Tag: Jazz
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HNBA’s October Meeting – Tuesday at 7:00 PM
Hello Harlem Neighbors, Everyone is welcome to come out and attend the October HNBA meeting on Tuesday (October 10th) at 7 PM. Mount Sinai’s Dr. Prameet Singh will attend to talk about Mount Sinai’s methadone clinic at Park/125. Here is your chance to learn more about what Mount Sinai is doing regarding public safety and…
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Gibbs vs. Mark-Viverito
City and State is reporting on a lawsuit filed by Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs after he lost an election – 7 votes to 6 votes. Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs – a close ally of Manhattan Democratic Party leader Keith Wright claims that his loss violated the party’s internal rules. His opponents within the party say…
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Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
The Charlie Parker festival continues after the Sylvia Cuenca Organ Group performance in The Harlem Rose Garden in Marcus Garvey Park. Friday August 25, 5:30-6:30 Sylvia Cuenca Organ Group Drummer Sylvia Cuenca has performed around the world with many jazz greats, including four years with Joe Henderson, and 17 years with Clark Terry’s quintet and big band,…
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Landmarking in Harlem
Minton’s Playhouse and an apartment building in Hamilton Heights where jazz pioneers Duke Ellington and Noble Lee Sissle once lived may soon be listed and landmarked. Thelonius Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and Teddy Hill outside Minton’s Playhouse in 1947. Photo via WikiCommons Minton’s Playhouse on West 118th Street was the birthplace of bebop, an improvisational style of jazz, came…
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Fats Waller in Harlem
Fats Waller composed a series of hit songs and was also widelyu known for his comic performances on stage and in film. His innovations in his piano work led to the Harlem stride-style – a precursor to modern jazz piano. His best-known compositions, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Honeysuckle Rose”, were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and…
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Jelly Lived Here
On this beautifully articulated brick facade is a glass (plexiglass?) sign noting that in 1939-40, the famous Jazz pianist “Jelly Roll” Morton lived here in Central Harlem, on West 131st Street. Born sometime around 1890 in New Orleans, Jelly Roll began to play the piano in a brothel at age 14. He took the nickname…
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Art in Our Midst
The artist Allison Saar was commissioned to enliven the 125th Street Metro-North platform in 2018 and her subtle glasswork has delighted me since. The stained glass that encompasses the waiting rooms on the platform, harkens back to the jazz scene in Harlem. Even the title of the piece “copacetic” – a Jazz term from the…
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The Heat Vulnerability Index
The Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) shows neighborhoods whose residents are more at risk for dying during and immediately following extreme heat. It uses a statistical model to summarize the most important social and environmental factors that contribute to neighborhood heat risk. The factors included in the HVI are surface temperature, green space, access to home…
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Harlem Jazz Clubs: 1920-40
If you’ve ever wondered where the scores of jazz clubs were during the Harlem Renaissance, this map is the best I’ve seen: Here is the list with more details: HARLEM JAZZ CLUBS, RESTAURANTS, and BALLROOMS from the 20’s-40’s: • Alamo Club (1915-1925) 253 West 125th St (basement) b/t 7th and 8th (aka Alamo Cafe; Jimy Durante)• Alhambra Ballroom (1929-1945)…
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First Lady Michelle Obama Reflects on The 2020 and 2016 Elections
“This week, I’ve been reflecting a lot on where I was four years ago. Hillary Clinton had just been dealt a tough loss by a far closer margin than the one we’ve seen this year. I was hurt and disappointed—but the votes had been counted and Donald Trump had won. The American people had spoken.…
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Early Voting Hours Extended for NYC
The historic voting numbers have led to changes in voting hours this weekend. But… Don’t wait for an extension. Make a plan. Get on line. Vote. Remember, you’ve been waiting for this for 4 years. Don’t let it slip by. The New York City Board of Elections’ commissioners on Tuesday voted to extend early voting…
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16mm Black and White Film of Count Basie Available on Ebay
A 7 minute 16mm film of the Count Basie orchestra is currently up for bids on Ebay. For jazz fans this might be an interesting find. Look at the piano he’s conducting from. For more (and to place a bid) see: https://www.ebay.com/itm/283962234531?ul_noapp=true
