Jump to content

When Jazz populated NYC


Hardbopjazz

Recommended Posts

Wow, what time it was when there were a plethora of clubs. Some I never even knew about. 

http://popspotsnyc.com/jazz_clubs/?fbclid=IwAR3o6n-DlchpqS0r9AZIJgfV6mTxrh95AJfDYLFkSkFItvYIV6kWSpjqtyg

 

PopSpots' Guide to Legendary Manhattan Jazz Club Locations from the Golden Era of NYC Jazz Clubs, 1930-1950

• 52nd Street and Times Square
• Harlem
• Greenwich VIllage

(exact addresses follow the maps; followed by over 80 photos of the clubs) Birdland_800.jpg

Jazz_52nd_Street.JPG  

 

Jazz_Harlem_2.JPG

 

Jazz_Village.JPG

52nd_St_Wide_800.jpg

52nd_street_5_6.jpg Modern_52nd_street.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for posting this.  Mark Stryker and I were discussing at the Detroit jazz event the other night at Le Poisson Rouge--we think (and a NYC friend said this as well) that LPR occupies the same basement space where the Village Gate once was?  The address is off by two numbers (158 vs 160 Bleecker) but my NYC friend swears up and down that LPR is where the Gate was.  I also visited the newly-reopened Cafe Bohemia Tuesday night; the performance space is in the cellar (and apparently was in the upstairs part in the 1950s) and certainly gives off a 50s Village vibe.  The site of Cafe Society is just half a block away (the home for many years now of the Axis Theater Company).  The building where the original Birdland was at 52nd and Broadway still stands, though the basement space where the club was located was utilized as a strip bar from the early 1980s till recently.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ghost of miles said:

Thanks so much for posting this.  Mark Stryker and I were discussing at the Detroit jazz event the other night at Le Poisson Rouge--we think (and a NYC friend said this as well) that LPR occupies the same basement space where the Village Gate once was?  The address is off by two numbers (158 vs 160 Bleecker) but my NYC friend swears up and down that LPR is where the Gate was.  I also visited the newly-reopened Cafe Bohemia Tuesday night; the performance space is in the cellar (and apparently was in the upstairs part in the 1950s) and certainly gives off a 50s Village vibe.  The site of Cafe Society is just half a block away (the home for many years now of the Axis Theater Company).  The building where the original Birdland was at 52nd and Broadway still stands, though the basement space where the club was located was utilized as a strip bar from the early 1980s till recently.  

LPR? What's that? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, kh1958 said:

Le Poisson Rouge. The only time I've been there it was grotesquely overloud and standing only. Didn't like the place. 

I saw both Anthony Braxton’s 65th Birthday celebration as was as Misha Mengelberg’s last U.S. concert appearance with Instant Composer’s Pool (with Han Bennink, Wolter Wierbos, Michael Moore, Tobias Delius, etc.) at Le Poisson Rouge and both concerts were astounding - and the sound and sight lines were magnificent.

Edited by Steve Reynolds
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

In 2011-12 when I attended, there were plenty of tables/seats.

That must have changed at some point--there were very few tables last year.  I didn't mind, but a jazz writer (fairly young guy, too) had warned me that any lengthy stay for a series of sets would most likely involve standing the whole time.  I found a good column to lean on, though.  :g  This year there were plenty of places to sit, but I had bought a cheaper non-seated ticket, so this time around held up a wall, in tribute to that great supporter of building structures, Mr. Harpo Marx:  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks! Gunther Schuller had mentioned to me that dramatic decline in jazz clubs on NY, when he was in Athens 6 years ago invited by the Greek-American Union. He was so dissapointed namely for the musicians who cannot make a living out of jazz.

Edited by RiRiIII
add
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a lot of great photos at the site Hardbobjazz linked to in the original post.  I love this one.

5_Spot_1964_PTL_Getty.png

That makes me nostalgic for a place and time I've never experienced.  One can almost hear that photo.  Wonderful.

It kinda looks like the start to a great 1950's mystery/comedy TV series about the fun-loving adventures of a millionaire heiress with a penchant for solving crimes and her jazz musician "companion" who goes along for the ride to get her out of the tight spots -- with both the criminals and the authorities, usually in the person of Inspector Haverman, played by William Demerast -- she so often finds herself in.  Tonight's episode:  "Crepuscule With Murder."

Interesting to learn that both Club Zanzibar and Bop City were in the Brill Building.

Edited by duaneiac
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...