Where Do All the Poets Meet?

“Grand Street, Grand Street…”

Sorry, the heat has melted my brain and i was just humming to myself (because, why not?) the old Orlons hit, “South Street.” ANYWAY: Check out the new meeting place for the Hudson River Poets!

And, join us! Anyone can come, read a poem or two, or just listen. We have some terrific poets around here!

July 6, aug. 6, and sept. 7 are our next 3 meetups … in the air-conditioned newburgh free library! everyone is welcome to attend, read a poem, or just listen.

Sub Rosa Has All Three

Who has all three, SIGNED-BY-THE-AUTHOR, Newburgh-centric “Louey Levy” novels? Sub Rosa, the new gift shop at 89 Liberty Street, that’s who! Get ’em while they’re hot!

All three, now at Sub Rosa!

New Ice Cream Store in Newburgh!

Well, it’s not just an ice-cream store, and it’s not really new, but since I recently discovered it, it’s new to me:

The wonderful G&H Deli, at the corner of Liberty and First streets, has terrific hard and soft ice cream in cups and cones, as well as fresh, hot chicken and rice, greens, gravy, oxtail, pork and a wide variety of other Soul-Food and Caribbean-influenced dishes to go. You may remember (as i well do) getting hot food there, passed from a little window on the Liberty Street side of the building. i could never find the name of that shop; the front door (on First Street) was covered with chicken wire, and it always appeared to be dark inside, like a small bodega. Now they have ice cream in an amazing array of flavors — my favorite so far is the rum raisin, $2 for a very generous cupful — as well as other sweets and the same great food as always, in their beautifully renovated building. No more “little window!”

It was a blow to the whole city when Nancy Colas’s Simple Gifts and Goodies closed, and then Dairy Island as well, leaving Newburghers with no ice-cream shops. To make matters worse, our only swimming pool will be closed for the next three years, turning summers into a sad season here. But: G&H Deli has come to our rescue! All ice-cream lovers (as well as lovers of fresh, hot, Caribbean-style and Soul Food) should drop in to this hidden gem, in ANY season.

Call to order: 845-420-6175. They cater, too!

Great New Restaurant in the 'burgh!

Have you been to 845 Halal yet? If not, stop reading this right now and get over to 216 Broadway in Newburgh! This restaurant is already wildly popular, even though it hasn’t had its official Grand Opening yet! Brother and sister Aaqib and Nissa Majeed run the shop, at 216 Broadway, between City Terrace and Lutheran Street. You can eat in or take out really good dishes like lamb with rice and salad, fried chicken and many more options. Aaqib and Nissa’s dad, Rafiq Majeed, is the gracious owner, laser-focused on greening the street with shrubbery and installing outdoor seating later this spring. Hope to see you there soon!

College grads Rafiq and Nissa Majeed and their staff are serving up really fine food in the heart of the city.

Black Newburghers: If You're Looking to Sell Your House ...

Here is a horrifying story i saw today out of Indianapolis, one of the most racist cities i’ve visited in my 72 years: https://bit.ly/3hAajuc … but i fear it’s true everywhere, including Newburgh. A Black homeowner wanted to have her home appraised, apparently because she was looking to sell it, and therefore was hoping it would be appraised for a HIGH amount. It was appraised twice, at extremely LOW values, until she got the idea to have it appraised once more while a white friend stood in for her. The result was an appraisal more than twice as high as the others. She is now suing everyone she can, for illegal discrimination. Meanwhile, if any Black Newburghers are looking to sell your home (and i’m hoping you’re not: PLEASE STAY!), reach me at genieabrams@gmail.com and i will be glad to “stand in” for you while the appraiser visits. (I am, as many of you know, the classic “little old white lady.”)

Check Out this PBS Feature on What PFAS Chemicals Do To Our Water ... and Our Health

Here’s a link to the great Shantal Parris Riley story on NOVA, about PFOS and its sister chemicals. It’s a horrifying look at the quality of America’s water … including Newburgh’s, until 2016. Thank G-d we switched to the New York City Aqueduct!

https://to.pbs.org/38OnrYb

Porch Concerts in Newburgh Bring the Joy

One of the great things about living in Newburgh has been the free “Porch Concerts” that Kathy Lawrence performed all summer on Sunday evenings. To cheer us all up during the most stressful year anyone can remember, Kathy brought her musical talents (and her mic and electronic piano) out onto her porch here on Bayview Terrace. She sang requests from the audience as well as her own favorites from the American Songbook. Though ballads are her specialty, she can rock with the best of ‘em, croon songs from the early days of radio and belt out hits from Broadway musicals of all decades. She can pivot to novelty tunes too, to satisfy some of us goofier listeners. Between numbers, she shares her phenomenal knowlege about composers and lyricists. Neighbors near and far came to sit on “the Bluff” across the street from her house and enjoy her strong and agile soprano voice. She is a delightful entertainer who further endears herself to her loyal fans by interacting with them frequently. Her sweet mom, Carol, is similarly gifted, and often joined Kathy on harmony. The audience brought picnic blankets or lawn chairs. Some of us busted out some wine or tea (or, in the case of at least one young music-lover, some teething biscuits).

At the top of the Heights, with the river and the hills behind us and the wonderful music before us, Kathy’s Porch Concerts have given us all a wonderful respite from our woes. Let’s hope she’ll do it again next year, no matter what’s going on in our country and the world.

Kathy Lawrence of Newburgh, an AirBnb Superhost, is also a super singer.

Kathy takes requests during her last Porch Concert of the year on Oct. 4. If it’s a song from the American Songbook you want to hear, chances are she’ll just happen to have the sheet music for it.

Frederick Douglass Offers Some Words of Wisdom to Newburgh

A beautiful new painting of the various stages of the life of Frederick Douglass graces the lot across from the A.M.E. Zion Church on Washington Street in Newburgh, where he once preached. His words of wisdom here: “Without a struggle there is no progress.” VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!

PLEASE register to vote, and then VOTE in the 2020 election, to win the most important struggle of our lifetimes.

On the 4th of July, A Few Questions Before Heading to the Grill

The celebration of our "freedom" on July 4th raises some questions this year. Here are a few that have been bothering me.

In the midst of police killings of unarmed black people and a pandemic that is keeping us from leaving our homes except to dart out for food, who in the U.S. is really free? Should cops carry and distribute face masks and lists of food pantries, health and mental health clinics and detox facilities, instead of guns? Should they be trained in conflict resolution and restorative justice techniques, instead of chokeholds?

How is it that Persons of Color contract and die from COVID-19 at a higher rate than Persons of Privilege, and might that have something to do with the history of Black people in the Land of the Free? Might it be related to 400 years of slavery, lynchings, denial of voting rights and jobs, segregation, unequal educational, recreational and social opportunities, mass incarceration and discrimination in housing and loans (otherwise known as “redlining”)?  

What would moral, psychological, economic and social reparations for Blacks look like?

And finally: European Americans say we don’t “hate” anyone, but what is it when we mimic Black music, poetry, art, language and style for our own benefit? Isn’t racial hatred just simple math: the sum of ignorance plus fear plus greed? It’s ignorance of our Black neighbors plus the fear of black men “getting” white women plus the mania for not only more wealth, but for more wealth than others have.

In the rush to our backyard grills, let us also recall those whom we have stranded at our borders and the indigenous peoples from whom Europeans stole this land, and ask: How is freedom going for them?

The Black Lives Matter movement, combined with a horrid pandemic, makes this the year that can change everything. First, though, some questions need to be answered.

A meaningful Fourth of July to all!

Mama Roux Forgives You!

Just when Mama Roux. our fabulous Louisiana-themed restaurant at Liberty and Broadway, was about to re-open after being closed for 150,000 years (it felt like) due to the COVID-19 crisis, some idiot smashed their font window. Did Stirling, the proprietor, curse the perpetrator? Did she seek revenge, or even restitution? No, she did something quintesentially Newburgh. She forgave him. At first I had no words for this response, but then two words did come to mind: “Amazing Grace.”

Can’t wait to visit Mama Roux’s new outside seating area and bar, adjacent to the wonderful restaurant at Liberty and Broadway in Newburgh.

Into the Woods and Through the 'Hoods

Today i took a “loop hike” along the new Quassaick Creek Trail. i call it my “Into the Woods and Through the ‘Hoods” walk, because the route i take runs beside the scenic creek, past the ruins of some of Newburgh’s long-abandoned mills and factories, under the amazing arches of the Mill Street Bridge and along the overpass spanning Walsh’s Road, and then emerges onto Rt. 32 for a brief “road walk” before heading down S. William to William Street and through the Heights back to my house.

i was lucky to have my daughter Rachel Quimby, who’s visiting from Worcester, Massachusetts, as my adventuresome companion. It’s a rare day that is this picture-perfect.

There are few prettier places in Newburgh than our new trail, which I followed “Into the Woods and Through the ‘Hoods.'“ Hope to see you out there!

Taking Care of Newburgh's Downing Park

Alison Filosa of the Newburgh Conservation Advisory Council took advantage of one of the last nice days we’ve had (it’s going to freeze and snow this weekend, they say) to cut back and bag the dead grasses at Newburgh’s Downing Park. I wish everyone had her energy and commitment.

Alison whacked and bagged dead grasses for us recently, and directed a helper at Downing Park. As an employee of the Newburgh Community Land Bank and a key member of Newburgh’s Conservation Advisory Council, she’s one of Newburgh’s unsung heroes.

Six Trees Grow in Newburgh

A miracle happened in Newburgh on April 25: On the 360 block of Liberty Street, my new friend Kula, her husband Steve, and their wonderful, energetic and friendly neighbors planted SIX syringa reticulata ("Ivory Silk lilac") trees, which will help mitigate climate change and provide peace, beauty, shade, cleaner air and soil, and less stormwater runoff for years to come. 

It was a magnificent group effort that should stand as a model of community activism here in Newburgh. From coming to a CAC meeting to explain their idea, to choosing the species they wanted, to following through with Central Hudson to get the sites OK'd, to rustling up a truck and delivering and unloading the trees and topsoil, to providing the shovels, wheelbarrows, dollies and other tools, hose and water, to  -- by the way -- negotiating all of this during a worldwide pandemic, these folks saw this project through to its very successful conclusion. No glitch along the way, including a mixup with a nursery employee not understanding the payment situation, could stop them! They have my complete admiration (can you tell?) and deserve the thanks of all.

The City of Newburgh’s Conservation Advisory Council, of which i am a proud member, provided the money for the six trees and six bags of topsoil (and also some muscle and cheerleading, as my pal Alison Filosa and i lent a hand, along with Mayor Harvey and Council member Anthony Grice), but it is “Kula and the Gang” (as i will forever call them) who are our true Newburgh Tree Heroes.

Feel free to organize your own neighbors to do the same thing. Conservation Advisory Council meetings are open to everyone.

It takes a village to plant a tree, but “Kula and the Gang” planted SIX on Liberty Street on April 25!

Meet Me at GritWorks, 3 pm on March 7!

Hey! Learn all about the new Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy and how these great folks are helping to make us all greener and healthier. I’ll be there talking about the City’s Conservation Advisory Council, which works closely with this “sister agency.”

See you there!

These are some really good people, trying to get more and bigger and better parks and green spaces around here. Hope to see you at this meetup!

February Meetup At Crystal Lake!

Scenic Hudson is once again holding its Winter Fest at Newburgh’s hidden gem, Crystal Lake. There’ll be arts and crafts, fat-tire biking, guided hikes, snowshoeing, baked goodies and hot chocolate, environmental and historical info about the area, and much more … and it’s all FREE! I’m sooo looking forward to it!

This is such a good time! Take a guided hike, see the lake, ride the fat-tire bikes and try snowshoeing, enjoy arts and crafts for the kids, and much more, while enjoying baked goodies and hot chocolate or coffee around a cozy campfire. See you there!

Join Me in Early Voting!

I’m proud to have voted today, even though I could have waited until Nov. 6. I have never failed to vote in my life, and I have always done so on Election Day. So when the Two Ladies came to my door yesterday and asked me to vote early, i told them, “Don’t worry; I’ll vote on Election Day.” But they made a very good point: A lot of good people worked very hard to enable Newburgh residents to vote early. There are too many people here who fail to vote on that ONE DAY because they’re sick; because their ride failed to show up; because they had to work, or they had to work overtime; because it’s raining and they have no way to get there; or because they just plain FORGOT. This cures all of that. Voting early adds my voice (and ballot) to say HURRAH to those who fought for it.

In Republican-infested Rensselaer County, the legislature failed to put ANY early-voting polling placesin Troy, where most people (and most Dems, students, and people of color) live. Instead, they’re way out in the rural and suburban parts of that county.

NEWBURGHERS: PLEASE VOTE EARLY, so that the large number of early voters will convince our politicians to keep our polling place (the Activity Center, 401 Washington Street) as the early-voting site forever. In fact, next election season, they should ADD another Newburgh site. The library or 123 Grand Street are both in heavily populated areas, and as for location, they are to northeast Newburgh what the Activity Center is to the southwest of the city. COME ON OUT AND VOTE EARLY!

All this AND a sticker that says, “I VOTED TODAY!” Do it!

"Louey Levy's Perfect Pitch" ... Available Now at Oliver & Chatfield!

My new novel, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch,” is on sale now at the Oliver & Chatfield giftshop, at the corner of Liberty and South William streets in Newburgh. Get your SIGNED copy at this ultra-cool venue!

Pick up your signed copy and then — BONUS — enjoy a cup of coffee from Rob’s Roast, right next door!

Newburgh: Tree City, USA!

Newburgh has once again been designated a “Tree City, USA” by the National Arbor Day Foundation. This means we plant trees to shade, clean, and protect our city’s natural environment for the benefit of our own and our kids’ future. Yesterday we planted a beautiful Kwanzan Cherry Tree on Liberty Street in front of the Flour Shop, to match the other gorgeous cherry trees on that street. Come and check them out!

Newburgh’s Acting City Manager Joe Donat joined DPW workers, City Council and Conservation Advisory Council members, business owners and city activists like Dr. Hannah Brooks and her little friend Hudson in planting a cherry tree yesterday on Liberty Street. Thanks to everyone who participated!

You Know You're Old When ...

The TH-Record did a feature on me today (“The Addled and Anile,” i think, is the title of their new section) and you might enjoy not only reading the “story” on Page A-7 but also knowing that the ads on the bottom of the page were for two elder-law firms and the paper itself. I guess that’s where they’re going now, playing to their drooling and dribbling remaining readership.

Jazz at Atlas Kicks Off New Season on March 30; Tickets Available Now!

Jazz at Atlas (J@A) will kick off its 2019 season with a concert by the acclaimed and innovative trio Thumbscrew. The group will perform on Saturday, March 30 at 8 PM at 11 Spring St., just off Liberty Street in downtown Newburgh. There is ample onsite parking. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door — tickets are available now at https://thumbscrew.brownpapertickets.com.

Thumbscrew features three gifted musicians and composers — guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer/percussionist Tomas Fujiwara — performing their own compositions and selected standards with an exacting prowess wedded to a liberated swing. 

Guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has been described as "NYC's least-predictable improviser" (Howard Mandel, City Arts), "one of the most exciting and original guitarists in jazz—or otherwise" (Steve Dollar, Wall Street Journal), and "one of today’s most formidable bandleaders" (Francis Davis, Village Voice). In recent Downbeat Critics Polls she has been celebrated as guitarist, rising star jazz artist, and rising star composer of the year. One of New York City's most in-demand guitarists, Halvorson is also part of several collaborative projects, most notably Thumbscrew.

One mark of bassist Michael Formanek's versatility is the wide range of distinguished musicians he's worked with. While still a teenager in the 1970s, he toured with drummer Tony Williams and saxophonist Joe Henderson; starting in the '80s he played long stints with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Fred Hersch and Freddie Hubbard. Formanek is also a composer and leader of various bands. His occasional groups include the 18-piece all-star Ensemble Kolossus, which recorded their first CD of all-Formanek originals for the prestigious ECM label. The CD, The Distance, was released in 2016 and in addition to numerous other accolades, earned a five-star review in Downbeat. Formanek also teaches bass, composition, and improvisation in a wide range of locations in the US as well as internationally.

Tomas Fujiwara has been described as "an artist whose urbane writing is equal to his impressively nuanced drumming" (Troy Collins, Point of Departure). He’s an active player in some of today’s most exciting music. In The New York Times, Nate Chinen says Fujiwara “works with rhythm as a pliable substance, solid but ever shifting. He has a way of spreading out the center of a pulse while setting up a rigorous scaffolding of restraint ... A conception of the drum set as a full-canvas instrument, almost orchestral in its scope." Fujiwara also has many experiences outside the jazz realm, including a five-year run with the Off-Broadway show Stomp and performances with the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, featuring Patti Labelle.

Jazz at Atlas is a cooperative project of musician, writer and multimedia artist James Keepnews, and music researcher, radio host and Triple Point Records owner/producer Ben Young. Along with presenting performances by world-renowned creative musicians, J@A also offers listening sessions, dialogues with artists and classes covering the entire spectrum of creative music.

Upcoming concerts in J@A's 2019 season include:
4/20: Sun of Goldfinger — Returning to the Hudson Valley after their memorable closing set for the 2015 Beacon Jazz Festival, alto saxophonist Tim Berne, electric guitarist David Torn and drummer Ches Smith will be touring in support of their debut recording for ECM Records.

6/22: Ticonderoga — Four phenomenal musicians — Joe McPhee, Jamie Saft, Joe Morris and Charles Downs — invoke the spirit of the late John Coltrane and their own unique musical paths to forge a stirring, passionate fire sermon of a quartet.

7/27: Darius Jones' Shades of Black — Called "the most visceral and distinctive alto saxophonist of this era" by The New York Times, composer/altoist Jones convenes a quartet of outstanding talents featuring Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone, Cooper-Moore on organ and Michael Wimberly on drums.

10/5: Karen Borca Quartet — Borca, an innovative, under-recognized bassoonist, with decades of experience in the ensembles of such major artists as Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, William Parker and others, leads this thrilling quartet of veteran creative musicians including Warren Smith on vibes, Hilliard Greene on bass and Jackson Krall on drums.

Thumbscrew, one of the most innovative and talented jazz trios in the nation, will be playing at Newburgh’s Jazz at Atlas on March 30.