[Dixielandjazz] Back On U.K. Soil!!

[Jazzjerry at aol.com]

Hi all,

I have now returned to UK soil after a week in New York and hope I haven't 
missed too much scintillating discussion on the DJML.

The purpose of this note is to thanks those who suggested jazzy places to 
visit. Because of a little snow flurry which struck last Sunday / Monday one 
evening's music was lost as Les Paul had to cancel his regular Monday session 
at the Iridium but the missus and I did manage to hear Keith Ingham on piano 
at Madame Romaine de Lyon's on E61st on Wednesday evening and and Vince 
Giordano's Nighthawks at the Cajun Restaurant (8th Ave & 16th St) on 
Thursday. Both excellent evenings in their own way and the food in both 
places can be fully recommended. 

Other musical events were a Broadway show (42nd Street) and Kate and Anna 
McGarrigle performing at The Bottom Line in Greenwich Village.

Also the fastest entry to the US we have ever made - from touch-down at JFK 
to the Hotel lobby on 42nd Street in 55 minutes! Friendly Immigration Officer 
and very helpful cab driver eased our passage.

Other highlights (non-musical) included the anti-war march on Saturday 
afternoon; delicious soup from a kiosk in the dining hall of Grand Central 
Station; the views from the  very very cold Empire State Building observation 
deck; tracing my Grandfather's entry through Ellis Island as an immigrant in 
1909 (he went home to the UK to fight in WW1 and never returned); walking in 
a snow covered Central Park in the sunshine; eating delicious cakes in a 
scruffy little bakery in Chinatown; and certainly the helpfullness and 
friendly manner of the New Yorkers we came across. Not to forget the 
impromptu singing by a acapella gospel quartet on a subway train one 
afternoon.

We both felt much safer walking the streets and riding the subways of NYC 
than we did the last time we visited London!

All in all a great trip which can be recommended to all.

Have to save up and plan the next trip!

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U.K.