NYC sessions

lowendforlife · #1 10-16-2005, 08:18 PM

Hey all-
I'm heading to Manhattan this week--Weds the 19th-Sun. the 23rd, for college interviews/tours at Juilliard, MSM, and a few others. What are some good open jams to hit while I'm in town? I'm familiar with Cleo's needle, played there a few times before, but is there anywhere else where I'll be welcomed as a 17 year old? I play well (there's no good way of saying that without sounding conceited!

) and would love to meet some NYC cats. Any ideas?

Tbeers · #2 10-16-2005, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowendforlife

I play well

A trip to NYC is likely to make you think otherwise (it always has that effect on me, anyway)! Even if you don't end up making it to an open jam, make sure you hear some live music. You'll probably see someone you've never even heard of playing, and be completely blown away.

jazzbass72 · #3 10-16-2005, 09:51 PM

Hey Billy,
good luck on your college tours. I am playing at Cleopatra's Needle on Sat Oct 22nd, 8pm-midnight. I am playing there as a sideman, but I am pretty sure I can let you sit in, make sure you say hello during the breaks (generally, 9-9:30 pm and 10:30-11pm). If you can hang in there late, there's a jam session that goes from 12:30am to 3:30am that same night. Late, I know, but hey, this is New York City!

Make sure you visit Smalls and the Village Vanguard if you haven't been there yet.

Marco

Brad Maestas · #4 10-16-2005, 10:15 PM

Yeah, the Needle is a good place to start. +1 on seeing music and +1 for Smalls and the Vanguard. Here are some of my other favorites:

55 Bar - most Thursdays are Wayne Krantz with AJ! Cheap.

Zebulon http://zebuloncafeconcert.com - Tuesday nights are cool with Kenny Wollesen, Tony Scherr, etc. No cover!

Nublu http://nublu.net - I play there every once in a while with Kenny, Butch Morris and Bill Frisell. Sometimes there's a jam. I'm not sure what their policy is for age. Usually cheap.

Pat Martino will be playing at Birdland but it's $40! I usually get in for free because I used to work there but this week they said I'd have to pay!

I've got a friend that goes to lots of jams. I haven't talked to him in a while and I forget the places he told me to go to. I'll call him and find out some places for you to check out.

P.S. Good luck on your tours!

Pcocobass · #5 10-16-2005, 10:57 PM

Hey man,

You should also check out Fat Cat. It's right down the block from the Vanguard. There's an open session there every night (I think) from 1-4am. You might see me there. Just look for the angry little Italian guy....

WillBuckingham · #6 10-17-2005, 11:13 PM

Why don't we have a weekly or monthly thread or something where NYC TBers can post gigs, maybe with breif descriptions?

I've been trying to get out to listen to more jazz in the city, but its tough for someone like me who doesn't know the scene very well. Something like this would help a lot.

Just an idea.

-Will

Pcocobass · #7 10-18-2005, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillBuckingham

Why don't we have a weekly or monthly thread or something where NYC TBers can post gigs, maybe with breif descriptions?

I've been trying to get out to listen to more jazz in the city, but its tough for someone like me who doesn't know the scene very well. Something like this would help a lot.

Just an idea.

-Will

I think that's a great idea. Why don't you PM Paul and present it to him.

Ed Fuqua · #8 10-18-2005, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillBuckingham

Why don't we have a weekly or monthly thread or something where NYC TBers can post gigs, maybe with breif descriptions?

I've been trying to get out to listen to more jazz in the city, but its tough for someone like me who doesn't know the scene very well. Something like this would help a lot.

Just an idea.

-Will

E-mail Ray Parker, he has a free listing service for posting or receiving e-mails about gigs. Also a piano player buddy of mine has a Yahoo group (LiveJazzEvents@yahoogroups.com) that does the same thing, lists gigs and e-mails the list about'em.

WillBuckingham · #9 10-18-2005, 04:06 PM

OK thanks for the advice. I'll ask Ray about the e-mail list.

Pcocobass, Paul who? (I'm new to this side of the forum)

p.s. If anyone is ever so inclined they're welomce to pm me or e-mail me about gigs.

Pcocobass · #10 10-18-2005, 07:17 PM

Will,

Go to the main forums page and click on "Paul's Shack." Paul is the owner of TB, and a very nice guy. There is a thread called "Suggestion Box" where you can submit to him your idea.

WillBuckingham · #11 10-18-2005, 08:00 PM

Oh, got it. OK, thanks.

c-ba55 · #12 10-18-2005, 11:26 PM

Hey all,
I'm in New York this week too. I hooked up with a guy I used to play with in SF (for FREE!!!!) that lives here now, and we went to Zinc. Good band there, great conga player. The bassist was good, impressive just to keep his thing going against the insane conga player and drummer trying to battle for coolest counter-rhythmic phrasing. All this while reading charts. In general the level of musicianship, and emotional investment, was extreme. I talked to my buddy, and some other guys, about the scene here, and the level of competition just to get that $100 became clearer to me. I'll probably be going out tomorrow night as well. Fat Cat & Smalls were both mentioned. Staying out until 4 is unlikely, as I am here on work.

Tbeers · #13 10-19-2005, 12:31 AM

I am so close to NYC....

Honestly, if any of you guys in the city has a gig, please PM or email me as well! There are a lot of people in the jazz program here who love to take the train to New York on the weekend and see some excellent music.

Also, if you ever really want to shaft a greedy club owner, a funny way to do that is to have a bunch of kids come see your gig. They HATE that, since we don't buy drinks. This past May my high school band director was trying to find a club for about 30 of us to go to, and we were flatly refused by several places for the very reason that they would lose a large amount of their profit.

Anyway, digressions aside, I'm always looking for some way to escape campus on a Saturday night... to get away from the stupid intoxicated people who like to walk around in mobs screaming at the top of their lungs. I'm pretty sure you all understand.

godoze · #14 10-19-2005, 07:33 AM

I am going to be in town tomorrow night..anybody got anything happenin ?

T-Bal · #15 10-19-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no-beers

to get away from the stupid intoxicated people who like to walk around in mobs screaming at the top of their lungs. I'm pretty sure you all understand.

Dude, you are so jaded and bitter for a young man...sounds like you are ready for a life in jazz!

WillBuckingham · #16 10-19-2005, 10:25 AM

Heh the college scene (get drunk, shout profanities, maybe do something retarded or harrass female passers-by) gets old really quick. I don't think you have to be jaded to outgrow that very quickly.

Tbeers · #17 10-19-2005, 10:28 AM

I can't even drink here. All they have is this terrible "Milwaukee's Best" (which everyone calls "beast"). I'd rather have a septic tank emptied into my throat.

So yeah, any reason to see some jazz in NYC is good for me!

T-Bal · #18 10-19-2005, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillBuckingham

I don't think you have to be jaded to outgrow that very quickly.

This was a tongue-in-cheek reference to a comment made in the SF gig for free thread, which you can read when you have an hour to kill!