December 26th 2024 – We broadcast a new recording of A Hot Box by Jay Hamburger – A Hot Box is a play written by Jay in the 90s and is a light comedic call to action inspired by his participation in the Clayoquot sound demonstrations. It is a call to action, and speaks to community organizing.


A cut in half shortened version of the play was featured as part of the recent “Keep It Raw Cabaret” in November co-hosted by Jacques Lalonde. This new recording is the play in its entirety, lightly adapted for radio. It features performances by Yasmin Tayob, Giuseppe Bevilacqua, Brian Leslie and Jason Hunt and also features narration by Sylvan Hamburger and was directed for radio by Scott Broom.

ARTS RATIONAL
Thursday October 31, 10pm - 11pm
Live Broadcast Co-op Radio CFRO 100.5FM Gerry Kowalenko regularly hosts interviews and commentary on the local arts scene. For tonight’s program, at 10pm, Gerry offers a special Festival hour – ”Ode to Jay” – to honour the late Jay Hamburger, longtime host with Arts Rational and the Raw Diaries on Co-op Radio. John McGie and Jacques Lalonde, two former Arts Rational co-hosts and super Jay Hamburger fans, join some amazing guests to celebrate Jay’s legacy in a very raw edition of The Raw Diaries on this memorable Halloween broadcast of the Arts Rational. The celebration continues on Saturday November 9 with The Keep it Raw Cabaret, a tribute to Jay Hamburger at the Russian Hall.

Tonight, April 12 at 9pm, we will broadcast one final new episode of Jay's radio program The Raw Diaries on Vancouver Co-op Radio 100.5 FM. The episode is a tribute to the late Jay Hamburger -  The episode will include his poetry, music he loved (inlcuding original TITR produced work) and an interview with Jay talking about his life with his brother Richard and son Sylvan. 

The Raw Diaries was created by Jay Hamburger and Laurence Gatinel and the Co-op Radio Staff and began as a pandemic project. The program aired for three years once a month and featured (often field recorded) interviews with dozens of artists, activists, and interesting original features, music, poetry -- all hosted by Jay. 

This is the second half of Jay’s interview with the “Gumboot Guys” released on the Raw Diaries earlier this month on March 8th in Raw Diaries Ep36. This is the final interview Jay recorded at Co-op Radio earlier this year and something he was piecing together for broadcast.   

The hour will be hosted by Sylvan Hamburger and will feature the second part of Jay’s discussion with “Gumboot Guys” Paul Manson, Bill Edbrooke, Gene Logan, and Hans Elfert - four contributors to a newly published book “The Gumboot Guys”, a follow-up to “The Gumboot Girls” and “Dancing in Gumboots.”

This third collection also chronicles stories and lives of another diverse group of young people in the 1970s who “answered the call of the sea” on BC’s West Coast.

The program will also include a brief tribute to Jay from Sylvan, and Richard Hamburger reciting some of Jay’s original writings. This is bound to be an emotional one.

Link to the First Hour from the March 8 Raw Diaries program: https://www.spreaker.com/.../the-raw-diaries-ep36-gumboot...  

More info on the new book by Caitlin Press: https://caitlinpress.com/Books/G/Gumboot-Guys

Tonight March 8, 2024 at 9:00 PM on CFRO 100.5 FM’s The Raw Diaries – Jay will feature the first of a two part broadcast with interviewing four contributors to a newly published book “The Gumboot Guys”, a follow-up to “The Gumboot Girls” and  “Dancing in Gumboots.” This third collection also chronicles stories and lives of another diverse group of young people in the 1970s who “answered the call of the sea” on BC’s West Coast.

Part 1 will feature excerpted readings from Gene Logan and Hans Elfert as well as a brief discussion/ reflection from Gene and Hans as well as insights from fellow contributors Paul Manson and Bill Edbrooke.

The program will also features original poetry readings by Atma Frans.  

Check out both Parts in the Raw Diaries archive in the coming weeks!

More info on the books by Caitlin Press: https://caitlinpress.com/Books/G/Gumboot-Guys

Tonight at 10:00 PM on the Arts Rational, Jay interviews Nicholas Hamburger tonight on CFRO 100.5 FM on the dial. Nick discusses his published work, including his experiences while living in Marseilles and writing about the World Cup, his creative projects, and his current social work as well as his creative process and influences.

Check it out live in the Jay’s Arts Rational and The Raw Diaries Archive: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-raw-diaries--5475001

Tonight on the February 9th Raw Diaries program Jay will interview Sylvan Hamburger and discuss a collaborative print-making project “The House of 9 Dragons: Community, Family, Heritage” featuring the artists Love Intersections (David Ng & Jen Sungshine), Sylvan Hamburger, in collaboration with the Lim Sai Hor Kow Mock Benevolent Association. The exhibition is on display at the Massy Gallery (23 East Pender Street) in Vancouver’s Chinatown until February 20th 2024. We will also feature original poetic readings by Atma Franz in her own voice as well as a preview of new music by Vancouver’s own Kevin Finseth.

More info: https://massyarts.com/event/at-the-gallery-the-house-of-9-dragons-community-family-heritage/

Tonight on the first Raw Diaries program of 2024, we will feature a unique interview between Jay and Ivar Potter of the UK. Ivar is an 88-year-old farmer and hotel pub owner who relates some fascinating stories and agricultural anecdotes from throughout the 20th century. It is truly a ‘voice seldom heard’ on the radio tonight on the Raw Diaries.

Also featured is the original poetry of Caspar Gell reciting original works in his own voice.

Join host Jay Hamburger tonight at 9:00 pm for the January Raw Diaries program and CFRO 100.5 FM Vancouver Co-op Radio.

Jay's segment on the Arts Rational November 30th features an interview with Patricia June Vickers who is discussing HEALING JOURNEY: ART OF PATRICIA JUNE VICKERS - now showing at the DAL SCHINDELL GALLERY, Regents College, on the UBC campus The interview also features some brief comments from the exhibition curator Bradley Clements.

The show also features the original poetry by Roberts Creek artist Maurice Spira as well as a number of compositions by Vancouver based musician Kevin Finseth - composer of many original albums and one of Jay's personal favorites.

Tune into CFRO 100.5 FM at 10:00 PM November 30th!

https://www.schindellgallery.ca/exhibitions/2023/healing-journey

Tonight on the November 10th edition of The Raw Diaries at 9:00 pm we will re-run “Jack Benny Live at the Pantages” in honour of our dear friend Jason Logan Harris who sadly passed away October 2023. Jack Benny Live At the Pantages was written by Jason Logan. It was part of the original 13 Carnegie Radio Play Project of 2003 with a cast from predominately the seven-year Carnegie Theatre Workshop coordinated by Jay Hamburger at the time. We are running this wonderful original take-off of a 1930’s Jack Benny Comedy Show but set in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver by Jason Logan who sadly passed away October 2023. Jason is a missed talented actor, writer, musical performer of unusual and memorable quality.

We also will feature at around 9:30 an interview with long time theatre in the Raw collaborator and supporter Donald Morin. Donald is a First Nations activist, writer, singer, filmmaker and former broadcaster at Co-op Radio. The interview was recorded late last Summer and we discuss many contemporary issues and observations from Donald currently residing in Edmonton Alberta.