I’ve known Deacon Craig Ventresco for more than a decade now, and learned a great deal from his moral teachings at Bar Tabac, the Cajun, and other pulpits on both coasts.
But I’d never heard him deliver such a serious sermon on the dangers of being destabilized in the cosmos as I did on Sunday, July 26, 2015, at Casa Mezcal on Orchard Street (that’s the Lower East Side of New York City). In his stern peroration, he was supported nobly by another great teacher, Joanna Sternberg (to be precise, Craig plays guitar and sings; Joanna accompanies him on the string bass). In their efforts to uplift the community, they are assisted by members of the congregation Tamar Korn and Meredith Axelrod. Heed the words of Deacon Ventresco. Take them to heart:
The song was a 1908 hit for Bert Williams, composed by Chris Smith and Cecil Mack:
Given the ubiquity of the GPS and the smartphone, to say nothing of those antiquities, paper maps . . . don’t let this happen to you. And — if a less serious moral statement of mine may be permitted — I think Craig should sing more often. He has noble stories to impart to us.
May your happiness increase!
Craig Ventresco is an absolutely fabulous guitarist. I have spent many, many hours watching him play with Leon Oakley at Divine Cafe. What a great pity that closed. It was truly wonderful music.
Wayne Moore
Brisbane, Australia
Love it! Thank you for capturing this for us!
Great to hear Craig singing again; he did some great vocals with Bo Grumpus. Keep it up, Craig!!