Your breakin my heart.
I've wanted to go to the Village Vanguard since I was a kid and heard an album with the Bill Evans Trio at the VV. He and the boys are playing while you can hear a little crowd noise in the background. You can actually hear coins drop on a table, maybe dropped by a waitress; man that album created a real mental picture of a small, smoky, late 50s jazz club.
I have Sonny Rollins and that Bill Evans album on CD now, but I would love to see real jazz played at the Vanguard.
Here is an album by a local (Indy) guy, Steve Allee.
The album is called New York in the Fifties. Based on a book by Dan Wakefield.
http://www.steveallee.com/nyfifties.htm By the way. About Miles - Wow.
I know the dream. I've been looking for a sophisticated unpretentious "Night Club" like in the old movies for years. The Supper Club tries but you can feel the effort. The Carlyle (sp) costs a fortune and there's no dancing, same with Oak Room. The closest we've come is a couple of Latin places.
You grow up with images of the world as it was at one time but by the time you get there it's gone, and nothing real to replace it.