three

Many people believe that this spot, at the intersection of Astor Place and Lafayette Street, marks the point where Greenwich Village turns into the East Village.

Today, this trio of buskers took advantage of the warm sunshine by playing their jazzy tunes near the entrance to the Astor Place subway station. When the musicians took a break, I asked whether their group had a name. “Three,” replied the sax player, “all in lower case.”

And so, here they are: three.

The band playing at Astor Place

Behind the band, people pour in and out of the subway station

The drummer

Drummer

Saxaphone player

Bass player

A Night at the Opera

One of the joys of living in this city is having the ability (at least once in a while) to spend a night at the opera.

This evening I visited the Metropolitan Opera, America’s largest classical music organization and one of the world’s greatest opera companies. Founded in 1880, the Met isn’t simply a venue for great voices; it is also an institution dedicated to growing the next generation of opera-lovers.

Sadly, most American schoolchildren learn little to nothing about opera, so the Met has taken on a great educational mission. The company employs many methods to make opera afforable, accessible and fun, including discount seating for students, backstage tours and simultaneous translation of lyrics displayed on small, individual screens affixed to the back of every seat.

Tonight was the season premiere of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). The opera is based on the second of three plays that Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais wrote about Figaro, a hilariously subversive servant in a royal palace; the first in the triology is Le Barbier de Seville (The Barber of Seville) and the last La Mère Coupable (The Guilty Mother).

The show is long, very sexy and very, very funny. But even if the show wasn’t superb (it is), the setting couldn’t be finer.

Located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Opera House is famed for the soaring arches of its white marble facade, the large, colorful murals by Marc Chagall displayed in the lobby, and an enormous gilded proscenium from which hangs the a massive sweep of golden fabric, the largest theatre curtain in the world.

The front of the Opera House

Reading Figaro posters at Lincoln Center

The fountain in front of the Opera House

Lincoln Center
The Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro
Metropolitan Opera: Synopsis of Le Nozze di Figaro
Metropolitan Opera Shop
Metropolitan Opera Guild
Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department
Opera News
Guggenheim Collection: Marc Chagall
Britannica: Marc Chagall
A Night at the Opera

Bill Shannon’s Window

This summer’s massive River to River Festival is in its final days. The last dance program of the season, Window, is being presented on Lower Broadway all this week at lunchtime.

Created by Bill Shannon, Windows is presented to two audiences simultaneously: pedestrians on the street and viewers observing through the windows of a nearby skyscraper.

The Step Fienz, a crew of breakdancers, accompany Shannon (also known as “the Crutchmaster”), as he performs on a skateboard and crutches, weaving in and out of traffic, flipping and spinning, startling drivers and engaging passers-by with his grace, athleticism and humor.

Those who entered the lofty viewing space  (located in an ordinary business office) were able to see live video closeups of the action below and listen to recorded music mixed with Shannon’s comments and street noise. The same music is played outside, but only on the dancers’ earpieces. 

Passers-by can’t hear the music, see the audience gathered at the office windows (unless they look up and squint), or view the cameras positioned above. As a result, most of the people on the street don’t realize they are witnessing (and participating in) a carefully-planned performance. The spontaneous interactions between the unsuspecting pedestrians and the dancers are, in and of themselves, vital parts of the show.

The crutch and skateboard, while important elements of the dance, are not simply used for dramatic effect. Shannon’s dance technique—known as the Shannon Technique—is one he invented out of necessity. Born with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (a rare hip deformity), the dancer and choreographer has spent most of his life on crutches.

He has traveled and performed around the world, won numerous awards for his work and choreographed Cirque de Soleil’s production, Varekai. A documentary about Shannon, entitled Crutch, is scheduled to premiere at film festivals this fall.

An audience gathers at the window

Shannon skates around traffic

He is joined by another skateboarder

He lies on the sidewalk

Maneuvering with his crutches

Pedestrians walk by

A good samaritan stops to assist

She “helps” him stand

Then wants to discuss religion

More dancers join in

The Step Fienz in action

Darting through the crowd

Another attempted conversation

Shannon aloft

The finale

The company takes a bow

Bill Shannon
MySpace: Crutch
Village Voice: ‘Crutchmaster’ Takes Dance to the Next Level
Cirque du Soleil: Bill Shannon
Time Signature Productions: The Step Fienz
DJ Excess
MySpace: DJ Excess
River to River Festival
LMCC Sitelines: Window
The New Yorker: Window

A Trip at the Whitney Museum

All summer long, I heard about the Summer of Love exhibit at the Whitney Museum.

Four decades after hippies gathered at a “Human-Be-In” in Golden Gate Park, the Grateful Dead released their first album and LSD was outlawed in the US, the Whitney Museum of American Art revisited this period of psychedellia, flower power and civil unrest, examined the creative and cultural explosion that took place in San Francisco, New York and London, and put it all into an historic context.

All summer long, I met former hippies and wannabees who assured me that the exhibit was “far-out, man,” and an authentic representation of their drug-soaked youth (at least, as far as they could remember).

And all summer long, I thought I’d eventually get around to making a trip to the Madison Avenue and seeing the show. Then, suddenly, I realized that this was the closing weekend.

I ran to the Whitney and spent the evening in psychedellic bliss, gazing at the intricately-drawn concert posters, watching the light shows, viewing “mind-blowing” experimental films, wearing goggles intended to create distorted visions, crawling through brightly-colored, sculpted environments, blinking at the strobe lights and spinning metal circles and listening to Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead.

Listening? Yes, this is the first major museum show I’ve seen where the audiotour included a complete soundtrack, with songs tied to most of the major works. For example, stand in front of the case full of underground magazines, push the number posted on the wall and you’d listen to Bob Dylan singing Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin’ ship / My senses have been stripped, my hands can’t feel to grip / My toes too numb to step / Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin‘.

The program’s musical selections included:

* The 13th Floor Elevators – You’re Gonna Miss Me
* The Beatles – All You Need Is Love
* The Beatles – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
* The Beatles – Revolution No. 9
* Big Brother &Amp; The Holding Company: Piece Of My Heart
* Eric Burdon – San Franciscan Nights
* Butterfield Blues Band – East-West
* The Byrds – So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
* The Charlatans – Baby Won’t You Tell Me
* Chicago – Someday
* Country Joe & the Fish – Acid Commercial
* Country Joe & the Fish – Bass Strings
* Cream – Crossroads
* Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young – Ohio
* The Doors – Break On Through
* Bob Dylan – Mr. Tamourine Man
* Fleur Des Lys – Circles
* The Fugs – Kill For Peace
* Allen Ginsberg – Tonight Let’s All Make Love In London
* Grateful Dead – I Know You Rider
* Great Society – Somebody To Love
* Hapshash And The Coloured Coat – H-O-P-P Why
* Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced (Live)
* Jimi Hendrix – Foxy Lady
* Iron Butterfly – In A Gadda Da Vida
* Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit
* Jefferson Airplane – Won’t You Try Saturday Afternoon
* Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz
* Janis Joplin – Raise Your Hand
* Moby Grape – Dark Magic
* David Peel – I Like Marijuana
* Pink Floyd – Interstellar Overdrive
* Purple Gang – Granny Takes A Trip
* Quicksilver Messenger Service – Mona
* The Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man
* The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses
* Santana – Samba Pa Ti
* Santana – Soul Sacrifice
* The Velvet Underground – Venus In Furs
* The Velvet Underground – What Goes On
* Frank Zappa & Mothers Of Invention – Willie The Pimp

I descended to the Museum’s lower level to catch a glimpse of one psychedellic masterpiece that didn’t fit into the main galleries: Janis Joplin’s painted Porsche, exhibited on the museum’s patio. As I passed through the gift shop to reach it, I happened upon workers busily setting up seats for a one-time-only performance of Hotel Cassiopeia: The Backstory.

Part of the museum’s “Whitney Live” series, the show, hosted by Anne Bogart and playwright Charles Mee, was based upon the life of artist Joseph Cornell. It included an excerpt from the play Hotel Cassiopeia and presentations by filmmaker Jeanne Liotta and Cornell’s former assistant, sculptor Harry Roseman.

I joined the audience for what proved to be the perfect end to the evening: as part of a small, curious company tucked away below Manhattan’s busy streets and engrossed in an hour of art, film, music, magic and love.

Summer of Love brochure

Men in dark gallery watching light show

Janis Joplin’s Porsche (rear view)

Janis Joplin’s Porsche (front view)

Whitney Museum
Whitney Museum: Summer of Love
Timothy Leary
Poets: Allen Ginsberg
Charles Mee
Brooklyn Academy of Music: Hotel Cassiopeia
Joseph Cornell
Jeanne Liotta
Vassar: Harry Roseman

Ludfest

Ludfest?

To understand the rationale behind Ludfest (the Ludlow Street Festival), you should know that New York City is divided into 123 different Police Precincts. The tiny Seventh Precinct, second smallest in the city, is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Long a home to poor immigrants, bargain shops and, more recently, hipsters, foodies and trust fund babies, the area is served by the Seventh Precinct Community Council. The group sponsors a variety of activities and events including today’s fundraiser/block party.

The day-long Ludfest, held on the busy block of Ludlow Street between Stanton and Rivington, featured vendors, community and political organizations, a DJ and several up-and-coming local bands. All proceeds will be used for local youth programs including Christmas and Chanukah toy give-aways.

Smoking in front of Pianos

Slices for sale outside Isabella’s

Isabella’s $1 calzone

Outside the Living Room

Crowd in front of Some Odd Rubies

The DJ

Near the stage

Local cop on the beat

A Place to Bury Strangers

Case for A Place to Bury Strangers

MySpace: Ludfest
NYC Police Precincts
New York Magazine: How Low Can You Go?
MySpace: A Place To Bury Strangers
Secret Machines
Dub Trio
Other Passengers
The Sugar Report
Emok
Isabella’s Oven
Pianos
The Living Room
Some Odd Rubies
Cake Shop

The J&R Music Fest

J&R is a large electronics store located in lower Manhattan, directly across from City Hall. Founded more than 30 years ago as a record shop (“Mommy, what’s a record?”), music remains an important part of the store’s business and, for more than a decade, it has sponsored a small annual music festival in City Hall Park.

This evening’s program featured three performers: Javier, a new singer/songwriter with his roots in R&B music, J. Holiday, a sleepy-eyed heartthrob with a hip-hop edge and Suzanne Vega, who writes and sings of city life and is best known for “Luka,” her 1987 hit about a battered child.

Each singer attracted such a different audience that the park emptied out — and was refilled by a new crowd, ready for the next artist — at the end of each set. And, of course, each performance was followed by an autograph-signing session at the J&R store.

J. Holiday onstage

J. Holiday singing a Stevie Wonder song

Javier with his guitar

Javier singing

Suzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega sings Tom’s Diner

J&R Music Fest
Javier
MySpace: J. Holiday
The Official Community of Suzanne Vega

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story

Tonight I attended a special screening of Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story at the ImaginAsian Theater. The documentary tells the story of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese schoolgirl who disappeared in 1977, and of her family’s long, heartbreaking struggle to find her.

Decades after she vanished, a North Korean defector revealed that Kim Jong Il’s henchmen had abducted more than one dozen innocent Japanese citizens. They were transported across the Sea of Japan and forced to teach North Korean spies how to speak, look and “act” Japanese. Taken at the age of 13, Megumi was their youngest kidnapping victim.

While the abductions have made headlines and caused governmental upheavals in Asia, they are little known in the rest of the world. In fact, I wasn’t aware of them until I saw this award-winning film.

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story is the first effort from husband and wife directing team Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim. They appeared onstage for a question and answer session and described how reading a small article in the Washington Post inspired them to put Megumi’s story on film.

Also present was Noel Paul Stookey, the “Paul” of the legendary folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary, who performed his Song for Megumi. He explained that he wrote the song because folk music traditionally tells stories of struggle and injustice. 

He sang, “Return to me, Megumi, across the waves of the sea. Send me your spirit. My heart will hear it. And lead you home to me.”

Noel Paul Stookey, Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim

Noel Paul Stookey

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story
Rescuing Abductees Center for Hope
Abduction Blog
Noel Paul Stookey
World Politics Watch: American Folk Singer Pens ‘Song for Megumi’
ImaginAsian Theater

Un Concierto Gratis en Coffey Park

The notice said:

Councilwoman Sara M. Gonzalez Te Invita A…
Futuray Sentimieto
Un Concierto Gratis en Red Hook
Live Performances: TITO NIEVES, OCHO Y MAS
Special Attraction: RAULIN ROSENDO Y SU ORQUESTA
Coffey Park, Red Hook, Brooklyn Para mas informacion: (71 809-7952 ~ (917) 309-6838

Translation: there’s a free party in Coffey Park!

Coffey Park is an 8-acre patch of green surrounded by vast public housing projects. It’s a rough neighborhood, in an often-overlooked corner of Brooklyn, where many of the residents are more fluent in Spanish than English.

The day was hot and the sky threatened rain, but the when the music started people flocked to the park, crowding around the stage, dancing on the grass and curved walkways, and catching up with old friends.

I beat a hasty retreat when the downpour began, but the locals stayed on, not yet ready to stop partying and go home. A little rain wouldn’t scare them off; they grow ‘em tough in Coffey Park.

Dancers ready to go onstage

Couple dancing on the grass

Dancing on the walkway

Slow dancing near the stage

Face painting at the Latin Fest

The band onstage

Security guards watch the crowd

The rain came but they kept on dancing

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation: Coffey Park
City Parks Foundation: Coffey Park
Councilwoman Sara M. Gonzalez
NYC Campaign Finance Board: Sara M. Gonzalez

Howl on the Road

After a couple of years’ absence, the Howl Festival is back. The event, named in honor of Allen Ginsberg’s landmark poem about love, madness and death, is designed as a celebration of art created in Greenwich Village and the East Village.

This year, the ultimate downtown festival has taken a detour uptown to participate in Lincoln Center Out of Doors: Summer of Love: Celebrating the Spirit of the ‘60s.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the “Summer of Love” gathering in San Francisco—a defining moment of the era …. For its own “Summer of Love” 2007, Lincoln Center Out of Doors offers music, dance, street theater, and family events highlighted by artists and styles of the period.

Held on Josie Robertson Plaza, the celebration included art, music, dance, puppetry and even a fashion show. Participants dressed as hippies sang, danced and distributed flowers, incense and love beads. 

Three interactive art installations added to the experience: Block Busting by George Spencer, Howling and Other Justifiable Actions by Terry S. Handy, and Wink by Jan Lynn Sokota.

In early September, the complete, full-blown Howl Festival will return to its home turf downtown, in and around Tompkins Square Park in the East Village.

Minds! New loves!
Mad generation!
down on the rocks of Time!
Real holy laughter in the river!
They saw it all!
the wild eyes! the holy yells!
They bade farewell!
They jumped off the roof to solitude!
waving!
carrying flowers!
Down to the river! into the street!
– Allen Ginsberg, Howl

From Howling and Other Justifiable Actions by Terry S. Handy

From Howling and Other Justifiable Actions by Terry S. Handy

From Howling and Other Justifiable Actions by Terry S. Handy

Wink by Jan Lynn Sokota

Hippie chicks

The self-described “Goth Ethel Merman”

Musician

Hungry Marching Band

Block Busting by George Spencer

Trystette

Monsieur Pierre (Todd Shaffer)

Paper peace dress

Channeling the spirit of Janis Joplin

Flower child

The Federation of East Village Artists
Howl Festival
Terry Hardy
Jan Lynn Sokota
Trystette
Hungry March Band
Wikipedia: Bob Holman
East Village Dance Project
Howl at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Josie Robertson Plaza
Howl
Footnote to Howl
Wikipedia: Howl
NY Times: Special section on Allen Ginsberg
Literary History: Allen Ginsberg
The Beat Page: Allen Ginsberg
Lawrence Ferlinghetti on Howl’s 45th anniversary
Lawrence Ferlinghetti on Howl & Banned Books (click under his photo)
GOH Productions
Bonnie Sue Stein
Village Voice: Ed Woodham
Martha Tornay

A Legend Early in the Morning

Every summer two popular television programs compete for early morning audiences by broadcasting concerts live from New York City.

The National Broadcasting Company’s Today Show holds their concert series on the Plaza at Rockefeller Center. Concerts from the American Broadcasting Company’s Good Morning America program take place in Bryant Park.

Both concert series are held in midtown Manahattan, both are free and open to the public, both include a variety of performers and musical genres. Good Morning America’s offerings take place on Fridays; the Today Show’s concerts are generally held on Tuesdays or Fridays.

Recently friend asked why I, who live so close to the venues and enjoy music so much, have never attended one of these peformances. This note from Good Morning America’s Web site might explain:

Show up at Bryant Park (41st and 6th Ave) around 6:00am, or earlier, to get a good spot in line.

Nevertheless, I decided to set my alarm extra early and give a (practically) crack-of-dawn concert a try today when R&B singer, songwriter and pianist John Legend appeared on Good Morning America.

Legend, a Grammy-award winner, performed romantic ballads influenced by gospel, jazz and hip-hop. After the show, the audience received free samples provided by the program’s sponsor, Listerine mouthwash.

Wonder whether the Listerine is at all responsible for Legend’s sweet, mellow sound?

The temporary stage in Bryant Park

Rehearsing with back-up singers

Singing during the rehearsal

Joking with Diane Sawyer & Sam Champion

John Legend performing with the band

John Legend making hearts flutter

John Legend
MySpace: John Legend
Today Show Concert Series
Good Morning America
Bryant Park: Good Morning America Concert Series
Listerine

A Texas Honky-Tonk in New York City

Castle Clinton was constructed at the southern tip of Manhattan for the defense of New York City. Designed as a near-twin to Castle William on Governor’s Island, the building stopped functioning as a military base after the War of 1812. The castle was converted to an opera house, then an immigration processing center, and finally an aquarium before being named a national monument in 1946.

Today this circular red sandstone building in Battery Park serves as the ticket office for ferries going to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. And, for a few magical summer evenings each year, it is transformed into an open air concert hall. A portable stage is erected, folding chairs are opened, a refreshment stand set up and tickets (first-come, first-serve) distributed to the crowd that waits outside in the sun for hours.

Why do they stand so patiently in the middle of a heat wave? Simple. Because the space is intimate (only 600 seats are available), the price is right (free), and the acts are first-rate.

Today, as day turned to night, this former military fortress became a Texas honky-tonk when Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock — also known as the Flatlanders — performed for those lucky enough to score tickets.

The sounds of these veteran country singer-songwriters had the New York City crowd clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and finally, up on their feet and happily dancing under the stars.

The Flatlanders on the stage

Jimmie Dale Gilmore

Butch Hancock

Joe Ely

Rob Gjersoe on bass

Joe Ely singing

Butch Hancock singing

Jimmie Dale Gilmore singing

New West Records: The Flatlanders
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Welcome
Wikipedia: Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Joe Ely
Wikipedia: Joe Ely
Wikipedia: Butch Hancock
Castle Clinton National Monument

More Broadway in Bryant Park

Another sunny summer Thursday, another free lunchtime performance in the Broadway in Bryant Park series.

Once again, the concert featured excerpts from current shows and I was able to catch some of the best moments from Hairspray, Mary Poppins and Stomp. 

Hairspray

Hairspray

Hairspray

Ashley Brown & Devynn Pedell from Mary Poppins signing autographs

Ashley Brown as the title character in Mary Poppins

Jacob Levine, Ashley Brown and Devynn Pedell in Mary Poppins

Jacob Levine and Gavin Lee singing Let’s Go Fly a Kite

Singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins

Broom dance from Stomp

Dancing with brooms from Stomp

Cast dancing with poles from Stomp

Hairspray
Mary Poppins
Devynn Pedell
Stomp
New York 106.7 FM: Broadway in Bryant Park
Bryant Park: Broadway in Bryant Park
Bryant Park
New York City Department of Parks: Broadway in Bryant Park
Broadway.Com

Dance of the Gypsies

In addition to the Sand Sculpting Contest, last week’s celebration at Coney Island featured a performance by a group billed as (I believe) the World Wide Gypsies.

Clad in bright, flowing silks, adorned with countless jewels, bangles and spangles, three women swayed and whirled on the sunlit Boardwalk.

When the moustachioed violinist launched into Ochi Chyornye (also written as Ochi Tchornya or Ochi Chernye), the lead dancer sang along.

Ochi chyornye, ochi zhguchie
Ochi strastnye i prekrasnye
Kak lyublyu ya vas, kak boyus’ ya vas
Znat’ uvidel vas ya ne v dobryj chas

Dark eyes, burning eyes
Frightful and beautiful eyes
I love you so, I fear you so
For sure I’ve seen you at a sinister hour

Passers-by were captivated by the romantic melody, the flamboyant costumes and the laughing, dancing gypsys.

Swirling their skirts

Playing Ochi Chyornye

The gypsy sings of love & suffering

Captivating a passerby

Dancing with the Boardwalk boys

Doing a few belly dance moves

Dancing to a lively mazurka

Twirling gypsy dancer

Bay News: Fairy tales still thrive in Coney Island
NY1: Sand Sculptors Complete
Astella Development Corporation
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Wikipedia: Ochi Chyornye

Guitar Guys Friday

Thanks to the River to River Festival, this was “Guitar Guys Friday.” Three of the buskers who usually perform in the subways as part of the Transit Authority’s Arts for Transit: Music Under New York program were invited to come above ground and play in the heart of the financial district.

They appeared under a green awning in the space formerly known as Liberty Plaza Park. Unlike most New York City parks, which are owned by the city, this square block on Lower Broadway between Liberty and Cedar Streets is owned by a private real estate company, Brookfield Properties.

The park was destroyed on September 11, 2001 and when it finally re-opened last summer (yes, the park was closed and hidden behind tall fences for nearly five years), the name had been changed to Zuccotti Park to honor John Zuccotti, the U.S. Chairman of Brookfield Properties.

The space is popular with lunchtime crowds, who munched while listening to local guitar heroes Delfin Tardio, who describes his reggae-tinged music as “electric meditation” and Heth and Jed, who call their rock-based sound “Pink Floyd meets the wall.”

Delfin Tardio playing in Zuccotti Park

Delfin Tardio

Heth & Jed in Zuccotti Park

Heth playing the guitar

Heth

Jed on his blue guitar

Jed

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦

By the way, just to give you a bit of historical perspective, here is a photo of the park on September 11, 2001. I didn’t take it; this image was shot by photojournalist Jeff Mermelstein.

Liberty Plaza Park on 9/11 by Jeff Mermelstein

Heth and Jed
MySpace: Heth & Jed
River to River Festival: Guitar Guys
MTA’s Arts for Transit “Music Under New York” program
New York Times: Jeff Mermelstein
Lower Manhattan: Zuccotti Park
Project Rebirth: Liberty Park Plaza
Cooper Robertson: Liberty Park Plaza
Brookfield Properties

Whose Broads Stripes

One of the most imposing buildings on Wall Street, Federal Hall was the original home of the United States Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices. It was here that George Washington first took the oath of office.

Today, while Wall Streeters despaired over a slump in the stock market, the steps of the Federal Hall were the site of Lawrence Goldhuber’s Whose Broads Stripes.

No signs, announcements or explanations preceded the performance, so the tourists who crowded around the building, snapping each other’s photos, were shocked when guitarist Geoff Gersh launched into Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner and two showgirls dressed in red and white sequined gowns began to dance with feathered fans.

After a few minutes of shimmying in the sunlight, they went back up the steps and held aloft protest signs. The music changed to a recording of Pink Floyd’s Money, the dancers dropped the signs, descended and flung phoney $50 bills into the air. 

As the audience dove to grab the funny money, the glamour girls seemed to notice a middle-aged businessman sitting on the steps with the rest of the lunchtime crowd. They pulled the laughingly protesting man to his feet, and he awkwardly, gamely attempted to join them in their dance.

Then, suddenly, they covered him with their fans. From behind the feathers, the man’s jacket flew into the air. Then his tie. And then … when the women lowered the fluffy white fans, the stuffy businessman was gone, replaced by a dancing, strutting superhero.

Geoff Gersh in front of Federal Hall

Geoff Gersh & his guitar

The showgirls appear

Dancing on the steps

Displaying signs asking for peace and love

Throwing fake $50 bills to the crowd

Spotting a businessman beneath the statue of Washington

The businessman awkwardly joins in the dance

They hide the businessman behind their fans

He emerges as a superhero

The superhero & showgirls shake & shimmy together

The end!

Lawrence Goldhuber/BIGMANARTS
Geoff Gersh
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council: Sitelines
River to River Festival
Pink Floyd
Jimi Hendrix
Federal Hall National Memorial

Broadway in Bryant Park

Now in its sixth year, Broadway in Bryant Park is a series of Thursday lunchtime performances held in the park behind the main branch of the New York Public Library. Cast members from leading Broadway musicals usually perform two or three songs from each show.

Today the audience saw “showstopping” numbers from four hits: Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Lion King, Curtains and Xanadu. No costumes, no makeup, few props, just a stage full of some of the best singing and dancing in the world, all for free.

Lewis Cleale & Marin Mazzie from Monty Python’s Spamalot

Lewis Cleale & Marin Mazzie sing The Song That Goes Like This from Monty Python’s Spamalot

Cornelius Jones Jr. from The Lion King

Sophia N. Stephens & Cornelius Jones Jr. sing Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King

Michael McCormick sings What Kind of Man? from Curtains

Debra Monk sings It’s a Business from Curtains

Kerry Butler & Curtis Holbrook from Xanadu

Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa sing Witchy Woman from Xanadu

The audience in Bryant Park

New York 106.7 FM: Broadway in Bryant Park
Bryant Park: Broadway in Bryant Park
Monty Python’s Spamalot
The Lion King
Curtains
Xanadu
Bryant Park
Broadway.Com

The Doc Pomus Project

Celebrate Brooklyn is a summer performing arts festival held at the Bandshell in Prospect Park. Tonight the festival featured Hal Willner’s Doc Pomus Project, a tribute to the words and music of the late songwriter.

Doc Pomus was the pen name of Brooklyn native Jerome Felder, who created some of the greatest sounds of the 1950s and 1960s. His songs have been recorded by many stars including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Jerry Garcia and Ray Charles.

While his name isn’t a household word, Pomus is a legend in the music industry. The evening was organized by music producer Hal Willner and featured Ben E. King, Laurie Anderson, Sharon Jones, Lou Reed, Eric Mingus, Shannon McNally, Jenni Muldaur, Howard Tate, Joel Dorn, Peter Guralnick and more of Pomus’s friends and associates.

The singers relished the chance to present their favorite Pomus numbers: There Must Be a Better World Somewhere was sung by Lou Reed, Hushabye by Shannon McNally, Teenager in Love by Jenni Muldaur, Turn Me Loose by Sharon Jones, Lonely Avenue by Howard Tate, Viva Las Vegas by Joseph Arthur and This Magic Moment by Ben E. King.

In addition to the music, the Project included moments of humor, sweetness and pathos. Pomus contracted polio as a child and afterward depended upon leg braces and crutches. Laurie Anderson read his moving account of the girls who rejected him as a teenaged “cripple” and how the effects of the disease tormented him for the rest of his life.

Despite his personal pain, Doc Pomus was responsible for some of the best and most influential pop songs ever written. His honors include the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award.

Hal Willner

Lou Reed

Sharon Jones

Peter Guralnick

Shannon McNally

Ben E. King

Joseph Arthur

Laurie Anderson

Howard Tate

Joel Dorn

Duet

Kenny Wollesen

Jenni Muldaur

Eric Mingus

Robin Holcomb

Ben E. King & Jenni Muldaur

The Finale: Viva Las Vegas

Celebrate Brooklyn
Celebrate Brooklyn Schedule
Doc Pomus
Songwriters Hall of Fame: Doc Pomus
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Doc Pomus
Rhythm & Blues Foundation: Pioneer Award Honorees
Wikipedia: Hal Wilner
Lou Reed
Laurie Anderson
Shannon McNally
Jenni Muldaur
DapTone Records: Sharon Jones
Howard Tate
Eric Mingus
Robin Holcomb
Joseph Arthur
The Ben E. King Stand By Me Foundation
Mocean Worker
Joel Dorn
Wikipedia: Peter Guralnick
Raoul Felder (brother)

Big Apple BBQ 2007

The smoke was billowing, the sauce was bubbling. The beer was chilling, the beans were heating, the slaw was cooling and the dogs were licking their chops.

It was a great day for eaters, a nightmare of a day for vegetarians and cardiologists. It was the 2007 edition of the Big Apple Bar*BQ & Block Party.

For the fifth year in a row, barbeque experts from around the USA gathered in Madison Square Park to cook, sell their tastiest creations and preach the gospel of the grill.

Although some folks decried the BBQ’s lack of a representative from Kansas City, the fest included pitmasters from Alabama, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virigina, Boston and even Manhattan, dishing up tons of ribs, sausages, pulled pork, chicken, Brunswick Stew, beans, pickles, cole slaw, apple turnovers and blueberry pie.

And for dieters, it was a terrible, awful, no-good, very bad day.

Big Apple BBQ Welcome sign

Eating Baker’s Ribs

Manning the grill at Jake’s Boss BBQ

Cooking pig skin at Ed Mitchell

Dining on the curb

Bench full of barbeque eaters

Feeding the dogs

Eating from paper baskets

Using newspaper boxes as tables

Wendy the Snapple lady

Basting ribs at Rack & Soul

Picnicking on the grass

Using a window ledge as a table

Stirring the Proclamation Stew Crew’s Brunswick Stew

Ryan Shaw singing

Licking up every last drop

Big Apple Bar*BQ & Block Party
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Eater: Let the Dieting Commence
Off The Broiler: Big Apple Block Party
Chowhound: Big Apple BBQ

Ashford & Simpson

When Motown was known as the Sound of Young America, when Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell and the Supremes were at the top of the charts, this pair was responsible for creating many of their classic hits.

In the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s they wrote songs for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass, the Fifth Dimension, the Miracles and many others.

Their best known songs include Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love, Let’s Go Get Stoned, Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand), I’m Every Woman, You’re All I Need To Get By and Solid (As a Rock).

Although they are known primarily as songwriters, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson also polished, dynamic performers. Today, on the commons at the office complex known as MetroTech Center, they were the opening act for the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Rhythm and Blues Festival.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you … Ashford and Simpson.

Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Ashford & Simpson in Brooklyn
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Ashford & Simpson at Metrotech
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Ashford & Simpson
Originally uploaded by annulla.

2007 BAM Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech
Motown
Ashford & Simpson’s SugarBar
Ashford & Simpson Fan Site
VH1: Ashford & Simpson
BAM: Brooklyn Academy of Music
MetroTech Center

Singing and Dancing in the Sunshine

It was lunchtime on sunny day and the crowd in downtown Brooklyn was being treated to a free open-air concert.

Schoolchildren from PS 27 in Red Hook and PS 276 in Canarsie gathered near the fountain in front of Borough Hall to sing and dance. Those on stage put their hearts into the performance, but the audience was a tiny bit distracted.

A bunch of kids from the surrounding neighborhood scampered away from the parents and babysitters who’d brought them out to enjoy the sunshine, began dancing in front of the stage, and effortlessly stole the show.

PS 27 Chorus at Borough Hall
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Dancers from PS 276 in Canarsie
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Chorus from PS 276 in Canarsie with fan
Originally uploaded by annulla.

The kids form a mosh pit
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Dancing to the music
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Tiny dancer
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Shall we dance?
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Dancing hand in hand
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Dancing cheek to cheek
Originally uploaded by annulla.

Inside Schools: P.S. 27 The Agnes Y. Humphrey School for Leadership
Inside Schools: P.S. 276 Louis Marshall School
Great Schools: P.S. 27 Agnes Y. Humphrey School
Great Schools: P.S. 276 Louis Marshall Elementary School
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz