With the close of Tonic last year, New York City lost a major venue for experimental jazz, as well as one of the last great mid-size clubs to see ANY jazz where you aren't charged an arm and a leg and a drink minimum (Iridium, Vanguard, Blue Note etc...). People are waiting in lines out the door for great shows at the Stone, 55 Bar, and the Jazz Gallery constantly, but because of the size of those clubs, it becomes an exclusive affair, on available to other musicians, and those in the know willing to spend the time camping out. I believe that in order to create a sustainable jazz community we need to make great jazz more open to the public.
In an attempt to do just that, I'm starting a series at the Knitting Factory called "Search and Restore." It's a monthly affair right now, but I want to blow the first shows out so that we can make it bi-monthly, or even weekly. It will be at the Tap Bar, the middle room in the Knitting Factory, 200 capacity, grand piano. I also will be booking only double bills, to provide for a more communal aspect of the live jazz show. No drink minimum, no emptying out after a set. Standing room and seats, and hopefully this more casual jazz environment will foster a setting where people can feel as though they're part of something.
I've also arranged for the shows to be sponsored by Other Music. We're going to be recording every set through a few room mics and soundboard feed into protools, mix and master it, and the set will be up for download on the Other Music website a week or two after the show. It can only do good things for the scene to get more recordings out there.
if you'd like to be a part of this in any way, please send an email to als458(at)gmail.com , word of mouth is key and everyone is welcome to be a part of this.
the next show is:
Sunday, January 27th
Search and Restore: Jazz at the Knit
The Dave Binney Group (Dave Binney, Craig Taborn, Thomas Morgan, Dan Weiss)
Uri Caine’s Bedrock Trio (Uri Caine, Tim Lefebvre, Zach Danziger)
$10/ students $13 everyone else, gets you into both sets
at the Knitting Factory: Tap Bar, 74 Leonard St, Manhattan
The show is at 8 PM and is all ages, with no drink minimum
Advance tickets for sale here
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&pl=&eventId=228744
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