01/14/06 Chick Corea Trio @ Hilton, New York, NY

This is a repost from my short-lived MySpace blog. Remember MySpace?

So here it is...the first entry in a blog that most likely will never be read. I guess every now and then I get into some crazy situation that I feel needs to be documented in one way or another and this seems to be the most effortless way. This particular entry is in regards to the events of last Saturday night. Here goes:

Working over in Rockland County (aka Rocknam) over winter break was OK for the first couple of weeks: hanging out with old friends, hitting up new bars, winning lots of money at Texas Hold 'Em, etc. Life was sweet. But after everyone went back to school, the boredom came crashing down on me like a hurricane on heathens. Apologies to Pat Robertson. So I was thrilled to be headed back to the boros, albeit for only a couple of days. Friday night was spent mostly on public transportation with no music or literature. By the time I finally arrived back in Cop Killa Queens, I was in no shape for any entertainment other than the good ol' couch and TV. I am the Sofa King. And the Knicks won. 

After about 12 hours of sleep and an early afternoon of hardcore cleaning, I was ready to experience everything the City That Never Sleeps had to offer. But so much time and so little to do. Wait. Strike that. Reverse it. Apologies to Gene Wilder.

There was a bunch of open bars. There was some great live music. There was Andy at the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) conference or whatever at the Hilton. Reliably unreliable Manzor was coming out to NYC. The lovely Allie from NYE would be out and about at MSG. The night was young and the potential was great (perjoratively, of course).

So what was to be?

At approximately 6pm, I left my humble abode and began the arduous trek into Money Makin' Manhattatan, Captain Morgan and a liter of cola in hand. The destination: the glamorous Hilton Hotel, packed to the gills with jazz cats and assorted worldly wise foreigners.

The Bridge Bar was the site of a tight jam session featuring veterans and rookies of the jazz scene. Suffice it to say they ripped that bar up. Best part was the renegade cocktails I made. I told the bartender I needed two glasses of ice for the sax player to suck on: "Y'know. To sustain the long notes." Silly bartender! Glasses of ice are for rum and cokes. They got the job done.

Next up was the main event of the IAJE, namely Chick Corea and his ridiculously talented trio. But this was no impromptu hotel bar throwdown. This was the main event of a $100 per day conference. So some plotting and scheming was in order. "I left my pass up in my room. I know I was supposed to have it all week; it's been a long week. Ok. Thanks." So simple.

Needless to say, Chick Corea's trio killed it jazzwise. Equally impressive was the youth percussion ensemble that preceded the headliner. You have not lived until you have witnessed the George of the Jungle theme pounded out by tens of elementary schoolers on about a hundred vibraphones and other assorted percussive instruments. I, my friends, have lived.

The night then continued upstairs at the nearby Sheraton and in the Village...

01/01/06 The New Deal @ BB King's Blues Club, New York, NY

Somehow, I ended up going to this show solo, on New Year's Eve (or Day, technically) of all eves.

My suburban friends stayed in the suburbs and my city friends went to a rooftop party in the Bronx. I almost joined them, but I couldn't muster the motivation. I almost stayed in and did nothing as a silent protest against the incessant imperative to party.

But I ultimately decided that, if nothing else, it was best to start the year off right by sticking to my original plans.

At approximately 10pm, I hopped on the train to the heart of the beast - Times Square.

It was a bit surreal sitting in a bar just a couple blocks from the so-called biggest party in the world.

There were about 30 people there and there was free champagne at midnight. I left shortly thereafter to score tickets to the sold out show.

Since they were still clearing the area, and I didn't have a ticket, the police wouldn't let me cross through at 42nd st, where the club is located. So I had to go a few blocks downtown and wrap around.

I was able to buy a ticket pretty easily out front from a group of Jersey heads thanks to one of their friends forgetting to pace herself. For lack of a better option, I decided to hang out with their crew for a bit and hit it off with one of the girls.

A guy behind us on line told us that the greatest writer ever was Tom Robbins, who I had not heard of at that point, but is now one of my faves as well.

The rest of the night was a delightful drunken bar. I remember dancing with my new lady friend and many other lovely people to sweaty breakbeats that only The New Deal can properly deliver.

At one point, I think I got into a verbal altercation with a bartender for reasons I cannot recall.

It was one of my most memorable New Year's and the fact that I had to go at it alone and nearly sat the night out just made it that much more of a triumph.

At some point, I guess I headed home.

Here's a classy shot of me decompressing the next day:

??/??/05 Adam Deitch Project @ Blue Note, New York, NY

For this show, I managed to drag some friends along, who were blown away by the virtuosity exhibited by Mr. Deitch and company.

??/??/05 Project Logic @ Blue Note, New York, NY

This was another show that I almost skipped due to lack of accompaniment, but I decided to roll out solo and I'm glad I did.

DJ Logic is the favored DJ in the jazz jam scene, having manned the wheels of steel with groups ranging from Medeski Martin & Wood to Ratdog.

This show featured his own full band project.

I managed to snag a ride home with some friends of friends.

12/01/05 Yngwie Malmsteen @ BB King's Blues Club, New York, NY

My friend and avid guitar geek hit me up with a free ticket to see the Swedish neo-classical metal shredmaster.

The man can tear up a fretboard, but lacks emotion. It was certainly a spectacle to behold though.

11/25/05 The Meters @ Nokia Theater, New York, NY

The Meters are one of the funkiest bands in the history of music straight out of New Orleans. So when they reunited their original members, I knew I had to go check them out.

This was my first of many times at the brand new Nokia Theatre in the heart of Times Square. It is something of a shrine to the cell phones, but it is sleek and hi-tech and shiny and a wonderful place to see live music once you get past the inherently corporate nature of it all. The sound and sight lines are great, and there are stadium seats in the back for when you need to take a breather.

The show was a predictably funking good time.

11/19/05 Adam Deitch Project vs. Roc Raida @ Happy Valley, New York, NY

This was an issue release for art fag magazine Beautiful Decay.

The club was one of those momentous spots that enjoyed a brief time in the spotlight before fading into obscurity. It featured an elevated VIP lounge and cage dancers.

The bands and DJs performed atop a pyramid structure.

One of the city's finest young drummers (from my hometown) sparred with one of the top turntablists in the game for a great night of jazzy hip hop beats.

There was freeflowing Steel Reserve.

On my way to catch the 7 train home, I came across a line wrapped around the block of the Times Square Virgin Records. Tickets for System of a Down's MTV2 2 Dollar Bill show were going on sale to a select few at 10am, so I decided to get on line.

The first few hours were fun. The diehard SOAD fans passed bottles and joints and all was well.

Then the late hour and the cold weather began to take its toll. Rumors persisted that anyone past a certain point would not get a ticket. Still we waited.

I took a brief nap at a corner deli and returned to the line shortly after the sun rose and returned the collective mood to a more pleasant level.

We watched a cab run over a pigeon and then took delight in pedestrians inadvertently stepping in its remains.

Finally, the doors opened and all hell broke loose in a mad dash for the registers.

Sadly, I walked away ticketless.