NYC Jazz History

[JazzPadd]

Coupla enjoyable photo books off the top of my head:

Three Wishes, candid photos by Pannonica of NY jazz musicians, juxtaposed with their answers to what they’d wish for.

Tokyo Jazz Joints, photo tour of “jazz kissaten” in Japan. These jazz cafes, of which there were once hundreds, are small public listening spaces with walls of jazz on vinyl. Two places I go to for jazz jam sessions are former kissaten, repurposed as “live houses.”

I know it gets some shade, but I found the Ken Burns TV series stimulating, and came across the companion book when visiting a friend in Nola years ago, which is worth a look.

[ragman1]

books

Straight Life. Art Pepper.

[John A.]

The Zinc Bar is a great place to hear jazz.

One night I heard Jack Wilkins, Joe Cohn, Mark Whitfield, Vic Juris and Chico Pinheiro sitting in. I don't recall the names of the bassist and drummer, but I recall that one of them played with Basie, the drummer, iirc.

Back in the day, Monk was the house pianist.

Not at the Zinc Bar (which didn't exist when Monk was active), but at a club that had once been in the same space decades earlier. The Zinc Bar itself has been around since the '90s, originally at a different location (on Houston Street).

The place is far smaller than you'd imagine from the size of the talent. Mezzrow and Small's are similarly smaller than expected.

That is very true.

[rpjazzguitar]

Not at the Zinc Bar (which didn't exist when Monk was active), but at a club that had once been in the same space decades earlier. The Zinc Bar itself has been around since the '90s, originally at a different location (on Houston Street).


That is very true.

That's right. I think it was the Carousel back then. I was told it was the same physical room. Not the same name or ownership.

[sgcim]

The recent book, "Three Shades of Blue" brought a lot of jazz history in NYC concerning Bill Evans, Miles and Coltrane up to date.

[John A.]

That's right. I think it was the Carousel back then. I was told it was the same physical room. Not the same name or ownership.

According this article, it was called Cinderella, though that was before my time (grew up a couple of blocks from there in the '70s, and was up and down that street all the time).