new york city

Because it was a huge and expensive coffee-table-style book, I didn't buy Doug Ramsey's incredible book Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond (2005) until a few weeks ago, thanks to a piano student's Christmas gift card from Barnes & Noble, and the Tacoma, WA Goodwill Store.

The tireless research that must have gone into this book astounds me. Desmond was extremely private, and any information he gave you may have been a joke, apocryphal, or embellished by his peerless wit. But Ramsey has interviewed everyone who knew Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld), collected correspondence, and assembled the definitive story and summary of his life, and impact on the world of jazz.

But actually, this isn't about that, it's about a little tidbit of information I happened to catch towards the end of the book, as I was skimming through the massive tome. There is a picture in the back of pianist Renee Rosnes, who, though she has no connection to Desmond's life (she was 15 when he died in 1977), is pictured sitting at "Paul's Baldwin grand piano at the Jazz Gallery in New York."Read more

Last week, while browsing at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble, I noticed that Bill Frisell was scheduled for an appearance on Monday, August 30th. While in town for his annual two-week Village Vanguard gig with Paul Motian and Joe Lovano, Frisell is promoting his new Beautiful Dreamers CD. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see Bill Frisell for free!

Events at Lincoln Triangle are held in a large, glass-walled room on the third floor. When I arrived a half hour before the 5pm appearance, the first two rows were already occupied by eager fans, but most of the space was empty. Frisell's guitar sat quietly upon a chair on a slightly raised stage, plugged into an amp and a few effects pedals. During the next few minutes, the room filled quickly to capacity. I had arrived just in time to get a prime seat. By the time Frisell took the stage, there was standing room only. He expressed pleasant surprise over the turnout, and was warmly appreciative.Read more

I just stumbled across an excellent article by Desiree Quinones-Terrence entitled New York Jazz Clubs Balancing for Art and Tourism. This is a very clear overview of the challenges faced by New York jazz clubs, and the article touches on some of my favorite venues present and past.

The author makes the case that in order to survive high rent and low turnout, jazz clubs have had to either cater to tourist audiences or go out of business. Indirectly, she suggests the integral nature of jazz clubs to New York City culture, and how economic challenges have diminished the vitality of the scene for local musicians and audiences. It's a reality we jazz musicians face, and it's interesting to take a glance at the economic realities from the club owners' perspective.Read more