what we like to do in front of an audience. In 2011 the session was in an large auditorium. The Big Room. (Notice the live concert sound.)

Thanks to Sol Weber, Paul Kaplan and Steve Suffet for making the session so entertaining and so much fun.

Enjoy!

joel landy
 

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Single Payer

Not long ago the issue of health care for all Americans was being debated, traded, degraded, and fated. What we were left with was a sad remnant of what began as a robust conversation about what could be for American people. The political process in our country included lies and thugs at meetings paid for by corporate interests and pseudo grassroots organizations spouting how pulling the plug on grandma was an actual goal of health equality activists. What they were afraid of was genuine health care for everybody, with the emphasis on health care. 
So what is Single Payer?  Why was it hidden and not talked about by our Congress?
Find out on tonight's show.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Healthy Cigarettes:  The Clean Coal Story

We are being sold a bill of climate warming goods. Clean Coal is the latest attempt by the carbon energy lobby to save itself from extinction, proven science, and the will of a planet requiring change now. Coal is a dirty and destructive fuel. Clean Coal does not exist. So why are we being told it does? Songs of Freedom looks inside the packaging to tell the story. Interviews include Al Gore and Robert Kennedy Jr., and the work of many concerned journalists.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash 2011
Live from Greenwich Village, NYC / Show #1
Recorded July 9, 2011
 
The annual Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash in Greenwich Village (July 9, 2011) was an awesome event and lots of fun. The Bowery Poetry Club was filled with friends singing along and having a good time. The performers included Don Friedman, Alan Friend, Anne Price, Steve Suffet, Gina Tlamsa, Carlos Vazquez, and myself. A special treat was the jam session at the end of the show, where musician friends and Woody Bash alumni joined us on stage for our finale. A memorable evening, indeed.

This video is the first of three edited shows I have put together as episodes of my television program, Songs of Freedom. It is approximately half an hour in length and features Steve Suffet, Anne Price, Alan Friend, and Don Friedman. I hope you enjoy it. 

It's an honor and a pleasure to play in this gig. Next year (July 14, 2012) will be Woody Guthrie's 100th year on and off the planet. We plan to have another great show and great time. I hope to see you there.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash 2011
Live from Greenwich Village, NYC / Show #2
Recorded July 9, 2011
 

This is the second of the three shows I edited from the 2011 Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash in New York City. It features myself, Giana Tlamsa, Alan Friend, Don Friedman, Anne Price, and Steve Suffet. I hope you enjoy it.

It's an honor and a pleasure to play in this gig. Next year (July 14, 2012) will be Woody Guthrie's 100th year on and off the planet.
We plan to have another great show and great time. I hope to see you there.  ~  joel

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Water Not Weapons No. 3   show 1
Live at The Yippie Museum Cafe
Recorded  December 13, 2009

On December 13, 2009, The Yippie Museum Cafe and Songs of Freedom hosted the third Water Not Weapons concert, bringing attention to the notion that clean water - not war - is the best way to ensure peace and environmental sustainability for our planet.

This is the first of four episodes edited from that show. It features performances by Joel Landy, Ray Korona, Phil Sauers, Spook Handy and the Water Not Weapons Crew.  Spook's performance of Rainbow Race with the Crew is a fitting ending to a great show and worthy cause.

You can check out and get involved with Water Not Weapons  by keeping close to this website and by visiting www.waternotweapons.org.  Stay tuned!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Water Not Weapons No. 3   show 3
Live at The Yippie Museum Cafe
Recorded  December 13, 2009

This is the third of four episodes recorded at the 2009 Water Not Weapons show. It features
Ray Korona, Joel Landy, Pat Lamonna, Mary Poppiins, Steve Suffet, Caitlin O'Heaney, and Jay Byrd.

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