Taste "I Make Funny Sounds Just Talking in Real Life..." A wonderful conversation with Playwright, Poet, Professor, Baker and Candlestickmaker - Kitty Belle Burbank. Kitty Belle and I discuss Being Reliable, Puppets, Trudy & John, Algorithms, Fake Famous, Her Relationship Status, the Unpopular, Adam Curtis' Documentary, Soul! and Ellis Haizlip, Voices, Feeling Connected, an Alternative to Facebook, Getting to Spring...

Taste "These Cats Are Hip..." We have for your listening pleasure Episode 409 of "Troubadours and Raconteurs with E.W. Conundrum Demure." A grand conversation with Harlem Based Director, Writer, Cabaret Critic and Activist - Gerry Geddes. Gerry and I discuss How the Pandemic Has Affected Clubs, Artists & Audiences, the Cotton Club, the Ways of Cabaret, Mable Mercer, Frank Sinatra, a Wonderful Evening with Carmen McRae, His Memoir, the Sexual Revolution, Woodstock, the AIDS Epidemic, Secrets of New York...

Taste "Our DNA Has Traces of Everything On the Planet..." An Environmentally Astute conversation with Environmental Law Attorney & the Director of the Wildlife Law Program for Friends of Animals - Michael R. Harris. Michael and I discuss Conservationism, Teddy Roosevelt, the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Rifle Association, Our Human Connection to the Natural World, Hunting, Duck Stamps, Re-Wilding...

Taste "I Stayed In From Recess in 6th Grade So That I Could Practice My Voguing Moves..." An insightful conversation with Arts Journalist, Editor and Hip Podcaster - Mark Blankenship. Mark and I discuss His Journey from Tennessee through Georgia to Yale to Manhattan, Creating Spaces, Conversations, Rigorous Thinking, the Flashpaper, Artistic Folk, Showtune Countdowns, His Book About Madonna, Small Steps to Big Solutions ...

Taste "We Are Always Trying to Push for These Things Called Human Rights... That Work Never Ends," An impassioned conversation with Progressive, Union Leader and Our Resident Politico- Dwayne Heisler. Dwayne and I discuss President Biden's Executive Orders, Electing Good Local Leaders, Shared Values, False Equivalency, Starving the Beast, Foreclosures & Evictions, Healthcare, Compulsively Making Things Worse, Scarcity Mentality, Them & Me, Driving President Biden Around Town for Some Chocolate-Chip Cookies...

Taste "Multiculturalism Works... New York City Is Proof of That," An introspective conversation with NYC Artist and Activist - Maddy Enlow. Maddy and I discuss What Could Save the World, QAnon, 4Chan, Privilege, the First Ammendment & Hate Speech, Charlottesville, Critical Thinking, Takashi 69, Garden Spaces, What Crazy Is, Composure, Judgment, Sadness, Gratitude, the Future...

Taste - "Yes, I am very skeptical... hopeful, but skeptical," A great conversation with Songstress, Comedic Writer and Comedian - Nash Rose. Nash and I discuss Talking White, Answering Anonymous Questions from White People, Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter, Slavery, Honesty, the Stereotype that Black Women are Aggressive, Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Rev. Dr. Mlk, the Insurrection, What If Black or Brown People Stormed the Capitol, What Racism Looks Like, Colin Kaepernick, Couth, the Same Privilege, Getting Back to Normal, Gratitude, the Best Gift...

Taste "Life Should Be Vital & Vibrant." A grand conversation with Poet and Publisher- Michael Czarnecki. Michael and I discuss a Winter Landscape in Central New York, His First Poem, an Important Junior High Teacher, Masters of War, Simple Life & Simple Poems, Traveling Across America on Route 20, Synchronicity & Serendipity, Living in the Country, a Rather Scaring Experience with a Nun in Second Grade, Overcoming Scars & Anxiety, Doing What Matters to You, Poetry & Poverty, Thoreau, Rev. Dr. Mlk, Tolstoy, Traveling with Robert Frost, Poetry as Serious Business, the Triangle Holding Him Up...

Taste "...To Me That's a Violent Act Against Sanity." An enlightening conversation with Farmer, Winemaker, Sensi and Our Resident Philosopher- Almighty Todd. The Almighty and I discuss Truth & Reconciliation, Corruption of the Social Contract, George Carlin, AntiFa, Restorative Justice, the Swamp, Going From Yule to Imbolc, the Pagan Calendar, Solstice to Equinox, Storm Watchers, the Natural World As An Example of Objective Truth, Winter Sustenance, Reading, Crafts, Christmas Lights, Cooking, Watching Birds, Cultivating Awareness, Sound of Walking in the Snow, Gratitude...

Taste "I Thank You from the Bottom of My Heart for Listening." Episode 401 marks the debut of a new end of the year annual tradition called "Some of the Best Bits & Wits of Troubadours and Raconteurs." We share a sample of excerpts from the many great conversations we featured this year. We couldn't possibly represent each of the wonderful guests we talked with in 2020. It would take a few hours at least... though I do think we have indeed strung together some poignant, compelling, humorous bits & wits.

Taste "Aside from the Fetishistic Serial Killer Behavior of my Felines, Things Over Here are Great." An Ex-Pat Perspective with Poet, Musician and Our Resident Social Critic- JQ. JQ and I discuss Quarantine in the South of France, Self Permission Slips. Hope on the Titanic, Navel Gazing, Serial Killer Cats, Being a Lumberjack, Asking Around, Disease in Government, Conspiracy Theories, the Internet Keeping Us in Bubbles, the Yellow Vest Protests in France, President Macron, History, the Death of the Novel, Joe Strummer, Morality, New Years...

Taste "... I grew up in this kind of Elsewhere," an insightful conversation with Poet, Essayist, Editor and Professor- Philip Brady. Philip and I discuss Classrooms, Self-Absorption, the Elsewhere, Physics and James Joyce, Poetry As Interface, Quarks, Moving Up the Vaccine Line, Banquet with Ethiopians, Growing Up in Queens, Brooklyn's Diversity, Teaching in Africa, the Peace Corps, Sir Roger Casement, the Anti-Self, Utterances, Amplifying Your Sensibilities, Wearing of a Mask, Choosing to Protect One Another, Breath...

Taste "I am a Public School Teacher... Clearly I've Sold Out." A raucous conversation with Educator, Fiddler and Our Resident Historian- Serf William. The Serf and I discuss Selling Out, Choices, Fate, Other People Suffering, White Liberal Guilt, Rolling With the Absurdity, Systemic Discrimination & Privilege, Doing the Right Thing, Suburban Bohemians, Rejecting the American Dream, Beginners Mind...

Taste "Our Organization Is Our Power." A compelling conversation with Black Working-Class Human Rights Organizer & Strategist- Nijmie Zakkiyyah Dzurinko. Nijmie and I discuss Her Earlier Days, How She Got Into Activism, the First Gulf War, Developing As a Leader, the National Union of the Homeless, the Poverty Initiative, Liberation Theology, Hurricane Katrina, the Poor People's Campaign, Dr. Mlk, Human Rights, Reform to Revolution, Resurrection Cities, the Idea of Nurturing Many Martins, Building Trust, Common Threads, Systemic Change, Who to Organize, the Potential of the Working Class, Staying Close to the People, Thankfulness...

Taste "He Was Probably the Kindest Person I Ever Met..." An angelic conversation with Songwriter, Musician, Actress and our Resident Storyteller - LittleStarRun. She and I discuss Angels Among Us, the Unrest in America, Questioning People Who Support Donald Trump, Staying Creative During the Pandemic, Going from NYC to Portland & Back, Anti-Compassion, Trapeze Lessons, a Kind Man On a Bus, Thanksgiving, Being Present, Seeing You Down The Road...

Taste "It Is Always, Always, Always a Game of Inches..." A grand conversation with acclaimed American Journalist- Seamus McGraw. Seamus and I discuss Crisis Paying the Bills, the State of Political Affairs in U.S., Appealing to Our Worst Instincts, the Moral Arc of the Universe, the Whiskey Rebellion, Making Bigots & Racists Afraid to Be That Way, Truth & Reconciliation, Being the Stories We Tell Ourselves, Exceptionalism, His New Book, Not Being Able to Distinguish Between Infamy & Fame, Our National Ethos...

Taste "I think I've Always Been On the Outside... You Know, a Little Rebellious." A compelling conversation with Writer, Activist, Educator, Baker and Candlestick-maker - Kitty Belle Burbank. Kitty Belle and I discuss Her Rough Summer, Relationships, Miranda & Frances, Rebellion, Sense of Humor, Being Honest, Singular Thinking, Closure, Delusion, the Dark Side, Marc Maron, Joe Biden Becoming President, Scranton, Rewards All Around Us...

Taste "These Animals Party, Hang Out Together... " An Environmentally Astute conversation with the Director of the Wildlife Law Program for Friends of Animals- Michael R. Harris. Michael and I discuss Beluga Whales, the Mystic Aquarium, Autonomy, Animal Health & Welfare, Cognition & Emotion, Duck Stamps, Mountain Lions and Their Partying Ways, Romanticizing of Hunting, Wildlife Areas, Bird Watching, Freedom of Expression...

Taste "I Left, That's Why I'm Alive. I Left When I Was 18 Years Old & Went to Live in Paris," a vivacious conversation with NYC Playwright, Actress, Director - Susana Cook. Susana and I discuss Her Journey from Argentina to Paris to NYC, the Common Ways of Dictators, Symbols, Working with the Ghosts of Nuns, Patriotism, Homophobia Being the Wrong Name, the Supremacy Game, Hate, Fake News, the Power of Humor, Preaching to the Converted, Creating Community, Dancing...

Taste "I Got a Big Break When I Interviewed Leonard Cohen." A compelling conversation with acclaimed British Journalist, former Editor of Melody Maker Magazine- Allan Jones. Allan and I discuss His Journey from South Wales to South London, Landing a Job at Melody Maker Magazine, the English Underground Press, Progressive Rock vs. Punk/Glam, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, His Love of Film, Starting Uncut Magazine, the Distance Between a Journalist and Their Subject, Iconic Filmmakers and Iconic Bands, Johnny Rotten Compared to Joe Strummer, Being Worried About the U.S., Bleak Times, Keep on Rockin' in the Free World...

Taste "The Undermining of Government Serves One Party, and That's the Republican Party," A vibrant conversation with Chair of the Pennsylvania State Progressive Caucus and Our Resident Politico - Dwayne Heisler. Dwayne and I discuss Pa Voting, Naked Ballots, Helping Each Other Across State Lines, Outside Involvement in Local Elections, Disproportionate Representation in The Senate, People Really Concerned About Future of U.S.A, a Red Mirage on Election Night, What We All Want, Dog Whistles, Good People on Both Sides, Gay Proud Boys....

Taste "I Remember Reviewing Press Conferences of Ronald Reagan and George Bush for High Times..." An insightful conversation with former Editor & Publisher of High Times Magazine - Mike Edison. Mike and I discuss His Background, Cartoonist John Holmstrom, His Years at High Times Magazine and Screw Magazine, Peep Shows in Times Square, Outlaw Nature, William Burroughs, Free Society, Feminism, Community Standards, Liner Notes for Iggy Pop, Touring with Sonic Youth, Sound Garden, and the Ramones, the Porn Magazine Scene, Charlie Watts, Troubled Times, Frisbees, Hippies & Love...

Taste "I Can't Pay Attention to this with All My Heart Anymore Because It Hurts to the Core." An earnest conversation with Brooklyn Based Comedian and Comedic Writer- Nash Rose. Nash and I discuss the Pandemic at Present in NYC, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, the Norm Not Being Ok, the Way Interracial Relationships Have Changed Attitudes, Wondering How Much Better It's Getting, Voting, Black Economics, Over Three Trillion Dollars of Buying Power, Feminism vs. Female Empowerment, 2020 Hindsight...

Taste "The System Is Setup to Favor Private Interests." A great conversation with Founder of the political activism organization March on Harrisburg - Rabbi Michael Pollack. Rabbi Pollack and I discuss His Journey, Idealism Into Reality, Corruption, Taking Our Democracy Where It Has Never Been, Transcending Barriers, Collaboration, Single Issue Voters, Iron Mike Tyson, White Nationalists, Money As Speech, Fear Driving People, Public Trust in Government, Don Quixote, Roadblocks to Progress, Compassion, No Rest for the Wicked, Heros, Marching On...

Taste "A Good Reminder of How Plastic Time Is..." A wonderful conversation with Farmer, Winemaker and our Resident Philosopher- Almighty Todd. The Almighty and I discuss Zen & the Art of Working on Your House, Murphy's Law, Entropy, Living in An Old Farmhouse, a Brief History of Gaysville Vermont, the Flood of 1927, the Confederate Flag, Nostalgia that Comes with Autumn, Bringing It In Close to the Hearth, the Electoral College, Capitalism Being Based on Explotation, an Avatar of the Ugly American, the National Popular Vote Bill, the 13th Amendment, Preparing for the Quiet Time...