This Gig Defines 'Regular'

[mjzee]

For the past half-century, as every aspect of pop culture has shifted around them, the same Dixieland-style jazz band has held the same weekly slot at the same Manhattan nightclub.

It's a 50-year feat of endurance and consistency virtually unmatched in the city's musical history, and for good reason: Few venues or bands remain viable over that length of time. But the Grove Street Stompers have kept it going for five decades, and Arthur's Tavern in the West Village has kept the group on its calendar every Monday since 1962.

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WSJ

[fasstrack]

The place itself is part of NY, speakeasy, and jazz history. I never ran into the Stompers but heard of them back in 1980, when I played there the only time, but for many months.

Burt Eckoff, now a wizened piano man, had the gig weekends and I guess he got tired of playing solo or w/weekend warriors who literally fell asleep on the stand. So he offered me his tip money and I played whenever he did. Burt was a long term sub for singer-pianist Verna Swindell-off having a baby. I backed her some when she returned and to me she looked and sounded more than a little like Nina Simone. She was a talent but the real popular and almost famous performer there was Mabel Godwin, on a different night so I never heard her. She packed them in though.

I know I also played a few times for Anne Hampton-Calloway, new in town and not playing piano-at Arthur's, anyway. I know the boss tried REAL hard to Hampton her Calloway. Not sure how he fared. I wish I listened more b/c she sure turned out great. Back then I wanted to blow and didn't give a snail's ass about a girl singer. Youth is wasted on the wrong people. Good thing I kept it to myself, as IIRC Ms. Calloway looked like she could knock me out with one punch, then order a hoagie. A very hale, robust woman!

The other name I recall is Al Bundy. Just the name.

The best part of the gig, though, was Burt himself. He had a resume when we met that included Howard McGhee, Sony Stitt, Archie Shepp, and a lot of singers. He was with Dakota Stanton a long time after this period. He taught me a lot about how to read and play to a room, and how to play with bad rhythm sections (one bassist dragged so much Burt started every tempo in Shirley Horn land. The guy followed the call and basically fell asleep-much better for us than him playing). Burt played A Lot of Living to Do and Billy Taylor's What it Means to Be Free-2 tunes I hated and thought were unhip. I finally got that it's hard to entertain non-jazz fans on piano w/o singing. People dug those tunes and tipped- and that was MY money. Finally, one the house broke down and bought me a drink--so they didn't hate me! Had a blackberry brandy. Regulars sat in too, with very, shall I say, 'mixed' results. Handling that was part of it. I guess they mix drinks and figure you can mix pros with 'the other'.... Feed the tip jar, say I.

I went in not long ago. It was exactly the same: greasy and classic NY. With jazz! It was an all-Oriental piano trio. Arthur's Cafe is off the beaten track (one block away can be a world away in Manhattan) and doesn't get the play Smalls or even Fat Cat does now. So the crowd is way different. Just like 32 years ago!

Edited April 23, 2012 by fasstrack