Dave Koz and winter storms February 6, 2011
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Weather.2 comments
Four years ago next Monday, Valentine’s Day, I was supposed to see Dave Koz perform at the Best Buy Theater (then the Nokia Theater) in Times Square. Unfortunately, there was a winter storm that day. So, rather than risk taking the LIRR to Penn Station and walk through the snow and ice on the way to the theater, my parents and I stayed home. We figured the show would be canceled. I’m sure it wasn’t.
This Friday, Dave returns to that theater. Though only a few snow showers are in the forecast, the friend with whom I was going to Dave’s concert had plans come up that night. So, once again, I miss out on him. Maybe next time.
I highly recommend Dave’s current album, “Hello Tomorrow.” You can buy it here. I played a few cuts from the album on CJazzPlus, my recent Live365 station.
Here’s hoping less snow and ice are in the forecast for the rest of the winter.
2/14 UPDATE: I may not have gone to Dave’s concert, but Katherine Gilraine did.
Last day of CJazzPlus tomorrow December 1, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
Tomorrow is the last day of operation for my Live365 internet radio station, CJazzPlus (station link). Listen in from 12PM to 12AM Eastern.
In its two-month existence, CJazzPlus (blog page link) has struggled to get listeners, but it’s been an honor (I know, I always say that) to run it, playing my favorite instrumentals from my personal collection. I don’t know what will come next for me, but there must be something.
Mike C. November 16, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
Starting today, I’m shortening my display name from “Mike Chimeri” to “Mike C.” Since this is The Mike Chimeri Blog, you’ll know what the “C.” stands for.
In other news:
- My 29th birthday is tomorrow.
- CJazzPlus continues to chug along and I have an eye on expanding listening hours next month. Stay tuned.
- My grandfather, Arthur Rose, passed away on November 5. May he rest in peace. Thank you to those that have expressed condolences.
Nine years in radio October 12, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio.2 comments
October 5, 2001, was the day that launched my radio career. I hosted “The Mike Chimeri Show” on WebRadio WCWP (now myWCWP). I didn’t think of recording my shows until a week later, October 12. Here’s how that show sounded.
I’ve come a long way since that second “Mike Chimeri Show,” as you’ll hear when you listen to my last “Evening Jazz” show a few months ago.
CJazzPlus debuts September 28 September 18, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
On September 28, I will launch a new Live365 instrumental music station doubling as a weekly show: CJazzPlus. It’s contemporary jazz plus traditional jazz, jazz fusion, latin jazz, instrumental pop, and new age.
CJazzPlus will be on the air Tuesdays at 1PM Eastern and Pacific, with encores Thursdays at the same times. A given month’s shows will air a final time on the last Saturday of that month. Check back here for times.
Not all sub-genres will be played on each show, but I think you’ll like what you hear.
(Cross-posted on the new CJazzPlus blog page.)
9/27 UPDATE: Shows will now premiere Tuesdays at 2PM Eastern and re-air Thursdays at the same time. A given month’s shows will not re-air at on the last Saturday of that month, but will re-air on weeks when there isn’t a new show.
Fan phone call! September 1, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Comedy, Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Pets, Photography, Radio, Sports, Technology, Travel, TV.add a comment
Since March, I have been a semi-regular viewer of Alison Rosen’s weekly internet show, Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend, on the website UStream. One of the segments on her show, which streams through a webcam on her laptop, is Fan Phone Call. Phone numbers e-mailed to her by fans are taken out of a pot at random. The lucky fan is then called. If there is no answer, Alison leaves a funny voicemail and picks another number. If there is an answer, she interviews the fan. I e-mailed my number in March but it was never picked. So, I e-mailed it again on August 1.
This Sunday, my number was finally picked. You can see the call here. Scroll ahead to 27:40. I also recorded my end of the conversation in Adobe Audition with my mic in hand. I later mixed Alison’s end and my end together. Here’s the end result.
As you listen or watch, keep the following in mind:
- I bear no malice toward WCWP or any of the management. I have nothing but fond memories and best wishes. I’ll have more on my Homecoming show in a later post. (9/25 UPDATE: The show is not happening, but I will be at Homecoming. 10/16 UPDATE: I’m not going, but should be on hand for WCWP’s 50th anniversary next year.)
- I didn’t notice that Alison and her friend Dustin Goot were referring to the former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater as they were pressing me on my departure from the station.
- I was speaking generally when I said I’ve stormed out of places in the past, later coming back and apologizing. It comes with having Asperger Syndrome. I may regret writing this publicly.
- As you’ve seen in a few concert recaps on this blog, I do take pictures of street signs, highway markers, and exit signs. I used to have Hagstrom’s New York City, Western Suffolk, and Eastern Suffolk atlases. Now, I only have a recent Nassau atlas. With sites like Mapquest and Google Maps with printable directions, there’s less of a need to rely on atlases.
- Despite the heat, I kept my word and went for a walk 20 minutes after the call.
Leaving Evening Jazz August 11, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
Effective immediately, I am stepping aside from “Evening Jazz” on 88.1 WCWP. I wish the best of luck to those involved with the format. It was a privilege to be on board for the first seven months. It was equally an honor to be considered as a host when the format was proposed a year ago.
Evening Jazz Pics & Video, 7/8/10 July 9, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
Yesterday, I brought my digital camera up to WCWP so I could take self-timed pictures of myself while hosting “Evening Jazz.”
This was shot while playing “Mt. Airy Road” by George Benson & Earl Klugh:
About to back-sell “Rhapsody” by Dan Siegel and “Mt. Airy Road”:
And the last two are from the top of Hour 2:
It’s hard to get good candid shots, but those are good enough.
For good measure, I also shot almost two minutes of video, mixed later with aircheck audio:
Slow June June 16, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio.add a comment
There hasn’t been much to write about this month. Well, there is one thing: starting last week, I cut back my Evening Jazz hosting duties to one night a week. I gave up Tuesdays, but you can still hear me on Thursdays. Head here for airchecks from past shows and a link to the 88.1 WCWP internet stream.
MikeChimeri.com 
Suddenly off the air: Olby and me January 21, 2011
Posted by Mike C. in Commentary, Jazz, Media, Music, News, Personal, Politics, Radio, TV.1 comment so far
Shortly after 9PM, I learned that Keith Olbermann had done his last show with MSNBC. At first, I was in denial. Without knowing the details, I figured he wouldn’t be gone long, as was the case when he was suspended in November. But there won’t be a reprieve for him this time. This is really the end.
It came as swiftly as my end came at WCWP last August. On a Wednesday afternoon, August 4, hours before going on the Spirit of New York’s Smooth Cruise, it was Rick Braun and Richard Elliot that week, I got an e-mail that stopped me in my tracks. Long story short, six days later, I wrote the following:
I stand by what I said then. I will admit that I’ve had bitter moments since the decision. No one likes to step away from something they love, but that’s the business of media. I wouldn’t have been part of “Evening Jazz” had it not been for Martin Phillips, who I trust has done a fine job in my place.
There is one glaring difference between Olby and me: I didn’t use my show to lob personal attacks at my competition or people I disagreed with politically. For that, I did not like Keith, after loving his work at ESPN and Fox Sports earlier in his career. I’ll never forget how listening to the audiobook for The Big Show by Keith and Dan Patrick got me and my family through the car ride to Florida in December 1997, or how listening to the same audiobook got me through an hours-long power outage in September 1998 (though not days long like last March’s Nor’easter). That made it hard for me to suddenly dislike him beginning in 2006 when he took liberal blog-inspired shots at Bill O’Reilly. Then, I discovered Olbermann Watch, where Keith’s misinformation and embellishments were questioned and debunked. It dulled the pain of the personal attacks, unless I witnessed them while recapping segments for the site.
To the chagrin of his fans, to recap what I said at the top of this post, tonight was the end of the line for Keith Olbermann at MSNBC. You can watch his farewell here.
I don’t know where either of us will end up next, but for my sake, there must be some place out there for me. I hope I don’t regret posting this.
11:32 PM UPDATE: Here’s a supportive tweet from Johnny Dollar:
I replied by thanking him for the support. Check out his site’s links for today. Since the announcement, it’s been Olbycentric.
1/22, 12:55 AM UPDATE: J$’s weekend thread has more Olbycentric links.
1/22, 5:39 PM UPDATE: The final Olbermann Watch post…for now.
1/23 UPDATE: J$’s Fox Haters Week in Review closed with a segment on Olbermann. Here’s a preview:
1/24 UPDATE: The Olbermann reportage carried over to today, as documented at J$P. Included in the links is this video:
From NewsBusters, it’s Keith Olbermann’s greatest hits.
Greg Gutfeld: Olby’s Exit.
Despite Keith’s departure from MSNBC, Bill O’Reilly still won’t mention his name on the air, as we saw tonight on The O’Reilly Factor in the Weekdays with Bernie [Goldberg] segment. Jeff Poor elaborated on that move at The Daily Caller. It’s a good move because Olbermann still has Twitter to snipe back on and rally his base. The new #FOK, or “Friends of Keith,” hashtag is one way that base is rallying.
1/25 UPDATE: Today’s round of links
The Red Eye version of Greg Gutfeld’s commentary (Gregalogue):
1/26 UPDATE: Hal Boedeker of the Orlando Sentinel replied to Goldberg today.
1/30 UPDATE: Phil Mushnick: The real reason Olbermann lost his show
Fox News Watch on Keith’s dismissal:
2/8 UPDATE: Keith is headed to Current TV. With that, attacks on everyone he disagrees with will resume.
2/9 UPDATE:
3/30/12 UPDATE: Keith Olbermann was fired by Current TV earlier today.
4/1/12 UPDATE: From Howard Kurtz: Keith Olbermann’s Angry Email Trail Traces Breakup With Current TV
4/2/12 UPDATE: John Gibson weighed in at the end of his Fox News Radio show this afternoon: