Listening Lyrics

Spend an hour with David Abramson and you’ll walk away feeling lighter, brighter, and a little more in love with the world. A fixture in Davis, David wears many hats—musician, activist, music teacher—but none of them fully capture his easy warmth and boundless optimism. He radiates joy in the most natural way, turning everyday moments into acts of connection. In this episode, David dives into his music, the mission behind his activism, and the heart he brings to teaching. It’s an hour of conversation that feels like a song you want to play again.

I usually say, never start a summary with an apology. But today, I’ll make an exception. I want to apologize for not properly introducing this week’s show at the beginning of the program.

That said, this week’s episode took a powerful turn. Ray Keck joined me for an hour of reflection on the tragic consequences of war—especially its toll on innocent children. The conversation was sparked by the news of Chuck Mangione’s passing. Listening to his album Children of Sanchez led us into this moving hour of reflection through music.

Here's the playlist.

Today we talk melancholy. For me, melancholy comes on with certain triggers. Let's play music around three of them: trains, hypnagogia and wind.

Sit back and get into this wonderful playlist.