the 12 bar club -- a great place to see music and play. andy lowe believed in me way back when i was a shy pathetic wretch paralyzed with stage fright six years ago. he's definitely my favorite music "industry" person though he'd be the first to cringe at being called an industry person. sorry, andy, i didn't mean it in a bad way. please don't sue me for libel. :)

steve terrell -- the ultimate renaissance man -- political writer -- music critic -- dj -- songwriter with a flair for writing reviews free of the hype and burn that inspires nausea. he rarely uses the phrases like "standing at the cusp of greatness." if i got a review like that, i'd probably vommit in a bag and send it to the reviewer.

desdemona -- cool UK band with a great name -- if i say so myself!!!.

carolyn alroy is not only a fine poet and songwriter. she's also a psychotherapist by day. we live in a strange world now fraught with uncertainty and strangeness. since 9/11, we people who live in nyc and the vicinity have had a very hard time. between the tragic terrorist attack and the failing economy, there's bound to be a lot of people who haven't had previous psychological issues having them or those who've had and really need to reacquaint themselves with their shrinks (especially if you're monitoring these pages every day, making a diary of my prose and then alleging that my web site is threatening you through subliminal messages -- i have no control over rex. he's got a mind of his own -- you can direct subpoenas to rex@desdemonafinch.com. try to keep the random acts of violence to a minimum please.)

emma tricca -- lovely london folkstress landing in nyc at a venue near you

lucinda williams -- no explanation needed

tom waits -- the man

patti smith -- the woman

chocolate genius -- sheer acerbic brilliance and spottiswoode -- the white chocolate genius -- insanity run amok

lj murphy -- imagine hank williams sr. reincarnated in queens and a big fan of muddy waters. you'd get this brooklyn hipster and his literate blues songs. plays frequently at pete's candy store.

zane campbell -- madman hillbilly singer related to the late great ola belle reed (campbell) who penned the bluegrass standard, high on the mountain

jon dee graham -- a great songwriter and one of my favorite guitarists/lap steelists out there

jim lauderdale -- the greatest country and bluegrass singer-songwriter you've never heard of

kevin orton -- has a great new cd called femme noir -- faulknersque lyrics set to rather dark, brooding music -- can't get it out of my cd player and i'm a complete hardass

kevin gordon -- great nashville-based songwriter with a voice like mississippi mud and great guitar licks.

r.b. morris -- a poet with a strong distinctive voice who moonlights as a songwriter. he's got great dylan meets john prine songs.

anne mccue -- excellent aussie songwriter now based in los angeles with great guitar licks and a strong voice. lucinda williams is a huge fan.

jay bennett -- brilliant sideman who was the genius behind wilco but is a great solo artist in his own right. why he spent so many years behind jeff tweedy is beyond me. please produce me, jay. please. pretty please

phil lee -- the mighty king of love --lucinda williams says he kicks ass and he does even with a truckload of chickens

richard thompson -- st. richard the first

richard buckner -- st. richard the second

amy rigby -- the mod housewife -- and you think i'm cynical? she's got a gift for witty cutting lyrics set to a wide array of musical styles. she's getting up there with lucinda williams and patti smith in my book

matt keating -- great nyc singer-songwriter -- you think i'm bitter?

sam semple -- lovely london rocker/folker -- the dalai lama of losers -- think bowie meets drake

alice lee -- pop/jazz/rock/ambient siren

randi russo -- patti smith's daughter and more

allison scola -- yet another lovely nyc songstress and chick with dipper