[Dixielandjazz] The New York City Jazz Scene

[Steve Barbone]

>From The Boston Globe, no less. If you visit NYC, you might be interested in
some of the clubs listed at the end of this article. Like Birdland for Swing
and Dixieland, or the Iridium for Les Paul on Monday nights. Or if you are
the adventurous type, go to Tonic or The Stone for a very hip scene.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone



Hitting a jazz club makes New York sound memorable
By David French, Globe Correspondent  |  December 10, 2006

NEW YORK -- My friend and I came up the steps from the basement club elated.
We had seen the 14-piece Mingus Big Band from just in front of the stage,
where you can feel the bass and the baritone sax, and would almost think you
could reach out and grab some of the notes the trumpets were shedding.

It had rained while we were inside and the lights from Times Square
reflected off the misty sky and Broadway's slick surface like a scene from a
film noir. We said goodnight to the fashionable Tokyo couple who had been
seated next to us, then set off into the buzz and shuffle of the city,
riding a rush of energy, trying to put into words what we had just seen and
wondering what to do next.

It is close to 90 years since the Original Dixieland Jazz Band first caused
a sensation in New York playing raucous New Orleans music at Reisenweber's
Restaurant, and more than half a century since the heyday of 52d Street's
jazz row.

But there is still no better way to get a bite of the Big Apple -- to feel
the romance and pulse of the city -- than to spend an evening in one of its
many jazz clubs. Whether you reserve seats online to see a legend, or shove
bills into a beer pitcher at a basement jam session, at the end of the night
you will hail a cab or head to the subway feeling that you have had an
unforgettable New York experience.

The biggest problem is deciding where to go. Scattered around the city are
scores of venues where you can scratch almost any musical itch, from
Dixieland to free jazz. For jazz fans, it's always a thrill to see an artist
whose work you know, and weekends are when many clubs put on their big
names. However, you can find great music every night, and many places fill
the early part of the week with regular acts that have proven drawing power.

Seeing jazz in New York doesn't have to be expensive. For the price of one
set of music and a couple of martinis at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, which is
perched atop a high-end shopping mall in the Time Warner Center , you could
spend two long nights drinking beer in the charmingly shabby jazz cellars of
Greenwich Village, or a full week sipping bottled water at The Stone .

Students should always ask if discount admissions are offered.
Geographically, there are two main areas for jazz, Greenwich Village and
Midtown, both easy to get to by subway. Village spots tend to be smaller and
cheaper; Midtown clubs are more upscale and offer food. They are all worth
exploring.

Wherever you're going, it's a good idea to call ahead. Ask for a description
of the music , confirm price and directions, see if you need reservations,
and find out when you should arrive to ensure a good seat. Clubs can get
quite crowded, though this makes it easy to start a conversation.

To plan your trip before you get to New York, visit club web sites or
www.hothousejazz.com . Once in town, you can find jazz listings in the
weekly magazine Time Out New York , available at any newsstand, or All About
Jazz , or Hot House , given away in most clubs.

Here are some of the essential jazz spots, representing a variety of
budgets, locations, and musical identities, with information to help you
decide which suits you.

Greenwich Village area
55 Bar, 55 Christopher St.
(off Seventh Avenue) Cheap: Free-$15
212-929-9883 55bar.com
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square

This cozy Prohibition-era basement dive bar is an important destination for
serious jazz fans and musicians. It's close to Smalls and Fat Cat, and there
is no cover charge for the early set, so you can easily hit more than one
spot in a night. Interesting, sometimes edgy, small groups and vocalists
change daily, with regular appearances by well-known locals such as Berklee
grads/fusion guitar faves Mike and Leni Stern .

Smalls 
183 West 10th St.
(off Seventh Avenue)  Moderate: $20 cover includes two drinks.
212-675-7369 fatcatjazz.com
Subway: 1

Shares booking, a website, and, for the moment, one cover charge with Fat
Cat (75 Christopher St. at at Seventh Avenue), a grungy subterranean pool
hall and music venue around the corner. Together, they constitute a serious
jazz scene. Respected young locals like Neal Caine, Ari Hoenig, and Jason
Lindner pull serious talent and a jazz-fluent, casual crowd into their
vortex. Late sets can go until closing , making this the ideal destination
for night owls.

Village Vanguard  Expensive: $30-$35 cover includes two drinks.
178 Seventh Ave. (at 11th Street)
212-255-4037 villagevanguard.com
Subway: 1, 2, or 3 to 14th Street

Almost certainly the most significant surviving club in jazz history, the
Vanguard has been here since 1935. John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Dizzy
Gillespie, and Wynton Marsalis are a few of the many giants who have
recorded live albums here. They pack you in like cattle, but the music is
typically world class, and the room itself is hallowed ground. The
Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra , a dynamic 18-piece big band that
plays every Monday, continues to impress four decades after it was founded
by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis .

Midtown and vicinity
Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola Expensive: $30 plus drink minimum.
Time Warner Center
Broadway and 60th Street (5th floor)
212-258-9595
jalc.org
Subway: 1, A, B, C, or D to 59th Street/Columbus Circle

Dizzy's looks like a jazz club in a slick Hollywood thriller. The room is
intimately lighted, the walls are curved like a modernist swimming pool, and
behind the band a wall of plate glass looks out on Central Park and the
Trump Tower. It's a little stiff -- the musicians seem as if they are on
their best behavior, and between songs you could hear a guitar pick hit the
floor -- but the music is always top-notch, swinging mainstream jazz. It's a
good place to lay down the company card or take someone special for a night
on the town.

Iridium Expensive: $22.50-$35 plus drink minimum.
1650 Broadway (at 51st Street)
212-582-2121
iridiumjazzclub.com
Subway: B, D, or E to Seventh Avenue; 1 or C to 50th Street

Tuesdays here are perhaps the best regular night of jazz in New York. The
Mingus Big Band rocks the house with Charles Mingus's uproarious, soulful,
swinging compositions. Iridium is near Times Square, a short walk from many
midtown hotels, and books some of the best musicians in the world. Mondays
are also popular, when 91-year-old guitar legend and wiseacre Les Paul hosts
a steady stream of visiting players and comedians.

Jazz Standard - Moderate: $15-$30.
116 East 27th St.
212-576-2232 jazzstandard.net
Subway: 6 to 28th St.

This East Side basement club is close to perfect. The vibe is casual but
sophisticated, the BBQ alone (from Danny Meyer's Blue Smoke restaurant
upstairs) is worth the trip, and they consistently book some of the most
important musicians . Almost every seat is good, though you really feel
special leaning back on the red banquette that runs along one wall.

Farther afield 
Barbès - Cheap: $8 donation for most events.
376 9th St. at 6th Avenue
(in Brooklyn's Park Slope)
718-965-9177 barbesbrooklyn.com
Subway: F to Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn

Since it seems so many jazz musicians live in Brooklyn, it makes sense to go
to the source. This charming French-themed bar has a tiny back-room
performance space with a homey vibe and a ridiculously eclectic performance
calendar. Parisian swing, Balkan brass bands, Brazilian forro , and
adventurous and often unclassifiable new jazz are all featured regularly. A
week spent here would be like a trip around the world. Well worth the
20-minute subway ride from Manhattan.

Lenox Lounge  Cheap to moderate: Free-$25 plus drink minimum.
288 Lenox Ave. at 124th Street
212-427-0253
lenoxlounge.com
Subway: 2 or 3 to 125th Street

A great excuse to see a bit of Harlem. Just off the fast-redeveloping main
drag of 125th Street and not far from the historic Apollo Theater and the
black monolith that houses former President Clinton's office, this recently
restored Art Deco gem looks like a 1930s movie set. Billie Holiday and Miles
Davis performed here ; the regular schedule now mixes local headliners with
vocalists, organ grooves, and R&B nights.

Smoke - Cheap to moderate: Free-$25.
2751 Broadway at 105th Street
212-864-6662
smokejazz.com
Subway: 1 to 103 d Street

An intimate room that has good, fun music every night of the week. Something
about this place -- maybe the velvet couches, or that it feels hidden away
on the Upper West Side -- makes it a great date destination. Hard bop
legends like pianist Cedar Walton often headline on weekends; Tuesdays and
Wednesdays are defined by the groovy sound of the Hammond B 3 organ.

Tonic - Cheap: $5-$10.
107 Norfolk St. (between Delancey and Rivington streets)
212-358-7501
tonicnyc.com
Subway: F to Delancey

This is the most important venue for "downtown," "avant ," or otherwise
unclassifiable jazz in New York. John Zorn and Marc Ribot have played here
many times. More like a rock club in feel, with hand stamps and a bar that
sells a lot of beer, this former industrial space is on a suitably desolate,
out-of-the-way block. It is a classic hangout for hip Lower East Siders and
experimental music fans.

The Stone - Cheap: $10 most nights.
Avenue C at 2d Street
( no phone) thestonenyc.com
Subway: F, V to Second Avenue

No-frills, no refreshments, non profit space established by avant jazz giant
and saxophonist John Zorn. Fans of challenging and experimental music should
check the website and consider making the hike into the far East Village for
this unique -- if utilitarian -- musical setting that recalls the 1970s Loft
Scene.

Keep in mind Birdland - Expensive: $20-$50 plus minimum.
315 West 44th St. (between Eighth and Ninth avenues)
212-581-3080 birdlandjazz.com
Subway: A, C, or E to 42 d Street; 1, 2, or 3 to Times Square

This Theater District stalwart is notable for often featuring Broadway and
jazz vocalists in addition to leading jazz and Latin jazz stars. David
Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Centennial Band serves up sizzling happy hour jazz
every Wednesday. Big band swing aficionados should check out David Berger's
Sultans of Swing on Tuesday nights.

The Blue Note - Expensive: $20-$40 plus minimum.
131 West 3d St. (at Sixth Avenue)
212-475-8592  bluenote.net
Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, and V to West 4th Street

One of the world's best-known clubs books some of the biggest names in jazz.
On weekends, the Late Night Groove Series begins at 12:30 a.m. and mixes
jazz and R&B for a low cover charge.