What known/famous musicians played/play in the streets?

[Dmitry]

I remember reading Arthur Rhames' bio, which indicated that he played on the streets of Manhattan for several years, mostly in the Upper West Side area.  Any other examples of musicians of note[no pun intended], who gigged in the streets when they were already known players?

What would attract a musician to play on a street/in the subway? Desire to be heard, want of funds, other "life's circumstances"?

Arthur Rhames in the early 1980s. Somewhere in the City.

[jazztrain]

How about Moondog?

 

[paul secor]

Charles Gayle, Clarence "C" Sharpe, Giuseppi Logan

[fasstrack]

Don't know how famous he was, but Kalaparusha Difda (sorry for mangling the name). Also Denis Charles (I played in a street band with him). At about 20 years old, Don Braden (I was also in a band with him). Vincent Herring, when he started out, used to play by the cube statue at Astor Place in NYC. Drew big crowds, too. George Braithe with Tommy Turrentine (mid-'80s).

[BillF]

18 minutes ago, fasstrack said:

Don't know how famous he was, but Kalaparusha Difda (sorry for mangling the name). Also Denis Charles (I played in a street band with him). At about 20 years old, Don Braden (I was also in a band with him). Vincent Herring, when he started out, used to play by the cube statue at Astor Place in NYC. Drew big crowds, too. George Braithe with Tommy Turrentine (mid-'80s).

Nice to have the insider view! 

[fasstrack]

56 minutes ago, Dmitry said:

 

What would attract a musician to play on a street/in the subway? Desire to be heard, want of funds, other "life's circumstances"?

Arthur Rhames in the early 1980s. Somewhere in the City.

I did it for years (solo guitar) b/c it was entrepreneurial, I was able to give out cards and get gigs, to get up in the morning, get out and communicate some beauty to people. I regarded it as a service. I also liked two other things: when people stopped it was b/c I sounded good to them, not b/c some wonk or critic said I was good. They didn't have to stop.  Also, I had to answer to no one, and could pick up and leave as I saw fit---no 'sets'.

[medjuck]

There was a good British saxophonist, Lol Coxhill, who busked in the streets of London  a lot. I remember seeing him once  playing soprano and being quite impressed.  That was before I read about him. 

 

Joshua Bell once played outside a metro stop in Washington but that was for an experiment to see if anyone noticed how good he was. I don't think he needed the money. 

Edited February 4, 2016 by medjuck

[alankin]

Byard Lancaster use to play in the streets and in the subway around Center City Philadelphia.

[sidewinder]

27 minutes ago, medjuck said:

There was a good British Saxophonist, Lol Coxhill who busked in the streets of London  a lot. I remember seeing him once  and being quite impressed.  That was before I read about him. 

Hungerford Bridge - just outside the RFH. I might well have passed him on that spot in the 1980s without registering who it was.

One of his last UK tours was in a skip !

Edited February 4, 2016 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

Lol was a fixture outside of  London's Royal Festival Hall on jazz concert nights..