Susan

Hi, I'm looking for the quintessential jazz club experience for the one night we have open on our trip to New York. Owen, I've read some of your recommendations, but would appreciate any additional thoughts on the subject. We're a group of women, some big jazz fans and some just along for the ride. I'd like to avoid paying a fortune, great music, a great atmosphere, decent service (can I get a drink?) and the possibility of making reservations ahead. We don't need to dine there. I'm considering Iridium, Jazz Standard, BB King's, and others, but I read positives and negatives about all of them. Location isn't that important, but we'll probably avoid Harlem. It will be on a Sunday night, and we'd prefer straightforward jazz, as opposed to latin or fusion. Thanks so much for any help here!

xxx

Village Vanguard or Blue Note.

Susan

Well, now, those two clubs are the ones I read are the most expensive and at the Blue Note there's a chance you could make a reservation and still not get in. Also, I read that service is seriously lacking at both. Is all of this true or not?

jvs

Village Vangard and Blue Note are the most authentic and original Jazz venues- but you will end up paying a lot of $$ for drinks and a show. I recommend "Smoke" (Broadway @ 106th st). The music is good and its a bit less pricey.

Owen O'Neill

I'm certainly no jazz expert and can only comment on what I've heard form others for a few clubs and what I've seen for myself in two of those you mention. If they have a group that fits the bill for you musically, I consider BB King's to be the best choice from an overall standpoint as a comfortable club with great sound, good sightlines to the stage and comfortable seating that is less squeezed in than some venues. Birdland is more intimate and a better setting for more traditional jazz. BB King's has a wide range of music and offers more traditional jazz infrequently (vs. fusion, jazz-funk and non-jazz genres. Drink prices are likely a tad cheaper at BB King's (about $5-6 for average beers and $6-8 for average mixed drinks). Cover ranges from $20-30 for most shows at both places - IMHO Birdland has much better service in terms of wait staff getting to your table frequently enough and it's a more intimate room (seats about 200 vs 5oo at BB King). Vanguard and Blue Note are smaller and have a more authentic jazz club feel but will be pricier in part because they have some of the biggest names in jazz and in part because they are much small ermore venues. Seating will be more crowded. I can't comment on service as I haven't been there but a friend who has gone to Blue Note said it was very pricey but an amazing experience well worth the money. He's a hardcore music fanatic - another friend who went there and was more intersted in the overall experience felt that it was too pricey and to crowded. Can't comment on Iridium as it moved about two years ago and I haven't heard from anyone who's been there. Historical side note: the Blue Note is well known but hasn't been around forever and a day - if I understand it correctly they licensed the right to use the name from Blue Note Records (justifiably legendary jazz label). The Blue Note has been around for 10 or 15 years at most. Village Vanguard will likely be a few $$ less than the Blue Note (a few not a lot) and it is the authentic deal - this is the place that's been around forever and many legendary recordings were made there. Birdland is a reincarnation of a famous Harlem Club - it also just borrows the name.

There are many good jazz clubs in the city - Village Voice has a section of music ads and listings with at least a dozen or so. Drinks are available in most all the clubs with the exception of Small's. I'd guess that you'll get a more "authentic feeling" experience in terms of atmosphere if you venture to places other than the big names that you mentioned. I'm not familiar with the place at Broadway and 106th but it's an easy subway ride and certainly wortyh looking into.

Flynn

Susan, check out Jazz Standard at 116 East 27th Street. This is downstairs from a ribs restaurant called Blue Smoke owned by Danny Meyer who also owns Gramercy Tavern, Tabla and other terrific restaurants. There's a $30 cover and you can get a drink. During the week they have sets at 7:30 & 9:30 and on the weekends they have one later.
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11660930/

Susan

Thanks, everyone, for input. I'm also curious about Detour. I read it is more up and coming performers rather than big names, but it doesn't have a cover and the atmosphere sounds good. Any comments?

The night in question has Mose Allison at Iridium, which is appealing to us. At Birdland there's Chico Farrill's Afro-Cuban big band jazz, and at Jazz Standard there's the Gary Bartz Quintet, sounds good to me. Hmmmm....

Susan

Oh, and at BB King's it Cadillac Moon, described as follows:

"exciting, original brand of funkin' blues from stage to CD. Their style is about laying down the funky groove"

Not sure that's fitting the bill.

Owen O'Neill

If you've only got one night to do this and you have some real jazz lovers in the group.... skip the show at BB King. I'm not familiar with Cadillac Moon but BB King's does fill in some slow nights with second tier and lower acts as needed. I'd be inclined to see Mose Allison but simply because he won't be around forever, he doesn't play in NY all the time and it will almost certainly be a good show. Have heard that Chico's band is good but I think they play Birdland once a month or more often - could always see them on a future trip.

Susan

Ah, Owen, you are being optimistic. The last time I was in New York I was 12, and I won't bother with the math and figure out how many years ago that was.

Anyone have a comment on Detour?

Otherwise, I think we're headed to see Mose or we're going to the Jazz Standard if Iridium proves too rich for members of our group.

I'll take any and all additional comments here, including any pre-jazz dinner recommendations near or around Detour, Jazz Standard or Iridium. Is the food upstairs at Jazz Standard all that?