Move over Harlem. The Utne Reader has declared Brooklyn the new home of Jazz, thanks to, you guessed it, rising Manhattan rents. Not only is it hard for modern Birds and Coltranes to find shelter there, but the cover charges at Manhattan jazz clubs can be prohibitively expensive, too. So Brooklyn gems like Barbes, with their $10-or-so tithing request, allow the music and music-makers to flourish over here on the Right Bank (they also mention Tea Lounge as a popular venue for jazz. Hm). “As luxury condos sprout up in the Alphabet City neighborhood Bird once called home, artists have been fleeing to find cheaper rents and more room for artistic expression,” reads the article. “‘None of us really can afford or even want to live in Manhattan, says saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo.’” Last we looked, struggling musicians had a hard time finding space in Brooklyn, too.
Bohemia in Brooklyn [Utne Reader]
Impromptu Jazz in Brooklyn. Photo by dubesor.