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August 19, 2008

The Jazz Age Comes to Brooklyn

jazz_08_08.jpg
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.




Posted by lisa at 10:13 AM | Comments (15)
Categories: Real Estate

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Comments

Maybe with the revitalization of BAM with it's venues, parks and streetscapes all of these musicians will have a haven.

Posted by: ReMiXxd at August 19, 2008 10:55 AM

Sorry, ReMix - but some jazz sounds best in smallish intimate spaces like bars and lounges...

I'll give a $3 bill to the first kat who can list all the bars, restaurants, and or lounges in Brooklyn that have jazz musicians perform on a regular basis. ;)

Posted by: qis4quincy at August 19, 2008 11:12 AM

Have you seen the new BAM map? Seems like the grand Plaza will be one of many parks, most on the "intimate scale".

Check it out:

http://www.dbpartnership.org/lookingahead/bamcd/

Posted by: ReMiXxd at August 19, 2008 11:24 AM

suprisingly tge Tea Loung on Union st has some great jazz acts.

Also Issue Project Room in the old canning factory on 3rd st and 3rd ave has alot of experimental and jazz stuff. Its moving to downtown brooklyn I think.

also It still pretty easy to have rent around 500-600 bucks in brooklyn if your smart and live with people.

Posted by: Santa at August 19, 2008 11:33 AM

Well, Puppets had to move from its original spot because of a rent increase, and something like a year later the sign is up but it doesn't show any signs of opening last time I checked its new place on 5th between 11/12.....

Posted by: slopenick at August 19, 2008 11:42 AM

Freddy's Bar and Backroom has some jazz going on, as well as Zebulon...

Posted by: ProspectHeightsGuy at August 19, 2008 12:06 PM

Anyone who considers Brooklyn to be an affordable place for non famous jazz musicians to live is either a. out of touch with Brooklyn, b. out of touch with jazz, or c. both.

Ridiculous.

I know 3 jazz musicians in the borough. 1 owns his home but has been here forever. 1 is in a rent controlled dump thats falling apart and the other is struggling, living in Crown Heights with 4 roommates.


Posted by: Prodigal_Son at August 19, 2008 12:15 PM

Thanks 4 the link ReMix...

Posted by: qis4quincy at August 19, 2008 12:25 PM

I try to get into jazz but it's always been difficult. To me jazz sounds like the sounds in your head when you're drunk.

Posted by: infinitejester at August 19, 2008 12:57 PM

qis4quincy: Barbes, Mitchell's and Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope; Zebulon and Rose's Live Music in Williamsburg. Also the French bistros in Fort Greene often have live Jazz (Chez Lola and Chez Oskar)

Posted by: bklynrosie at August 19, 2008 1:46 PM

Solomon's Porch in Bed Stuy has jazz all the time. Not every day, but most days.

Posted by: 11233 at August 19, 2008 4:12 PM

thanks bklynrosie & 11233. I would also add Night of the Cookers (Fort Greene) as well.

Posted by: qis4quincy at August 19, 2008 4:35 PM

Sadly, all live music is basically dead. Bands are lucky to get $150 for the whole group at any gig. With the exception of wedding bands and corporate work, it is simply impossible to make a subsistence living with your music in NYC.

All too often, the club owners have ripped out their stage and replaced it with 3-6 tables and a DJ booth. People barely go out these days anyway, so no one is looking around to hear new music, except on myspace.

Regarding venues, my old band mate had a regular weekend jazz gig at Red Bamboo on DeKalb. Don't know if that is still going on. You can also check out a list of Brooklyn jazz clubs here:

http://www.ny.com/clubs/jazz/brooklyn&queens.html

Posted by: Knickerbocker at August 19, 2008 5:27 PM

...more jazz, yo (check it!): http://www.myspace.com/295douglass

Posted by: ProspectHeightsGuy at August 20, 2008 1:46 AM

saying things like "Sadly, all live music is basically dead" makes you look old and seriously out of touch.

also how is living with 4 roommates in Crown Heights in 2008 and different than living with 4 roommates in the East Village in 1988. Both areas have/had there problems but both present a vibrant street live and interesting surroundings. And I would bet Crown Heights in 2008 is cheaper than East Village 1988.

Posted by: Santa at August 20, 2008 10:04 AM

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