A warm Thanks for Giving to ALL in OUR ROMulin Community and the best of wishes to ALL however you Celebrate your light during this Season

Hello to All in our wonderful Community of Artist's.

       It has been quite some time since I have jotted my now known to be "Very Infrequent Blog". I felt I just wanted to say so many thanks to each and every one of you that have been a part of ROM in any capacity from the very beginning in 2009 to now going into our last show of  
ROM-2012.

That Grand Finale show will be this coming Monday on 12-10-12 and will be Featuring our dear friend and incredible artist, MF Daisy. Please come and be a part of this wonderful night of of Artist's as we close out this most incredible year at ROM. 

I do want to say a personal thanks to: our past features since my last Blog, OY!!! I need to keep up!!! 

Many thanks to, Mark Stepakoff,  Jackie Damsky and String River, Johnny Flaherty, Chris Lee, Ron Cummings and Dawn Frost.

To each one of you, you brought a wealth of very special and unique to yourselves entertainment & a brilliance, to light up our stage at ROM.  This year at our little Community, I have recd so many letters of thanks  for what WE do at ROM.

 In reality, it is I who is thanking all of you for bringing your incredible gifts to our stage! This year and even most recently we have been honored by so many folks that have been ROM first timers! Please feel welcome and pass the word to family and friends that YES, Mike & I are honored that you have chosen to join us at ROM but please also remember, we are but a small piece of the Community of Artist's Pallet available to ALL of us in our most gifted part of the country that offers so much for so many. We strive to let it be know that we are an equal opportunity Open Mike and encourage everyone to seek out and explore the other horizons of other venues. To the right of this Blog is just a sampling of some of our friends of ROM, I encourage you all to take a look at the websites that are there, if yours is missing please do let me know and we will try and figure out how to add them to this new Format to the Blog, (I have NO CLUE OF how to add at this point)!! WE shall succeed and persevere!!

I can tell you at this point that we have completed our ROM - 2013 FEATURE LIST which will be made available at our 12-10 Grand Finale Show! Mike & I are so pleased and honored to all  that have accepted our invite to feature as part of ROM - 2013. It will be a spectacular year! We also wish to thank those of you that did request a feature and did not get chosen for this year. You will ALL remain on our back- up  Feature list for the 2013 Season.  We had a total of 168 request for feature's for the 23 venues a year we do at ROM. it is a very difficult choice to make and we feel we did the very best and followed all our ROM basic guidelines for features. Please feel free to be in touch with myself or Mike if you have interest of being considered for 
ROM -2014 request list which we begin over each year.

Before adding some very special announcements, I wish to say my many personal Thanks to those of you that have gone far and above any volunteer organization could ask for. I do want to especially want to thank Mike Delaney for being the Host of Roslindale Open Mike. Mike also maintains and updates both the website and the ROM emails many of you just got tonight. Mike (Aka Mandolaney), also will play with anybody that asks all he need is a key. (With moi, I never know)!! He has been that very special pot of Gold I found at the end of a prism-like rainbow!  So many other parts with Mike too many to mention. I  cannot mention everyone here as it would take a week or more for all the help with Set up, break down, bringing wonderful talents foods, Utensils  doing our dishes and Community to ROM! You all know who you are!!! I will leave out some but I do wish to mention a few others! I do wish to thanks to Ken Porter for all he adds to ALL aspects of ROM, To Branson Bofat our most wonderful ROMuhost for this entire year. To King Yee our official ROM videographer who also has been working together with Steve Friedman from Melville Park Studio while working together to sync audio and video. To Lynn McCaffrey for ALL the great Homemade foods & soo many other gifts you bring to ROM as a most wonderful Audience member. To Junko Ogawa for ALL your artistic talent & all you do with regard to ROM regardless if it is for our normal ROM Venue, our Fundraisers and always going that extra mile at the end of the nights with you kitchen patrol and helping all around. To Ed & Bill Banatt for your endless energies and and for being our official ROM stage light setter uppers and taker downers and even more tedious, after a long night, putting all equipment away. To Chris Lee, thanks so very much for all the extra after hours you have helped in shutting down ROM after such wonderful evenings of entertainment!! To Bill Duncan who is always willing to sit in for sound and all around anything anyone at ROM may need.

On a different over-all scale of thanks, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU WITHIN OUR ROMulin Community. Those who listen, those who play, those who listen and will soon play or those who simply walk by the Venue and hear incredible talent and come in and join us and become part of our Community, A HUGE Thank you to all.

I do have a very timely couple of very special messages from a dear friend of mine personally and a dear friend  and supporter of ROM and All places that do support ALL within Live , Local Arts Communities and the host of 2 of her own most wonderful Venues. I will now copy in 2 very special and important and endearing messages from Ellen Schmidt, Known to many of you and a great dear friend to get to know to the rest.

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving!  I am thankful for this wonderful music and spoken word community and for my family and friends. May you all have an excellent holiday season!

 I want to announce a very special benefit event on Tuesday December 18^th  8pm  at TCAN 

( The Center for the Arts in Natick) Open Mike hosted by Mark Stepakoff.  I will be featuring at 9pm. I have coordinated a musical revue with some amazing performers who are all donating their time and talents. The benefit will be for those impacted by Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey. Performers will include Ergo Canto, Cheryl Perreault, Jake Kensinger, Oen Kennedy, , Rob Siegel, Hatrack Gallagher, Seth Connelly, Jackie Damsky, Mary Pratt, Steve Rapson,  and maybe a surprise guest or two! These artists will perform some of their own songs and also perform with me on a few of mine. We will include some holiday tunes as well!

I am very grateful to Mark for letting me put on this kind of program and I’m so thankful to all who are going to participate.

How can you help?

If you are performer and can come that night and show support for Mark’s open mike and this event, that would be wonderful! Your music and spoken word performances will only enhance the night! If you are coming to listen, you’ll hear an array of great performers joining me and I welcome any publicity help you can provide.  I will have a flyer ready soon and I’ll circulate it and I would encourage you to help me publicize.

People who wish to write a check may make it out to Red Cross NY or Red Cross NJ and I will mail them. You are also welcome to make a cash contribution.  If you can’t make it to the event but want to contribute, you can mail a check made out to one of the charities and I will send it along with the other contributions. Send to Ellen Schmidt at 199 Cambridge Tpke, Concord, MA 01742 or go on line and contribute that way.

Here are open mike specifics:

Sign up before 8, feature at 9.  15 Summer St,,
Natick, area code 508, at 647-0097    , www.natickarts.org.
Admission $5
for non-members, free for members at the $50 level or higher

Thank you all so much!!!!

Special News – ROM (Roslindale Open Mike) Night at the Emerson Umbrella Open Mike on Sunday January 6^th! This will be a benefit for the Roslindale Congregational Church. They are raising money to make that venue "Handicapped Accessible". Neal Braverman and Mike Delaney are planning the format for the night – sure to include performances from a number of ROM regulars plus all of you who can make it!  This is my first attempt to honor another area open mike for a special cause.  Watch for more news about this!

In closing dear friends, I  do not embody enough thanks for ALL of you do to make life better for so many, from the on going Fundraiser efforts on so many fronts to the Always, incredible ART-forms you bring to our stage as well as many other stages near & Far!

Have a great and wonderful ALWAYS!!!
        
Make every Season Special, as "YOU ARE THE REASON" these Communities exist!

Thanks again, Hoping to see you soon,  Always, Neal :)))

As a different ROMulin type may say, "Live long and Prosper through the ARTS's"

Happy Trails to Summer as we look forward to our New England Foliage!

Greetings dear Friends of ROM,

         Thanks to each and every one of you that literally & figuratively spent a very HOT & HUMID summer with Mike & myself as our guest's at Roslindale Open Mike at an undeniably uncomfortable summer! It was the Warmth of the Community within ROM that kept all of you joining venue after venue and we both wish to simply say thank you!!!!

Thanks also to our past 2 Features since my last Blog, Our thanks to Chief Noda for an incredible evening of artistic mastery of the guitar and of course his wonderful humor.  Also many thanks to Kim Jennings for a fabulous Feature at ROM and all that she does to help advocate for Live, Local Music & all the Arts. We have been very honored by these feature performers most certainly but our Foundation at ROM is ALL of YOU that join us for our Open Mike both as performers as well as great listeners that do in some cases become most wonderful performers.

HOT OFF THE ROMUPRESS!!!!!!  ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 from 
2 -5 PM WILL BE OUR LONG ANTICIPATED FUNDRAISER FOR HELPING ROSLINDALE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, "HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE". PLEASE SEE THE INCLUDED FLIER!    Please note new time above!! OOPS!!!



Please do come to this day time Fundraiser for this wonderful Church that has continued to recognize the importance of all the Arts and has continued to offer their Home of ROM to others for many Fundraisers throughout our many years of involvement. This Fundraiser is very important in the goal of achieving complete access to ALL to this Beautiful building that can be found in the National book of Historic Buildings. WE do ask that you ALL join us and bring the family, kids, young and old. If day care needs are requested please contact me at neal@rolsindaleopenmike.org. My daughter has offered to help out with this and depending on the numbers will have the help of girls from her Girls Leadership Corps she is part of. Face-painting and other surprises may be possible. The kids will be in good care within the same building. The entry fee to see these fabulous Performers will be from your heart. Whatever you can afford is what we will accept. We of course hope you are able to join us and we will have refreshments available. Both our sets of Performers will be coming with CD's which are fabulous, I can say that as I have them all!!! Leslie & Steve just released their new CD!!  To make the point, please do join us, if cost is a reason you may not come, please come, no one will question that but we will welcome all that join us to hear some absolutely incredible performers!!! See You there!!!!!!!!

Our upcoming ROM is this coming Monday 9-10-12. Our Feature Performer will be the multi-talented singer/songwriter MARK STEPAKOFF (www.markstepakoff.com) Mark is the host of yet another wonderful Open Mike TCAN in Natick. Please come and join us at ROM for this long anticipated show. 

WE have lots of great music coming up as always all around us!!!!

    Tomorrow night 9-6-12 ,we have our dear friend Craig Sonnenfeld featuring out at Amazing Things in Framingham please see Craig's website to the right of this Blog. Amazing Things has many incredible upcoming Features on their Thursday Venues. Dan Cloutier the host of Amazing Things Open Mike, 
just keeps getting it done for Live Local Music. The following week new friend of ROM, Al Cath with dear friend of ROM Steve Rapson and a list of others will Feature. I do also know there are special upcoming shows which Features other ROMulins please see Tom Smith's website to the side of this blog as he will be opening for David Mallet at same location. All times and dates for so many events are available on all the websites that are on this Blog page.

Very close to home, Our dear Host of ROM Mike Delaney will be performing at the Carver Farmers Market with friends on 9-9-12 from NOON to 4PM and Mike has many other upcoming Gigs 2 other will be at the Norwood Farmers Market with Patti DeRosa. Please see Mike's website on this page for all shows times and locations or ask him about future ones when you come to ROM this coming Monday!!!!

Junko Ogawa will be Performing at Main Sts. Market & Cafe on 9-12-12,  8-11 PM  Please see Junko's website as well as Licia Sky & Ron Hertz for this very wonderful show!!

Last schedule note for this Blog, Our dear friend Ellen Schmidt begins her new season of the Emerson Umbrella, VERY IMPORTANT for all of us that have always supported Ellen's Umbrella Venue. The Venue will now be on Sunday nights! Ellen's first show will be on  Sunday 9-16-12. It will be a fabulous season kick off with my dear and very talented friends Seth Connelly & Jackie Damsky  as the feature and NO doubt so many of us for our ROM Community will be in the house and performing as well. Please see Ellen's website on this page for all times and events!!!

Thanks for listening to my earful, Please also remember if we are transitioning from ROM being an ALL junk-food venue to bringing in veggies and fruits. There will still be a few sweets for our crowd but we want to make sure we address any and all Community needs as best we can. If you can bring any Veggies for our next ROM or a bag of apples, fruits etc. please feel free to jot me and we would love to have the Community feed the Community especially if it comes out of your own very special gardens!!!

Many thanks to one and all and we'll C ya at ROM this coming Monday 9-12-12

All my best,  Always, Neal :))))

HAPPY BELATED AUGUST to our ROMulin Community

To all our dear friends,

    I do hope that all are well and that you are all using care and watching over each other during this very HOT & HUMID summer in our little slice of the Globe that we call home, New England!!!!

There is so much going on and lots to say so I will try and be brief. There are many very important notes that I do want to make. Because it is so tardy of me getting this out, let me start.

 Many Many thanks to dear friend and our most recent ROM Feature Tony Toledo. Tony we have the honor of letting you know you are the very first "Storyteller", we have ever had thus far at ROM. It was a great show with a great crowd. As always our thanks to each and every one of you that were the audience but also the bulk of all the entertainment of this show. YOU helped make it an awesome night of entertainment. I would also like to thank each and every one of you that joined us last Monday for our 5th Monday ROM Unplugged "Ceilidh". It worked out so very well with a great crowd for our performance circle. Many thanks!!!!

We are so looking forward to our upcoming feature Chief Noda on
8-13-12. Chief is an amazing artist you will just not want to miss so, come 
on down!!!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!  As many of you know in our ROMulin Community we have a SERIES OF FUNDRAISERS in the works to assist Roslindale  Congregational Church. The Church we call "Home to ROM"This first series of Fundraisers are to make this Building which is found in the Registry of Historic buildings, "Handicapped Accessible" 

 Our Next Fundraiser will be on:

September 23, 2012 - 2Pm to 5PM

     We will have a great show with Leslie Lee & Steve Gretz (They have a great new CD) as our show openers accompanied by Seth Connelly & Hatrack Gallagher. Our show Feature will be, the wonderful and multi-talented singer-songwriter, Michael Troy.

As we did with our first Fundraiser in April, we will ask for a donation of whatever you can afford. This did work out well for us on that event so we will do it in much the same fashion. Refreshments will be available and also again by our Lovely hostess Junko Ogawa. We will also ask for donations for the refreshments but a single donation will give you free refills. 

This is a Fundraiser and there will likely be raffles. I already have some gift certificates. If you have anything you wish to contribute to the raffle, please contact me at: neal@roslindaleopenmike.org. This also does include CD's, books, services of types that may be of use to our Family Friendly audience. A gift from an individual is a great donation! If you are unable to donate funds for this event, understood and NO questions asked please still join us as the donation of your being with us to show your continued Support for the Church as well as these wonderful Performers, ALL are donating their time for this event. Leslie & Steve will be traveling to us for this Fundraiser from Rochester N.Y.     Hoping to see you there, Neal :))))

I do want to mention this time sensitive message from our friend 
Mark Stepakoff, The Host of TCAN.
There will be NO TCAN on 8-7-12. TCAN for August will be on 8-14 & 8-28

 A few more gig info pieces, Please do remember, I have placed as many websites as I can recall to help you see all of the wonderful Live Local Art's that are available to us right here in our own backyard.

On 8-10-12 Junko Ogawa will be performing as part of the Somerville Songwriters Session. Please see Junko's website listed for more info. I also did just get a note that Lenny Solomon will be part of that same show.  

Also on 8-10-12 Stephen & The Snake will be the Feature at their Concert at their very own Catbird Cafe in Weymouth. Please see their website listed.

On 8-14-12 our dear friend Branson Bofat will be splitting the feature with the wonderful Peg Espinola at Ellen Schmidt's Nourish Rest. Open Mike.

 Please see Ellen's website for all her updates and some very important changes that will be happening with her other Venue the Emerson Umbrella. 
I am going to copy in what Ellen would like all to know about these very important changes at Emerson Umbrella.

I have some important news: When our Emerson Umbrella Open Mike resumes in the fall, it will be on Sundays, starting at 7, rather than on Mondays as it has been in the past. I just learned that the Umbrella does not have room for us on Mondays because of the increase in artists teaching there. This fall we will be based in the Musketaquid Room, which has been cleaned out, so there is more space for us. We will improve the lighting situation as well. I have contacted all of the performers scheduled through December and have had positive news so far from everyone who has replied since I contacted them yesterday.

It will take some time for me to update everywhere, so please be patient. Free to spread the word, too. 

Our 1^st open mike will now be on September 16^th at 7pm. Seth Connelly and Jackie Damsky will feature. I’m hoping that Peter Neuendorffer will be able to perform the mini-set.  Generally, we’ll meet on the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays, but in September it will be on the 16^th and the 30^th. We will not conflict with any PCA Open Mikes, but we will conflict with most of Kenny Selcer’s open mikes at the Colonial Inn. I hope you will support his open mike as well!

Thank you all for supporting live music and spoken word!

Warm regards, Ellen  (www.ellenschmidt.com/openmike)

We do have an NEW Open Mike in our midst. I do want to let you all know about  this new Venue and congratulate Ron Cummings on his venture into the Open Mike world and offer any and all support I can offer. 

The info: MockingBird Music. 905 South Main Street, Mansfield. Sign-up starts at 6:30, and it runs 7 - 9. You get two-songs, $5 gets you on the list along with a drink and a snack.

So much more going on, search the web and you will find so much wonderful Live Local Art's going on wherever you may live.

I do want to thank each and every one of you that took part in helping re-shape our ROM Random Draw. It seems for now, it is working out much better for all.

 ROM  is going GREEN and hoping to bring our COMMUNITY closer by helping with all the refreshments we are graced with each time we meet. To begin with, starting on 8-23-12 we will be having a place on our table for the very important part of all of our diets that being Fruits and Vegetables!!!

I will begin by bringing in some Sliced Fresh Veggies and some Fresh Fruits as well. As you can imagine this is, the right way for us to help improve all we do at ROM and having all desserts would NOT be on anyones Nutritionist GO FOR IT, list!!! I cannot do this alone. I will also have hanging at or near the Food table a sign up sheet of what YOU can bring with the the next time you join us at ROM. Things as simple as a bag of carrots, celery, cukes, broccoli, as well as items used at each ROM such as a pint of fat free half and half and anything else that we can continue to help us all be that caring Community in a Healthy food sense. I also do want folks to remember we do have individuals with specialty diet needs which the veggies may well help with but with Diabetics, folks with Gluten-free needs and any thing else I may not know about you, please do feel free to offer to bring. Yes all at ROM is Free and will continue to be as best I can. These changes will not only make our diets healthier, they will also bring together our wonderful multi-cultural, multi ethnic very being, of who we are, bring a dish of your ethnic background, I promise, I will try it... Not too spicy for me please. I was always called by my work partners, "Blando Braverman" I thank you ALL in advance as I know this transition will be a great change and addition to our ROMulin Community.

Finally, in all Communities there are times when things do become difficult within our own personal lives. Over the past 2 weeks I have been made aware of several folks within our COMMUNITY, that are in need of a new home address. These are personal issues and will remain that way with me. If anyone has an available, reasonably priced room, apt, rental of any type please do feel free to contact me personally and I will forward this info on.

Thanks for all my dear friends of ROM. We have a fabulous remainder of ROM-2012 ahead of us, so please do come and join us whenever possible. 

C ya soon, and thanks so much for your incredible support of ROM. 

Mike & I are so very blessed to have you all in our lives. 

Stay Safe, Happy and Healthy, Always, Neal :)))))

TO OUR ROMulin FAMILY PLEASE, HYDRATE & LISTEN & ADHERE TO ALL WEATHER WARNINGS!!

Greeting to all our dear wonderful Community of artists's around the Globe.

It is hot out, I will just say a few things on this installment of my
"Infrequent Blog".

The first of which is our thanks to Peter Neuendorffer for a Fabulous feature at ROM on 7-9-12 and our many thanks for all of you that came out to play, listen and just be part of our ever growing Community of Artist's.


We are looking forward to an incredible shift in feature format with our upcoming Feature in the Fabulous Tony Toledo, (www.tonytoledo.com) If you have never heard Tony please bring out the kids and families as Tony is a most wonderful "Storyteller", as an official "Friend of the Roslindale Branch Library" I have asked them to spread the word of this upcoming feature. So hope to see you at ROM for Tony this coming Monday on 7-23-12. There is also so much going on in my wonderful hometown. I have added a link to our local Roslindale Village Main St organization to let you know about their current and ongoing program called, "Summer Stroll": (www.roslindale.net/summerstroll). 


Please take a look and partake of so much going on including the Saturday Farmers Market in Roslindale Square each Saturday until Oct. Many of our own very special ROM performers have had the music part of these Farmer's Markets. Very special, Roslindale Congregational Church has a table at the Farmers Market as well!!!


I do want to thank  Mike Delaney & Ken Porter along with Sam Bayer and David for a most wonderful show at the Harvest Cafe in Hudson Ma. 


Also if you happen to be heading to the wonderful Soule Homestead Summer Concert Series in Middleboro Ma. on Sat. 7-28-12 you also get to a chance to see the lovely Mike Delaney OPEN for our dear friend, the world traveling recent past feature of ROM Amy Petty!!!!
Keep your calendars nearby  as this coming Saturday both our ROMulin dear friends, Craig Sonnenfeld & Junko Ogawa will be performing at Jitters Coffeehouse in Southington, Ct. Please see their websites for all info. Also Junko will be Featuring at Don Whites Walnut St Cafe in Lynn on 7-29-12.


Also, a show NOT to miss at the Catbird Cafe this coming Friday 7-20-12 at the New England Wildlife Ctr. Please see website to the right for details but this will be a most special Feature of our dear Friend and ROMulin Mr. David Jackson with some very special friends you will NOT want to miss!


In Closing, I had the blessing of spending a great deal of time with our dear friend Stephen Salmon this past Sunday. It was a most inspiring and wonderful visit for the dear friend that sustained a significant Trauma to his head after a fall off a roof. Stephen is eager to get back on our ROM stage as well as continue working with us on the ROM Logo he began just a few months back. His daughter Erin that was so kind to join us at ROM last time is getting married this weekend and I am sending off all the greatest wishes of our entire Community of caring Artist's to both Stephen and his ongoing recovery and to Erin on her Marriage with her Dad by her side. 


I have also heard from Dawn Frost who is so thankful for all that took part on the wonderful day in Lynn Dedicated to her and her recovery! She too sends all her thanks and Love to our Community at ROM but also are entire Community of Caring Artist's & friends that we are so very blessed to be a part of. 


I am so totally honored and humbled that I am among this wonderful and caring group of Artist's which simply gives me so much joy in life and so very much honor to call each of you friend!!! 


All my Love for letting the light in when there are days that seem to have a shadow of darkness!   Love Neal :)))

HAPPY EVERYDAY & HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL OUR DEAR FRIENDS OF ROM :))

Welcome to my July 4th version of my ROM very Infrequent Blog for our ROMulin Community as well as all the Communities of Artist's that truly have come together for some very Family based Community Oriented events that needed some loving care over this past week. IT IS ONLY A COMMUNITY such as our Community of care lovers that could have pulled off what happened this past Sunday. 

 I would like to begin by mentioning 2 specific issues and make this a very brief Blog. Over the past several years our dear friend Dawn Frost has been battling very many medical battles and she does finally have a working diagnosis which is most COMPLICATED due to the fact that her Insurance does not cover the needed drug to treat this disease. 


THIS PAST SUNDAY,DON WHITE AND RUTHANN BALER HELPED PUT TOGETHER A WONDERFUL FUNDRAISER Concert/PARTY AT THE HOME OF JAZZ POET,Elizabeth McKim. Elizabeth graciously opened her beautiful Home/Loft in Lynn,Ma.to ALL in our music and spoken word artist's COMMUNITY in Tribute and Honor of Dawn Frost and her incredible spirit of getting better Everyday!!!! At this event many of our dear friends, came together to help raise awareness and funds for Dawn's upcoming financial as well as on going daily issues. I know with the out pouring of response in attendance as well as those that were not able to make it, your support is still needed by Dawn. If you wish to make a donation to Dawn for her medical & other continuing daily battles please send a donation of any size to:
Dawn Frost
13  Lenox St.
Beverly Ma. 01915


My heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you to that took a part in this event for Dawn and will continue to keep Dawn in the thought's. I also want to thank my dear friends, Don White & Ruthann Baler for making this event, a dream come true for Dawn. I Love you guys!!!!!!


As Many of you know, another dear friend to ROM and all around the Live Local music scene, Stephen Salmon took a fall off a latter, the date is escaping me for the moment. Being an EMT by career, I do know the extent to which Stephen sustained the traumatic brain injury he did get from this fall, a recovery was at best, a most difficult issue to even address. This "Miracle Man" has beaten all the odd's and not only is he out of the hospital but is in a Rehab and doing very well. His recovery will, as you may imagine take some time. I know I speak for all when I say our continued well wishes are coming your way Stephen and we will be awaiting your return to ROM as well as the many other venues, where you have graced the stages and that of course includes SAMW!!!


We were honored at ROM last Monday eve to have Erin Salmon, (Stephen's daughter), come all the way from Worcester simply to thank us ALL for the support and caring her Dad and she has already recd from our very same Art's Community that is able to care for more than 1 at a time, during times of great crisis. Erin gave us an uplifting progress report on Stephen and his condition. I will be giving you an address where Stephen can and is looking forward to thoughtful and meaningful cards, notes, games, blue prints you need drawn for upcoming projects etc. (Only kiddin on the last one), but you know Stephen, he'd likely do it.


I do have a personal request from Erin: Although Stephen can have visitors, Erin has asked me to forward this info to you. She does wish that  "ANYONE" wishing to go to see Stephen contact me first via my neal@roslindaleopenmike.org email address. This is to protect Stephen from being over-whelm while still in a delicate recovery condition. I thank you on behalf of Stephen & Erin for understanding and respecting this request and I will do my best to get back to you on the visit request ASAP!! Please do understand, Erin is working double shifts simply to try and keep up with her Dad's medical care in additional to his own self employment now with NO Funds coming in. I have offered to run a Fundraiser for Stephen as soon as I am asked but the family does have some other happier things upcoming and will likely be in early fall. I know there was an earlier bank site set up, but I must apologize, I cannot confirm the correct bank at this writing and will try and get more out to you ASAP!!!!
Cards et al may be send to Stephen at:


Stephen Salmon
C/O Fairlawn Rehab Ctr. Room 214 B
189 May St.
Worcester, Ma. 01602


Thanks to Jimmy Dorr for a most Fabulous feature at ROM on  6-25-12. 
WE did break all sorts of records on this night and I must also thank each and every one of you who joined us for being a part of the largest ever ROM board sign up crowd for a Feature. WE ALL go back a long way with Jimmy. Had it not been for the fact that several of you volunteered to play together as well as a few that choose not to play, the sign up roster for this one evening reached 54. There were only 3 people that did not show!!! As of this jotting, if you have signed up with me 3 times and not shown up, 3 strikes and you are out. 1 person of the 3 knows who they are, now they need to be at ROM to be signed up! I need to be fair to ALL and will.


Just a few more thank you's and a look forward. I do want to let you all know that King Yee, knowing of my Fundraising dreams for the Roslindale Congregational Church, donated a, 24 carat Gold dipped Rose, to raffle off at ROM on that very night. We sold the tix at a dollar a piece and made over 150 dollars from that wonderful gesture on King's part and King, I cannot thank you enough for ALL you do for ROM, the Church and your helping me with picking up to foods for the Roslindale Food Pantry Mon-Wed nites. From the bottom of my heart, thank you King. WE do have another upcoming Fundraiser for the Church so mark your calendars please!!! It will be a Sunday afternoon show on 9-23-12 starting a 2PM still early in the planning BUT, our shining stars for this event will be, Leslie Lee & Steve Gretz (www.leslieandsteve.com), They have an AWESOME NEW CD called "Whole other world". They will be opening for our wonderful Mill Town Boy himself, 
Mr. Michael Troy!!!!!(www.folkmichaeltroy.com) All door funds from this concert will go directly to Roslindale Congregational Church. This first series of Fundraisers are going directly toward the making of this most beautiful, Nationally Registered Historic building, Handicapped Accessible. Post our very first Fundraiser, the drawings and plans are already in the works!! I thank you all for coming last time and giving us this start and this time, come on down,. bring the kids, it is in the afternoon!!!! 
Due to the success we had last fundraiser,we will leave the door cost the same, WE simply ask you to donate as much as you can comfortably donate to this incredible cause. Both our Opening Act and our Feature have agreed that all we take at the door, will go directly to the church. Thanks so much you guys. Look for more specific info on this fundraiser as I get it. 


My Daughter Ariella has offered to do both day care, (at NO cost), (maybe a donation to the church), as well as face painting on other activities if you wish to bring and leave your child with her and several other girls she will have with her from Boston's own, Girls leadership Corps, headed by Erika Butler. It will be an awesome show!!


My thanks to my sister in law Barbie Boynton for allowing me to use her home as our offsite, ROMustorage facility as well as, she make all our ICE!!!
YEAH Barbie, could not do it without you!!! 
I will also like to thank my wife Rosemary for her behind the scenes help with ROM. She is so fast, you just may never see her.


Do we have a TREAT FOR YOU!!!!!! This coming ROMday 7-9-12, we will have as our Feature, Peter Neuendorffer!!!! This will also be Peter's latest CD Release Party the CD is called,"Group Therapy the Musical" For those of you that know Peter, we all know to expect the best that musical satire has to offer, as well as from the most serious to the light hearted. Come and join us for Peter's Feature. It will be a most memorable occasion. I promise to try and keep the room as cool as I can without blowing the circuit breakers, PROMISE!!!!!


All my best to you and your families, see all of the lights in the colors both tonight in the fireworks and during the day through you most wonderful Fireworks of your life. 


From both Mike and myself thanks for all your Support of ROM & for making already more than half of ROM-2012 a most incredible year that is so flying by we cannot keep up with it!!!


Happy 4th, All my Love, Always, Neal :)))

Happy Everyday to all our dear Friends of ROM

Welcome to the my most recent update to my very Infrequent Blog.

Greetings to all and hoping you are ready to embark on some real  warm weather the day before summer begins!!!


I do want to wholeheartedly thank our most recent feature, Ron Israel for a tremendous feature and a wonderful and giving ROMulin audience. Ron took his opportunity to make his entire "pass the bucket feature Funds" and donate it to an organization which will help all traumatized women in Haiti. Ron Israel has been a statesman and our Local Ambassador of giving & Caring to those in dire need in many countries around the world. Please do see Ron's website for all the exact info on where all the $$'s from his bucket will be going toward as I have moved the flier I had in front of me. Ron's  website is www.ronisraelmusic.com


I do want to make sure that all of you are aware the JIMMY DORR is our very next feature at ROM on 6-25-12. Based on the names I already have as pre-sign ups, I know we are going to have an incredible tribute show to the multi-talented Jimmy Dorr but also the tribute will be to each and every one of you that choose to perform as well as those that choose too sit back and enjoy the Camaraderie of Our ROMulin Community and and just enjoy each other and the plenty of entertainment that will bill in high gear in the  for this show that will range from  1st timers at ROM to some very special treat if all happen as plans but you just will not know if you do not show!! So Come on down!!!!!


We do have some Community issues that are part of why we are so very close and caring as NOT only a Community of artist's but also a Community of caring individuals. As with all communities and families we will have the wonderful high's while also experiencing some hard to figure out low's. I do wish to share with you just some of these right now in this issue of my Blog as there are some very significant issues ongoing as I type within our Community. 


I must explain though this Blog is done by myself for ROM, where I refer to Our Community of Artist's I am speaking of each and every venue that you all may be a part of now or maybe tomorrow and I will also ask you to SHARE SOME OF THIS INFO TO OTHERS IN YOUR DAILY LIVES AS THAT IS HOW VERY IMPORTANT ALL THIS IS AND HOW THIS FAMILY COMMUNITY WORKS AND GET THE WORD OUT AND ABOUT both dealing with folks within our family of artist's that we are so are so blessed to have with us.


Because we are a Community and a Family we are  so very blessed to have each other whether we play, perform, sit and clap we are a group of individual's that gather together at ROM and all the other fantastic Live , Local music venues where we have all met and become fast and often most long lasting and wonderful friends. I thanks each and every one of you for that and for all we do for each other when in time of need. 


I am going to offer up  some words my self about the current Status of our dear friend Stephen Salmon and will then post a wonderful note posted by our dear friend, Don White. Though for the moment it is NOT speaking of any of our venues but instead, those wonderful individuals, that fill our many Venues and it is important to recall, at any point in time, it can be any one of us!!


Stephen Salmon has been a dear friend to me personally as well as many of you! As some may know and other may NOT know Stephen was working on a roof as part of his work in the construction trade. Stephen took  a very significant fall off the roof and latter and was blessed by having from my vantage point as an EMT, the best Possible Trauma care for his massive head injury. Each step that was done for Stephen was done so timely. Which itself was so very important. It was touch and go there for a while Stephen was in the ICU and due to some impeccable  Pre-hosptial care and an immediate call to 911. Stephen was intially placed into a self induced coma to help his body rest and the swelling in his head to go down. This is often a very slow process with many hills and valley's . 


I was very honored to get a wonderful  email from "Erin," Stephen's lovely daughter today, who actually with all going on, is getting married in 4 weeks. She is a Mom to a very happy sounding baby of 18 mos.


 I did ask Erin if I may share some of the updates on her Dad with all of you within there reach and arm of not only the ROM Blog but is wishing to get the info out to all those that have been so caring and supportive of both Stephen, her and the family. To say the least from where Stephen was even last Saturday to what and how he is today is simply a blessing and a "Miracle of the highest degree".


Erin has told me that her Dad has made considerable strides over the past several days and has been discharged from the ICU. She told me the moment the had brought him out of the coma and took the tubes out, he was talking right away and she felt, he was back but that too was still early as yes it is still early when speaking of  massive head trauma. With all that today our dear friend Stephen was up walking, talking, a mile a minute and even flirting with the nurses. In his down time he is back to being Stephen and has had total recall of all things in his life. He remembered he had promised his brother he would make a draft of building a shed for him in his yard and that is exactly how high functioning Stephen is today. I do also wan tho mention that I will be showing all of you that can join us at ROM this coming Monday for Jimmy Dorr's Feature what Stephen had done for me when just in simple conversation at ROM on week, the next time Stephen was with us at ROM he came with this beautiful draft of a logo. I have made it up to share with all of you on Monday.  Erin has told me that his Physical Therapist has told her, at the rate he is going, he will be ready to be back to work in 6 mos. I think that is a grew those but I think we all just want Stephen to heal completely & get back to his love of all the Art's maybe first and then segway back into a work environment that is one that is filled with new safe plan to return to what he loves to do. Erin did share with me that for the moment though Dad is out of the ICU she thinks a move to a Rehab facility is imminent and does not want folks coming far out and find he is NOT there so what Erin's current plan is, will be to stay in touch with me and Erin does plan on joining us at ROM this coming Monday to give us her own update on her Dad, Stephen Salmon. Steve will need all our continued great prayers, thoughts and vibes coming his way! Rehab will likely be in one of 2 locations and Erin may know by Monday. At this jotting he will either be at a rehab in Worchester or will be brought to Spaulding Rehab in downtown Boston.


On behalf of Erin and all that she knows have already been there and are caring for her Dad she cannot thank you all enough. We will all wait too hear more during out announcements part of our ROM show on Monday. I will at this point ask that all folks that will be joining us a ROM on Monday to please drop your instrument cases on the church side between the pew's simply for all of our safety benefits and I will also ask that all be seated inside ROM by 6:55 when we will begin our announcements with  our hope to begin our show right at 7PM and our new ROM goal of ending no later than 10:30 PM and this includes anyone that wishes to play. We will be many in number  and come one come all. I do asked based on the prediction that all see where you are on the list and please be tuned up and ready to play or have your performance script in hand. I am certain  we will all have an incredible time with our always incredible talent that joins us at ROM.


 I will now with to a short note from Ellen Schmidt who has forwarded to me a concise and telling note from our Dear friend and mutual host of the Walnut St Cafe in Lynn on Sunday night's Don White. Don will be speaking of Dawn Frost who is scheduled to be our ROM Feature on, 11-26-12!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

Don White asked that I forward his announcement to my mailing list. I am happy to do so and I will be there at the event. As most of you know Don is constantly trying to be of help to others in the community.  Thank you, Don!

Warm regards,

Ellen

June 18, 2012

Dear Friends,

As many of you may know, singer-songwriter Dawn Frost has been battling an advanced case of Lyme Disease for several years. She is facing serious neurological issues caused by the disease while having to deal with a monumental financial battle to pay for the treatment she needs.

Like a growing number of people stricken with Lyme Disease in Massachusetts and throughout the country, Dawn is caught in a growing controversy among the medical community, insurance companies, and the legislative process.  Meanwhile, this has left her unable to work and has caused debilitating and painful symptoms, frequently leaving her dependent upon a walker or wheelchair.

Misdiagnosed for a decade and undergoing treatments that were ineffective, she was only able to regain strength and her ability to walk after being treated specifically for Lyme. However, in order to receive the treatment and services she needs by a "Lyme literate" doctor, she must go outside the insurance system.  While the Massachusetts legislature passed a law to protect doctors who treat Lyme Disease, many turn patients away since insurance companies do not recognize and cover the treatment prescribed by Lyme literate doctors.

The Lyme Disease community is advocating for insurance companies to follow the guidelines set by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) -- a multi-disciplinary medical society that says Lyme Disease often fails to respond to standard antibiotic therapy as is currently prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). 

Until the guidelines are further reviewed and updated by the medical community and legislators, and until ILADS guidelines are recognized and followed by the insurance companies, people like Dawn will have to live with the frustration of knowing there is a treatment that is effective but financially overwhelming.  The potential good news is that Dawn's primary care doctor may be able at some point to follow the protocol set by the Lyme literate doctor.  He will be attending the ILADS conference in Boston this November to gain insights on treatment.  Until then, we as a community can come together and help make a difference. 

I would like to invite you to show your support for Dawn by sharing a song or poem during a  benefit we are planning on July 1, from 1-5, at the home of jazz poet Elizabeth Gordon McKim, 13 Willow Boston Machine Loft in Lynn.  Elizabeth has generously offered her loft for us to come together and help raise the much-needed funds Dawn needs to keep her treatments on schedule.

I will be hosting this event and look forward to an afternoon of great music and poetry. Feel free to help spread the word and invite friends. Admission will be a contribution of your choice, and if you are unable to attend and would like to make a donation, you can send a check to Dawn at 13 Lenox St. Beverly, MA 01915.

Here are the details:

• Sunday, July 1, from 1-5
• 13 Willow Boston Machine Loft, Lynn (right next to Flagg Pharmacy; look for the red sign)
• Parking in Buffum Parking behind building (go to end of Willow/right onto Essex/Right onto Buffum)
• Arrival is between 1 and 1:30; if you come later, please call 617-320-0817 and someone will let you in to #401
• Pot luck: if you'd like to contribute, please bring something light to eat and/or drink for a summer day

• RSVP: important! There is limited capacity so please email Ruthann Baler at rb@ruthannbaler.com if you are attending and let her know how many people will be joining you.

Best regards,

Don White

I do want to thank you all for taking the time to read these important messages about members of our family currently in need of our attention and prayer however that happens for you.

I do have some brief and also just great things to look forward to by simply joining us at ROM this coming ROMday. Our dear friend of ROM and an incredible supporter and our house video guy, King Yee, is totally aware of our ongoing Fundraising efforts for the Church itself. Our first goal of these Fundraising events are to make this beautiful  & wonderful  Registered Historic Building, Handicapped Accessible. WE are on the way there with just having thus far done 1 fundraisers with more being planned. KIng will be bringing in a single 24 carat gold wiped long stem, (real rose), we will be doing this as a raffle at a dollar a ticket and ALL the benefits will be given directly to the church. WE will do the draw for the raffle, just before the feature goes on so we will know who the winner is. I can guarantee you right now, I have never won a RAFFEL BUT IF MY NAME IS DRAWN AS I WILL OF COUSE BUY SOME RAFFLES FOR THE FUNDRAISER FOR THE CHURCH, I WILL DO ANOTHER Raffle draw to make sure a true and deserving ROMulin does indeed win the Rose. Our ROM thanks as well as on behalf of there The Church I do want to thank King Yee for all he does to help make things righter for all he get himself involved with. WE at ROM are so very blessed to have King as such a dear and caring friend of ROM!!!

A few more brief notes and then I will  make my Blog more infrequent for a longer while!!!! Our original intended feature for 7-9-12 was too be Wes Spiro, YES that is Barry's son who is always with us he is in from school. Well Wes did contact us a few weeks back and told us he was done with school for the summer and was lucky enuf to get a great job in NYC. Where Wes did know we kept our ROM backup list and when he did get the job, he contacted us immediately saying he wanted to stay in good stead with his new job, as well as giving us enuf time to put in place a replacement with time to do enuf notice to our Community. Our thanks for all your consideration Wes and we'll hope to chat with you next Season once your schedule is settled in!!!

Timing was incredible for our replacement feature for Wes 

now on 7-9-12 Peter Neuendorffer will not only be our feature but will also be a "CD Release Party for his new CD called "Group Therapy the Musical" Peter's site is: www.extranote.net/extranote.html 

Mike & I are certain the Peter will be  a great feature and we look forward to all that comes with Peter and then again we are looking forward to ALL that each and every one of you bring to ROM each time you bless us by joining us by walking thought our doorway.

Please do remember the new rules for the ROM Random Draw did begin last show and will be even more fine tuned for the fairness  for one and all. WE have changed the email sign up rule to make it a bit easier on me and centralize the email sign ups to 1 email address so that being said anyone is more than welcome to pre-sign up with me via email by noon of the day of ROM. I do ask that all request's now be sent to my ROM email address which is: neal@roslindaleopenmike.org 

Anyone arriving after the draw has already taken place will be welcome to still be part of our entertainment night but please let either myself , Branson Bofat or Mike know of a requested add to the board and or as always swaps between 2 people are always welcome but due to maintaining an equitable fairness to all, I simply ask that NO ONE makes any changes to our board without permission. I keep a very concise record of who comes to ROM in my ROM diary each time we are together!! I look forward to seeing & hearing each & everyone of you this Monday for a Jimmy Dorr Extravaganza show!!

It will be a great night all around but especially if you are with us and YES, I mean YOU!!!! It is so very late so please do not make fun of me for my always typo's. Please do remember to make sure you look at your favorite website of our many incredible parts of our ROMulin Family and find out where they are playing next!!!!

Our group thought's hugs and Love to those we mentioned in this Blog to our Community family members and please do always feel free to share with a Community member if there is something special in nature that should be shared within our Community of Artist's

C ya, REAL SOON, Always, Much Love, Always, Neal :)))