Episode 55 wraps up my monthlong series on reopening the schools in the Davis Joint Unified School District. Last week's chats with elementary and junior high school students, and the two segments with high-school seniors this week, are among the more important interviews I've done this year. These young folks are going to be living with the post-pandemic reality for a very long time, and their varied perspectives are fascinating to hear. I believed it was important to give them a voice at this point in time.

This week's one-line poem song descriptor is "Tall acid worms in plain priest wristwatch streams." It's derived from the seven song titles played this week on "A Constrant Grin" from the following artists: Pine Marten, Soltero, Land Lines, Saintseneca, Adam and The Amethysts, The Dinner is Ruined, and For Stars. Three of these bands are new to the show. 

This month, I’ve been focusing on the return to in-person instruction in the Davis Joint Unified School District. I’ve interviewed administrators, teachers, and parents, and now, I’m speaking with students from various grades throughout the DJUSD. This week you’ll hear from Harper Pfeifer and Henry Schumaker, who are 6th and 7th graders respectively, and on March 9, I’ll chat with two high school seniors who have had very different pandemic experiences, Emme Dunning and Daniel Engotto.

In the youth advocacy and mentoring work I do, I believe it’s critical to hear directly from young folks, especially when they’re so deeply impacted by decisions that adults are making for and around them. I want to be clear that I had no agenda when I talked with these kids around school reopening — I just wanted to know how they were feeling about it. And with the two student voices you’ll hear today, they have very different perspectives on the matter.

This week on Celtic Songlines, Ireland's Fullset opens the program and is followed by tunes from the exciting trio Inver. Guitarist Arty McGlynn shows why he was one of the most influentional musicians in the modern era--ditto for vocalist Christy Moore. Scotland's The Shee join the program too, along with Solas, Karan Casey & John Doyle, Toni and David Arthur, and the Old Blind Dogs.

During the always special month of March, Celtic Songlines will feature artists' performances of traditional tunes and the sometimes contemporary twist to "trad" music. The exploration of traditional Celtic songs and arrangements is always fascinating, as is listening to the musicians' special talents and skills. They interpret and rearrange traditional songs and tunes to place their own stamp on the music.