
In my other life, I'm a middle school teacher; I spend most of my days surrounded by twelve year olds, trying to balance entertainment with mentorship, and curriculum with life lessons. Before that, I taught in a boarding high school, tutored gifted and talented kids in a tiny rural elementary school, ran a before-school program, and did public demonstrations at a science museum. And before that, I was a dropout. And before that, I was a goofball, who needed a little good advice now and then, but couldn't really sit still long enough [...]

I had a request to repost this mix. And what better time than today? 1. Los Straitjackets ∞ My Heart Will Come On (Love Theme from Titanic) 2. John Butler Trio ∞ Peaches & Cream 3. The Jayhawks ∞ A Break In The Clouds 4. Joe Henry ∞ Rough And Tumble 5. Joni Mitchell ∞ A Case Of You 6. Vienna Teng ∞ Harbor 7. Sarah [...]

The best seat at the Green River Festival is in the shade along the ridge by the side stage, watching the motionless kiteflyers staring at the outfield sky. Because every year, there's that one sidestage artist that comes out of nowhere, a voice and style fully formed, and -- where did HE come from? -- blows you away. You have no idea who you just missed at the main stage, and you don't care. Such was the year I discovered Jeffrey Foucault . Foucault (pronounced foo-kalt) is a scruffy, [...]
Mark Erelli ( here and here ) has a new record (his second of 2006) coming out in December that will only be available on the Signature Sounds website (or on tour). It's a solo acoustic affair of mostly cover songs by the likes of Tom Waits, Shawn Colvin, Tom Petty, Wilco and Townes Van Zandt. It's called Innocent When You Dream after the Tom Waits cover that leads off the album. The two songs below are beautiful lullabies that sound-wise could have appeared on the Denison Witmer albums. [...]