If you like jazz, go to a show at the blue note cafe in the village. It’s kind of pricey but we’ll worth it. A cheaper alternative is Small,s jazz club for local talent and a special experience. Walk through Chinatown and little Italy. Stopping to eat somewhere. Definitely go to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour. If you’re so inclined go to the Rosevelt Hotel and have a martini in their world famous lounge. Just a few of the things we did when our son and his wife were living there for a couple years on assignment. Don’t let people scare you away! NYC is one of the great cities of the world!
Jazz? JAZZ!!! AIN’T NOTHING ever been, nor EVER WILL BE AGAIN like ARTHUR’S TAVERN, ON GROVE ST, when MABLE GODWIN, THE GRAND MOTHER OF JAZZ, HELD COURT WITH HER TRIO AT THE PIANO AND EVERYBODY IN THE JAZZ WORLD, LOCAL AND NATIONAL, DROPPED IN TO PAY HOMAGE, AND JAM!!!...EVERYBODY!
BUY A DRINK, GET TO THE PIANO BAR, AND NOT JUST LISTEN, BUT EXPERIENCE! UNBELIEVABLE PLACE! PIANO, BASS GUITAR (PLAYED BY MABLE’S HUSBAND IIRC), AND ONE SNARE DRUM, AND EVERY INSTRUMENT ANYONE BROUGHT TO PLAY!
I’M SITTING THERE ONE NIGHT IN THE EARLY 70’S (WEEKDAY ‘CAUSE THE WEEKEND WAS STRICTLY FOR AMATEURS, CROWDED, AND TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS) AND SOME GUY COMES IN SHMOOZIN’ AND SMOOCHIN’, BREAKS OUT A SAX AND STARTS WAILIN’. I TURN TO MY BUDDY AND TELL HIM (LIKE HE DIDN’T KNOW IT) “MAN, THIS GUY’S GOOD, GREAT ACTUALLY!” “YEAH, THAT’S SONNY ROLLINS. HE IS GREAT!” AT THAT TIME I HAD NEVER HEARD OF HIM. CAUGHT PETE FOUNTAIN, THERE TOO, AND THE BEST DRUMMER I EVER HEARD (NO NAME) TOTALLY WHACKED OUT ON COCAINE GOING INTO A SOLO ORBIT ON THE SNARE WITH A COUPLE OF BRUSHES, AND JUST WHEN IT SEEMED HE WAS NEVER COMING BACK AND HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, THE BASS GUITAR STEPPED IN AND BROUGHT HIM BACK FROM WHERE EVER HE WAS. ALL THESE YEARS AND I STILL REMEMBER THAT.
ARTHUR’S TAVERN, ON GROVE ST, NYC...BEST MOST AUTHENTIC JAZZ JOINT I’VE EVER KNOWN. WOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T6gqM4vSvQ
CHECK IT OUT!